The Armchair Traveler - Azerbaijan

Sure. I know what you're thinking. And with all the problems in the world who wouldn't agree with you? But this is a nice find for those of us who are interested in visiting the Middle East and want NOTHING to do with the religious fervor that usually accompanies it. Not only that, America is considered one of their strongest allies. Ironically, so are Israel and Iran.

Most of us have never heard of it.

Azerbaijan is above Iran, below Russia and to the east of Armenia. It's right on the cusp of Asia and Europe, along the coast of the Caspian Sea (see map above). Azeris speak a Turkic language, and while Azerbaijan is considered 96% Shia Muslim, the country is largely irreligious. In fact, Azerbaijan ranks as the fifteenth least religious country in the world! The government is completely secular and would rather build schools than mosques. So there's no need to worry about Islamic fanaticism while you are there.

The Republic of Azerbaijan was the first Muslim-majority democratic secular country in the world and gave women the right to vote before the United States. So while it's true they came under the thumb of the USSR for about seventy years, they don't have any laws regulating what women wear.

The lower half of the country used to belong to a province of the Persian Empire called Azerbaijan, which is where the name comes from. Its citizens claim they have a national identity that's much older, but they don't. There isn't one ancient map that shows they existed prior to 1918, when they broke off from the Ottoman Empire. That doesn't mean, however, that the land hasn't been inhabitated for thousands of years. Because it has. Since the Stone Age.

There are several old castles and even a Zoroastrian Fire Temple in Baku (the capital). Some of the earliest human settlements are located here, and yet the country is a perfect combination of the ancient and modern world. There are 5 Star Hotels up and down the Caspian Sea (especially in Baku) if that's your gig. There's even a nice ski lodge resort in the mountains. Or if you like, do some investigating and you'll discover Azeri's open their homes up to visitors for a very small fee. Then there's everything in between.

The culture is a mix of Persian, Turkish and Russian. The food, the music, the art, and the architecture all represent an amalgation of these great peoples. There's so much to see and do here I couldn't possibly list it all.

Azerbaijan is now on my list.