Shemakha and Sheki
We headed North through the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. This was part of the ancient Silk Road, linking East and West.
Shemakha, was the former capital of the Shirvan Khanate. We toured the city, including the impressive Juma Mosque. The Mosque was built in the 10th century, and women were allowed to enter as long as we donned long black skirts and head scarves. ...View image... Men were always suitably dressed to enter with long pants on. (No shorts on this trip.)
The way to Sheki followed parts of the ancient silk road and vineyards. Sheki was founded almost 2,700 years ago and has preserved its historic monuments and city layout. We stopped in a bakery to have some baklava and wandered around for a bit, visiting some little shops. ......
Tonight, we were going to stay in a Caravanserai. Caravanserai, were inns of the silk road with the courtyard in the center used as stables for camels and horses while their owners slept in private rooms above.
In Sheki, our group had a great time in a wonderful market. Most of the extremely friendly Azeris had never seen a digital camera (or Westerners) before, and it was fun taking snaps and showing the images to them. ...View image...
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