The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

bitetravel To get to Alinja Castle, a 12th-century medieval for- tress sitting atop a cragged mountaintop in the Julfa region, you have to conquer several thousand steps, but the views from the top are worth it. It’s a recon- struction of the former fortress used by the various ruling dynasties of the Middle Ages, including the Seljuks, Atabeys and Safavids. It has similarities to the Inca lost city of Machu Picchu in Peru with sur- real landscapes. Legend says after being sacked by Turko-Mogol ruler Tamerlane in 1401, he used the castle to house his treasury which may still be hidden in the surroundings. Imagine visiting a salt mine that is good for your health. The Salt Mine Health Clinic in Duzhag is found in underground tunnels converted into a lead- ing salt therapy centre. The mountain is believed to contain around 130 million tones of pure natural salt. Visitors can soak up the salt and enjoy the silence while spending the night in one of their caverns, com- bating any asthma and bronchitis ailments. During the summer, the locals travel here to spend the night. Another health-orientated place is Daridag Balneo- logical Hospital, located in the arsenic water bed area 8 km from Julfa, established in 1978. The idea was first addressed in 1871 and applied to rheumatic polyar- thritis sufferers with good results. This health clinic has treated heart diseases, support-action organs, pe- ripheral nerve system, varied diseases and anaemia. The doctors and nurses carefully examine the patient, including blood pressure and the heart, before they are admitted into the arsenic baths. As Nakhchivan is virtually cut off from mainland Azerbaijan because of the Armenians, the natives have to be self-efficient for food, farming and everyday liv- ing with sustainable values in using local produce free of pesticides. There are a few great restaurants, such as One Baikal, where dolma, stuffed grape leaves with rice, ground beef, fresh herbs and spices, served warm or cold and associated with Ottoman cuisine, is good. The best way to travel to Nakhchivan is by flying from Baku’s Terminal 2 (the old terminal adjacent to the new international terminal) to Nakhchivan Airport, outside the exclave’s capital. Azal operates a shuttle service subsidised by the Azeri government. www.regent-holidays.co.uk Salt Mine Health Clinic Entrance, Duzdag Salt Mine Health Clinic Corridor, Duzdag Xan Sarayi Museum Interior Alinja Castle Museum