Spoffords Travel

Day 3 July 26, 2026 Renton Washington to Bellingham Washington 94.9 miles

Today was primarily spent with family and friends. We spent the morning with Rob’s brother Ed. The guys did some minor work on the woodie.

We drove on the freeway to meet with daughter Amy and grandchildren Meagan and Merik. Really glad we don’t have to do that often. It’s Sunday and the traffic is terrible but it is moving. We are not holding traffic up when it is moving at a snail’s pace. We are headed north. The traffic headed south is bumper to bumper and hardly moving. A snail could sprint faster the traffic headed south. This went on for miles and all during the time we met with Amy and the kids. Great to see them even if it is only for a couple of hours.

Then it was on to Bellingham to visit with friends David and Barbara Ann. They have a beautiful home in Bellingham that looks out to the lake. Always good to see them. It rained about half the way there. Nothing real hard but enough to clean the windshield a little. A doe and two fawns visited their backyard. David went out to chase them away from the tomato plants. He said they can devour a plant in a couple of minutes. They have some gorgeous dahlias planted around their yard.

Day 2 July 25, 2026 Condon Oregon to Renton Washington 353.9 miles

The outside temperature is a little cooler this morning. We ate some of the hard boiled eggs we brought with us breakfast and then took off. Connie had to put on the light jacket. Some sun is shining through the smoke this morning.

When we entered our destination in the GPS for the day we were immediately rerouted. Best guess is a forest fire has the shorter route closed. That added at least another 20 miles to our route. Most of that was miles we drove the day before.

Just before the first road change this morning we saw three deer and about 12 turkeys. Most of the turkeys looked to be young birds. They were right in the middle of the road. Our vehicle didn’t seem to bother them much.

The traffic is mostly something to do with the forest fires. Lots of pickups with equipment or supplies. At least four buses that may have fire fighters going to or from fires. Two semis with heavy equipment on board.

We drove through an area that had burned earlier in the summer. One farm yard was completely surrounded by burned land. Some of trees are completely burned while others are still standing and with green needles.

Finally arrived at Biggs Junction about noon. We ate lunch in the truck parking lot of the gas station. Then we crossed over the Columbia River and into Washington. Drove through the outskirts of Yakima and lots of orchards. We looked very hard at the new apples on the side of the road.

Further along the route we were rerouted again due to a road closure. So our 275 miles day turned into 350 miles. Thank goodness the temperature was cooler most of the day. We drove through White Pass Washington. The temperature was so much cooler Rob had to put on his heavier sweat shirt. The traffic in the area was much heavier. Lots of RVs and tents in the camping locations. Also lots of hikers parked near trail heads.

The wind all day really rocked the car. Sometimes it felt cold and sometimes hot. Sometimes a head wind and sometimes a side wind. Never seemed to helped push us however. Surprisingly the gas mileage was an average of about 16 miles to the gallon. Must be due to the slower speeds.

Sure glad to finally reach Rob’s brother Ed’s house.

Day 1 July 24, 2026 Boise Idaho to Condon Oregon 300.8 miles

We got on the road about 8:45 which is rather late based on the heat. We got hot just getting in the car. We drove the back roads so not much traffic. Most of the way was very hot and smoky. Forest fires are burning all over the area. Luckily no road closures.

We did see one vehicle rollover. A pickup with a small utility trailer was jack knifed and on their sides in the barrow pit. A police officer was there so we didn’t stop. It looked like the two passengers were wearing their seatbelts. Thank goodness there were no injuries.

We saw five deer and twelve turkeys. Two of the deer were here in town. The town is small but does have a motel so that is good. The room was small, very clean and above all COOL!

The terrain has really dried out since we drove through here in June. Plenty of fuel for the fires. The smoke was so dense we couldn’t see very far.

The car and trailer behaved very well today. The water temp got pretty warm pulling the trailer over the mountains but never got to boiling. Oh, and no tire trouble.

We must be desperate for things to write about because the motel had book matches with their information.

Day 7 May 3, 2026 Baku Azerbaijan to Tbilisi Georgia

Today we flew back to Georgia. We will overnight here as the flight to Germany leaves at 5:00 am. The BOLT service (An UBER wannabe) is scheduled for a 2:00 am pickup. We are starting off with a short night’s sleep in economy seats. Both the airport in Baku and the one in Tbilisi seem new and efficient. We had no big lines and no issues. Neither of them have big shopping areas so the walk to the gates isn’t miles long. We boarded and deplaned using buses out on the tarmac.

It’s cloudy and just a little misty. We are about a mile by how the crow flies from where we stayed before. That area is all city.

We won’t post again until we get home.

Day 6 May 2, 2026 Baku Azerbaijan

Today’s highlight was very special. We met Ida and her husband Mike (not their Azerbaijani names). Nam from Vietnam set us up. We agreed to meet at a very special restaurant inside a museum. The food was incredible and the conversation stimulating. After lunch we had a guided tour of the building. So much history on display here. Their original constitution was on display here. As it turns out Ida’s great grand father was one of the signers. Lots of individual rooms to have your meal or larger common areas. I have no idea how to spell or pronounce the foods we ate. Ida teaches law at one of the universities and working on her PHD. Mike is a civil prosecutor. They are both very passionate about their work and their country. They have two children who did not join us. They promised to visit us when the kids are a little older.

After touring the restaurant (museum) we returned to our room for tea and dessert. We had two kinds of tea, two kinds of jam, nuts and pastries. They could be a meal all by themselves. They have many sweets but once again not as sweet as in the states. (And that is a good thing.

We eventually had to return to the hotel to pack and prepare to leave early in the morning. We have learned so much about this part of the world. Even though Azerbaijan is sandwiched between Ukraine and Iran we have felt very safe. The country is doing everything it can to remain civil with all its neighbors and religions. Not an easy thing to do.

Some thoughts about the country.

We felt very safe here. The military is not standing on the corners with machine guns. The city and countryside are clean. Tourism was very low. Reports here say as much as 40% of hotel reservations have been cancelled. If you decide to come here, be prepared for wind. The title of Windy City is well deserved. The three major religions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. coexist without trouble. Perhaps this is because the population is not practicing as much as in some countries. They all share each others religious holidays so they get more time off work.

Day 5 May 1, 2026 Baku Azerbaijan

Today’s big adventure was trying to find a donor cafe. We had seen one across the street from one of the banks. Of course there are a lot of banks in a city this size. Also we drove in and around so many places we easily got confused. Rob’s idea was to go to the grocery store and find someone with enough English to direct us to a place. While he did that Connie explored a little more of the store. What a lot of candy! They must all have big sweet teeth. The dentists must make a good living. Well Rob’s efforts worked. One is not too far away. Now if we can only follow the directions in Google Maps.

We had only gone about two blocks when the scenery looked familiar. Sure enough just half a block away was the donor cafe we had seen a few days ago. No one in the little cafe spoke English but we managed to order two beef donors and an orange soda. Very tasty. They run a small cafeteria like place. Several dishes were in a display bar. People came in and chose which one(s) they wanted. Then someone heated it up in a microwave. The locals could consume a plate full in short order. About the time we were ready to leave something happened with a customer and tempers flew. Sure would like to know the story. The food was delicious. Rob tipped the cook which brought a big smile.

Connie spent part of the day getting caught up on the blog and Facebook. Rob got boarding passes and a room in Tbilisi. We fly back to Georgia day after tomorrow and the day after that head for home.

This provides an opportunity to discuss a few things we have missed. First of all pomegranate is very popular in this part of the world. We saw more of them in Armenia but it is one of the country symbols for Azerbaijan.

This hotel has an unusual elevator system. First of all there are three elevators: A, B, and C. An electronic tablet type device sits between the elevators. The tablet has all the floors displayed. You tap the number of the floor you want to go to. Then the system tells you which elevator to get in. Once in the elevator Rob tells you to turn around and look out the glass. There are no floor buttons in the elevators.

Cherry juice is very common in all three countries. Orange and apple are as well. We have enjoyed the cherry juice because it is local. They also have cherry jam but it doesn’t have a strong cherry flavor.

The breakfast buffet here has what is labeled scrambled eggs. It’s more like scrambled egg soup. The eggs are so runny. We both passed on those. The fresh made omelets on the other hand are very good.

Cats are everywhere. They are calm and love to be petted. We have not petted them but have seen many locals do so. Now that we know what to look for we have seen quite a few cat houses providing shelter for the cats. Most have small dishes in front for food and/or water. Dogs on the other hand seem to be missing. The “city” cats did not have ear tags like the “city” dogs did in Armenia and Georgia.

At the Fire Temple we were shown a picture of the Faraavahar, one of the most prominent symbols of Zoroastrianism. Our guide told us about it but that seemed to go in one ear and out the other. Seems he said something about one wing being the good angel and the other wing the bad angel. Since we couldn’t really remember we asked Google. Here is the answer:

It represents a guardian spirit, known as a fravashi, symbolizing the human soul’s spiritual journey. 

The figure is surrounded by a ring, not a hula hoop, which represents the eternity of the soul. 

The wings are divided into three feathers, symbolizing the Zoroastrian principles of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. 

This emblem is a significant cultural icon of ancient Persian heritage. 

A little about their education. Nine years of schooling is mandatory. If you want to learn a trade you go do so after the nine years. If you want to attend a university you must continue your schooling for two more years. Most degrees require four years except medical degrees which require more. Two sessions occur each day Monday through Friday. The first session goes from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Those kids go home and the next group goes from 2:00 to 7:00. This is true for universities as well. Baku has about 20 universities. The schools don’t have big sport fields only big buildings.

The city seems quite clean except for the leaves that are flying around in the wind. Today was only about a 10 mph breeze. Nice and calm.

The city has at least two large stadiums that have been used for Olympic and European championships.

Across the street from the donor cafe was the entrance to a small pub. The pictures outside looked like they might serve food as well as beer. Google says some of the pubs do serve snack type food such as chicken neck, chicken heart, chicken gizzard, string cheese, peas and things I have no idea what.

Day 4 April 30, 2026 Baku Azerbaijan

We are going further from the city today. A huge shopping mall is on the outskirts of town. Anything and everything can be purchased here. We had seen other malls around the city but this one surpassed those all together. Adjacent to that was a large industrial area. A newer neighborhood for the wealthy is under construction. The houses are so large they look like churches or hotels. A big resort was planned but for whatever reason has stopped.

We drove for nearly an hour to get to the petroglyphs. The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is a historic site in Azerbaijan, comprising a large collection of petroglyphs that reflect the flora, fauna, hunting practices, social structures, and cultural expressions of human societies from prehistoric to medieval times. These engravings provide detailed depictions of figures, such as lance-bearers and ritualistic dance scenes, as well as various animal species, bullfighting events, camel caravans, and celestial symbols such as the sun and other stars. Estimated to date back approximately 5,000 to 20,000 years, the rock art offers insight into the spiritual life and daily activities of early human populations in the region. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We started in the museum portion. This was very well done with lots of information. The only problem was it was so dark it was difficult to read. The signage had both local and English. One automated display could be seen to depict how the Caspian Sea had changed over the centuries. We were amazed how often the sea had risen and receded. At one time the entire area was under water. There were actually tour buses and vans here. A large group from South Korea walked very swiftly through the museum. They could not possibly have seen anything let alone study it.

We drove further up the mountain to another parking lot. Even more buses and vans. A rock musical instrument was just out of the parking lot. A log looking thing that when hit with a stone made beautiful sounds. Petroglyphs dating back approximately 5,000 to 8,000 years, include depictions of longships that closely resemble Viking ships. The presence of these ship depictions among the rock carvings suggests possible cultural connections or maritime interactions between the inhabitants of the region and those of the Mediterranean and other European regions.

The landscape is strewn with large rocks. The positions would indicate movement caused by earthquakes. The petroglyphs are carved into the rock. Sometimes looking at them with the phone is better. Paths around the area are made from rock and are relatively smooth. Lots of groups including school age kids.

Now it is off to the mud pots. The terrain between is semi arid. The plant life is green but will soon turn brown with the heat. We saw one large band of sheep on the way. Lots of different colors. They will be heading to higher ground for the summer. No fences anywhere.

We pass the largest mud volcano in the world. It looks much like any other mountain. About half of the world’s mud volcanos are in Azerbaijan. Many are under the Caspian Sea. Mud volcanos are usually found near large concentrations of oil. The gas brings up materials from deep in the earth. The mud is very dark gray brown. Possibly due to oil. The mud bubbles and spills over the top forming the mountain. They can also erupt sending flames high in the sky. This spot has some but not lots. They are in some ways similar to Yellowstone and some ways not. Both bubble or burp but these are caused more by natural gas rather than geothermal water.

A small museum nearby contains skeletons of many different animals. They had all existed here at one time or another. We learned earlier that lions and leopards had once lived here. There were no skeletons of human beings. On the walk around the pots there were warning signs of scorpions and snakes. Aparently waiting to get you if you got off the boardwalk.

On the way back we past the site of the first oil well and the main mosque of the city. Interestingly they do not have calls to prayer. Also drove down a large street where a synagogue was on each side of the street. Overall there is quite a mix of religions present and they all get along quite well, What a great idea.