Azerbaijan, a country between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, is much more than a former Soviet Republic. The topography is stunning, and Baku, the capital city, has clear Western and Eastern influences. I’ve been to Azerbaijan four times and traveled around exploring the country, which has a sort of wild and captivating beauty.

Now, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh has flared up again. However, I want to share that Azerbaijan is much more than this one war, that real people live there and that everyone who has the opportunity to visit this fascinating country should.

Below are five pictures I took on my trips to Azerbaijan and I will post others in the future to show more of this beautiful country.

Lake Goygol or “Blue Lake” is a National Park in the Ganja-Gazakh region of Azerbaijan, in the northwestern part of the country. It is tremendously beautiful with clear waters and a lush green landscape. However, due to its proximity to Armenia, and therefore the line of contact, the area is now under fire as part of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Chess is a popular game in Azerbaijan.  Here, children are playing chess on a section of Bulvar, a long pedestrian walkway with parks that follows the shoreline of the Caspian Sea in Baku.

This bust of woman watches over rugs in a store in the Old City.

Meanwhile outside a store in Baku, hot dogs are advertised with this amusing character.

People take selfies in Baku with their backs to Maiden Tower. The tower is a landmark in the Old City.