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VISITING THE CAUCASUS: GEORGIA, ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
Huffington Post
Dec 6 2013
by Katie Aune, Alumni relations & development professional; Travel writer
Posted: 12/06/2013 10:01 am
Arriving in the Republic of Georgia for the first time, I was
greeted warmly, "America! Welcome! You are always welcome in
Georgia!" One night later, I was on an overnight train from Batumi
to the capital, Tbilisi, drinking cognac with three Georgians and
toasting to International Women's Day. Before the ride was over, I
would be invited to stay at the home of one man's mother-in-law when I
reached the city of Telavi. This was just a taste of the hospitality
I would experience as I traveled through the Caucasus - Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan - one of the most beautiful, intriguing and
welcoming regions I have ever visited.
While geography often groups these countries together, they certainly
have their differences. Georgia and Armenia are ancient Christian
nations with a strong history of religion that remains evident today.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its state
religion back in the 4th century and Georgia followed just thirty years
later. Centuries-old monasteries and churches dot Armenia's landscape,
with highlights including the Khor Virap, Geghard, Noravank and Tatev
monasteries, as well as the world's longest cable car, which takes
visitors 5.7 kilometers across the Vorotan Gorge in the southern part
of the country. In Georgia, you will find more ancient monasteries and
churches, including the fascinating cave monasteries at Davit Gareja
near the border with Azerbaijan. Georgia also has a long history
of wine-making (dating back to the 6th century B.C.!), as well as a
developing resort city in Batumi on the Black Sea coast and a variety
of hiking opportunities in the mountain regions of Svaneti and Kazbegi.
Azerbaijan, on the other hand, is a primarily Muslim country with
a few ruined churches scattered throughout the country. Not far
from the capital, Baku, are petroglyphs, quirky mud volcanoes, a
so-called fire temple and the James Bond Oil Field (featured in the
opening scenes of The World is Not Enough). In Baku itself, visitors
can wander the streets of the walled old town before exploring the
more modern city that has developed in the last few years. For me,
the greatest attractions in Azerbaijan, though, were the mountains and
small villages in the northern and northwestern parts of the country,
particularly Lahic, well-known for its copper works.
Georgia has made it a priority to market itself as a tourist
destination, an investment that is reflected in shiny new border
control stations, tourist information offices and newly paved roads
up to mountain villages. Whereas a few years ago a trip to the region
of Svaneti would require an overnight train ride from Tbilisi followed
by a six hour drive up perilous mountain roads, the construction of a
new, paved road has cut the time down to three hours. While Armenia
lags slightly behind in tourist infrastructure, most of the major
attractions are easy day trips from the capital, Yerevan, and local
tour company Hyurservice runs multiple tours every day costing as
little as $15. I took two of their day trips and thought they provided
great value.
Although Azerbaijan made a concerted effort to welcome tourists to
Baku for the recent Eurovision 2012 finals, it seems to have ignored
the rest of the country. Paved roads are few and far between in some
areas and accommodation options can be lacking. Luckily, Community
Based Tourism Azerbaijan, an organization founded by former Peace
Corps volunteers, has stepped in to fill some of the void, providing
a great network of homestays and helpful information for tourists
traveling outside of Baku.
Georgia is probably the easiest of the three countries to visit
as Americans (and most other Westerners) can visit visa-free for
up to a year. Visiting Armenia means obtaining a visa on arrival,
which costs as little as $8 for a 21-day tourist visa. On the
other hand, Azerbaijan still clings to a Soviet-like visa regime,
requiring a letter of invitation and a steep $140 fee for Americans
and other Westerners. It's important to note that the borders between
Azerbaijan and Armenia are closed and if you have visited the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, you will be denied entry
into Azerbaijan. As it is, simply having an Armenian visa in your
passport may lead to extra scrutiny when entering Azerbaijan - it
certainly did for me!
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan seem to be well-kept secrets from
many Western travelers; in the two months I spent in the region, I met
few other tourists and just a handful who were traveling independently.
With a fascinating history, a plethora of attractions and relatively
low prices, the region shouldn't stay a secret for long. If you are
looking for something different in your travels in 2014, the Caucasus
is the place to find it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie-aune/caucasus-travel_b_4395829.html
From: Baghdasarian
Huffington Post
Dec 6 2013
by Katie Aune, Alumni relations & development professional; Travel writer
Posted: 12/06/2013 10:01 am
Arriving in the Republic of Georgia for the first time, I was
greeted warmly, "America! Welcome! You are always welcome in
Georgia!" One night later, I was on an overnight train from Batumi
to the capital, Tbilisi, drinking cognac with three Georgians and
toasting to International Women's Day. Before the ride was over, I
would be invited to stay at the home of one man's mother-in-law when I
reached the city of Telavi. This was just a taste of the hospitality
I would experience as I traveled through the Caucasus - Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan - one of the most beautiful, intriguing and
welcoming regions I have ever visited.
While geography often groups these countries together, they certainly
have their differences. Georgia and Armenia are ancient Christian
nations with a strong history of religion that remains evident today.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its state
religion back in the 4th century and Georgia followed just thirty years
later. Centuries-old monasteries and churches dot Armenia's landscape,
with highlights including the Khor Virap, Geghard, Noravank and Tatev
monasteries, as well as the world's longest cable car, which takes
visitors 5.7 kilometers across the Vorotan Gorge in the southern part
of the country. In Georgia, you will find more ancient monasteries and
churches, including the fascinating cave monasteries at Davit Gareja
near the border with Azerbaijan. Georgia also has a long history
of wine-making (dating back to the 6th century B.C.!), as well as a
developing resort city in Batumi on the Black Sea coast and a variety
of hiking opportunities in the mountain regions of Svaneti and Kazbegi.
Azerbaijan, on the other hand, is a primarily Muslim country with
a few ruined churches scattered throughout the country. Not far
from the capital, Baku, are petroglyphs, quirky mud volcanoes, a
so-called fire temple and the James Bond Oil Field (featured in the
opening scenes of The World is Not Enough). In Baku itself, visitors
can wander the streets of the walled old town before exploring the
more modern city that has developed in the last few years. For me,
the greatest attractions in Azerbaijan, though, were the mountains and
small villages in the northern and northwestern parts of the country,
particularly Lahic, well-known for its copper works.
Georgia has made it a priority to market itself as a tourist
destination, an investment that is reflected in shiny new border
control stations, tourist information offices and newly paved roads
up to mountain villages. Whereas a few years ago a trip to the region
of Svaneti would require an overnight train ride from Tbilisi followed
by a six hour drive up perilous mountain roads, the construction of a
new, paved road has cut the time down to three hours. While Armenia
lags slightly behind in tourist infrastructure, most of the major
attractions are easy day trips from the capital, Yerevan, and local
tour company Hyurservice runs multiple tours every day costing as
little as $15. I took two of their day trips and thought they provided
great value.
Although Azerbaijan made a concerted effort to welcome tourists to
Baku for the recent Eurovision 2012 finals, it seems to have ignored
the rest of the country. Paved roads are few and far between in some
areas and accommodation options can be lacking. Luckily, Community
Based Tourism Azerbaijan, an organization founded by former Peace
Corps volunteers, has stepped in to fill some of the void, providing
a great network of homestays and helpful information for tourists
traveling outside of Baku.
Georgia is probably the easiest of the three countries to visit
as Americans (and most other Westerners) can visit visa-free for
up to a year. Visiting Armenia means obtaining a visa on arrival,
which costs as little as $8 for a 21-day tourist visa. On the
other hand, Azerbaijan still clings to a Soviet-like visa regime,
requiring a letter of invitation and a steep $140 fee for Americans
and other Westerners. It's important to note that the borders between
Azerbaijan and Armenia are closed and if you have visited the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, you will be denied entry
into Azerbaijan. As it is, simply having an Armenian visa in your
passport may lead to extra scrutiny when entering Azerbaijan - it
certainly did for me!
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan seem to be well-kept secrets from
many Western travelers; in the two months I spent in the region, I met
few other tourists and just a handful who were traveling independently.
With a fascinating history, a plethora of attractions and relatively
low prices, the region shouldn't stay a secret for long. If you are
looking for something different in your travels in 2014, the Caucasus
is the place to find it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie-aune/caucasus-travel_b_4395829.html
From: Baghdasarian