Its sometime ago that I did have time to write, or lets say that I took the time to write... now I do not know where to start with. Since the trip to Basa Gusu more than 2 weeks passed. wow!
Kind of difficult to remember all. the week after the crazy mountain trip, I was in Baku, worked a lot and it was as well Michael's last week in Azerbaijan. As the week was only 3 days long it was gone within 2 seconds. Michael did not want to have a farewell party, so we just played on Saturday some billiard at Ocean Deck in the afternoon. I went with Ella, Claudia, Susie and "Hash Poppy" (what's his real name???) to Crescent Beach in the evening where a pre-4th-of-July Party took place. Nothing to write home abound. Expensive and buffet was rather bad. Just nice that many other friends showed up as well and I loved of course the firework (only 5min!!! I am a spoiled Swiss girls from Geneva.) Afterwards we went playing Billiard in a pub called "Phoenix". There were at least already 10 other names on the board and I was by far one of the bad players. Was amazing to see how some of the players could prepare the next shoot and play the white ball in a way that it stop where they wanted... still lots to learn! hope there is a billiard table in Lusaka!
On Sunday, I had to get up "early" as we had to travel to Shaki where we had two full day workshops in a row. Elnur (local project coordinator) and Jusif (driver) where already waiting. I was late, as the Mashrutka (#244) seems not to be "existent" on a Sunday...
On the way out of Baku we met with Josh, a peace corps volunteer that works in Shaki with CHF. I had Marc Elliots "Azerbaijan" with me and was decided to use the "Sunday trip" to see some of the places I did not have time yet. 
The royal tombs "Yeddi Gumbaz" close to Shamkhan was one of those short stops. They are not as old as some of the gravestones around, but still impressive and kind of sad to see how historical monuments are not taken care of...
The royal tombs "Yeddi Gumbaz" close to Shamkhan was one of those short stops. They are not as old as some of the gravestones around, but still impressive and kind of sad to see how historical monuments are not taken care of...On Monday we went early in the morning to Danachi, a village 2hours from Shaki and very close to Georgia. The participants came from different communities, where young, between 16-24 and I am not sure if they really will organise games with kids in their communities. 
Will see. 
It was at least great to see how some of them exchanged phone numbers, how they became more active in the discussion over the day and their proud smiles in the end of the day. In the evening we wanted to look around in Shaki, but we all crashed around 8.30 pm. I woke up at 1am, still fully dressed, because their was a wonderful thunderstorm.
Will see. 
It was at least great to see how some of them exchanged phone numbers, how they became more active in the discussion over the day and their proud smiles in the end of the day. In the evening we wanted to look around in Shaki, but we all crashed around 8.30 pm. I woke up at 1am, still fully dressed, because their was a wonderful thunderstorm. On Tuesday the workshop was in Kapanachi, small beautiful village. Participants a little bit older, indoor gym in a better shape and very active women from the community: they brought flowers, tea,... and they stayed the whole day! In the evening we resisted the temptation to go to our guesthouse and bough Halva (very sweet and heavy, but soooo good) 
and we went to the Caravanserai and had tea in the Cayxana to celebrate the two workshops. We felt like Khans (well in my case like Khanum) ! 
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and we went to the Caravanserai and had tea in the Cayxana to celebrate the two workshops. We felt like Khans (well in my case like Khanum) ! 
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On Wednesday we took it easy. Had a nice breakfast, visited the Khans-palast
and did some shopping on the market of Sheki. On the way to Baku, I forced them to do some other touristic stops. An hour before Baku, in the middle of the desert that surrounds Baku, some mud volcanoes. Small and not very active, but mud-volcanoes-enough to make me happy :)
Thursday: reporting, office, checking emails,...
Friday: off! sleeping in, doing nothing,... going out a little bit in the evening
Saturday: leaving early with Claudia, Ella and Andrew. Quba (2.5h) and from there to Xinaliq. Beautiful village high up in the mountains. has been isolated until recently and therefore developed its own culture, language, architecture,... after Xinaliq, mud track (4WD an absolute must) for an hour. nice camp place in the middle of the mountains and in between to small rivers. other Expats (Paul, Simon, Gareth and a couple - forgot their names) joint us their. Claudia had to leave (working on Sunday, pffffui workaholic!!!). We had camp-dinner-fire-vodka-mountains-friendship-... with other words a lovely evening.
Sunday, Ella too much of a hang over to come out of the tent, but the rest got up early to "climp" a mountain, which name I just forgot... beautiful walk, up up up... the couple turned at one point and Gareth fought with his vodka hang over. My knees were surprisingly doing well. Found some nice fossils (on over 3000m!!) Yep, difficult to imagine that this was all under water, maybe kind of flat,... long time ago. On the top we were unfortunately surrounded not by a perfect view on Basa Gusu and other mountains, but just lots of fog...
Pictures coming soon! Now I want to get out of the office! write soon more. I am lazy this days, do nothing than sleeping , watching the TV show 4400 and eating unhealthy. Great!!! Exactly what I need to get ready for the last weeks in Azerbaijan :)
lots of hugs
m
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