My Fab Fifties Life

Asia & Oceania Travel

Turkmenistan – Ashgabat and Beyond

The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful

November 29, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

20 Comments

Location: Turkmenistan

Welcome to the fourth of a series of eight weekly posts covering the eight countries I visited this fall. My journey was epic and I chose not to write posts while traveling, in an effort to be engaged and present on this amazing odyssey. This is my honest opinion of my personal experience. I hope you will enjoy reading my posts covering all that happened over the two months of travel – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Today I share about the unusual country of Turkmenistan – Ashgabat and Beyond.

Where The Heck is Turkmenistan?

Don’t fret if you have never heard of this country. It definitely is under the radar for most people. This map shows Turkmenistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia. With only 7 million people, it is the smallest of the Central Asian countries. Turkmenistan is one of the least visited countries in the world due to the difficulty in obtaining a visa, and its totalitarian regime.

The Good

Our visit to this somewhat strange and interesting country was the start of a month long tour with Intrepid Travel. On arrival in Turkmenistan we met the ten other seasoned travelers we would spend the next four weeks with. This is our second tour with Intrepid, which does unique small group tours. We loved our Bolivia tour and felt confident Intrepid would be perfect for us to visit the Five Stans. It surely was, and our group was wonderful too.

Turkmenistan – Ashgabat and Beyond is not an easy place to visit…or to understand. But being with a tour certainly helped smooth the way.

Independence Park and Memorial, Ashgabat

The Bad

The country is widely criticized for its poor human rights, including for its treatment of minorities, and its lack of press and religious freedoms. Since its independence from the Soviet Union was declared in 1991, Turkmenistan has been ruled by repressive totalitarian regimes: that of President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov until his death in 2006; Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, who became president in 2007 after winning a non-democratic election (he had been vice-president and then acting president previously); and his son Serdar, who won a subsequent 2022 presidential election described by international observers as neither free nor fair, and now shares power with his father. (Wikipedia)

The Turkmenistan government has been described as stricter than North Korea. Few Turkmen citizens leave their country. Some do go abroad to study, and others travel if they can afford it. But most do not.

But our visit to Turkmenistan did not include any information on the above. The Turkmen people, including our guide, are very proud of their country and respectful and cautious of criticizing. But as an outside observer, I have to tell you, Ashgabat felt like Disneyland. A movie set. A facade. Let me start from arrival.

Entering Turkmenistan

After an overnight flight from Istanbul we arrived Ashgabat at 2:00am to find a long and confusing entry process. To visit Turkmenistan you must have a “Letter of Invitation” which we obtained before arrival with assistance of Intrepid. On arrival we got in line to purchase our visa at a cost of $125 USD, paid in cash on arrival.

Soaring marble ceilings Ashgabat International Airport

What we didn’t expect though, was a requirement also to have a Covid test before being allowed to enter. At an additional cost of $50 USD – cash of course. All of this line waiting and cash exchanging took about an hour. Eventually we retrieved our luggage and found our tour guide waiting for us and four others who were on the same flight. As we waited, we had time to admire the marble airport, with soaring ceilings. Most of the people at the opulent airport were armed guards rather than visitors -our first sign that something strange is happening here.

Designed to look like a bird, Ashgabat International Airport

Hotel

Our lovely guide Ejesh explained to us in the van on the way from the airport that we had been moved to a different hotel than what we expected. Apparently the original hotel was now being taken over by the government to host some foreign dignitaries. Instead we ended up in a strange little hotel outside of the city. We had expected to be in the city, and had paid for a nice hotel. Disappointing and all very strange.

When we woke in the morning we had a full day until our group arrival meeting at 5:00pm. But now that we were so far out of town we couldn’t really wander. We didn’t feel confident enough to take a taxi into town, not knowing even where to go, so we napped and relaxed until our meeting.

Internet and Social Media

Despite my study and feeling prepared to enter Turkmenistan, I was astonished to learn social media is banned. No where in all my reading before leaving the USA did I see this. Internet was nearly impossible to come by and all social media platforms are banned. We could not get VPN to work.

Welcome to Turkmenistan – Ashgabat and Beyond

We were jet-lagged but very curious about this country. We were also anxious to meet our group who we would spend the next four weeks with. In a situation like this it takes a little time to feel each other out, but soon we all felt comfortable together.

Ashgabat

Our first evening after the meeting we headed out to a traditional Turkmenistan restaurant. The restaurant was inside a huge and sparkling marble mall. Like all the buildings in Ashgabat it was new and fancy in keeping with the Ashgabat image of rich and beautiful.

I’m not even sure how many stories there were in this place – Berkarar Kinoteatry Mall

It’s hard to say if Ashgabat is good or bad. There is some of both. It is certainly beautiful I’ll give it that, but it just did not feel ‘real”.

Day two we headed out for a very full day of sight seeing. We were shuttled from monument to monument on what seemed a very restricted tour. Dozens of monuments honoring the great men that are deemed important by the government. Everyone from historic Turkmen philosophers to Lenin to the current President and his family have monuments built to them. As you drive around this city you can not miss that there is not a pothole, or a dead bush or a piece of litter. Everywhere workers are touching up paint, sweeping and pruning. The white marble city is perfect in every way. And every car in the city is white. Only white cars are allowed. It was a bit freaky.

Things will be quite different a couple of days later when we leave the city. More on that below.

All That Glitters

The full day tour turned into a night tour after sunset with the glittering city aglow in sparkles. Every monument and every building fully lit – from our rooftop restaurant we could admire the colorful scene.

Throughout the city we also noted that there was a uniform way of dressing; men and boys in black suits. School age women in girls all wore the same long dress and head covering; young girls in pink, high school girls in green, university in red. We had the pleasure of meeting a group of high school kids on a field trip. They were all thrilled to meet us. Meeting visitors is rare.

Many recent restrictions have been imposed on women regarding the right to drive and beauty care. This article is astonishing to those of us who take those freedoms for granted.

All of that said, the people we did meet seemed happy.

Akhal-Teke

On the day we were scheduled to leave Ashgabat we had a half day more in the city. Due to the debacle with the hotel, we were given an added activity for the morning. We could visit the Turkmenistan History Museum or go to a stable to learn about the famous Akhal-Teke horses. Arne and I chose the horses and everyone else chose the museum.

The Akhal-Teke is a horse from Turkmen, in the southern region of the modern country of Turkmenistan. These horses have been renowned as cavalry mounts and racehorses for some 3,000 years. The Akhal-Teke has superb natural gaits, and is the outstanding sporting horse from this area. Queen Elizabeth was a fan and owned several.

We had a private guide take us to a gorgeous stable about 40 min outside of the city. Back home we would call this a ranch and it was hands down the cleanest most pristine ranch/stables I have ever been to. We had a personal tour by the lovely gentleman owner whose family has been raising Akhal-Teke horses for multiple generations. We did not regret choosing this option over the museum. In fact, when our time in Turkmenistan was done, this was my favorite thing we did.

The Bad & The Beautiful

That afternoon we loaded up our group into three separate jeeps to begin the long trek out of the city. We were warned the roads would be bad. Bad is an understatement. After the perfection of Ashgabat, the quality of the roads on this very long drive was downright appalling. For hours we bumped and swerved over huge potholes and unbelievably poor conditions. It really began to dawn on us that Ashgabat is the only place in this country that the government is investing in. Out here along these dusty horrific roads the people are living in simple villages, tending gardens, herding goats and subsisting.

Not far outside of the city things began to look very different

The average salary in Turkmenistan is between $200-$400 USD per month. The few meals we paid for in this country were in Ashgabat and we paid about $30USD including wine. These meals were at pretty fancy restaurants. Incredibly though, gas here is .40 cents a gallon. Turkmenistan is rich with oil and natural gas.

This was actually one of the good roads….trying to take a photo on most of the roads was impossible since we had to hang on

Darvaza Gas Crater

Often called The Door to Hell, Darvaza Gas Crater was our destination – finally arriving after dark. What is this crazy place?

The Darvaza gas crater is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan. Hundreds of natural gas fires illuminate the floor and rim of the crater. The crater has been burning since the 1980s. How the crater formed is unknown, but engineers ignited the crater to prevent poisonous gases from spreading.

Located about 260 kilometres (160 mi) north of Ashgabat, it has a diameter of 60–70 metres (200–230 ft) and a depth of about 30 metres (98 ft). (Wikipedia)

Over the years there have been concerns about the health affects of the gas on the surrounding area. Nonetheless the Door to Hell has become a very popular tourist destination. Recently many Yurt villages have popped up to accommodate tour groups like ours. We stayed one night here and headed out early again in the morning for more bumpy roads.

Kunya-Urgench

The very long and bumpy ride brought us to Kunya-Urgench UNESCO Heritage site, one of the oldest sites in Turkmenistan. Also known as Old Urgench or Urganj, it is a city of about 30,000 inhabitants in north Turkmenistan. It is the site of the ancient town of Gurgānj, which contains the ruins of the capital of Khwarazm. Its inhabitants deserted the town in the early eighteenth century in order to develop a new settlement, and Kunya-Urgench has remained undisturbed ever since.

This site contains several ancient structures including a mausoleum. The ancient buildings are considered some of the first where intricate tile work was used. For thousands of years these buildings have survived, even including a rampage by the infamous Genghis Khan.

I really enjoyed this stop on our tour, although getting here was not fun. I’d be hard pressed to recommend it to most people, as it really was painful driving. If Turkmenistan wants to attract visitors, the roads outside of Ashgabat are a huge problem.

And guess what? After our tour we had to get back into the jeeps. Ugh.

Border Crossing

A quick lunch stop and then a bat-out-of-hell drive to get to the border with Uzbekistan before it closes at 6pm. Seriously? Wow. And we made it with 30 minutes to spare. It was all a bit frantic. I hope Ejesh our guide was shown gratitude by everyone in our group, despite the border chaos. She helped us through the first part of the exit from Turkmenistan and showed us where we get on a small bus to ride through what is known as “no mans land”, the buffer zone between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Then she was gone and our little group was on our way.

The bus takes us to the Uzbekistan entrance where we went through passport control and luggage screening and then on foot continued to the final entrance to Uzbekistan where our new guide Svetlana was waiting. She was a sight for sore eyes, as was the beautiful huge and comfortable coach and well paved roads. Uzbekistan was looking pretty good…and we were happy to arrive.

Final Thoughts

I am grateful I had the opportunity to experience Turkmenistan, but I don’t have any desire to return. Looking back on it now I really wonder what is going on behind the scenes. I felt like I was being watched. What was happening behind the walls of all those marble buildings? Are people really happy? Safe? Turkemenistan Ashgabat and Beyond.

It was a crazy start to what would be an amazing 28 day tour, and things got better and better in the weeks ahead. Please come back next Friday for a post about Uzbekistan…a gorgeous and interesting country I would certainly return to.

Thanks for reading my post Turkmenistan – Ashgabat and Beyond. We love it when you pin, share and comment on our blog posts. Be sure to check out last week’s post Baku Azerbaijan and continue to follow our odyssey in Central Asia – next Uzbekistan.

Leave a comment

Reading Wednesday

Book Review There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

November 27, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

Ancient and modern this book felt like reading a fairy tale. I was enraptured from the beginning – the beginning where we meet a tiny raindrop. Here is my book review There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.

Blending Magic and Reality

Shafak captured me with her 2021 novel The Island of Missing Trees, placed on the island of Cyprus. I’m in love with Cyprus and this book was a wonderful read. She has a fragile and lyrical writing style. She also is committed to truth and honesty…read her bio here, where you will learn that the Turkish government (she is part Turkish) prosecuted her for “insulting Turkishness” with her novel the Bastard of Istanbul. That novel addresses the Armenian genocide, which the Turks pretend did not happen. I’m definitely adding that to my TBR. See my recent blog post about Armenia.

Blending magic and reality in There are Rivers in the Sky, Shafak takes us on a remarkable journey that spans both decades and the globe from Iraq to London. By sheer coincidence I was reading this book while traveling through Armenia, Azerbaijan and The Stans. Many of these countries border or have relations with Turkey, Iran and Iraq. The coincidence gave me the opportunity to learn more deeply about the entire region and it’s history.

Characters to Fall in Love With

There are Rivers in the Sky uses water; raindrop, snowflake, the Tigris and the Thames, to connect the characters of this story. But beautifully she also uses an ancient poem the Epic of Gilgamesh to tie the characters together.

Arthur is born on a snowy day along the River Thames in London, 1840. His brilliant mind will propel him out of poverty and eventually to search out and study Ninevah and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Young Narin is excited to be baptized as a ten-year old Yazidi girl. But in 2014 the families ancient ancestral lands in Iraq are being destroyed and it might be too dangerous and too late.

Zaleekah is a London hydrologist in 2018 who has been raised by her wealthy uncle, who refuses to talk about their shared ancestral history or the deaths of Zaleekah’s parents. Zaleekah’s recent divorce has her depressed, but a new friend and an eye-opening new book about Ninevah will give her life purpose.

Connections

These characters are connected in many ways, and especially through water. The Thames and Tigris bring both life and death into this spectacular tale.

*****Five stars for There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. One of my favorite books this year. Can you say Pulitzer? Thanks for reading my book review There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. See last week’s book review First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. We love it when you share and pin our book reviews. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Europe Travel

Baku, Azerbaijan

The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful

November 22, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

15 Comments

Location: Baku Azerbaijan

Welcome to the third of a series of eight weekly posts covering the eight countries I visited this fall. My journey was epic and I chose not to write posts while traveling, in an effort to be engaged and present on this amazing odyssey. This is my honest opinion from my personal experience. I hope you will enjoy reading my posts covering all that happened over the two months of travel – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Today I share about Baku, Azerbaijan.

Wow. Baku was just Wow. A surprisingly modern city, full of culture and color – we really enjoyed our week-long visit to Baku, Azerbaijan. Let’s talk about it.

Where Am I?

We flew from Tbilisi, Georgia to Baku, Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan airlines. It was an easy one hour flight. We hired a car to take us to our Airbnb located just a few blocks from the old city. Although I didn’t love this Airbnb (smelled like cigarettes), I did love both the location and the view.

View of the Flaming Towers from our Airbnb

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, sits on the Caspian Sea. This was my first glimpse of the immense and blue Caspian.

The Caspian is the world’s largest inland body of water, often described as the world’s largest lake and sometimes referred to as a full-fledged sea. It has a salinity of approximately 1.2% (12 g/L), about a third of the salinity of average seawater. It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.

The sea stretches 1,200 km (750 mi) from north to south, with an average width of 320 km (200 mi). Its gross coverage is 386,400 km² (149,200 sq mi) and the surface is about 27 m (89 ft) below sea level. Its main freshwater inflow, Europe’s longest river, the Volga, enters at the shallow north end. (Wikipedia)

Azerbaijan has no diplomatic relations with Armenia to its west, but has good relations with its other neighbors Russia, Georgia and Iran.

A Little History

Azerbaijan, located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, has a rich and complex history that dates back to ancient times. The region was inhabited by various tribes, including the Medes and Persians, and later became part of the Achaemenid Empire. Throughout the centuries, Azerbaijan was influenced by various cultures and empires, including the Greeks, Romans, and Arabs. In the early Middle Ages, it became a center of Islamic culture and learning. The Seljuk Turks and later the Safavid dynasty played significant roles in shaping the region’s political and cultural landscape, with Tabriz emerging as a prominent cultural hub.

In the 19th century, Azerbaijan fell under Russian control following the Russo-Persian Wars, leading to significant societal changes and the emergence of a national identity. The early 20th century saw the brief establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, which was the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world. However, this independence was short-lived, as Azerbaijan was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. During the Soviet era, Azerbaijan underwent industrialization and urbanization, but it also faced repression. The country regained its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since then, Azerbaijan has navigated challenges related to its territorial disputes, particularly with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, while seeking to establish itself as a significant player in the region’s energy and political landscape.

The Bad

As an American who believes in democracy and human rights, the current authoritarian government of Azerbaijan is disturbing. I was careful not to criticize or comment on the ruling party while in the country.

As of 2023, Azerbaijan’s political climate is characterized by a centralized and authoritarian governance structure, with a strong emphasis on stability and control by the ruling party. President Ilham Aliyev, who has been in power since 2003 following the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, leads a government that is often criticized for suppressing dissent, limiting political freedoms, and curtailing media independence. Political opposition is fragmented and faces significant challenges, including imprisonment of opposition leaders and activists, which has raised concerns among international human rights organizations.

The political landscape is further complicated by ongoing territorial disputes, particularly with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Following a brief war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over significant territories in the region, which has fostered a sense of nationalism and pride among many Azerbaijanis. However, the government also faces challenges related to economic diversification, corruption, and social inequality. While the country has substantial oil and gas resources that contribute to its economy, there is an increasing call for political reforms and greater transparency in governance, especially from civil society and younger generations seeking more democratic governance. Overall, Azerbaijan’s political climate remains tightly controlled, with the government prioritizing stability and territorial integrity over political pluralism and civil liberties.

The military forceful take over of Nagorno-Karabakh has caused tension with the United Nations and European Union. Calls for a renegotiation of the relationship with Azerbaijan are under review.

The Good

Despite the government structure, there is progressive religious freedom in Azerbaijan with a secular system that welcomes all religions, though the majority of the population is Muslim. Additionally, despite its oil wealth, Azerbaijan has a progressive alternative energy plan expanding its support and use of solar and wind energy.

Architecture is very unique and playful and the local government in Baku has invested heavily in interesting and fun designs that contrast in a lovely way with the historic and ancient parts of the city. We enjoyed all of that very much.

A visitor can travel to Azerbaijan very inexpensively. Enjoying a delicious meal and drinks throughout the city of Baku was only about $20 USD for two. Gas prices are about $2.60 USD per gallon. Entrance prices to museums is also inexpensive. Azerbaijanis earn about $750 USD per month, higher in the city.

The Beautiful

Despite the country’s wealth being controlled by one ruling family, investment in Baku is apparent with beautiful museums and architecture – much of it government funded. From our Airbnb we enjoyed the view of the Flaming Towers, a mixed use but nearly unoccupied set of three buildings beautiful both day and night.

Flaming Towers changed throughout the evening every night

Ancient Old City

We did a self-guided walk of the walled old city, which was conveniently about three blocks from our Airbnb.

Shirvanshah’s Palace in the Old Town was definitely one of my favorites

The Inner City (Icheri Sheher) has preserved much of its 12th-century defensive walls. The 12th-century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy) is built over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC, and the 15th-century Shirvanshahs’ Palace is one of the pearls of Azerbaijan’s architecture. (Wikipedia)

We spent one full day exploring the ancient old city and this is also where we ate some of our favorite meals (see more on that below).

Museums

Baku has a surprising number of museums. We did not visit all of them but during our weeklong visit we did visit four including the tiny book museum and the National History Museum. My two favorites however where the Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center (named after the former President).

There are a few museums and sights further out of the city, but while Arne continued his recovery from the car accident, we chose to stay close to Baku during our visit.

Named for Azerbaijan’s first President, the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center was jaw dropping. Both the architecture and the exhibits inside.

Carpet display at the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center

The architecture of the Carpet Museum is designed to look like a rolled up carpet.

In addition to historic and modern day carpet display and information, the museum had several women working on hand-tied carpets.

The National History Museum provided a chronological look at the history of the region for thousands of years.

Traditional costumes in the National History Museum

Entertainment

We really enjoyed visiting the Shirvanshah Museum restaurant (puzzlingly, not associated with or anywhere near the Shirvanshah Museum!) to watch evening dance performance with our dinner. This is a very popular and gigantic restaurant, locals love it for events and family gatherings. It’s also a bit touristy and we had better food elsewhere, but we still enjoyed it.

Traditional dance and music at Shirvanshah Museum restaurant

A stewed chicken and rice dish at Shirvanshah Museum restaurant was very good

On our final night in Baku we enjoyed a lovely dinner then proceeded to the Baku Marionette Theater for a special show by talented local marionette performers. We were so happy we decided to do that.

Talented cast at the Baku Marionette Theatre

Architecture

Because of the beautiful architecture throughout the city, we decided to do a guided night tour to enjoy this gorgeous city aglow. We booked the tour through Viator. Our guide was excellent with an expansive knowledge of the city. We enjoyed a gondola ride to the hill that gave us a birds-eye view of the sparkling and cosmopolitan metropolis. We also visited a beautiful mosque and the eternal flame and memorial to the victims who died in Black January. Also known as Black Saturday or the January Massacre, this was a violent crackdown on Azerbaijani nationalism and anti-Soviet sentiment in Baku on 19–20 January 1990, as part of a state of emergency during the dissolution of the Soviet Union

And Then the Food

Of course I can’t ever write a blog post without talking about food. Azerbaijan did not disappoint and we enjoyed amazing food and wine in Baku. And inexpensive.

The cuisine is not dissimilar to the other Caucasus countries but also had its own tastes. One of the best things we enjoyed was plov – a delicious pilaf wrapped inside pastry. Once cut table side by the waiter, a warm and fragrant lamb stew is poured on top.

Another favorite was piti. This lamb stew was mixed and served table side, and enjoyed with delicious flat bread used as your utensil to sop up all the tasty goodness. Really good.

Kefti becha I enjoyed twice because it was so good. A slow wine braised chicken that was melt in your mouth.

Yogurt soup, pickled vegetables, crispy eggplant and delicious soups and stews are abundant. Pomegranate and pumpkin also were used frequently. Many fresh breads, particularly flat bread were available for every meal as was cheese and fruit.

Crispy Eggplant we ordered several times

Tea is the drink of choice in Azerbaijan. It was common to see groups of men in the afternoon enjoying a pot of tea together with small sweet snacks and fruits.

Tea with a view – I love these Samovar Tea Makers. I want one for home.

We did an afternoon tea service too. I really wanted to enjoy an authentic tea with the ancient coal-fired samovar keeping our tea hot at the table. When enjoying this tea you are offered multiple small sweets and cookies and jam. The jam is very sweet and abundant with large pieces of fruit. Popular jams are apricot, cherry, and plum.

Here is my YouTube video talking about how much we loved the foods of Baku.

YouTube Video about Azerbaijan Cuisine

Final Thoughts

Admittedly I came to Azerbaijan not knowing a lot about this nation or the city of Baku. We had a positive visit and enjoyed the locals we met, the museums and the architecture. We enjoyed the food and the price was right. I encourage people to visit this city, and if you have the time, you should venture further out to see more of the country than we did. Despite some political issues we felt very safe, very welcome and really enjoyed everything about our visit. We definitely came away with a much greater understanding of the three countries of the Caucasus region; Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Thank you for reading my post Baku, Azerbaijan. See last week’s post about Tbilisi Georgia. I hope you will come next Friday for the first of my posts about our Five Stans tour – we begin with the kinda crazy country of Turkmenistan.

We love it when you pin, comment and share our blog posts. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Reading Wednesday

Book Review First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

November 20, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

This book is a bit of a departure from the kind of Audible books I usually listen to. But I enjoyed it while on long car and bus rides during my recent trip through the Five Stan countries. Here is my book review First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston.

The Mystery of Evie Porter

While reading this book I was reminded of a movie from back in the ’90’s called Point of No Return with Bridget Fonda. Anyone remember that film? Well First Lie Wins is similar; a mysterious women working for an even more mysterious operation undercover.

Evie Porter finds herself recruited to a world of espionage and deceit. Her identity and location changes with each job, and so does the money she makes. Having no family or friends it’s easy to change everything about herself for each and every job that the mysterious “Mr. Smith” choses her to complete.

First Lie Wins

Her current alias – Evie Porter, needs to get very close to the suspect Ryan Sumner. Very close. In fact Evie finds herself falling for Ryan, even while understanding he is up to something mysterious himself. When a women using Evie’s REAL name shows up in town, the case is thrown into a whirlwind and bad things happen…including a fatal car accident.

Plot Twists and Turns

Elston does a good job creating a suspense filled novel using flashbacks and sympathy for the protagonist and her past and present predicament. The novel also includes other well written characters. Sometimes the plot is a bit absurd and unbelievable, but hey…it’s fiction. The author definitely threw some unexpected plot twists into the mix and it kept me interested and often on the edge of my seat – literally in the van I was riding in.

Who Lives Happily Ever After

Well you will have to read First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston to find out who lives happily ever after. It might surprise you. Thanks for reading my book review First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston for this week’s Reading Wednesday. Check out last week’s book review All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker.

****Four stars for First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. We love it when you comment, pin and share our weekly book reviews. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Europe Travel

Tbilisi, Georgia

The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful

November 15, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

16 Comments

Location: Tbilisi Georgia

Welcome to the second of a series of eight weekly posts covering the eight countries I visited this fall. My journey was epic and I chose not to write posts while traveling, in an effort to be engaged and present on this amazing odyssey. This is my honest opinion from my personal experience. I hope you will enjoy reading my posts covering all that happened over the two months of travel – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Today I share about Tbilisi Georgia.

The country of Georgia just blew my mind for it’s history, beauty, people, wine and food! I really enjoyed my week in Tbilisi. But there is political unrest too. So for today’s blog post let me start with the recent elections; Tbilisi Georgia, The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful.

Looking down on the city of Tbilisi after a gondola ride up the mountain. Peace bridge on the left and Performing Arts Center in the middle.

The Bad

On October 26th, a month after our visit, elections were held and the ruling party – referred to as the Dream Party – was re-elected to Parliament. Georgia has a Prime Minister/Parliamentary strong system. Immediately protests began and countries around the world questioned the legitimacy of the election. A partial recount was done and again the Dream Party was announced as the winner. Georgians took to the street in protest of what they believe was a manipulated vote with Russian interference. It’s too early to tell how this might unfold and affect tourism in this beautiful nation. For more details it is explained in the NPR Report. This entire process sounds eerily familiar to me as an American.

I will add that during our visit we had a wonderful guide on a food tour who was unusually vocal about the upcoming election. She feared that the Dream Party would do whatever it takes to win the election and keep the country pro-Russian. She and most Georgians supported moving the country forward with more Western leaning tendencies towards Europe. Georgia is waiting to be confirmed as a member of the European Union. This election result would likely remove them as a candidate.

On My Own

If you read last week’s post about our car accident while we were visiting Yerevan Armenian, you know that my husband suffered a concussion. Arne was having some pretty serious symptoms; fatigue, dizziness, trouble swallowing and numbness on his right side. We agreed that he needed a quiet week. So, luckily our Airbnb in Tbilisi was peaceful and comfortable and he spent nearly the entire week resting. Meanwhile I gallivanted around Tbilisi on my own. Tbilisi was easy for me to maneuver and the weather was great and I got to see the sites. Poor Arne.

The Good

Hopefully starting off with “the bad” didn’t turn you off too much, because my experience during the week in Tbilisi was really great. On my own I did three tours, and at the end of the week Arne joined me for one more. This is a remarkably beautiful, historic, inexpensive and DELICIOUS country. I loved it. So let’s talk about it.

Kebabs and other meat is very popular in Tbilisi

A Little History

Georgia is a country situated at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It boasts rich history that dates back to ancient times. The region has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era, and it became a significant cultural and political center in the early medieval period. The Kingdom of Georgia emerged in the 11th century. Reaching its zenith under King David IV and Queen Tamar known for its advancements in art, architecture, and literature. However, the kingdom faced invasions from the Mongols and later the Ottomans and Persians. This lead to a decline in its power and fragmentation into smaller principalities.

Stalin, who was born in Georgia, was married in this church

In the 19th century, Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire, which brought significant changes to its political landscape. Following the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, Georgia declared independence, but this was short-lived as it was invaded by the Red Army in 1921. Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union. Georgia regained its independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the USSR. The post-Soviet period was marked by political instability and conflicts, including the wars in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Today, Georgia is a sovereign nation striving for democratic development, economic growth, and closer ties with Europe and NATO, while preserving its unique cultural heritage.

Where Am I

We drove across the border from Armenia to Tbilisi with a hired car and driver. This is an easy way to cross the border with some sightseeing opportunities. We had to visit the countries of the Caucasus in this order. We could not go from Armenia to Azerbaijan because of closed borders between those two countries. Armenia and Georgia currently have good diplomatic relations.

Tbilisi Walking Tours

I did a walking tour and a food walking tour on my own during the week. I booked both these group tours with Viator and both were exceptional. The city of Tbilisi has some beautiful architecture, both old and new. The country of Georgia is an officially secular nation. Religion in Georgia reached a major turning point in 326 AD. The nation is largely recognized as the second country in the world (after Armenia) to have adopted Christianity. Today 85% of Georgians are Christian and 11% practice the Muslim faith. Once numbering as many as 100,000, today the Georgian Jewish population comprises only a few thousand people. Most of the Jewish population emigrated to Israel, United States and Belgium.

Typical Georgian Architecture in the old city

The historic Kashveti Church survived the Soviet era

So Delicious

Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten was right here in Tbilisi. I know right? Considering how many places I have traveled that is saying a lot. Every restaurant we ate in was amazing. Prices are incredible low (dinner for two with drinks less than $20 USD). Restaurant staff was always so welcoming. The food tour I took was so interesting. We were treated with some hidden gems including an underground bakery, a tiny secret tea room, and wine tasting.

Tea is the favored drink in Georgia as well as a social event

My favorite foods included amazing hummus; a local specialty called Khingali – a delicious dumpling; and best of all Khachapuri – the national dish of Georgia is a delicious filled pastry that Georgians eat everyday.

Kingali Dumplings – similar to soup dumplings

Both egglant and pomegranite are popular

Kachapuri – stuffed bread – has many versions. This one with goat cheese and egg was my favorite. I need to try and make this!

Check out the YouTube video below to see my Tasty Tuesday all about Georgia Cuisine

Surprising Georgian Wine

I had no idea that Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. The fertile valleys and protective slopes of the South Caucasus were home to grapevine cultivation and neolithic wine production for at least 8000 years. Georgians are very proud of this fact and of their local wines. On each of the three tours I did on my own, we tasted wine – that’s how important it is to this region. I really enjoyed all the wine I tasted and plan to look for Georgian wines back in the USA. Who knew?

Enjoying wine tasting on the walking tour

Wine is abundant and incredibly inexpensive

The Beautiful

Tbilisi was indeed beautiful, but the surrounding region was breathtaking. I did one day trip out of the city by myself to the UNESCO World Heritage monastery of Mtskheta and the city of Gori. This destination is less than an hour outside of Tbilisi. There were only two people on this tour and our guide/driver was really great.

Christianity

Mtskheta is one of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is located at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers. Currently a small provincial capital. For nearly a millennium Mtskheta was a large fortified city. It also served as a significant economic and political center of the Kingdom of Iberia.

It is the birthplace and one of the most vibrant centers of Christianity in Georgia. Mtskheta was declared the “Holy City” by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2014. (Wikipedia)

View of the Kura River from the hilltop ancient monastery

Stunning Mountains

By the end of our week Arne was feeling up to doing an all-day private tour to Kazbegi & Gudauri. I am so glad he felt better. It would have been tragic to miss this region near the Georgian border with Russia. Truly astonishingly beautiful. It was a very long drive though, mostly due to difficult two lane roads. There is some major infrastructure work going on. Extensive improvements will help make this trip easier in the near future.

Gergeti Trinity Church – spectacular fall day and iconic view

We were blessed with outstanding weather on our late September visit. Incredibly only a week later the area was blanketed with snow. The mountain region is a well known ski area popular with both Russians and Georgians. Additionally this beautiful backdrop shows off one of Georgia’s most stunning churches, Gergeti Trinity Church. We were able to do a couple short hikes to visit a waterfall and breath the delicious mountain air.

Final Thoughts

I can’t end this post without mentioning the historic thermal baths in Tbilisi. These are a must-do when visiting this area. The history of Tbilisi’s sulfur baths dates back to the city’s founding in the 5th century. This is when King Vakhtang Gorgasali discovered the natural hot springs while hunting. The city’s name, Tbilisi, is derived from the Georgian word “tbili,” meaning warm, a clear nod to these thermal waters. Visitors have several options for visiting the thermal baths, both public or private bathing. We did a private hour long bath visit on our final day and it was really fun and relaxing.

A Wonderful Surprise

Tbilisi was a wonderful surprise, and a place I would definitely come back to if given the chance. The food and wine were delicious and inexpensive. Tours and driver hire were also inexpensive. Gas is running about $3.00 USD per gallon. The average wage in Georgia is $925 per month with a wide disparity between city and rural areas. The fall scenery and weather we enjoyed was wonderful and the people we met were welcoming and interesting.

This mural celebrating female political heroes

That is not me…but the mountains are a great place to paraglide

Georgia has issues they need to work on. I remain hopeful for this country to move forward in a positive way. We wish them all the best and thank everyone who made our visit so wonderful. I will be watching their progress in the months ahead.

Such a beautiful country. Hopeful for the people of Georgia.

Thank you for reading my post Tbilisi Georgia – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Please see last week’s post Yerevan Armenia. You may also be interested in reading one of my favorite historical novels about Georgia – Hard By a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili. I highly recommend it.

Meanwhile come back next week for a new post in our series, next up – Azerbaijan. We love it when you comment, pin and share our blog posts. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Reading Wednesday

Book Review All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

November 13, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

Recently while on a month long tour I listened to many audible books during long rides in jeeps, vans, busses and trains. Today’s book review All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is one of those Audible books.

All the Colors of the Dark

This novel is long and was a perfect one for long car rides on Audible. It was also very engaging and full of well developed and interesting characters. In fact it was the characters more than the plot that I loved the most about this book. Each character is unique and flawed with themes of poverty, addiction, loneliness, obsession and lifelong friendship.

Patch & Saint

Two childhood friends are the focus of this novel that spans decades. Patch, with his one eye and Saint with her commitment to Patch, take very different paths in life as a result of both family upbringing and unexpected circumstances.

One Moment Changes Everything

Whitaker introduces us to 13-year old Patch who witnesses and averts a possible kidnapping of his 13-year old crush Misty. The events that surround this moment will alter the path of Patch’s life and everything that happens moving forward. The book is sprawling in its scope and will cover a turbulent life for Patch and all those he meets, including the girl he saved Misty and the girl he couldn’t save but may have imagined Grace.

Saint, a brilliant young girl and Patch’s only friend at 13 years, will also find her life obsession following the events that take place with Misty’s abduction attempt. Saint will find her life moving forward to an eventual role in law enforcement, due to her inability to leave the cold case be. Throughout her life her tumultuous relationship with Patch as he is both victim and suspect will be loyal yet rocky.

A Bit Slow

I really did like this book, pretty epic, but at times a bit slow and overmuch. At over 600 pages it may be daunting for some readers, but I found the Audible version satisfying.

Four stars**** for All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. Be sure to see last week’s book review The Sand Castle Girls by Chris Bohjalian here.

We love it when you pin, comment and share our book reviews. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Asia & Oceania Travel -- Europe Travel

Yerevan, Armenia

The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful

November 8, 2024

Laureen

Leave a Comment

20 Comments

Welcome to the first of a series of eight weekly posts covering the eight countries I visited this fall. My journey was epic and I chose not to write posts while traveling, in an effort to be engaged and present on this amazing odyssey. I hope you will enjoy reading my posts covering all that happened over the two months of travel – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Let’s begin with Yerevan Armenia.

Where Am I?

Yerevan, Armenia is not on everyone’s travel bucket list, but it was on mine after reading about it from another travel blogger several years ago. In fact we were scheduled for this trip when Covid shut the world down. So we were happy to finally get to the beautiful Caucasus region.

Armenia was the first of eight former Soviet states we would visit on this whirlwind trip. Over the past 8 plus years on the Grand Adventure, I have grown to really appreciate what it was like behind the Iron Curtain and why many people believe things were better for them during that time. Not all, but many people miss the security they enjoyed during the Soviet era.

A Little History

Armenia, one of the oldest countries in the world, boasts a rich and complex history that dates back to ancient times. The region was home to the Urartian Kingdom in the 9th century BCE, which laid the foundation for Armenian culture and identity. The Kingdom of Armenia was officially established in 301 CE when it became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion, a pivotal moment that significantly influenced its cultural and social development. Throughout the centuries, Armenia faced numerous invasions and occupations, including those by the Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and later the Seljuks and Ottomans, which shaped its political landscape and often led to the displacement of its people.

Yerevan is known for it’s delicious water and free drinking fountains around the city.

Many ancient and beautiful monasteries survived the Soviet era

Learning about the Armenian Genocide was eye-opening for me. In the early 20th century, Armenia experienced one of the most tragic events in its history: the Armenian Genocide. Perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire during World War I, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were extinguished. Why have I never heard about this?

Be sure to check out the book review The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian I posted last Wednesday. This novel is a must-read to learn more about the Armenian Genocide.

Following the war, Armenia briefly declared independence in 1918 but was soon incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920, where it remained until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.

Few people are aware of the horrific genocide the Armenian people suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th Century. Armenia’s relation with Turkey remains strained.

How’s it Going?

Since gaining independence 1991, Armenia has sought to rebuild its national identity and address the historical injustices faced by its people. The country is navigating complex geopolitical challenges, particularly its relationship with neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia is part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership since 2009. Today, Armenia is recognized for its rich cultural heritage, including its ancient churches and monasteries, and its ongoing efforts to establish itself as a modern nation-state in the South Caucasus region. The world-wide Armenian diaspora (about 10 million) create awareness around the world about this little known and beautiful region of our planet.

As a visitor to Yerevan Armenia, we found most everything inexpensive from restaurants to tours and souvenirs. During our stay we ate delicious meals with drinks in Yerevan for less than $25 USD for two. Gas prices however, were about $5.30 gallon. The average monthly salary in Armenia is around $675 USD a month.

We even found a couple of craft breweries. Hubby happy.

The Good

Armenia is still working its way through issues from the past Soviet era, but the people we met seem happy with the direction of their country with some exceptions regarding education. In Yerevan (one of the oldest cities in the world) we had a great Airbnb with an engaged and friendly host. We did three tours; a history walking tour, a food walking tour and a cooking class and market tour. These were all private tours we booked through Viator, and we had excellent guides and experiences. All of our guides spoke great English and were enthusiastic about the future of their country.

Walking tour we learned so many things including about the more than 115 drinking fountains around the city

Jengyalov Hac is one of the best things I have ever eaten. Without our guide we would never have known about this herb stuffed sandwich.

The Bad

Similar to our visit last spring to Albania and Serbia, the traffic was awful. It’s clear that the pace of automobile acquisition in Yerevan, Armenia after independence has outmatched that of infrastructure development. Drivers are aggressive, blaring horns constantly and the din can be annoying. Most drivers seem untrained with little regard for rules of the road. Case in point – we ordered a taxi on a rainy day. The taxi arrived and it was an old car, no seat belts and past it’s prime. In hindsight we should never have gotten in this vehicle. But we did. The driver was driving way too fast, in the wrong lane and swerved to miss a car. We crashed into a concrete barrier. Unfortunately, because we were not wearing seat belts, my husband hit is head hard on the ceiling and suffered a concussion.

Accident does not look bad, but our injuries were due to the fact we were not wearing seat belts. Despite rules for such safety features, we had little recourse.

Because of the concussion and my husband needing to rest, we ended up missing our all day tour outside of the city to Khor Virap and the Tatev Monastery. Even though I did not visit these places, I still recommend them if you have the chance. These are the top sights outside of Yerevan. It was disappointing but necessary for us to not travel on the day after our taxi accident.

Khor Virap (Canva) with Mount Ararat in the distance

Genocide

The Genocide is one of the worst things that has happened to the Armenian people, and it is something few people in the world know about. The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through the mass murder of around one million Armenians during death marches to the Syrian Desert and the forced Islamization of others, primarily women and children. Today in Yerevan, this horrific period is remembered with an excellent Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum that is a must visit for everyone visiting Armenia.

Today Armenia has no diplomatic relations with neighboring Azerbaijan. There are no open border crossings which presents a problem for visitors navigating the Caucasus region. This is due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – an ethnic and territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is an ongoing issue, very volatile, with no negotiations in sight.

The Beautiful

Yerevan, Armenia has many beautiful sites. We enjoyed our time inside the city. Our favorite places included the giant statue of Mother Armenia, the view of Mount Ararat (Armenians believe it to be where Noah’s Ark is), the Yerevan Cascade Climb, Matenadaran Manuscript Library, Republic Square and the amazing Genocide Memorial and Museum. We spent several hours exploring the National Gallery of Armenia and the GUM Market (has nothing to do with chewing gum) and we recommend both.

The beautiful and kind people stood out. They were interested in us and welcoming. Like many of the countries we visit, we did not meet any other Americans. Most of the visitors are from Europe.

Mount Ararat on a cloudy day. Most of the mountain currently lies in Turkey and is one of Armenia’s border conflicts with that nation

A shout out to the local Emergency Room too. Our wonderful Airbnb host personally escorted us to the emergency room on a Sunday, stayed with us the entire time and translated for us. We would have been lost without him. Our ER visit with CatScan and prescriptions was $128.

We were lucky to have our Airbnb host help us at the hospital

Armenians are proud of their unique language and alphabet. The Armenian alphabet, created in 405 AD by the linguist and theologian Mesrop Mashtots, is a unique script that reflects the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Armenian people.

An outdoor exhibit explains the unique and ancient Armenian alphabet

Food Glorious Food

Our food tour and cooking class both provided us an eye-opening education to the cuisine of Armenia. We had amazing Khorovats – like a shishkebab grilled meat; dolma, vine leaf wrapped meat; ghapama (my favorite), a spectacular stuffed pumpkin or squash; gata – a sweet bread; pickles of every persuasion; jengyalov hac – an incredible herb filled flat bread wrap; and the famous lavash flat bread served at every meal.

Here below is a link to our YouTube video about Armenian Food. Delicious.

Watch this video to learn more about the surprising cuisines of Armenia

Yerevan, Armenia – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful

Yerevan, Armenia was a perfect place to spend a week. Plenty of time to see many historical sites, museums and parks and to eat the great food. We really enjoyed the people, the architecture and the culture. We enjoyed learning about the Armenian Apostolic Church (97% of Armenians are Christian) founded 301 AD. Christianity is the official state religion.

This tiny country packs a powerful punch. Yerevan is small and easy to maneuver. It is an up and coming destination you should have on your radar. I highly recommend it. Yerevan Armenia – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful.

We love it when you pin and share and comment about our posts. Be sure and come back next Friday for our post about Tbilisi Georgia.

Leave a comment

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. We find inspiration in our Retired Midlife through travel and learning new cultures, writing and reading! What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! We write regular travel posts and book reviews and have been sharing this blog for 12 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!