Excursion

I had an away day today.

I had booked a cheap (about €70 return) flight to Baku. It is an hour each way. Out late morning. Back late at night. 

Smart move. The outward flight was amazing, with the snow covered Greater Caucusas on one side, and the snow covered Lesser Caucasus on the other (small plane  - you can see out of both sides). Just as I was getting bored by this, the coastline of the Caspian Sea appeared and we started to descend. 

Baku is so different from Tbilisi in so many ways. It would be easier to mention how little they have in common - geographic location, and both being former Soviet republics. 

One moment I will always remember is coming around a corner in the city centre and smelling the sea. The Caspian. 

I had time for an exhausting - but gentle - wander around the centre (it was warm) and then it was back to the airport bus. 

I suppose another thing Baku has in common with Tbilisi is being highly photogenic, but I have managed to select four (out of 20). 

The Blip is from the İçəri şəhər - Old City - which is fun just to wander through, get lost and then find your way again. 

First Extra is the Flame Towers. 28-33 stories high, they are indicative of the city’s modern architecture. At night they are illuminated to provide a light show, alternating between flames, falling water and the colours of the national flag. It was clearly visible from my plane as it climbed away from the airport after takeoff. 

My second Extra is the only place I paid to visit. The Şirvanşahlar saray kompleksi - Palace of the Shirvanshahs. 15 manat to get in (£7.50) for foreigners and 2 manat for locals. It was a lovely oasis of calm in the middle of a bustling city. It is mostly 15th century and was the seat of northern Azerbaijan’s ruling dynasty at the time. 

Then there’s Nizami Museum of Azerbaijan Literature (or Nizami Gəncəvi Adına Azərbaycan Ədəbiyyatı Muzeyi, if you are local). I wanted to go in. 

My impression is I could easily spend 7 to 10 days visiting the country. I saw every few tourists, but until quite recently it was like trying to get into Russia - tough going and expensive to get a visa without booking a tour. Now it can be done online, costs just US$20, and takes 3 days.