MIR Corporation's Travel Blog:
Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus
Follow along with MIR Corporation Tour Manager Devin Connolly as she accompanies MIR clients on MIR's Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus small group tour.
View what other past MIR travelers have had to say about Georgia.
Day 2: Baku
September 30, 2008
In the morning, I met our group at breakfast and welcomed them to the Caucasus. On the bus, I gave them an overview of the tour itself and introduced them to our local guide, Gurban, who greeted everyone and launched right into a very informative talk about his homeland. Our first stop in Baku was at a city park that overlooks the Caspian Sea. This park is a favorite of mine because it offers beautiful, sweeping views of the Caspian Sea and especially Baku. The chance to view Baku at a quiet distance without the honking car horns or construction site sounds is rare, so I like to take a long look whenever I'm here.
Next we took a tour of Baku's Old City, including the emblematic Maiden Tower. Some believe the temple was built for Zoroastrian fire rituals, or for defensive purposes. Though Azerbaijan is a secular country today, its connection with its Zoroastrian past is visible in many of the nation's symbols. Azerbaijan's coat of arms features a red flame at the center and three flames can be found on the city seal of Baku, but my favorite example of fire symbolism is on the nation's flag. The flag of Azerbaijan is comprised of three stripes with a crescent and eight-pointed star in the middle band. From top to bottom, the stripes are blue, red and green to symbolize the sky above, the earth below and fire at the heart of the nation. The word "Azerbaijan" itself is derived from an Old Persian word meaning "protected by fire." The majority of Azeris today are Shi'ite Muslims, but they are not especially strict in their observance of Islamic law. Drinking is commonplace and Azeri women do not cover their heads in public. In fact, there is a statue in the center of Baku of a woman removing her veil as a symbol of liberation.
We returned to the hotel to rest up before our welcome dinner, which was at a restaurant in Baku's Old City. The dinner was lovely: several courses of local food, Azeri wine, entertainment...it was a most festive welcome to the Caucasus!
Photos from this leg of the tour (click to enlarge):
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