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Newsletter... |
Exploring New Horizons… Saudi Arabia
Greetings Fellow Travelers,
For centuries the Saudi Arabia was considered closed to
outsiders, penetrable only to the bravest and the boldest, such
as Richard Burton, TE Lawrence and Wilfred Thesiger, who risked
life and limb to get there. Today it continues to exist only in
the realms of the imagination for most people, who still relish
the sensational stories surrounding it. And yet, ever so
tentatively, the country is beginning to permit travelers past
its portals.
The archeology, rock art, geology, food, culture history and
hospitable people were awesome!
Visiting Saudi Arabia still feels a bit of an adventure: few
people have seen some of the ancient places we visited and some
were apparently inaccessible, except to a person with inside
knowledge like our resourceful guide: Khaled Took.
Diriyyah, the old capital of the Al Saud clan, which stands in
its ruined state among the palm groves outside Riyadh, is a gem
of a site, eery looking with its deserted dwellings, mosques
and ghost town. Our guide managed to make the place come alive
in our eyes and revived in our imagination this significant
historical site, being the home of Wahhabism, the fore-runner
of the modern Salafi movement. The other important site,
circled by an apparently thick fence, was that of Rajjajil in
the Al Jouf region of North Arabia. This place, often referred
to as Saudi Arabia’s “Stonehenge” consists of 50 clusters of
slim carved sandstone standing stones, some as high as 9 feet,
aligned to catch the rising sun on a terrace above a wadi.
Their purpose is still a mystery but their date, 4th millennium
BCE, is extremely early. The fence round the site was firmly
locked but our guide knew of a hole at the back, through which
we surged, savoring the ancient site in a lovely evening light.
This “trespass” added flavor to our visit.
So did our evening with a local family, our women with the
girls and mother of the family, who spoke some English, the men
with the males of the family. We didn’t realize that the family
is readying themselves for us and preparing more food! We
arrived where a Bedouin tent is awaiting us. Colorful rugs
cover the floor from end to end. All of the women in the family
are veiled. In the center of the tent is a table piled with
pastries and dates. Their culinary treats outshined those of
the hotel.
The highlight of this tour, as of every tour to Saudi Arabia,
was our day in Madain Saleh - and a whole day is really
necessary to appreciate this beautiful place to the full. This
was the southern city of the Nabataean kingdom, which had its
capital at Petra. Its inhabitants were merchants who had grown
rich on the incense trade from South Arabia which passed
through their territory on its way to the ports of the
Mediterranean. It was only after the Romans found a way to
navigate the Red Sea in the first century CE that this
profitable trade, and hence the towns which existed on it,
started to decline. The Nabataeans left over 100 rock-cut tombs
in yellow sandstone jebels over a wide area. The place is still
little visited by Saudis and we found ourselves enjoying the
clear air, silence and beauty of the place on our own.
Arrival at Madain Saleh was an incredible experience. Several
group members have been to Petra in Jordan, where comparable
tombs exist. They were duly impressed with the large
concentration of tombs found here. The tombs have signs posted
in Arabic and English, telling the story of each of them.
After incense came pilgrims bound for Makkah, passing through
some of the same towns which had flourished when frankincense
and myrrh were the most profitable commodities. We saw how this
made mediaeval Al-Ula town, now being restored, an important
one, as a stopping place for pilgrims. We saw too how the
merchants of old Jeddah, the port for Makkah, prospered and
were able to build elaborate houses. We stopped at stations on
the Hejaz Railway, which, for a few years in the early 20th
century, conveyed pilgrims from Damascus to Medina, until blown
up by T.E. Lawrence and others during the Arab Revolt of 1916.
The Ottoman Turks used it to transport troops later on.
In beautiful Jeddah, look out for the famous Corniche
sculptures that line the wide pedestrian areas for 30kms north
from the port. Subjects range from the mundane to the
miraculous; from anchors and boats to giant sunflowers
squirting water; elongated and fragmented camels to a boat made
entirely out of Arabic calligraphy. Sculptures of sacks of
flour, pipes, a globe, water vessels, coffee pots, phase of the
moon and an unknown bicyclist
The relative peace of the desert landscape, which we enjoyed at
Madain Saleh and in the rocky canyons around Al-Ula, covered in
ancient rock art, contrasted with our visits to the 2 major
cities of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh and Jeddah. In the former we
wandered round the restored area which surrounds King
Abdulaziz’s old palace, and the National Museum which is
splendid in its design and contents. It is a delight with its
special sound system of “talking exhibits” and should not be
missed by any visitor to the Kingdom. The Musmaq Fort, an
iconic place for modern Saudi history as the oldest building in
Riyadh, and the scene of King Abdulaziz’s seizure of the city
from his enemies, the Rashids of Haiil, in 1902, is also well
restored and laid out as a museum. The Camel market where you
will see the camels that once the principal mode of
transportation in the Arabian Peninsula, are now used mainly
for racing. In Jeddah, in contrast, we wandered round the
crumbling but still lovely coral houses of the old city, with
their intricate fret-work balconies, and in the afternoon
cruised down the Creek in balmy weather, watching families
enjoying their Friday.
One of the most enjoyable moments on the trip is when we
ventured on a desert treck in our comfortable jeeps and set
camp amidst stunning mountains after seeing some of the
petroglyhs and the crew prepared for us a picnic and tea at set
time and meanwhile Denise gave us a very suitable lecture on
camels and caravans while our crew was performing the 4th
prayer of the day in the background.
I have to say that this group was so homogeneous and had been
by far one of the finest I had accompanied. They were
courteous to each other, and helpful to those who needed
physical assistance to access some sites. I have to say I was
very impressed with the hotels, big ones in the large cities
but adequate in smaller towns and was amazed at the cleanliness
of the airports, and the ease and comfort of internal flights
within the Kingdom.
The date for our next trip is November 19 - December 03, 2011
with Qatar Extension from December 03 - 06, 2011. If you have
always dreamed of visiting this Forbidden Kingdom, make plans
to join us on our departure listed. You won’t be disappointed.
Call me with any questions you may have - Ihab Zaki |  |
Transcaucasia - Azerbaijan and Georgia Trip
Review (May 2011)
Greetings Fellow Travelers,
In October 2008 I traveled to Armenia to quench my desire to
immerse myself in the unique culture of a people of the Great
Diaspora, many of whose ancestors had been scattered around the
world after the Turkish genocide of the early 20th century. I
was in my element as I toured monasteries and churches set
against a magnificent backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery.
My experience made such a profound impression on me that when
the opportunity arose to complete my Transcaucasia journey I
jumped at the chance. I decided to join the May 2011 tour to
Georgia and Azerbaijan led by Norman Jones, professor of
history. The group had begun in Armenia 10 days prior to my
arrival and I hooked up with them on their last day in country
in time to cross into Georgia. After my long but uneventful
flights into Yerevan, my dear Nellie (the local operator in
Armenia) met my 8:00pm arrival flight and took me to dinner. We
shared a sumptuous meal of kebabs and salads overlooking the
lights of the city.
Next day, after a much needed rest, I was driven north to where
the group had spent the previous night. Upon meeting up with
them in the town of Gyumri we set off for the Georgia border.
The crossing was reasonable, but the weather was cold and windy
so it added drama to the experience. Formalities taken care of
we headed northwest, traveling amidst lovely villages
overshadowed by the high peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. The
first impression, shared by all in our group, was that Georgia
does not have the “soviet” feel that Armenia’s countryside had.
There were no deserted factories or hideous looking large block
apartment buildings. On the contrary, it had the appearance of
a Swiss landscape, quaint, charming, lush, green and clean.
Surely Georgia enjoys a unique position: sandwiched between the
large Iranian landmass and the Turkish republic, as well as
Armenia and Azerbaijan. The latter two are at odds due to
repeated wars and clashes regarding territorial claims. Georgia
is the land link between Armenia and Turkey who are not on good
terms though that appears to be slowwwwly changing! Sitting at
the crossroad with one foot in Europe and one in Asia, Georgia
is the glue that diplomatically binds everyone. Though it
shares the common threads of the spectacular Caucasus Mountains
and a recent past of Soviet domination with two of its
neighbors, each is unique. Azerbaijan is a Moslem country, with
the majority of Azeris being Shiite while Georgia and Armenia
are predominantly Christian, with religious roots extending
back to the earliest days of the religion.
Our guide was very informative giving us background history on
his country and we repaid him by teasing him about whose
alphabet was first: the Armenian or Georgian! That aside, we
learned a lot along the way to our first stop for lunch,
especially about Georgia’s economy. It seems to rely foremost
on the remittances of Georgians working abroad, international
help, some meager income from selling water from their abundant
supply and the fees they collect from gas pipelines that cross
through Georgia from Azerbaijan to Turkey. We finally arrived
in the little village where we would have lunch and I must say
our first meal in Georgia proved to be something to remember.
We were hosted by a family in their home to a meal that
included plenty of fresh vegetables, delicious meat, grilled
river fish and bread out of the oven. A spirited discussion
began (for the benefit of the guide) on the subject of cuisine:
which is better, Armenian or Georgian food.
We departed for the rock-cut town of Vardzia built in the 12th
to 13th centuries by Queen Tamar as a monastic complex. Planned
as a town-fortress, the complex was turned into a well-defended
monastery that served as an important political, cultural,
educational and spiritual center for the country. As many as
2,000 monks once lived in rooms cut out of the rock face. There
were a dozen small churches as well as the larger Church of the
Assumption in the center of the cave complex. Frescoes can
still be seen on the rock surfaces of this church. It can be a
bit difficult to visit, since climbing is necessary, but it’s
not impossible. There is a pathway making it reasonable as you
can stop and take breaks along the way. When you reach the very
top you will be rewarded with a dramatic view of the entire
complex carved in stone and of the glorious valley below
crossed by a serpentine river. It is well worth the ascent!
From here we continued to the town of Bakuriani, a popular ski
resort that was deserted at this time of year. We settled into
our charming hotel perched upon a gorgeous mountain slope with
lovely vistas. By the time we arrived the clouds had engulfed
all the peaks surrounding the town settling just above our
hotel. Nearby a gushing river thundered to complete the
ambience. That evening at dinner I brought my bottle of cognac
from Armenia that was given to me as a gift. It was the
perfect complement to the delicious meal that we shared. After
a fantastic first day and night in Georgia, we turned in to
rest up for the continuation of our adventure that would take
us all the way to Tbilisi.
First stop after the morning drive was in GORI, the birthplace
of Joseph Stalin. It was amazing to get so close to this iconic
ruthless man and put a human face to him. We visited the house
where he was born saw where his parents slept and even his baby
cradle! Next we went into the museum that retells so vividly
his life and his career. The guide made it sound so thrilling,
you had visions of him popping out of a room any minute or
shaking your hand when you approached one of his statues or
life-size pictures. Afterwards, we departed for the cave-town
of Uplistsikhe located six miles east of Gori. It was once
close to a major caravan route between Asia and Europe but was
destroyed by the Mongols in AD 1240. Many of the cave rooms
have eroded or collapsed, yet it is still possible to visit pre-
Christian temples dotting the site, as well as the 10th century
Christian church built over a pagan temple. Again some mountain
goat skills are needed to explore it in depth and as before the
views from the top of the valleys; rivers and snow-covered
peaks are breathtaking.
We drove up into the mountains towards the magical city of
Tbilisi arriving just around sunset, just in time to see the
rays of the sun glamorously illuminating the golden statue atop
of the pillar in the square facing our hotel. I had drawn
images in my mind of the city based on my impressions of
Yerevan. Naturally I expected more or less the same style but,
lo and behold, I found it a much more beautiful and elegant
city than Yerevan. It is blessed by the shining Mtkavi River
that runs through the city, dotted with churches and cathedrals
on the hills around the river. Our hotel, the Marriott, was
smack dab in the middle of the city with the old town nearby.
Some of the rooms overlooked the impressive Narikala Fortress.
Those of us who had energy went out that early evening and
strolled along the cobblestone streets of the old town and
gazed into the windows of the endless shops selling golden
icons and religious statues. We peeked into some churches that
were rather busy with parishioners of all ages. People were
singing hymns and surprisingly many of them were young. Even
small attendees (young children) were showing their respect. In
general most Christian countries have rather an older
population that attends services but in Georgia, the large
crowds of young were astonishing! Another interesting
observation is that I saw people of all ages stop in their
tracks as they passed in front of any church. They would then
look at the edifice and make the sign of the cross then proceed
on their way. It is a population so religious and so observant
that I have personally never seen a Christian country emitting
such fervor everywhere you go. We regrouped later that evening
and headed out for a lavish dinner in a nearby restaurant that
had live music and traditional dancing. I guess I am showing my
age, as it was all a bit too loud for my taste. I tried the
local national drink: Chacha. It is used as a method of giving
strength, vivacity and good mood from immemorial time. It is
traditionally made of distilled mixture of wines, fermented by
any kinds of grapes, and indeed after a few shots I didn’t seem
to mind the loud din as much! We headed back to our hotel with
the promise of more exciting things to come. All in all, it was
truly a joy to be able to explore this city on foot.
We ventured into some of the sites of this gorgeous city.
Tbilisi was the capital of arts and elegance in the Caucasus
region. The wealthy of Armenia and many from Russia had
mansions here and visited often to attend the opera, the
theater, music events and to indulge in the life of the Haute
Societe. We had a full day as we visited the 13th century cross-
domed Metechi Church; the 7th-8th century sulphur baths;
Narikala Fortress, the ancient site of Tbilisi built by the
Arabs in the 4th century; Sioni Cathedral, the seat of the
Catholicos, the Patriarch of all Georgia, until 2004; and the
6th century Anchiskhati Basilica, the oldest surviving church
in Tbilisi. Next we toured the Museum of Tbilisi where our
guide who had been indoctrinate in the soviet style in
demeanor, looks, voice and attitude showed us a few highlights
of the endless marvels of the humble-looking building
encompassing this museum. Room after room was filled with
golden icons, semi-precious stone inlaid crosses, old hand
painted bibles and the crowns, jewels and robes of kings. It
was a dazzling museum! We shared dinner that evening at another
great restaurant, this one on a hill overlooking the entire
city. We listened to a musical troop that played some local
tunes as we savored some of the delicacies of Georgia, with its
unique cuisine that uses lots of eggplant, bell peppers and
walnut sauces.
The following day we left Tbilisi for the UNESCO World Heritage
Site of Mtskheta. Inhabited since the second millennium BC it
is one of the oldest towns and the ancient capital of Georgia.
We visited the 15th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, erected
on the site where the first Christian church stood in the 4th
century, the holiest place in all of Georgia. The first stone
cathedral was built in the 6th century. Today the remains of
decorated pillars can be viewed under the transparent glass
floor. The church boasts impressive royal tombs, an icon stand,
and carved decoration including bulls’ heads and semi-pagan
fertility symbols. The current structure was built in 1029.
Next stop was the 6th century Georgian Orthodox monastery of
Jvari. Its facades are richly decorated with magnificent
reliefs, including exquisite portraits of the kings who built
the church. We departed for Dzalisi, an archaeological site
comprising several Bronze Age (3rd to 2nd millennium BC)
layers. The site boasts four palaces and hypocaustic baths, a
swimming pool, administrative centers, barracks for soldiers, a
water supply system, and burial grounds of the first
settlements during the 2nd millennium BC. The baths are famous
for their intricate mosaics depicting scenes inspired by the
cult of Dionysus. We continued along the Georgian Military
Highway to the 16th century fortress of Ananuri. The
architectural design of the complex is typical of the late
medieval period and includes a fortress, two churches, an old
watchtower, a prison and civic buildings. We retraced our steps
back to Tbilisi for our last night in the city.
Next day we bade farewell to a beautiful country, and entered
another adventure-land: Azerbaijan. As soon as we crossed the
bridge that joins the two countries a customs agent came to
check us out. His only interest was in printed matter,
specifically maps, guidebooks or anything else showing what the
Azeris call “incorrect borders of Azerbaijan”. He wanted to
know if any of us where carrying material that depicted Nagorno
Karabakh as an Armenian territory and not an Azeri one (as they
adamantly believe it is Azeri). Even after we assured him that
we were not he only let us pass after thoroughly inspecting the
bags on one of our group members. Then our capable guide Mr.
Ballash led us to the vehicle and settled us in. He spent the
next two hours telling us stories about his country until we
reached the town of Sheki. Just as in Georgia, the road
followed the towering peaks of the Caucasus Mountain range.
Upon reaching Sheki, we again noted the alpine-look of the
town. We settled in our lovely central hotel and then headed
out to an old restored Caravanserai hotel to have a special
dinner in the gardens. Although the setting was majestic we did
not stay at that particular hotel, despite its quaint charm
and “old times” appeal. The rooms were not air-conditioned and
were in need of a facelift. The grounds however were lovely and
you could just visualize all those merchants in the 19th
century coming in with their caravans to spend the night here
as they traveled along the great Silk Road!
Today the southeastern portion of the Caucasus region is the
Azerbaijani Republic, whose official language is Azeri, a
Turkic language that in the 20th century alone has been written
variously in the Arabic, Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. It is
related to Anatolian Turkish, the language of modern Turkey,
but the Azeri vocabulary is heavier with loan words from Arabic
and Persian, and includes Russian words unknown to Turkish.
Besides Azeri, however, some 20 percent of Azerbaijan's
population speaks other languages, among them Indo-European,
Turkic and Caucasian tongues.
Historically, the name "Azerbaijan" leads to some confusion
about just what geographical territory is referred to. "Greater
Azerbaijan," as defined by the reach of the Azeri language,
covers both the modern state of some seven million people,
called the Azerbaijani Republic, and a two-province chunk of
Azeri-speaking northwestern Iran that is roughly equally
populous. This division between northern and southern
territories dates from 1922, when the Soviet Union reasserted
control over the region's oil resources by crushing nationalist
movements and absorbing Azerbaijan south to the Araks River,
the classical Araxes, which defines today's border between
Azerbaijan and Iran. In 1990, the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist
Republic rose up against the USSR, then endured a bloody war
with Armenia over the Karabakh region, and became independent
in 1991. Azerbaijanis today often refer to the Azerbaijani
Republic as "north Azerbaijan" and the Azeri-speaking Iranian
provinces as "south Azerbaijan."
Sheki is one of the most famous and ancient places of
Azerbaijan. Surrounded by mountains and forests of oak trees
this ancient city was long famed as a silk center and an
important stop on the great silk route. It is believed that the
name of the town goes back to the time of the Saks, who reached
the territory of Azerbaijan in the 7th century BC. We began by
visiting the 18th century Khan’s summer palace to see the
magnificent frescos and exquisite stained glass work. Albeit
small as a palace compared to other Ottoman or Central Asian
ones, it was one of the most beautifully decorated buildings I
have ever seen and it is listed as a UNESCO Heritage site
because of its architectural marvels. Next we visited a small
annexed Sheki History Museum where we saw all sorts of
ethnographic and anthropological displays from several periods
including many artifacts relating to silk manufacturing and
trade. We then drove up on a hill to visit an Albanian church
located in the village of Kish. Locals claim that the church
was built in 78 AD, but researchers place it a few centuries
later. One should note that the Albanians who currently reside
in Kish have nothing to do with the people residing in the
country of Albania.
Our next day was as exciting, as we left Sheki and headed
towards Baku. Along the way we made a stop in the small but
rather unique village of Lahij. The unpaved road that leads to
Lahij winds up from the sunny vineyards of Shemakha along the
narrowing Girdimanchai river gorge, crossing the torrent on a
flimsy bridge and skirting the sheer walls on narrow, roughly
hewn ledges. This isolation allowed Tat, a dialect of an Old
Persian tongue, to remain the primary language in Lahij and a
few surrounding villages. For centuries, the valley people have
spoken, at various times, Azeri, Russian, Farsi and Arabic, but
here in this mountain village of about 2000 people, Tat is
still spoken. Lahij's isolation was legendary and the quality
of its crafts was known as early as the 10th century. There are
some 120 crafts represented in Lahij, everything from
beekeeping to hat-making, leatherworking to charcoal burning,
gunsmithing, swordsmithing and tool forging. But none of the
village's products were finer than its copperwork. We walked,
strolled, shopped and finally had a delightful home cooked meal
prepared by a woman in her own small house and served in her
backyard in the company of her roosters and chickens. After a
delightful respite and a cup of good strong hot tea, we said
our farewells and continued on our way.
We were heading towards Azerbaijan‘s booming capital city,
Qobustan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now rocky, this area
was lush with vegetation 12,000 years ago. Here, beside the
Caspian Sea, Stone Age people lived in caves and hunted the
abundant wildlife. When they weren’t hunting, they spent their
time etching petroglyphs on cave walls. We drive to Gobustan a
unique site on the Caspian Sea where 300 of the planet‟s
estimated 700 mud volcanoes can be found. Locals and tourists
trek to such places as the Firuz Crater, Gobustan, Salyan to
cover themselves in mud that is thought to have medicinal
qualities. In 2001 geologist from around the world converged at
a mud volcano 15 kilometers from Baku that made world headlines
when it suddenly started spewing flames 15 meters high
Gobustan reserve, is an open-air museum littered with Neolithic
rock drawings and some 4000 inscriptions that go back 12,000
years (with some 2000 year old Latin graffiti to boot). Stone
Age men and women sporting loin cloths are depicted in hunting
and dancing scenes. Their dances are thought to have been
accompanied by the melodious strains of the Gaval-Dashy
(tambourine stone), a rock that has a deep, resonating tone
when struck. The well-preserved sketches display ancient
populations travelling on reed boats, men hunting antelope and
wild bull, and women dancing. The famed Norwegian
anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl returned many times to Azerbaijan
between 1961 and his death in 2002 to study the site. According
to Icelandic Sagas, written in the 13th century, the Norse God
Odin (Wotan) migrated from the Caucasus in the first century
AD.
The collapse of cave walls sometime in the distant past (no one
knows exactly when) revealed petroglyphs hidden within. It is
estimated that there are more than 6,000 in this one area,
alone. The petroglyphs — which continued to be carved here for
thousands of years — offer a glimpse into the world of these
early peoples. Besides the many abstract human figures, both
male and female, there are animals: deer, goats, gazelles,
horses, wild oxen and birds, among others. There’s also a
petroglyph of a reed boat apparently sailing toward the sun.
Our guide told us that Thor Heyerdahl suggested this petroglyph
might perhaps link these early peoples of Azerbaijan to
Scandinavians. Heyerdahl stated this as evidence that modern-
day Scandinavians migrated north through the Caucasus in
prehistoric times. He found similarities in the drawings to
those found in Scandinavia, particularly some in Alta, Norway.
It’s not easy to make out what many of the petroglyphs depict
but Ballash did a great job translating them and showing us the
most intriguing ones.
Upon arriving in Baku we set out to visit the Old Town as our
favorite places were centered here. We explored the 15th
century Shirvanshah Palace, where dozens of 13th century stone
carvings retrieved from the Caspian Sea, line one of the
courtyards; the 12th century Maiden’s Tower, a unique 105-foot
tall fortress tower which has become the symbol of Baku; old
caravanserais now reincarnated as rug shops or teahouses, and
the Bulvar Promenade beside the Caspian. Best of all in the Old
Town was dining outdoors each night in places such as the
exclusive rooftop restaurant of the Sultan Inn watching the sun
set behind Maiden’s Tower and sink into the Caspian Sea. Other
tempting spots are the two old Caranvanserais that still exist
and have been lavishly restored with period pieces such as
carpets, rugs, metal works, and weapons on the walls. They are
delightful spots to wine and dine while listening to
traditional music and Mughams (a highly complex art form of
folk musical composition that weds classical poetry and musical
improvisation).
On the final day we make a short trip to the Absheron Peninsula
to visit the Fire Worshippers Temple of Ateshgah located in the
village of Surakhany. It was built by Zoroastrian believers who
travelled from the province of Multan in India to worship on
land where a deposit of natural gas provides the catalyst for
the eternal flame. These ancient fires are believed to have
given Azerbaijan its name, which is thought by some researchers
to mean the “Land of Fires. We toured the well preserved
ancient castles that date back to 12th and 13th centuries AD
located farther out on the peninsula. There are several fine
medieval castles at Amirajan, Nardaran and Mardakyany that were
built for defense by the Shirvan shahs in the 14th century.
After ten enjoyable days sharing this experience and exploring
new frontiers I came home content, carrying two beautiful Azeri
rugs and sadly five extra pounds that I did not imagine gaining
when I was embarking on this journey. Ah well, I had no one to
blame but myself, Ihab Zaki, as I did not think twice before
indulging in the great cuisine of both Georgia and Azerbaijan! | |
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