01x02 - Georgia and Azerbaijan

[bunniefuu]

Doesn't really matter where you cross a border,

or into which country. There's always a queue.

I'm leaving Turkey behind, and crossing the border

into Georgia.

Just a small country.

Vitally important for trade of all kinds,

and for the Silk Road in particular.

Despite its neighbours
being incredibly overbearing

and important - to the north, Russia,

to the south, Turkey and Iran.

Georgia's always remained fiercely independent.

Of itself, its culture,

its extraordinary alphabet...

I've never been here before.

I can't wait to explore it.

This is the second leg of my
journey along the legendary Silk Road.

A network of ancient trade routes

that stretch 7,000 miles

between Europe and China.

So far, I've met the Master silk weavers of Venice,

Gee whiz! Respect!

And visited the hardy shepherds
of Turkey's Eastern Highlands.

No, thank you!

Ahead of me, to the north, is wild,

and intoxicating Georgia.

Luckily, I'm not driving us back through the river.

A country steeped in Silk Road history.

These little darlings have made
people richer than a king's ransom!

I'll cross the majestic Caucasus mountains.

This is so beautiful!

And uncover ancient traditions in Azerbaijan.

The mysterious and booming land of fire.

It's like standing on the back of a whale!

Follow me, on my Silk Road adventure!

Just over the border, on the shores of the Black Sea,

lies the city of Batumi.

During the Soviet era, the
border with Turkey was closed.

And Batumi was a bit of backwater.

The past 15 years, it's
suddenly exploded into this huge,

flourishing international holiday resort.

But this isn't a holiday.

I want to get to know the real Georgia.

So my first stop is its capital, Tbilisi.

Georgia is a country of four million people

at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Today, it's a democratic Republic.

But, until 1991, it was part of the Soviet Union.

When I hear the name Tbilisi, I'm reminded of w*r zones

and civil strife.

It's one of the great cities of the Silk Road.

It's got hints of old Soviet occupation,

but hints of a grander and finer and earlier Georgia.

Great golden George and the Dragon.

George, the patron saint of Georgia, of course.

In the Georgian language,
the word 'tbili' means warm.

The city takes its name from over 30 hot springs

which provided a respite

for weary Silk Road travellers.

Beautiful balconies.

And all these houses say, "for rent".

Think of living up there!

Under that beautiful castle wall.

Over the past decade,

Tbilisi has as cast off its Soviet past

and is reinventing itself as a buzzing tourist town.

There's a thriving restaurant scene.

A bit of gorgeousness here.

Sulguni cheese fried in a clay pan.

That's supper for me tonight.

And the city even has its own fashion week,

That's attracting serious
international attention.

Eddy and Patsy would feel right at home.

Thrilled.

The woman behind it is former model,

Tako Chkeidze. Hello?

Hello, Tako! Hi, how are you?

How lovely... Lovely to meet you!

You look sensational! Thank you!

How old were you when you started modelling?

Oh, I started when I was 14 years old.

And at that time, in Georgia,
it was a little bit difficult.

The fashion scene was really, really slow.

It must have been a very different
country under the Soviet Union.

And in the 1990s, it was a tough time, wasn't it?

A really tough time. Tell me about that a bit.

We had w*r...

We had civil w*r, and there was no electricity,

it was cold, it was...

Even, we had huge lines for the...

to buy bread!

Yeah. Yeah, and...

Georgian people are really unique.

In that tough period,

everyone were like close to each other, I think.

And that survived us.

The collapse of the Soviet
Union and the ensuing civil w*r,

brought fighting to the streets of Tbilisi.

The scars of which are still visible today.

Take a stroll through the old town

and many of its beautiful 19th
century townhouses are falling down.

But there is one remarkable survivor.

This stunning house was built
over 100 years ago, and was lived in,

since then, by the same family.

The Kipshidze family.

It's the last intact 19th century
townhouse in the whole of Tbilisi.

Eliso is the great-great-granddaughter

of the original owner.

How lovely to meet you! Thank you...

She and her family have spent the last seven years

restoring the house.

Oh!

You can see how beautiful it was

when it was first done. This
original green colour? Yes, it is.

It's all original. And ornate plaster work.

Yes, it is.

I love this house!

When was it built?

It was built in 1897.

It's one-of-a-kind in the


It's gorgeous. And there's the skylight up there,

with coloured glass around it.

In my little humble house in London,

the back door into the garden

has just this coloured glass around it.

So now when I look at it, I
shall think, it's Tbilisi glass.

I'll think of that link.

The house's crowning glory is its beautiful balcony,

which is decorated with
hints of Tbilisi's Silk Road past.

Look at this!

What is this colour?

Er, this we call piruzi.

Piruzi... But, that's like firuze.

That's like, Persian for turquoise!

It is! Yes, yes, yes.

So you've got Persian words in Georgian language?

Yes. I think quite a big percentage.

I think this is something to do with
all the travelling in the Silk Road.

And Tbilisi was so central to all of this.

Influences coming in all the time.

Languages, culture, food...

Architecture! Of course.

When I come and live here, I'll... Please do! Really!

When I come and live in Tbilisi,

I'm going to buy one of the old falling-down houses

and restore it. Because they're too lovely.

They mustn't disappear.

The ancient kingdom of Georgia

goes back over a thousand years.

But it's often been threatened
by powerful neighbours.

The Mongols, the Persians, Ottomans

and the Russians have all ruled this land.

Throughout centuries of conquest and invasion,

it's often been culture that's
kept Georgian identity alive.

And Tbilisi's Sukhishvili Dance Company,

quite literally embodies that fighting spirit.

Nino Sukhishvili, the company manager,

has invited me to watch a rehearsal.

This is... The physicality
of it is just extraordinary.

And that's the real swords.

You could see sparks flying off them.

You need to have good fighting skills,

and training a lot.

Each dance is inspired by a different region

of the country.

And a different chapter of Georgian history.

You know, Georgia is just in
the middle of Europe and Asia,

this famous great Silk Road came through Georgia.

So, it's a lot of influences.

And during the centuries

we keep dances, language, customs, history...

I think it's one of the ways to
keep identity of Georgian people.

People feel the history

and traditions through the dances.

Well, it's completely thrilling!

I feel dazzled...

I feel overwhelmed!

It's overwhelming.

The company has been promoting Georgian identity

around the world for over 70 years.

Nino designs all the traditional costumes herself.

This is all handmade.

It's a silk,

or real wool...

Some of costumes are about

five or six kilos.

That's so heavy, let me help you.

Now, look, I tell you, as if it weren't heavy enough,

look what Nino has managed to attach to it... Chains!

And this thick wool, beautiful wool coat...

What have you got under here?

Oh, my lord, look at this.

We've got layers of petticoats,
we've got under skirts...

You're a torturer!

Can I try a crown on? Yes.

Is it on the front of the forehead?

Yes. That's for a real queen.
You look like a real queen.

You know I don't, but I'm thrilled just to hear that.

You sweet girl, thank you.

Folk dancing is now so popular in Georgia,

that one in three children takes lessons.

Do you like dancing? Yes? You like to dance?

Yes, I like it.

A new generation is keeping
that fighting spirit alive.

That's so lovely.

What a privilege to watch the
Sukhishvili company at work.

I adore watching rehearsals.

I adore watching the muscles, and the energy...

And the dedication and the brilliance.

And at the heart of it is Georgia.

Keeping Georgia's identity alive.

Georgia's culture.

Every part of it was ravishing.

And now I'm wishing all over
again that I'd been a dancer.

My next incarnation, I shall be a dancer.

And I'm going to walk out of this like a dancer.

I've got to leave now.

Leaving Tbilisi is a wrench.

It's such a fabulous, buzzy, buzzy city.

To the north-west lie the mighty Caucasus mountains,

which stretch almost a
thousand miles from the Black Sea

to the Caspian

forming a natural border with Russia.

I'm following in the footsteps

of the most intrepid Silk Road travellers.

This road was only opened in 1934.

Before then, the only way to get up the mountains

was by horse and cart, or on foot.

Little rough tracks.

Through these unbelievable forests

and sheer, sheer mountainsides.

Look at that! That's the Caucasus!

Wow!

Alpine pastures.

Great, white peaks,

just coming up out of the clouds behind.

Then, just rolling on around.

And this isn't even the highest part of them.

Here we are, in mid summer,

with snow, snow, snow.

This region was terribly
cut-off before the road was here.

It meant that they developed a completely separate

and singular, terribly interesting culture.

And ahead of me lies the region

where that remarkable culture lives on.

I'm going by car. You have to walk.

Quite easy. Chaps did it in the old days...

OK.

Close to the Russian border lies Svaneti,

one of the remotest regions in Georgia.

Because of its isolation, the
Georgian Kings and Queens

of the Middle Ages would send
their treasures here for safekeeping.

And a unique culture developed,

untouched by the outside world.

Like all high mountain villages,

it's got an Alpine air.

It's full of butterflies and bees,

and beautiful flowers.

Ox-eye daisies, vetch... Got potatoes growing here.

In the air, the smell of wood smoke,

because I think someone's baking bread or something.

It's fabulous.

And everywhere, these...

immense and terribly strange towers.

These towers, unique to Svaneti,

were built between the ninth

and 13th centuries as lookout posts.

And as places of refuge, in times of conflict.

Cowpats, watch out.

In the village of Laghami,

Reizo Khadjoliani is taking me to visit

one of Svaneti's great treasures.

A place few outsiders get to see.

Oh, Reizo, what a beautiful little church!

I'm going to put on the scarf.

Remember my convent training.

Thank you.

Look at this!

This is The Church of the Transfiguration,

which has stood here for over a thousand years.

Oh, Reizo, look at this!

These astonishing frescoes
were created in the 13th century.

They tell the story of the Svan people's unique faith,

a mixture of Orthodox
Christianity, and pagan worship.

Look at the study of this man's face.

It's absolutely extraordinary
to think it was painted

in the 13th century. 12-something.

The paintings range from pre-Christian goddesses,

to more familiar saints.

We all love somebody who will slay dragons for us.

And here he is. Looking actually like a teenager.

It's very, very beautifully done.

At the time of the Silk Road,

the mountain passes through
Svaneti were important trading routes.

Today, across the region, these
old paths are being restored.

This is The Trans-Caucasian Trail.

And the idea is, that eventually,

it will spread a thousand miles
across the Caucasus mountains

allowing walkers to follow in the footsteps

of original Silk Road traders

and see these fabulous mountains for themselves.

And Kichkhuldashi, which is where I'm aiming for,

is only ten minutes to go, which is great.

Because if I was going to
Phari, it'd be another three hours

and 15 minutes.

Come on, just little bit more puff-pant.

Follow, follow.

The tough life here has prompted
many Svan people to abandon

the mountains and move to the cities.

In 1987, a series of avalanches
k*lled around a hundred people.

Since then, there's been a steep decline

in the population here.

There's nobody around.

But some people are determined to hang on.

OK, I'm going to ring the bell...

Valeri and Marovi Blirani are the last remaining

residents of Kichkhuldashi.

They've invited me to stay the night.

How lovely to meet you.

Maro! How lovely to meet
you, Maro. Listen to the thunder!

With the nearest town over an hour away,

Valeri and Maro are almost
completely self-sufficient.

Look! Beautiful cheese.

This is so beautiful.

It must make your heart happy

every morning when you look out.

Me too. That's what children should love.

Nature, and work!

Valeri keeps pigs,

chickens and a herd of dairy cows.

And he grows almost all his own vegetables.

Oh, Valeri!

This farm has been handed down
through generations of his family.

In the winter, how do you
manage with all the snow and ice?

You're cut off up here!

My grandmother said, you can't live on views alone.

There's something about this
place that restores the soul.

Georgians are famous for their hospitality.

Valeri and Maro have invited
me to share a traditional dinner,

known as 'supra',

consisting entirely of produce from their farm.

Oh... Thank you, Valeri.

Maro, may I try some of your homemade cheese?

Just made, up on this hillside,

by you.

A bit of this? A little bit of salt on it.

Georgian dinners are
traditionally accompanied by toasts.

And Valeri is leading the way with some 'Chacha',

a potent spirit which he makes with wild pears.

Madloba. Madloba. Madloba.

How gorgeous.

I'd never heard of chacha
before this generous introduction,

but Georgian wines from
Kakheti are justly world famous.

Look at these vines, everywhere.

The tradition of making wine
here goes back even further

than the Georgian nation itself.

Archaeologists have discovered
evidence of people making wine here



Across the Kakheti region,

there are even old monasteries
that make their own vintages.

I'm meeting up with one of the
youngest winemakers in the country.

Hello, Joanna! Oh, Shota!

How lovely to meet you.

Shota Lagazidze is only 28 years old.

But he's already become one of the most

talked-about winemakers in Georgia.

Yeah, please. Thank you, Shota.

I shall follow you. Yeah, this is our wine cellar.

In the rest of the world, most wine is made by removing

the skin from the grapes and fermenting the fruit

in wooden barrels.

But in Georgia, they do things differently.

This is the qvevri,

which is the old vessel which we are using to make wine.

Has this got wine in it?

No, this is empty.

It's waiting for harvest time.

We crush the full amount of grapes inside

and then start the fermentation.

We have a special stick, there,

which helps us to mix the fermentation process.

I love it!

When all the skins come up, so we push them on back

and leave the wine with the skins

about five, six, sometimes seven months.

You know, Shota, I think if one of those ancient

winemakers came back from 8,000 years ago

and came in here, he'd feel completely at home.

Yeah! He'd see everything undisturbed.

Shota's harvest comes from
just half a hectare of vineyard.

To get there, we're taking the scenic route.

Our first harvest was 2015.

We had only 900 bottles.

Just four qvevris, and we drink 500 ourselves.

Shota, we seem to have come to a river.

Yeah. It's just a small part.

Oh. We go across this? Yeah.

Hoo-hoo!

The water is pretty low.

Sometimes, it's pretty high.

Oh, Shota, what an extraordinary
life you lead. It's brilliant.

Yeah, and it's extreme too!

Of the thousands of grape varieties in the world,

an incredible 500 of them

are Georgian in origin.

This is mostly the kartli,

which is a white grape variety,

and the most popular grapes in the Kakheti region.

Yeah? So, the white grapes,
if you just ferment the juice,

it becomes just the usual white wine.

If you use even a little bit of skin contact,

several days, or several weeks,

it gets this beautiful amber colour.

I have to tell you,

I am suddenly longing

for a glass of your wine.

I have been known to enjoy the
odd glass of red and white in my time.

But, unbelievably...

I've never tasted amber wine before.

Amber colour, for me,

it makes wine delicious.

Well, that's just gorgeous!

Full of fruit, full of earth,

I can taste the ground.

I mean...

Not horrible earth,

I can taste the world.

I think cos it's fermented in a qvevri

which is buried underground, so...

It does taste completely different!

It's absolutely beautiful.

Luckily, I'm not driving us back through the river.

Maybe try the second bottle now, Sh-Shot?

While the tradition of winemaking has changed little

since ancient times,

in this part of Georgia,

the product that gave the Silk Road its name

is in decline.

The towns here were once
thriving hubs of silk production.

But with the collapse of the Soviet Union,

the industry died out.

There is, however, one remarkable
woman who's hoping to revive it.

Lamara? Joanna! Hello!

How lovely to meet you.

Come! Thank you.

Here, in the village of Magharo, Lamara Bejashvili is

famous for what she keeps in
the shed bottom of the garden.

I'm guessing this is where all the action takes place.

Look! Lamara!

Silk! Silkworms, cocoons!

Lamara produces silk by harvesting

a miraculous natural phenomenon.

The dense cocoon of silk thread produced

by every silkworm during its life-cycle.

Look at that lovely little creature!

And there... Look, a fully grown,

much, much bigger one.



How extraordinary, that
an animal can produce this...

incredibly strong stuff,

just out of its own system.

Just out of its mouth.

To grow it round and round and round.

Keep wrapping round and round,

twisting and turning.

These feel absolutely beautiful.

They're not cold, they're not slimy, they're smooth

and soft, and its little inquisitive face

and its little tiny, tiny feet underneath...

Look, it's listening to me talking about it.

Little thing!

It's a kind of miracle, isn't it?

Absolutely stunning.

And when do you feed them, Lamara?

Silkworms live off mulberry leaves,

which, apparently, also
have miraculous properties.

Very good antiseptic? How extraordinary!

The silkworms used in commercial silk production

don't exist in the wild.

They've been selectively bred over centuries,

so they depend on humans to feed them.

Look, they are starting here, to start eating.

The noise of these little guys
eating, it sounds like rain falling.

Oh, Lamara, that's wonderful!

Just the softest tick-tick...

These little darlings have made people

richer than a king's ransom!

Richer then the richest person you can ever think of.

Just by producing what's natural to them,

and to us, is desired!

Silk!

I'm wearing one as a brooch,

because I have become very attached to him.

In traditional silk production,

once the cocoons are ready for harvesting,

they're boiled to soften the thread.

But sadly, silkworms die as a result.

A new, more humane method has been developed,

which allows the moths to hatch naturally.

It's a more expensive process,

but it's kinder to these remarkable creatures.

And here it is.

A cloud of brilliance.

Something so valuable,

that one of the great trading
routes in the world is named after it.

It's always hard to leave a
country you've fallen in love with.

But the Silk Road leads on...

to Azerbaijan!

It says,

"Azerbaijan border... Good luck!"

It's rather sweet that, isn't it?

This is the border crossing
between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

By the way, whenever I wear striped clothes like this,

it's a tribute to Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock.

I just thought I'd let you know
that The King is always with me.

Have a nice day.

Madloba. Thank you so much. Goodbye.

This is my first visit to Azerbaijan.

I have no idea what to expect.

Immediately, it just feels completely different.

I don't know what it is. The landscape's different...

Honestly, these avenues!

These wide avenues...

It makes you feel like you could almost be in France!

Azerbaijan is a country of nearly 10 million people

sandwiched between Russia and Iran.

Formerly a Soviet Republic,

since 1993, it's been ruled by one family.

Look, here's the poster of Heydar Aliyev.

Founding father of modern Azerbaijan.

And no matter what you might think about him,

you will never escape him...

because his poster is everywhere.

Watching you!



Once a vital stop on the Silk Road,

linking Azerbaijan to the northern trade routes

through the Caucasus mountains.

Its artisan crafts and renowned silk industry

attracted huge merchant caravans

from Europe and across Central Asia.

The city built grand accommodations to host them.

So this is a caravanserai.

Wow.

Huge doors, so that the camels, fully laden,

can come walking in here,

into this central courtyard and what a relief,

not only for the merchants,
but for the creatures themselves.

To come into this great cool dome.

Perhaps, to take a sip of water.

And this huge courtyard is
where the camels would finally

crumple up on their great legs and lie down.

And all of the goods would be taken off them.

All of the merchants would sleep in these rooms.

These rather monastic rooms around the side.

It's a brilliant idea.

And now that they've restored
this lovely caravanserai,

they've made it into a hotel!

And I'm staying the night here!

But before that, there's time for tea.

Sheki style.

This town is famous for its luscious, sugary treats.

The perfect pick-me-up for
a weary Silk Road traveller.

Look at these. These are like doughnuts.

I might drop some of these,
because I'm eating disgustingly.

These are white cherries.

I might have to eat one of those.

They are so sweet, honestly,

you can feel your teeth loosening in their sockets.

This is halva.

It's calling out, "Eat me."

I could sit here today slowly,
slowly eating through the whole lot.

Then by the end, crazed with a sugar rush.

Sheki's pivotal position on the
Silk Road meant it was fought over,

and changed hands many times.

Despite the history of
conflict, one ruling power left

an astonishing legacy.

In the 18th century,

this part of Azerbaijan was
ruled by Persian governors

known as khans and they built this summer palace here.

An absolutely stupefying palace.

Simply because of these immense trees.

They're called chinar trees.

So, when the Khan saw these two great trees,

which were quite a height already,

they thought, this will make a cooling umbrella

for this fa-a-bulous little palace.

The palace was completed in 1762

as a place for the Khan to entertain important guests.

It took two years to build,

but eight years to decorate.

Stunning, stunning work.

Majestic.

This astonishing sort of Bayeux tapestry

of history, of hunting scenes,

of battles,

of Khans riding here.

The room's most remarkable feature

is the delicate stained-glass windows.

Made using a special Azeri technique

known as shebeki.

Look at this work here, it's beautiful!

That's over the top of it, but this is set-in.

This is set-in.

All of his glass is put together with no glue, no nails,

and it comes from Murano, in Venice.

And it travelled here all the way on the back of a horse!

And all around, Islamic shapes.

Look at that!

Can you imagine, you came to Sheki,

if you are a great trader,

and if the Khan let you in...

If you're bringing some
treats, some gold, some silver...

Some glass! He might let you in.

And you'd sit there, looking at this, going,

"Oh, my Lord!"

If you came from America... to the Silk Road.

I'm leaving Sheki and travelling east

to the centre of Azerbaijan.

The village of Baskal is famous for a product

traded for centuries

that embodies the very essence of the Silk Road.

Yes, here we are. Look!

There's the sign of the silk.

Kela..guy..you? Kela..guy..yee?

Kelaghayi. Kelaghayi.

Kelaghayi are exquisite silk scarves

unique to Azerbaijan.

Which, over the ages,

have been exported from Baskal

to Persia, Russia, India and Europe.

Marco Polo visited Azerbaijan in 1293

and he wrote in his memoirs,

"Nowhere in the world have I seen such products

"of silk and brocade, as are made here."

They're the traditional
headscarves of the Azeri women.

They're full of symbols, mysterious symbols...

Quite a lot of them have links to the Silk Road.

The scarves are individually
printed by master artisans.

Abbas Ali uses 300-year-old carved wooden stamps.

What is the symbol that you're
going to be putting on here?

Abbas, I was born in the mountains,

can I have a go at doing mountains?

What is this stuff? What is it?

So... I've got to shake it a bit more than that?

Abbas has been printing scarves for over 20 years.

And it's harder than it looks!

Oh, look! Sorry...

Sorry. That was awful.

I didn't shake it enough.

It's important to get it right.

These ancient designs

are cherished symbols of Azeri culture.

Better?

Once the scarves have been printed,

then it's time for the real alchemy to begin.

The dyeing process.

This is the beautiful preparation of all the dyes

before the silks are dipped into it.

Here, this extraordinary tree bark is being boiled

and it's bringing the most wonderful yellow colour.

Whoa!

Look at that, Abbas!

It's divine!

Vivid turquoise coming over from the corner

being tipped into that barrel.

And now, just stirring, here.

You see, you have to be a master artist

to judge things by eye.

All of this is done without
any kind of measurement at all.

Except he knows the colours, he knows the quantities.

With each dipping, it's getting sort
of richer, and darker, and greener.

Beautiful!

Look at that colour!

In 2014, the Kelaghayi scarves of Azerbaijan

were recognised by UNESCO

as part of the intangible heritage of mankind.

It's impossible to leave a
place like this without wanting

just a little memory...

You can't blame me!

I mean, quite honestly, I think
something like this will link me

to the Silk Road forever.

Knowing that through time,

people have been wearing these same symbols...

..that I have now got around my neck.

Like that.

And, may never take off again.

I'm certainly sleeping in this tonight.

If rural Azerbaijan is still
steeped in ancient traditions,

as we approach the capital Baku,

we're entering a modern region

shaped by business and industry.

As we get closer to the Caspian Sea,

the landscape has changed completely.

All the greenery's gone

and it's become much more dry,

and desert-like.

That's because we're entering oil country.

There are places that the oil and gas

are so close to the surface,

that the ground is actually...

on fire!

It's burning.

And that's one of the reasons why Azerbaijan is called

"The Land of Fire."

Baku experienced its first oil boom in the 1870s.

By 1901, the city was producing

around half the crude oil in the entire world.

Production fluctuated during the Soviet era,

but over the last 15 years,

the industry has been booming all over again.

The population of Baku has climbed to 2.5 million.

Wealth from the oil and gas
industry is fuelling a staggering

architectural expl*si*n.

What a city this is!

Everywhere I look, there's
something new springing up.

It's bizarre!

Down by the waterfront lies the Carpet Museum.

Literally, like a rolled-up carpet.

And then there's the space-age Heydar Aliyev centre,

designed by renowned architect,

Zaha Hadid. Amazing.

But perhaps the most extraordinary

of Baku's recent architectural triumphs,

are the Flame Towers.

A trio of skyscrapers designed to resemble

shimmering tongues of fire.

They're home to a spectacular hotel.

Will you look at that! It looks like...

a thousand diamond necklaces!

Raphael? I'm Joanna.

Raphael, head of public relations, is more than happy

to whisk me up to the 28th floor

for a personal tour of the exclusive Royal Suite.

I'm not so great on heights.

Has it got good views out over the city?

- You will like it.
- I can't wait!

You will like it, it's wonderful.

Look at THIS!

It's magic!

And you see the great Caspian Sea

wrapping all the way around here.

I can't believe it.

We're so high!

I'm now royalty. Where do I go?

Let me take you.

And here we are.

Oh, saints alive!

It's HUGE!

It is a palace. Yes.

And I think for royalty,

they want to feel at home. Absolutely.

I'm going to explore.

Ooh... It's a kitchen!

Things gushing and cooking and roasting!

I think people are so rich they bring their own silver.

This is where you could play
Scrabble with the children.

I'm sure I've got some children.

Let's get them in here.

Oh, now a change. Carpet.

Oh, I see, we're in the master bedroom.

It's lovely and cool.

Oh, this is the bathroom!

His and hers basins.

Oh, do tell me about today, darling. Was it fun?

Yes! It was so amusing, I can't tell you.

Was it? How amusing...

Put champagne down there please. Yes, thank you.

I feel this is a very vulgar question.

But could you tell me, how much it costs?

Per night?



That's so discreet, "plus."

I think I would be on the plus.

Yeah, on the plus.

Oh, how fantastic.

I think that might be a bit beyond our budget.

So I'm just going to stand here,

and admire the view until I get thrown out.

For all of Baku's modernity,

old traditions are still dearly cherished.

This ancient Muslim shrine
on the outskirts of the city

provides a mysterious healing treatment.

For centuries, people have been flocking to this

shrine for an extraordinary folk ritual.

It's called 'childagh.'

And it's a treatment to alleviate stress, anxiety,

nervousness and fear.

Now, I've never thought of myself
as a particularly nervous person,

but I think all of us have a little bundle of fear

we keep knotted inside our
rib cage, and I'm no different.

It would be nice to get rid of that.

So here goes.

Salam.

Thank you.

The treatment involves
having a burning roll of cloth,

like a cigar,

stubbed onto specific nerve endings around the body.

The idea is, it stimulates the circulation,

and the nervous system.

The first part of the ritual finishes with a blessing.

How lovely.

To complete my treatment,

I'm sent outside for stage II.

Is that good? Thank you! Thank you...

So, I did blink, but, you know...

I didn't jump out of my skin.

The bottle smashing ritual may seem surprising,

but many people place great faith in it.

Do you feel calmer already?

Good.

Tomorrow, good.

Good luck.

That's wonderful.

Well, that was most enlightening.

And I'm going to become a
much calmer and better person.

Much better.

Obviously, not very good at
leaving frame, but, you know...

Despite the reverence for
old traditions, Baku's passion

for futuristic architecture
shows no sign of letting up.

This massive shopping and entertainment complex

is the newest kid on the block.

It's modelled on the eight-pointed

star at the centre of the Azeri flag.

This is going to be one of the most

ambitious projects in the whole of Baku.

And that's saying something!

It's the Caspian Waterfront Centre.

Does it remind you of anything?

That's because the people that
made the Sydney Opera House

have come here to make the roofs.

I wonder what it's like up there?

Oh, Randolph! How are you, Joanna? Hardhat...

Developer Randolph Decker is
putting my fear of heights to the test.

Do I have to bend my legs inside out and backwards?

Let's see if that bottle-smashing
treatment has actually worked.

I'm tied onto the roof.

So even if I just go "ahh!" like a girly, and fall off,

I'll be attached. Erm, and now we are going up.

OK. I'm going to hold onto you like a child.

Can I hold onto the back of your harness?

Or, do you mind holding my hand? No! Absolutely not.

I love that!

Oh, my, giddy aunt!

Check this out!

Wow-how-how!

Fear of heights... What fear of heights?!

Well, this is just... Here we are!

..unbelievable.

It's like standing on the back of a whale, isn't it?

A surfacing whale. Have you ever done that?

This is amazing.

You've got the great Caspian Sea,

and there is the centrepiece,

which is shaped like a flame, it's going to be...

It's representing fire, that, isn't it?

Yep. And you can actually see on the top there,

somebody's in the restaurant level. Yeah?

And you go up two levels, there's an outdoor

"bird's nest", we'll call it. Up at the top.

It's looking pretty good.

I think what's been great about Baku is,

I think all of the developers
here compete with each other.

Yeah.

To try to outdo the last guy's project.

And I'm hoping we're making a
pretty good stand with this project.

This is just the most
extraordinary city I've ever been in.

It seems to be old,

it seems to be new,

it seems to be on fire.

And this is booming.

That's the oil boom, but that's the Baku boom.

Look at it!

Well, what a thrilling journey this has been.

From the Black Sea, to the Caspian.

In the shadow of the Caucasus
mountains through cities

and countryside I just couldn't imagine.

And ending back here, in Baku...

Booming city!