Culture

Cup of Life: Tbilisi's Last Chaikhana

In what could be the last of its kind in the city, one teahouse close to the historic sulphur baths in the Georgian capital continues to embody the multi-cultural nature of the surrounding neighbourhood. It welcomes a diverse clientele to play backgammon, share news and memories, and, of course, drink tea.

25 April 2024

Onnik James Krikorian

Culture

Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

29 February 2024

Leila Mekhdi

Culture

Happy Sadeh

30 January 2024

Mark Elliott

Culture

Maragheh/Maraga, Iran: Once home to Eurasia’s greatest astronomical observatory

26 December 2023

Mark Elliott

Culture

Cup of Life: Tbilisi's Last Chaikhana

In what could be the last of its kind in the city, one teahouse close to the historic sulphur baths in the Georgian capital continues to embody the multi-cultural nature of the surrounding neighbourhood. It welcomes a diverse clientele to play backgammon, share news and memories, and, of course, drink tea.

25 April 2024

Onnik James Krikorian

Culture

Georgian-Azerbaijani Communities Embrace Novruz with Joy

This year, Azerbaijani-Georgian communities across Georgia came together to celebrate Novruz with a variety of events and festivities.

25 March 2024

Onnik James Krikorian

Culture

Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

What started as a lowkey cooking video channel at the end of 2019 became the most famous channel showcasing the Azerbaijani countryside and introducing national dishes to the worldwide audience.

29 February 2024

Leila Mekhdi

Culture

Where in the World? Nukus and the Incredible Savitsky Museum

Uzbekistan is ever more popular with tourists thanks to its trio of majestic Silk Route cities, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. But what about the far west of the country? Mark Elliott heads to Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan.

11 December 2023

Mark Elliott

Culture

Khiva – A 21st-century Visitor’s Experience

Khiva, Uzbekistan is the Silk Route’s most memorable city claims veteran travel writer Mark Elliott who first visited back in 1994 when he counted a mere 7 foreign visitors in town. These days it’s an understandable tourist magnet. Here are Mark’s tips for making the most of a visit.

30 November 2023

Mark Elliott

Culture

Caspian Region Gets New UNESCO Listings

On September 18, Unesco unveiled 27 new World Heritage features including three in the Caspian Region countries, plus the extension of another in Azerbaijan.

21 September 2023

Mark Elliott

Culture

Happy Sadeh

Today is Jashn-e Sadeh, an Iranian winter festival celebrated each year on the 10th of Bahman in the Iranian calendar and of Mehr in the Zoroastrian, which falls on 30 January.

30 January 2024

Mark Elliott

Culture

Maragheh/Maraga, Iran: Once home to Eurasia’s greatest astronomical observatory

Even frequent visitors to Iran rarely think of visiting Maragheh, yet its tomb towers and historical observatory site retain distant resonances of a magnificent history.

26 December 2023

Mark Elliott

Culture

Russia Faces Serious Problems in Developing North-South Trade Corridor via Caspian Sea

Russia Faces Serious Problems in Developing North-South Trade Corridor via Caspian Sea

12 April 2023

Onnik James Krikorian