After our day long trip, we were hungry. Hamid took us downhill from Bibi Heybat Mosque to this beautiful restaurant by the Caspian Sea – Bulbul.

Turns out Bulbul in Azerbaijani means the same as Bulbul in Bengali (and Hindi also, perhaps) – a small bird. I believe that would be a nightingale.

English was a bit problematic with the local staff but the fish was incredible! And this is from somebody who does not care about food much!!

This museum near the mud volcanoes had the skeletons of every conceivable animal – mammals, reptiles, birds and insects – you could think of.

The whole area is filled with mud volcanoes. Did you know that Azerbaijan has more mud volcanoes than the rest of the world put together?

And it is still growing!

You can see it bubbling and gurgling from inside.

Check out how the surface is cracked up. I thought that is from the mud that has flowed over the years. Our driver cum guide Hamid says this is due to the very old times when the whole place was uner water. And it is the sand that is making it crack up. Can you see the white patches on the edge of the water? Those are all salt!