Sunday, June 24, 2018

Caucasus day 6 Drive to Sheki with stops including Lahic and Gabala

Day 6 was a somewhat long eventful day.  Zach Lincoln and I went to Sheki with AzTerra (Kate was sick so she stayed in Baku).  Our driver didn't speak English and we didn't have an actual itinerary (just a list of stops over the 3 day trip), so it was a guessing game of where we were stopping which made it really interesting.  Overall though we saw lots of amazing things and had great food.

The morning started with a breakfast in Kate's apartment that we had bought before

At 9:30 we were off to Sheki in our large van.  Lincoln pretty much immediately went to sleep since he didn't sleep so well since we started our trip

This was the landscape for about the first 1.5 hours.  Pretty much a desert with a few sheep.

The first stop was a mosque from the 1400s built into a hill.  Diri Baba mosque. When we got there there was an animal that was being slaughtered but it was otherwise pretty empty

Lincoln and Zach checking out the view inside

The next stop was Juma mosque which was in the same town where there is the olympic training center.  The mosque was from the 743 but it was restored in 2013.

Me in all my extra covering that I had to borrow to see the mosque

The old part of the mosque which is partially under the main road

After that stop we were quickly in the mountains and the views were amazing

For some reason we agreed to pay 50 cents to cross this bridge holding Lincoln.  It was fine until he decided he was done being held on the way back and then it was terrifying.  We did all make it though

The road and cliffs surrounding it on the way to Lahic

More cool looking cliffs in the gorge on the way to Lahic

Lincoln riding a mini pony in Lahic

Lahic is known for its coppersmiths.  This guy was an 8th generation coppersmith  He was nice enough to show us around his shop and we got a small handmade copper plate from him

Lincoln Zach and the driver walked all the way back through Lahic.  The driver loved Lincoln and kept playing boxing with him whenever he seemed a little fussy.  He has grandchildren the same age as Lincoln.

The view of the main street in Lahic

Something about the president being there.  He is honestly all over the place, and it is hard to tell if the people actually like him or not, but his face is on everything

Pretty lake near Gabala.  It was about this time that Zach and I were wondering if we were ever going to make it to Sheki or have lunch.  I thought the stops were split 50/50 between on the way there and on the way back, but we made most the stops on the way there.  Also we didn't have lunch until about 4 pm.

More of the president

Lunch was at this outside restaurant outside of Sheki.  It was a bunch of covered tables in this well manicured garden along with a playground and peacocks.  This is some sort of meat.  We were told it was chicken, but it seemed more like ribs...maybe pork.  Of course the menu had no prices and no english so they sold us the most expensive thing.  Our lunch ended up costing 90 dollars by far the most expensive meal we have had.

And the final surprise stop was in Gabala for a gondola ride up a mountain

Lincoln absolutely loved the gondola ride.  He kept saying wow and bubbles!

He kept looking at the view an pounding on the glass

Family picture at the top

Can't leave out dinky

We watched the sunset in the mountains as we drove to Sheki

And finally a little after 9 pm we arrived at Sheki park for our hotel.  We had our own "cabin" in the mountains

Late dinner to match our late lunch.  Luckily Lincoln was ok with it since he had slept so much in the car.

Our dinner in the hotel restaurant.  It was edible and not expensive.

And that was the end of day 6.  Next up is a day to see sights in Sheki and then relax at the hotel pool, then back to Baku and then on to Georgia!

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