From Sheki to the Georgian Border: A Day of Castles, Crafts, and Qutab

Our day started in Sheki with a visit to the Sheki Khans’ Palace, located inside the old Sheki Castle. It’s a beautiful place, but no photos were allowed inside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. The palace itself was impressive, full of intricate murals and detailed designs. Our guide had some interesting interpretations of the artwork, though we weren’t entirely convinced by everything he said. Still, it was interesting hearing his perspective.

A Silk Road pitstop

Next up was the caravansary (Caravanserai), a historical stop for caravans along the Silk Road. Picture traders arriving with their horses and camels, resting up before continuing their journey. The place is massive, with high arches and courtyards. As we walked around, we could almost imagine the past when it was buzzing with life.

Meeting a man who might be a national treasure

Afterward, we wandered into a local craft market and met a man, Husein Hajimustafayadeh, who creates traditional Sheki windows. A master craftsman in the true sense, he works with Murano glass and wood, assembling everything without using glue or nails. His craft is impressive—he even restored the windows in the palace we had just visited. His shop was full of photos of him with the Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents, along with a ton of awards and passes to various festivals. His work was incredible, but the prices were steep. One of the larger pieces was going for $11,000, which was a bit out of our league.

Kish Albanian Temple with a thing a guy made

Not far from Sheki, we stopped by the Kish Albanian Temple, a small and ancient church set in a peaceful location. Its quiet, peaceful atmosphere was a nice break from the busier spots we’d visited earlier in the day. I have to say, my favourite part was the display featuring some artifacts, including some candle holders. One of these featured a long inscription of inspiration by God, yada yada. The other just said, “I made it by hand”. I get this second person.

Delicious Street Food

The highlight of the day came when we stopped for a quick bite on the side of the road. We had qutab (meat for Ella and me and cheese with herbs for Katy) and a sweet option called mahara, which was a lot like a crepe. It ended up being the best food we had in Azerbaijan. It was simple, but the flavours were incredible, and we all agreed it was a great way to end our time in the country.

After we finished our meal, Ali and Mr. Fouad (who bears a striking resemblance to Volodymyr Zelenskyy) dropped us at the border. We said our goodbyes and started the walk into Georgia. 

It’s been a busy but fun few days in Azerbaijan. Now, onto Georgia for the next leg of our journey.