Hitchhiking has become a preferred form of travel for photographer Alex Domenech.
This February, he visited Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan and spent five days hitchhiking through the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has remained a frozen conflict zone for decades. Disputes over the mostly Armenian-speaking region led to a war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces that lasted from 1988 until a ceasefire was signed in 1994. Despite the ceasefire, conflicts have continued there, with fierce clashes reoccurring this April.
Though Domenech didn't witness any violent conflict during his time there, he did see the effects the war has had on the region. We spoke to him about his trip, from the intriguing sights he saw to the people he met along the way.
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Domenech stayed with a local family during his trip. He told us he learned through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Nalbandian Poghots, a street in Stepanakert, Azerbaijan, is known for having multiple homestays for visitors.
Though he was staying in the guesthouse of the home, he would often have breakfast with the family that was hosting him. A typical breakfast included bread, butter, eggs, and homemade jam.
His host family would also recommend places to visit, like Renaissance Square in Stepanakert. Though the city suffered damage during the Nagorno-Karabakh War in the late 1980s, Domenech told us it stood significantly recovered and rebuilt during his visit.
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