(For all who just want to look at the pictures, they are further down... this is a pre-view of Qәbәla surroundings)After having been in Azerbaijan for nearly three weeks, the announcement of going on arrival training, combined with mid-term evaluation training for the other EVS volunteers (under AYAFE) came. However, this training was dependent on the money arriving from Bonafide, the Polish sending organization of my project partner, Krzysiek (which, you can all read, is Polish for Christofer, and pronounced Kshje’shec). We were to leave to Sheki Friday evening, traveling by train. We would sleep in the train, and start the training on arrival. Unfortunately, the money did not arrive by Friday, but AYAFE (the NGO I am working with) informed us it would maybe be there Saturday, so don’t make plans for the weekend yet. At this point we were pretty pessimistic about the prospect of getting out of
Saturday morning- we got the message that the money arrived, and provided that we could get train tickets (very hard to get on the day of traveling itself) or bus tickets, we would go that evening. The day was not spent waiting for this information: Agata and I decided to go and check out the botanic gardens. We hiked up through the memorial, and took a wrong turn - of two possible routes we naturally picked the wrong one. Having been going up all the time, we called a break for some bread (Chorek) and to drink something, just on the pavement outside a shop. Two teenagers and an elderly man walked past, and then came back. Luckily, Agata speaks Russian, and the elderly man (Rashid) did too – many Bakuvians do. We were invited to join them as part of a clapping team for a TV show. Being two curious ladies, we agreed, and joined this evening chat show about neighborhoods and problems people have. It took a long time, clapping on clue, yet it is probably our first claim to fame in this country.
After our clapping duties, Rashid offered us a lift to the Botanical gardens, saying we were quite far off. Getting there was a lovely interlude from
While we were greatly enjoying this peaceful, greenish area, Asif frantically tried to get hold of us. Asif is part of AYAFE, and trying to organize our trip. One of the other volunteers, fed up of waiting for news, decided to go to Nebran, so we would not have combined training, but just the on arrival training. We would go by car, to Qәbәla instead of Sheki, and be ready for 9. Fine.
As said, 9 pm came and Asif picked us up. We would break the trip in two parts, as there is still a lot of work being done on the road to Qәbәla, and there are some passes to go through. After 3.5 hours of driving (unfortunately with few views as it was dark) we reached Hamid’s family house in Xelilli, as small village. The welcome was fantastic! Despite it being past mid night, the table was set and food ready to serve. Many were home made: picked plums, picked cucumbers, picked gurkins, conserved (jamstyle) cherries stuffed with walnuts, tomatoes, dille and coriander, and some chicken. There was nectar juice, pomegranates and two other fruits that I don’t know the name of (hәva and Israeli fruit). Naturally chai was offered, and vodka too, but we declined as all were tired, and the father would have to get up early as well to go the
The journey continued the next morning after a mere 5 
hour sleep, but it wasn’t too much further- only two hours. On arrival to Qәbәla we first went to a little restaurant with nice view, and where we would come back our last night for the traditional dish of Saj (see picture).
The area surrounding Qәbәla is stunning. At an altitude of around 2000 meters, it is right on the border of
We stayed at the very friendly -aj, forgot the name, this will 
follow-, with two dogs and a small puppy! This place was full of workers building some luxurious cabins on the river, and the owner has been told that he has to move away when the building is done. While being quite angry about this, for some reason he was also accepting. I think that it is a great pity, as the place is really welcoming and pretty, situated in an
Our training was very informal, held in a room of the place we were staying at. After some exercises and some explanation, and lunch off course, we were herded into the car for a quick visit of the town, the local museum (where you are allowed to touch most things!), a lake lined with walnut trees (very tasty) and the 7 beauty waterfall, of which we could only climb 3 floors this time, as the sun was setting, and only two of us had proper hiking shoes. Definitely on my list of things that must be done at some later point. Dinner was held at the lodge, with a Tamada and vodka and dancing later on.
The second –and last- day of training was similar. Some explanations, some exercises, room for questions, and more excursions. Driving to some villages in the area, to some viewpoints and turning quickly as they had military and we camera’s and it was the border region after all.
Monday we headed back, stopping again at Hamid’s family home for lunch. Once again, a wonderful welcome, with home made food. Vodka was offered again, and accepted by Krzysiek. Home made by a friend, this fiery pomegranate ‘water’ merely contains around 70% alcohol, but is very tasty. I did stick to one drink, thinking of the road ahead, but Krzysiek joined the father in the toasts and drinking, stopping halfway. So shamefully we did not finish the bottle. Needless to say, the rest of the trip was quite merry.
