Georgia & Azerbaijan 2023

I’m traveling with my mom (Diane) and our dear French friends Marie Jo and her daughter Sandrine, whom we’ve known since the mid-70’s. Why Georgia and Azerbaijan? Great question! Because Diane wants to go there! Azerbaijan because her brother, Steve lived in Baku for a few years a while back and really loved his time there. And Georgia, because it is mountainous with remote villages, many of which have retained their indigenous and ethnic traditions despite western influences and Russian invasion.

Our trip was put together for us by the MIR Corporation. We'll be there for nearly 3 weeks: 1 week in Azerbaijan, mostly in Baku (its capital), and 2 weeks in Georgia.

These countries really are "hinge" countries between the east and the west, situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea with the South Caucasus Mountains running east west through them. Armenia, Turkey, and Iran are to the south, Russia is to the north.

 

I will do my best to share photos and reflections regularly throughout the trip, however wifi may not be so reliable when we head into the mountains in Georgia.