10th-13th of November:
From Baku we go to the north along the Caspian Sea. It is again cold, grey and rainy. In Guba, just before the Caucasus starts, the fog is so dense that we can see almost nothing. We "really" look forward to the night. As usual there are no street signs and I have to ask for the way to Xinalik, which is a small village in the Caucasus mountain. Coincidence again, the guy I am asking for the way has a uncle there and we get his phone number just in case we want to stay there. Furthermore, he tells us good news; going up from the lowlands to the mountains means that there is no more fog up there; just sunny. Right now hard to believe but we decide to drive until the rain and fog stops. Sometimes I have difficulties to find the way. The street gets more and more narrow. We are driving through villages and forest covered in fog. Suddenly we are in a very steep canyon and the fog disappears. Yeeees, it is cold but wonderful. It is already night and the canyon above us is like a gate to the stars. We find a place, which is just big enough for the car and the roof tent. Fortunately their is almost no traffic. After cooking we just go to bed while using all sleeping bags and blankets we have, but knowing the next day will be warm and sunny (:).
(N 41.2158 °, E 48.27761 °)
Sunny morning, yeeeeeessssss. It is long time ago that we had such a nice weather. Just some sun rays and the mood gets so much better. Although this fascinating canyon does not allow that any sun ray reaches our tent we know that soon we will come out of the shadow. You drive slowly out of the canyon and in front of you the Caucasus mountains with its snow covered peaks builds up. I do not know why but for me such a scenery is always fascinating again. I can see thousand of mountains and I never get tired; I see 3 cities and I do not want to see anymore. It is hard to explain why it is like that. Maybe nature gives everybody different interest.
A car which just overtake us comes back showing us that the way will end soon. Well I do not believe it since the other cars did not come back. But suddenly we are in front of a landslide and only a dirt road leads down to the river. In front of the river a TV group makes an interview. They also ask us for an interview and want that we say that this way is impossible, that it is a big problem for us. I just say I think it is possible. Driving through the river is at least no problem with our car. It is funny since the TV "Lady" gets a little bit mad because I am not answering as she want (:). We drive through the river and going on to Xinalik. While washing our plates and pots at a river in the sunny warm air, some hunters with 3 big Off-road cars are stopping beside us. First they are curious and are asking what we are doing here. As they recognise we are just tourists they invite us to come in their mountain hunting house around 20 km Off-road after Xinalik. Nevertheless, they warn us that the way is really bad. It sounds interesting and we decide to go their for that day and after that we will go back to Xinalik. At one hand we will see these hunters that seem to be part of the FAMILY and on the other hand one day later we will be in Xinalik with its unique culture having even their own language.
World I: After Xinalik their is a military control since this area is border zone with Russia. As the hunters already told them that we will come we have no problem to get the permission to go behind.The landscape going up into the mountains is really amazing, but the way is sooo steep. I never drove something like this before. Sometimes we stuck in the mud, we have to drive through a river bed with big stones. Like a snail we slowly going up to the pass, which is still covered with snow. After the pass a wide valley opens. In the end of the valley there is a mountain that looks like a wall. The rocks of the wall are in a shiny red illuminated by the deep standing sun. The valley is like a big pot and the bottom is a grazing ground for the wild animals. There are several ways to go and I am not sure. I just follow the one with the freshest tire prints. And there it is, the luxury hunting house in a side valley. Looks like a house in Beverly hills, surrounded by a fence and having a small security house in front. It feels surreal in this nice landscape. First we get invited by the security to tea, bread and cheese. The hunters already went out to trace the wild something; sorry I do not know the name. After some time they come back and we get to see the inside of the house. Luxury; bath, TV room with big chairs, grate, several sleeping rooms and everything in European style. The funny thing is that everything looks perfect but nothing is working. The heating, the three different satellite dishes and also the grate. Ok it is on 3000 m height with almost no street. Finally everybody is sitting their with warm jackets in the cold. The most important looking guy starts to play with another the game Domino (:). I figure out that actually only this guy is the boss. All others are just his security. Next morning the security finds the wild "something" for him. Then they bring him to the place; he shoots it and everybody is happy. To feel the difference in the peoples live of another country is interesting, but here we feel it is a little bit crazy. One day with these people is enough and we drive back to the village Xinalik, which actually would have been our final destination the day before.
(N 41.22107°, E 48.0366 °)
World II: We enjoy the way back to Xinalik in this beautiful landscape. At the military post we have to open everything. They just want to have some gift and as long as they do not get anything they do not stop searching for something. Taking a tomato can and asking what is in there. Looking at our onions and wondering for what we need it and so on and so on. Finally I just wait and sit there and again we can go on. In Xinalik I call the number of the uncle from the guy we met some day ago. He is still at work but he tells me I should already go to his house. Xinalik is a really fascinating village. The houses have really special stone architecture with a lot of glass wood balconies or stairs. The houses are arranged on a hill in some kind of labyrinth structure. Around there you can see up to the high peaks, which are covered with snow. From the upper houses you can look on to the roof of the lower ones and below the village is a wide valley. We come into the house through a wooden door and going up the stairs to the main part of the house. All this front part is closed with some wood-glass frames painted in blue colour. In the second floor you find everywhere carpets. They explain us that they are all made by the mother. The carpets have original and special Xinalik design. Some years ago they sold one of it to a museum in London for 8000 USD. Kotomi fell in love with these carpets. Next day I asked how much it would be. He starts with 5000 USD and the minimum is 3000 USD. They tell me it needs two years for one person to finish one carpet. I can believe it, since in Samarkand we saw similar ones and there also two people need around one year for the same size of carpet. Anyway, this is not a carpet in my price range and I tell him he better sells it to some rich people, which will pay also the 5000 USD. Apart from the carpets the village is realy interesting. Only here a special language is spoken. The village was in former times so isolated that their are almost no similarities to other languages.
We stay in this magic place for one day and experiencing again great hospitality of the people in this remote area.
(N 41.17954°, E 48.12826 °)
From Baku we go to the north along the Caspian Sea. It is again cold, grey and rainy. In Guba, just before the Caucasus starts, the fog is so dense that we can see almost nothing. We "really" look forward to the night. As usual there are no street signs and I have to ask for the way to Xinalik, which is a small village in the Caucasus mountain. Coincidence again, the guy I am asking for the way has a uncle there and we get his phone number just in case we want to stay there. Furthermore, he tells us good news; going up from the lowlands to the mountains means that there is no more fog up there; just sunny. Right now hard to believe but we decide to drive until the rain and fog stops. Sometimes I have difficulties to find the way. The street gets more and more narrow. We are driving through villages and forest covered in fog. Suddenly we are in a very steep canyon and the fog disappears. Yeeees, it is cold but wonderful. It is already night and the canyon above us is like a gate to the stars. We find a place, which is just big enough for the car and the roof tent. Fortunately their is almost no traffic. After cooking we just go to bed while using all sleeping bags and blankets we have, but knowing the next day will be warm and sunny (:).
(N 41.2158 °, E 48.27761 °)
Sunny morning, yeeeeeessssss. It is long time ago that we had such a nice weather. Just some sun rays and the mood gets so much better. Although this fascinating canyon does not allow that any sun ray reaches our tent we know that soon we will come out of the shadow. You drive slowly out of the canyon and in front of you the Caucasus mountains with its snow covered peaks builds up. I do not know why but for me such a scenery is always fascinating again. I can see thousand of mountains and I never get tired; I see 3 cities and I do not want to see anymore. It is hard to explain why it is like that. Maybe nature gives everybody different interest.
A car which just overtake us comes back showing us that the way will end soon. Well I do not believe it since the other cars did not come back. But suddenly we are in front of a landslide and only a dirt road leads down to the river. In front of the river a TV group makes an interview. They also ask us for an interview and want that we say that this way is impossible, that it is a big problem for us. I just say I think it is possible. Driving through the river is at least no problem with our car. It is funny since the TV "Lady" gets a little bit mad because I am not answering as she want (:). We drive through the river and going on to Xinalik. While washing our plates and pots at a river in the sunny warm air, some hunters with 3 big Off-road cars are stopping beside us. First they are curious and are asking what we are doing here. As they recognise we are just tourists they invite us to come in their mountain hunting house around 20 km Off-road after Xinalik. Nevertheless, they warn us that the way is really bad. It sounds interesting and we decide to go their for that day and after that we will go back to Xinalik. At one hand we will see these hunters that seem to be part of the FAMILY and on the other hand one day later we will be in Xinalik with its unique culture having even their own language.
World I: After Xinalik their is a military control since this area is border zone with Russia. As the hunters already told them that we will come we have no problem to get the permission to go behind.The landscape going up into the mountains is really amazing, but the way is sooo steep. I never drove something like this before. Sometimes we stuck in the mud, we have to drive through a river bed with big stones. Like a snail we slowly going up to the pass, which is still covered with snow. After the pass a wide valley opens. In the end of the valley there is a mountain that looks like a wall. The rocks of the wall are in a shiny red illuminated by the deep standing sun. The valley is like a big pot and the bottom is a grazing ground for the wild animals. There are several ways to go and I am not sure. I just follow the one with the freshest tire prints. And there it is, the luxury hunting house in a side valley. Looks like a house in Beverly hills, surrounded by a fence and having a small security house in front. It feels surreal in this nice landscape. First we get invited by the security to tea, bread and cheese. The hunters already went out to trace the wild something; sorry I do not know the name. After some time they come back and we get to see the inside of the house. Luxury; bath, TV room with big chairs, grate, several sleeping rooms and everything in European style. The funny thing is that everything looks perfect but nothing is working. The heating, the three different satellite dishes and also the grate. Ok it is on 3000 m height with almost no street. Finally everybody is sitting their with warm jackets in the cold. The most important looking guy starts to play with another the game Domino (:). I figure out that actually only this guy is the boss. All others are just his security. Next morning the security finds the wild "something" for him. Then they bring him to the place; he shoots it and everybody is happy. To feel the difference in the peoples live of another country is interesting, but here we feel it is a little bit crazy. One day with these people is enough and we drive back to the village Xinalik, which actually would have been our final destination the day before.
(N 41.22107°, E 48.0366 °)
World II: We enjoy the way back to Xinalik in this beautiful landscape. At the military post we have to open everything. They just want to have some gift and as long as they do not get anything they do not stop searching for something. Taking a tomato can and asking what is in there. Looking at our onions and wondering for what we need it and so on and so on. Finally I just wait and sit there and again we can go on. In Xinalik I call the number of the uncle from the guy we met some day ago. He is still at work but he tells me I should already go to his house. Xinalik is a really fascinating village. The houses have really special stone architecture with a lot of glass wood balconies or stairs. The houses are arranged on a hill in some kind of labyrinth structure. Around there you can see up to the high peaks, which are covered with snow. From the upper houses you can look on to the roof of the lower ones and below the village is a wide valley. We come into the house through a wooden door and going up the stairs to the main part of the house. All this front part is closed with some wood-glass frames painted in blue colour. In the second floor you find everywhere carpets. They explain us that they are all made by the mother. The carpets have original and special Xinalik design. Some years ago they sold one of it to a museum in London for 8000 USD. Kotomi fell in love with these carpets. Next day I asked how much it would be. He starts with 5000 USD and the minimum is 3000 USD. They tell me it needs two years for one person to finish one carpet. I can believe it, since in Samarkand we saw similar ones and there also two people need around one year for the same size of carpet. Anyway, this is not a carpet in my price range and I tell him he better sells it to some rich people, which will pay also the 5000 USD. Apart from the carpets the village is realy interesting. Only here a special language is spoken. The village was in former times so isolated that their are almost no similarities to other languages.
We stay in this magic place for one day and experiencing again great hospitality of the people in this remote area.
(N 41.17954°, E 48.12826 °)
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