Let's Go: Baku

Do you guys read GOOP? It's Gwyneth Palrow's "lifestyle" newsletter. It's kind of ridiculous, but what the heck - I like getting messages in by inbox that are, to some extent, sent to me by a movie star. A lot of the recommendations are insane - recipes that take 5 hours and a team of trained personal chefs to complete, $150 t-shirts that are just perfect, etc. etc. - it's definitely a glimpse into a world totally unknown to me.

Today's edition offered websites that Gwyneth and her minions recommend we read. One led me to this article about traveling to Azerbaijin. So question of they day: is Baku, Azerbaijin a potential honeymoon destination? Let's discuss.

Baku, here

A little background on Baku: the city's wealth and prominence was founded in the era of the Silk Road, when Baku was a central hub between Europe and East Asia. Baku's wealth continued to grow in the modern era as a major center of oil processing.

Hotels in this modern city are luxurious - and familiar. Big brands like Marriott and Hyatt have new locations in Baku - score one: I can use my Marriott points!

Marriott Baku

Score two: Historical Sights

Maiden Tower, Baku

Completed in the 12th century, the Maiden Tower is one of the most notable attractions in Baku's Old Town - an area complete with winding alleys, minarets and markets. Sounds like my kind of destination.

Baku

In striking contrast to the medieval sights of Old Town are the European-styled promenades of the newer neighborhoods, constructed by the Soviets. Doesn't this almost look like a shot from Paris? Score three. There's also a major focus on modern architecture in the city - clearly, lots to see.

Finally, there are plenty of attractions outside the city of Baku - beaches on the Caspian Sea, petroglyphs in Gobustan National Park, and beautiful mountain vistas.

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So what do you think? Would you go to Baku for a honeymoon - or anytime? You know me, I'm game!!

Quintland?

Travel seems like one of those things that people always have done and always will. Places like Paris, the Grand Canyon, and Hawaii seem like they perpetually capture the human imagination. But in some (very healthy) ways, the nature of travel has changed dramatically over the years. Take, for example, the spectacle of human tourism that was... Quintland.

Born in 1934, Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emilie and Marie - the Dionne sisters - were the first known surviving quintuplets. Born to a poor farming family in Ontario, the quintuplets quickly became celebrities. Their first public appearance was at the Chicago World's Fair but their exploitation didn't end there. Soon after, the quintuplets were made wards of the state and installed in a guarded compound where thousands of tourists came daily to view the quintuplets through specialized one-way windows. 

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Separated from their parents, who used their new-found fame to sell souvenirs and autographs, the quints grew up in an isolated world of photographers, nursemaids and government officials. By the time they turned nine, the sisters had lost the public interest and were released back to their families. Their lives after were characterized by ignorance, poverty and illness. In the 1990s, Canada issued an apology to the quints and granted them a share of the over $300 million profits earned by Quintland. In it's heyday, the attraction beat out Niagara Falls as the country's top tourist destination.

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For more info on the Dionne sisters, see here. For other crazy tourist attractions, check out this article.

Have you been to any crazy tourist attractions? In Peru, our guide took us to an "Indian Village" where men in grass skirts taught us to shoot a blowgun and bare-breasted women sold us jewelry. We saw the villagers later in the day dressed in t-shirts and shorts.