Land of Fire and Wind

Even the air smelled like oil surrounding the Atesgah Fire Temple. Around the seventeenth century site, built by fire-worshipping Indians, were dozens of oil wells and the oil town of Suraxani. Now, with all the pumping, the oil pressure underground has decreased, so the once-natural gas fire in the center of the temple is now fueled by a small pipeline. This was the old and the new of Azerbaijan, the land of fire. Even the country, if you look at its boundaries from above towards the setting sun, looks like a flame.

Ateshgah Fire Temple

The fire worshippers chose this location for the natural gas seeping from the earth, which they kept lit in the center of the temple. Sanskrit and Punjabi inscriptions stand as testament to the Indians, who traveled here for spirituality and for trade along this part of the Silk Road. They worshipped Jwalaji, the sensual tantric goddess of fire.

Baku at Night

Suraxani was one of many toxic towns surrounding Baku, the capital, with black sludge behind shantytowns interspersed with oil wells. This area was also once a major chemical processing center for the erstwhile Soviet Union. After communism's fall, the rust began and the toxic waste and its effects became apparent to the world.

But the upside of the oil is that Azerbaijan, a secular Turkish Muslim state, is experiencing a boom, with a pipeline--a New Silk Road--from here through Georgia to the Black Sea, where the oil is shipped to Europe and America. Baku shines with prosperity and the people are smiling and happy.

Everywhere I was greeted with friendliness, whether at the shaurma stand, the internet cafe "I love Americans!" or the streets.

Baku Downtown

The Caspian Sea moderated the climate in Azerbaijan, but at the same time sent winds whipping through the streets.

Exploring the fire of Azerbaijan further, I visited Gobustan, with its small mud volcanoes burping methane into the windy air. The site overlooked the blue-grey Caspian Sea and its thousands of hidden, swimming caviar-laden sturgeons. Nearby was a Stone Age petroglyph site, with rock art dating to a time when the Caspian Sea was much higher and larger than today, surrounded by a more lush landscape. Today, all you could see was brown barren rocky hills covered with windblown snow, with the Caspian far below.

In Baku, I changed my travel style, shipping my tent, sleeping bag, stove, and cook gear back home via the Azeri post. From here, I will travel light, better for navigating the marshrutkas and more, with the camping gear not needed anymore as I continue to head west.

Baku from Maidan Tower

Baku Late Afternoon

Baku Old City Wall

Baku Port

Dom Soviet

Gobustan Mud Volcanoes, part I

Gobustan Mud Volcanoes, part II

Gobustan Petroglyphs, part I

Gobustan Petroglyphs, part II

Gobustan Petroglyphs, part III

Gobustan, part I

Gobustan, part II

Land of Oil

Oil in Azerbaijan

Oil Shantytown

Oil Wells in Azerbaijan