In brief: One can visit many Kuwaiti cultural institutions though much of the wealthy society looks forward rather than backward. Kuwait has built “Cultural Centers” all along its Persian Gulf coast, places to celebrate the…
In brief: Kuwait can seem not quite tourist-friendly at times, but our experiences and its warm welcomes made us feel like royalty. Kuwait is the first of the three oil-soaked emirates we visited along the…
In brief: As befits a city with a long history and a wealthy present, Baku is filled with museums celebrating its past culture and its future. Two of the most stunning museums – in large…
In brief: Beyond the Old City, Baku also makes a dazzling impression. The fresh-looking century-old buildings are complemented by eye-catching contemporary architecture. The rest of the central city of Baku also makes a dazzling impression.…
In brief: Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, the odd thing about its still walled Old City – where the Muslim Shahs ruled from their central palace between the 9th and 16th century - is that…
In brief: Driving northward to the west of Azerbaijan’s Caucasus Mountains, we found high places and holy places, stony greys and vivid colors. This was our second trip north. For our post about the eastern…
In brief: We didn’t actually shift around in time, but rather found in southern Azerbaijan, at the edge of Iran, a forest surviving from ice ages past and a people who perhaps have the key…
In brief: A sad farewell to Tbilisi but a fond look back. We left Tbilisi earlier than expected due to the revived political turmoil in the capital and other major cities in the country. Night…
In brief: We feasted on two remarkable experiences to the east of the Lower Caucasian Mountains of Azerbaijan – the Candy Canes and the road from Quba to Xinaliq. In the first of two trips…
In brief: The bountiful Kakheti region is not just sloshing in wine, the major product now. It’s overflowing with secular and religious history as well. The last major region we aimed to see in the…