Category: Azerbaijan

Tipsy travels: a tour of Eurasia’s favourite drinks – Bradt Guides

March 31, 2021

“For most of my travels I have been under the influence of alcohol. In my defence, I had to be: by a very fortunate twist of fate, I once worked as an analyst in the wine and spirits industry.

Covering the Eurasia region I travelled to several countries to discover what – and how much – the people in this part of the world drink. I learned that a country’s choice of tipple always reveals something great about their culture. Behind the data and numbers in my reports were hundreds of stories – not to mention some delicious memories”. … More Tipsy travels: a tour of Eurasia’s favourite drinks – Bradt Guides

A photograph from Baku, Azerbaijan in the exhibition ‘Artworks of Eurasia’

October 7, 2020

One of my photographs from Azerbaijan, taken in the courtyard of Baku’s Şəhidlər Məscidi (Martyr’s Mosque), is being displayed in the online exhibition ‘Top 25 Artworks of Eurasia’. This exhibition is organised by the Eurasian Creative Guild, and features paintings and photographs by artists from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. … More A photograph from Baku, Azerbaijan in the exhibition ‘Artworks of Eurasia’

Getting drunk on my own in the former Soviet republics: Confessions of an alcohol analyst

April 2, 2020

It’s long past midnight in a rugged little town high up in the Caucasus Mountains, and I’m lying on my back in the middle of an icy street, gazing up at the stars. There is freezing air in my lungs, a mountain climb in my legs, and half a bottle of chacha in my veins. I am so happy I can’t move.

I arrived in northern Georgia from Tbilisi the night before, and booked a room in a guesthouse in Stepantsminda (also called Kazbegi), to make the trek up to Gergeti Trinity Church – one of the most beautiful places in the Caucasus.  … More Getting drunk on my own in the former Soviet republics: Confessions of an alcohol analyst

Highlights of Baku, Azerbaijan – for Lonely Planet

March 27, 2020

More than any of its sights, smells and sounds, what hits you most when you arrive in Baku is how the city makes you feel. Azerbaijan’s capital is a discombobulating place: a mix of the ultra-modern and the very-old, where the country’s Turkish, Russian, Persian and European identities collide on every street. Even in its calm moments the city will find ways to confuse you: as you stroll along its promenade on the shores of the Caspian Sea, you are actually 28 metres below sea level. So as you explore the biggest city in the Caucasus, here are the experiences that will give you a feel for Baku’s awesome oddness… … More Highlights of Baku, Azerbaijan – for Lonely Planet

A day in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)

December 2, 2019

Artsakh is the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh, the disputed territory between it and Azerbaijan. The two nations have been at war over Karabakh for over 30 years. Both feel that the territory belongs to them: the land became part of Soviet Azerbaijan during Stalin’s era, but most of the people living there are still Armenian. The conflict has killed tens of thousands on both sides, with no resolution in sight. … More A day in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)

Flame Towers and Şəhidlər məscidi – Baku, Azerbaijan

April 27, 2019

The Flame Towers loom above every street in Baku. At night their neon displays light up the city on their own: first orange and red flames lick up the sides of the towers; then they fill up with splashes of water; then the complex turns the colours of Azerbaijan’s flag – green, red and blue. It is a needless show of wealth, but an extraordinary sight. … More Flame Towers and Şəhidlər məscidi – Baku, Azerbaijan