Salyan - Lankaran

On Friday, August 9, 2019, we had visitors at the tent around seven-thirty. Some of the children from Bayramli, who had already besieged me the night before, are here again. So I have breakfast in company and then pack up my stuff. Meanwhile, Ethibar comes to my campsite again and invites me for tea and a second breakfast. Since I had already postponed him the night before and stayed in the already set up tent instead of his house, I let myself be persuaded. So I have breakfast again around nine. There are two houses on the property and three generations live together. They keep a few birds and there is all kinds of edible greens growing in the garden. Ethibar's father tells extensively about his time as a soldier in the Soviet army, during which he was stationed in the GDR for two years. Ethibar is still quite young, but already retired. His son goes to school in Baku and his daughter studies in Berlin. His wife works as a saleswoman in Shirvan. Although everyone is at home, only the male family members talk to me, as is often the case in Azerbaijan. The role of the women is limited to serving drinks and food. After the meal, I take the opportunity for a shower, as the shore of the Kur was too steep for bathing at the campsite. Around eleven o'clock, it's time to say goodbye. I am accompanied out of the village by Reshad (Ethibar's son) and his cousin, and then I walk a bit on the road to the south. In Haciqahramanli, I leave Rango and my backpack under the awning of a closed shop and try to find a ride to Salyan. Despite the pessimism of some residents, I am able to get on a minibus after a short time. The passengers quickly warm up to Rango, especially since the Dicker (the dog) behaves exemplary again. I arrive in the city in the late afternoon, which is the center of the region with the same name. I immediately go to the banks of the Kura River, which also flows through Salyan. After finding a suitable spot to camp, I make myself comfortable in the shade and enjoy the peace and quiet. Then I walk back to the city and get drinking water. There, I come across Telman, who takes care of my problem. His father Elman promptly invites me to spend the evening with him and a friend. Until then, I set up the tent and take a bath in the lukewarm river. Shortly afterwards, Elman comes back and takes me to his neighbor's terrace. There, I spend the evening and provide a welcome change for the gentlemen from their otherwise monotonous everyday life in the city. Around eleven o'clock, I am back at the tent with Rango, sit by the campfire for another hour, and then go to bed after a night swim.

On Saturday morning, after breakfast at the tent, Elman picks me up. My power bank is broken and he volunteered to help me find a repair shop. Unfortunately, the solder joints could not be repaired with my glowing knife the day before. After the repair is done (the 8 solder joints are on the house), Elman, Telman, his neighbor, and his son take me to a beach north of Neftchala on the Caspian Sea. So the day passes with eating, swimming, and a round of beach soccer on the beach. In the evening, Elman and his neighbor invite me to the city for shashlik and beer. When we return to Elman's house, his dog rushes out of the garden and attacks Rango. I saw it coming, but Elman was too drunk or my Russian was too bad to process my warning adequately. The little one (dog) also bit off more than he could chew with the fatso (Rango). I'm afraid that Rango seriously injures the small one, so I intervene and get bitten in the hand by the little ankle-biter. After the two four-legged friends are separated, the first thing to do is disinfect the wound. It seems not too bad. Then I retreat to the tent with Rango.

On Sunday morning, after packing up, I am invited to breakfast again at Elman's. Afterwards, I am taken to the new bus station, which is about 15 km away. The search for a ride becomes somewhat complicated again, but in the end, I approach Anar, who agrees to take Rango and me south with him. The man is part of a group of young recruiters who start their working day at the bus station with a joint meal. Then we drive south via Uchtepe and Jalilabad. While Anar is at work, I take Rango for small walks in the settlements. In the afternoon, we finally reach Lankaran. After the obligatory selfie of all participants, I buy something in the city and make my way to the beach. I finally find a shady spot near a river mouth in the south of the city. I want to stay for a few more days. Due to the many invitations during the last few days, I am a bit behind with my travel reports, and the weather is not really suitable for longer hiking trips. But even at my remote campsite, it doesn't take long for the first visitors to arrive. There are several shepherds in the area, who are watching over their cow, sheep, and goat herds. I am invited for tea and can meet my power and drinking water needs on a nearby property. So I spend the next few days bathing, sunbathing, reading, writing, doing minor repair and maintenance work, and taking walks on the beach and in the city in summery weather.