Oct. 12, 2022- Istanbul to Baku, Azerbaijan

A heads up: those new to my emails and those who have forgotten my style, I remind you that these accounts are purely subjective and opinionated. Feel free to respond or correct. At least one of the readers has a PhD from Princeton in Turkish history. Have at it. 

You who are more observant readers may have noticed that an email for Oct. 11 is missing. That’s because we spent it on the plane. By the time we got to Baku, we will have been traveling 27 hours.

Everything ran on time today. I was most excited about flying business class for the first time and it didn’t disappoint. The only thing I didn’t count on were young children of the baby variety. It would be nice to have a separate business family class. Fortunately, among the amenities given to us by Turkish Airlines were noise cancelling headphones.

Drinks started coming as we boarded followed by beverage and food menus. Evidently, those who fly business class are not of the murderous kind as we’re afforded the use of stainless flatware, china, and glass tumblers. The ambience was enhanced by a battery run candle on our elegantly draped tray tables. We chose between three mains and a plethora of plated appetizers literally from soup to nuts. Our crew and two private chefs, in toques no less, provided for our every need. kept the food coming and the detritus tidied. 

Other than the headphones, which were to be returned, we had a lovely zippered bag of toiletries. Things have changed since we were on a Brit Air flight eons ago and an electric razor for the men to share was passed around before landing. Ah, pre-Covid.

Beddy-bye time was at our pleasure. The crew made up our chair/beds with quilted pads, blankets (2) and pillows. Having spent too much time figuring out when to take our meds with the seven hour time change, we hunkered down. I’d watched the movie Nomadland so only had a few hours before landing to doze. I took a half an ambien and passed out for what was only two hours, but I felt refreshed. Unfortunately, David’s didn’t have much of an effect at all.

We were on time landing in Istanbul. When we asked for the gate to Baku, Azerbaijan we were told it was 1.5 miles away. That’s without leaving the terminal. I have to say, everything is not only modern, immaculate, and huge, but there is no evidence of construction. I’ve never seen an airport that wasn’t being renovated. Somehow they got their act together, executed, and completed the project. 

Oh yes, the mile and half walk to our gate. The options were to ride a cart or motorized wheelchair both off which sped along at lightening speed. We chose to alternately stroll and ride the moving sidewalks with enough time to sip coffee before boarding. David even had time to wander into a men’s masjid (prayer room) thinking it was a bathroom.

We flew over the Black Sea to Baku, which is on the Caspian Sea. Across that Sea is Russia. Down the coast is Iran, Iraq, and not too far west is Ukraine. Or course there’s the western border with Armenia that’s in dispute and the Syrian border with Turkey. OMG! Now I know why our daughter, Wendy, and son-in-law, Julian were freaking out. In all honesty, our touring is far from disputed borders, wars, and asylum seekers. 

The 2 1/2 hours flight was time enough to serve a multi course breakfast, our second in five hours. I tried gozleme, stuffed flatbread rolled into a tube. It was not their best effort. I’ll have to try it again when it’s not mass produced. 

Our guide, Latife, met us at the airport in Baku and checked us in to the Shah Palace Hotel in the old city. It’s old and charming with updated amenities. There are now only five in the Azerbaijan group. One couple cancelled because they had Covid. That means only 9 in Turkey. 

A nap is in order, then we’ll walk around the corner for dinner at a restaurant Latif suggested.

Tomorrow starts at 10AM with a guided stroll through the neighborhood.

Caucasus Mts. As we were nearing Baku

My bed in business class

Our Chef