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march 2018
a luxury caviar & fine culinary experience to
AZERBAIJAN
Exclusively designed for and accompanied by
john tesar
750
years
ofcaviar
Although is it not clear when people first ate caviar, its first written record comes from Batu Khan’s time (grandson of Genghis Khan) in 1268. presented by
Donatello
One can be unhappy before eating caviar, even after, but at least not during. Irving Kristol
azerbaijan caviar luxury tour exclusively designed for John Tesar
celebrating caviar & fine food in azerbaijan 10 days - march, 2018
J
John Tesar
oin me for a one-of-a-kind delectable journey into the incandescent world of Azeri culinary poetry, celebrating Caviar. Our unique luxury journey to Azerbaijan will take us beyond the standard tourist itineraries to the places associated with the production of this luxury delicacy. We will delight you with culinary explorations led by expert gastronomes, local chefs, and residents who will guide us through real Azerbaijan home-cooking. We will also be able to purchase “black gold” at incredible prices and to take an in-depth look at the art of carpet weaving in the Caucasus. Space on this thought-provoking and creative journey is limited, so be sure to contact us in case we have awakened your interest. John
ITINERARY March 10 │ Upon arrival in Baku, a private transfer to your hotel will be provided by luxury sedan. Depending on your arrival time, a light supper will be served in your room. March 11 │ Start your day with abundant choices of traditional Azeri and international breakfast dishes. We invite you to feast on sweet butter, various types of white cheese, cream, honey, preserves, tea, and Kuku Sabzi (eggs with herbs and topped with barberries and walnuts). Later, and accompanied by our expert lecturer, we discover the Old City – “Icheri Sheher”, a world apart from the busy modern Capital. We enter the Palace of the Shirvans - the most striking example of the Medieval palace structure in the country and enjoy the privilege of a curated visit of the famous Carpet Museum, where the museum director guide us through its unique collection brought from its sister institution Shusha.
Brunch (the best in the country) has been reserved at our Hotel and will feature soft-eggs with Caviar, smoked salmon and caviar pate and phyllo purses with mushroom-shallot filling, topped with Ossetra Caviar, prepared exclusively by John Tesar for our group.
March, 12 │ Our Caviar journeys in Baku include a privileged entry to the Caspian Fish and Caviar Co – best known for its top caviar production, and for having delivered Czar Nicholai II eleven tons of the best quality roes as an annual “caviar tax” for over twenty years. You will have a unique opportunity to observe the process of traditional caviar making. Tastings included, of course. Lunch today will be one of the highlights of the tour and it takes place at the best Georgian Restaurant in town. We feast in Khinkali (Georgian dumplings) and ajapsandali (Georgian Ratatouille), Mtsvadi and Kharcho.Today’s wines have been selected by Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine. We will toast Christy this afternoon with her selected wines.
March, 13 │ An annotated visit to the colorful Fish Market to visit various Caviar vendors. Talk, taste, bargain and purchase Azerbaijani, Persian or Russian Caviar at terrific prices (arrangements have been made at our hotel for the storage of your purchases)
After lunch, we drive to Gobustan (90 minutes), on our way, we will stop to see some 2,000-year old Latin graffiti, left by Caesar’s troops!
After lunch, we visit the city dramatic modern architecture buildings accompanied by the president of the Baku Architecture Association and former assistant to Ms. Zaha Hadid. We discover some of the most original contemporary buildings of the country and will enjoy the privilege of entering “off limit” areas of the Heydar Aliyev Center.
Gobustan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered to be of “outstanding universal value” for the quality and density of its rock art engravings, and for the relevance of its collection of rock art images. New to Gobustan is a stateof-the-art, interactive museum that brings to life the time that created these extraordinary drawings. We continue north, to the village of Sakit Göl (3H). 3 evenings.
an azerbaijan caviar luxury experience with
I hope to have the pleasure of your company
T
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Prices per person Sharing $4100 ($3950 if paied by Dec. 31st, 2017) Single room occupancy $4950
» Private luxury sedan transfer from Baku airport to the Fairmont Flames Towers
» All transportation from day two to the end of the program by deluxe bus
» Hotel accommodations at the Fairmont Flame Towers (3); Sakit Göl Silent Lake (3); Rixos Guba Resort (2); Sheraton Baku Airport (1)
Upon arrival in Guba, we settle in our luxury 5-star resort. March 17 │ Indisputably, the homeland of some of the best carpets weavers in the world, Azerbaijan Carpet Art can be found at major museums across Europe
» Breakfast & lunch (or dinner) daily » Expert guides for sightseeing as per program with all entry fees and admissions
» Caviar Tastings and Market visit » Baku Bay Cruise with Vodka bar & Caviar Dinner John Tesar
Lahij is an ancient village with charming eye-catching sidewalks inlaid with stones. It is famous for medieval water supply and sewage systems. This delightful town, full of cobbled streets and squares, is filled with shops demonstrating the hereditary art of blacksmiths producing copper items of incredible beauty, The perfect place to buy your Christmas Samovar.
For those going by bus, we will stop in Baku for a wonderful Iranian lunch. Our buffet lunch will include Pomegranate Walnut Stew, Eggplant and Tomato Stew, Rice With Dill and Fava Beans, Barberry Rice, Green Herb Stew, Noodle and Bean Soup, Crunchy Fried Rice and Rice with Nuts and Dried Fruit.
ARGA ZING
his tour has been purposely scheduled to be in Shamakhi on the evening of March 14 when the moon is on its quater phase, going to the New Moon. Those of you who would like to enjoy a session of stargazing, arrangements have been made at the famous Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory for the use of their facilities. Optional $75 p/p. Novices and experienced stargazers will enjoy the high quality views, carefully selected list of objects and the star lore narrative on the history of Astronomy told by an experienced Astronomer.
March 15│ Today we all take a trip to the charming village of Sheki, framed by stunning nature in the rolling thickly forested foothills of the south and topped by the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus. Explore its medieval fortress, the Palace of the Sheki Khans’, with its magnificent Islamic architecture, the museum of history and the amazing Bazaar. Lunch today will be at a family home where we will enjoy a delicious homemade lunch including Sheki’s favorite dish: Piti. A soup prepared in individual earthenware pots. Return to Sakitgol. March 16 │ This morning we leave Sakit Gol and travel south-east back to Baku making a stop to visit the Diri Baba and the Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleums in Maraza and Shamakha, as well as the historical Juma Mosque, and the Shirvan Shah’s family grave. Upon arrival in Baku, we continue to the village of Guba. We offer the opportunity to avoid the 4 hours drive to Guba today by taking an optional air transfer by private helicopter. After our tour and lunch in Shamakha on March 16, a comfortable air transfer to Guba by private Helicopter can been arranged Circ. $1250 request prices at a later time
and the world, and at homes of the most serious collectors. Guba Carpets hold a premier prix in the carpet weaving tradition of the Greater Caucasus. During our exclusive carpet-weaving workshop, we will have the privilege of meeting Fatima Aghamirzayeva, the first female entrepreneur of post-Soviet Azerbaijan and a dedicated carpet revivalist. This is a terrific opportunity to purchase carpets from the very source. In the afternoon, we drive to the Krasnaya Sloboda Jewish Settlement in Guba. The only entirely Jewish town outside of Israel. Serves as the principal town of the mountain Jews in the Caucasus.
March 18 │ Drive back to Baku (3H) where we visit the Azerbaijan Art Museum, housed in the Rothschild family mansion with its fine collection of Russian paintings, including Aivazovsky, Repin, and Kandinsky. A scenic cruise of Baku Bay on a private yacht for cocktails and dinner of Sturgeon with Vladivostok Potatoes and Caviar closes our program. March 19 │ Individual transfers to the airport
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our promises to you We aim to be fair, reasonable and sympathetic in all our dealings with clients, and to act always with integrity. We will meet all our legal and regulatory responsibilities, often going beyond the minimum obligations. We aim to provide full and accurate information about our holidays. If there are changes, we will tell you promptly. If something does go wrong, we will try to put it right. Our overriding aim is to ensure that every client is satisfied with our services. all we ask of you is that you read the information we send to you air travel to azerbaijan We suggest working with United and Turkish airlines on a two connection round trip combination to Baku (GYD). Prices at the time of printing Economy Class..........$959 Economy Plus.............$1950 Business Class............$3800 PLEASE NOTE This schedule, although “final,” remains open to change
an azerbaijan caviar luxury experience with
March 14 │ While in Sakitgol, we have scheduled a fishing trip (our Chef at the hotel will cook your catch for lunch). For those of you not interested in fishing, we offer an optional excursion to Lahij, in the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, and if you wish to stay at the hotel, you will be treated to a 1H deep-tissue massage (included).
PRICING DETAILS & RESERVATION FORM To reserve any of your tours, complete, electronically sign and return this form along with your deposit payment confirmation from (click) EVENTBRITE (click) to “ietravel@usa.com” PRICES PER PERSON
ROOM TYPE
n If reservation and payment before December 31st $3950
SINGLE ROOM
DOUBLE ROOM 1 BED
n Sharing a double room $4100 n On a single room supplement $4950
DOUBLE ROOM 2 BEDS
I NEED A ROOMMATE
If you wish to arrive one day earlier (March 9) you we will be happy to book your Hotel and to arrange your transfer on that day.
OPTIONAL TOURS / SERVICES
INCLUSIONS n Airport transfers upon arrival and departure by chauffeured private car n All deluxe bus transfers to, from, and during sightseeing sessions n All entry fees to museums & sightseeing sites n PhD-level guides n Nine nights of accommodations in Azerbaijan at five start luxury properties; (3) at the Fairmont Flame Towers, (3) at the Sakit Göl Resort, (2) Rixos Guba Resort, and (1) at the Sheraton Baku Airport n Buffet breakfast daily n Welcome brunch and farewell dinner cruise n Seven more meals n Tips to waiters and porters at the hotel No visas required for US and Canadian citizens. Passports must be valid for 6 months from entry date into Azerbaijan. CANCELLATION POLICIES If cancellation email arrives
STARGAZING $75p/p 1 PARTICIPANT 2 PARTICIPANTS LAHIJ (included) 1 PARTICIPANT 2 PARTICIPANTS HELICOPTER TRANSFER $TBA
1 PARTICIPANT 2 PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPANT 1
Name as it appears on Passport
Date of birth - Passport Number - Expiration Date FULL ADDRESS (including zip code if applicable, and country)
n Before the final payment is due, a charge of $650 will be forfeited. n Between 14 and 9 weeks of departure, we will forfeit any nonrefundable charges made by the hotels, plus $650. n Between 8 and 6 weeks of departure, we will forfeit any nonrefundable charges made by the hotels, plus $650. n No refunds will be made, if your cancellation arrives within 5 weeks of departure, unless new participants take over your seats. Cancellations should be emailed to us and you must produce a confirmation from our office (please attach) The accommodations and other services provided in England are based on British currency. The prices in US Dollars were calculated in October 2017 at the then current rate of exchange. Any substantial variation in the rate of exchange could result in an adjustment in the quoted price of the packages.
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Group should have 12 participants to operate and a maximum of 25 Schedule of payments 2017/2018
Deposit of $1250 with reservation Final Payment: January 11 Final payment can be done by check or credit card, please indicate your preference below. Deposit is only payable via “EVENTBRITE”
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Value for money | the price covers nearly everything, including wine with meals and most tips. Some other tips (not included) will be calculated and collected prior to the tour and will be distributed on your behalf to the providers, freeing you of these calculations while on tour.
First-rate lecturers | experienced gastronome leaders and are a key ingredient in our tours and events. Enriched by local sports leaders, academics, museum curators, writers, broadcasters, other food experts and researchers, they are selected not only for their knowledge but also for their ability to communicate clearly and engagingly to a lay audience.
Their brief is to enlighten and stimulate, not merely to inform. And they also have to be good traveling companions. We select our lecturers through reputation, interview, and audition, and provide them with guidance and training. All of our tours are also accompanied by a trained tour manager who unobtrusively attends to administrative matters. Original itineraries | rooted in knowledge of the destination and of the subject matter of the tour, the outcome of assiduous research and reconnaissance, and underpinned by twenty years of thought and experience, our itineraries are second to none. They are original and imaginative, well-paced and carefully balanced. Meticulous attention to practical matters ensures a smooth-running as well as an enriching experience.
Special arrangements feature on nearly all our tours – for admission to places not generally open to travelers, for access outside public hours, for private concerts and extraordinary events. In innumerable ways, large and small, we lift our clients’ experience far above standards which are regarded as normal for tourists. Meticulous planning | the planning of every tour involves thorough research and meticulous attention to detail. Special access is a feature of many tours. The work of planning a tour does not cease once it is published in the brochure. We are continually making slight adjustments to take into account changing circumstances. Small groups | most of our tours run with between ten and twenty participants. We strictly limit numbers, specifying the applicable maximum in each tour description. The higher costs of smaller numbers are outweighed by the benefits of manoeuvrability,
Not the least attractive aspect of traveling with is that you are highly likely to find yourself in congenial company, self-selected by common interests and endorsement of the company’s ethos. Travelling in comfort | the hotels we use are usually rated as 4-star, with most of the rest being 5-star. We select our hotels with great care. Nearly all the hotels we use have been visited — and often stayed in — by a member of our staff. Hundreds of others have been seen and rejected. Obviously, comfort ranks high among our criteria, together with good service and warmth of welcome. We also set high priority on charm and style, and location is also an important consideration. We invest similar efforts in the selection of restaurants, menus and wines, aided by staff with a specialist knowledge of these areas.
Care for our clients | we aim for faultless administration from your first encounter with us to the end of the tour, with personal service as a hallmark. And if anything does go wrong, we will put it right or compensate appropriately. We want you to come back again and again — as most of our clients do. Your financial protection | we will provide you with financial protection by way of a bond held by ABTA. For further information, visit the ABTA website. We are a Member of ABTA and maintain their standards of service.
responsibilities
Neither IE ADVENTURES Travel Services, Limited., or the promoter sponsoring this tours, d.b.a. XXPROMOTER, its affiliated entities and its and their employees, shareholders, officers, directors, successors, agents, and assigns (collectively “IE ADVENTURES” and “THEPROMOTER”), own or operate any person or entity which is to or does provide goods or services for these trips. Because IE ADVENTURES and THEPROMOTER do not maintain control or operate the personnel, equipment, or operations of the suppliers it uses and as such IE ADVENTURES and THEPROMOTER assume no responsibility for and cannot be held liable for any personal injury, death, property damage or other loss accident, delay, inconvenience, or irregularity which may be occasioned by reason of (1) any wrongful, negligent, willful or unauthorized acts or omissions on the part of any of the suppliers or other employees or agents; (2) any defect in or failure of any vehicle, equipment, or instrument owned, operated or
ie adventures 2637 e atlantic blvd., 1st floor pompano beach, fl 33062 ietravel@usa.com DONATELLO EVENTS is a brand of and IE ADVENTURES limited which is a registered company at both, the Chamber of Commerce of Florida and the Warsaw Travel Trade Union in Poland CST#2064856-20 and UBN601246745 No. 2003027931047344 with VAT registration number PL895764958B01
otherwise used by any of these suppliers; or (3) any wrongful, willful or negligent act of or omission on the part of any other party not under the supervision and control of IE ADVENTURES and XXPROMOTER. Additionally, IE ADVENTURES and XXPROMOTER waive any and all liability for losses or expenses due to sickness, lack of appropriate medical facilities or practitioners, weather, strikes, theft or other criminal acts, war, terrorism, computer problems, acts of God, or other such causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws of the country in which they are provided. IE ADVENTURES reserves the right to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in their sole judgment, conditions warrant, or if IE ADVENTURES deems it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or the safety of the tour. IE ADVENTURES reserves the right to withdraw any tour at any time. IE ADVENTURES reserves the right to decline to accept any person as a member of the tour, or to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at any time, when such action is determined by the tour manager to be in the best interests of the health, safety, and general welfare of the tour group or of the individual participant. IE ADVENTURES and XXPROMOTER do not accept liability for any carrier’s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a nonrefundable airline or other ticket to the tour departure city and return or otherwise. Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility of the passenger at all times. Passengers may be photographed for the promotional purposes of IE ADVENTURES. Payment of the deposit to IE ADVENTURES constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions. I agree that any dispute concerning, relating, or referring to this contract, the brochure or any other literature concerning my trip, or the trip itself, shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration according to the then existing rules of the American Arbitration Association in Florida. Such proceedings will be governed by and in accordance with substantive Florida law. The arbitrator and not any federal, state, or local court or agency shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, conscionability, or formation of this contract, including but not limited to any claim that all or any part of this contract is void or voidable. IE ADVENTURES is a brand of IE ADVENTURES Travel Services Limited, a Florida based corporation with operations in Warsaw, Poland. The information in these brochure is given in good faith. Where differences exist between the brochure and our current brochure or website, the brochure supersede the other documents and website information. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; in order to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary. Occasionally, as stated in our brochure, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary. As fuel prices, airport taxes and exchange rates fluctuate, and airlines manage their rates to match demand, it is proving harder than ever to guarantee our Flight Inclusive prices. Although we endeavor to keep our website as accurate as possible, daily fluctuations mean that our Flight Inclusive price may be out of date. We liaise closely with them and adhere to their travel advise. For up to date advise on all countries. Should there be any change to advice prior to or during travel, we may have to cancel or curtail a tour at short notice, or re route an itinerary part way through. Prices and exchange rates were correct at the time of publication. The most up to date prices can be found on our website. © IE ADVENTURES Ltd.
John Tesar
fine
us
azerbaijan caviar luxury experience with
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social cohesion and access to the lecturer. The small-group principle is diluted when there are private events or several speakers exclusively for our clients.