Finally - some fireworks in Baku!

Last year the New Year's fireworks were cancelled out of respect for the Muslim month of muharram - mourning. And any other time there have been fireworks, we haven't been in the right place to see them. Most memorably for the Eurovision song contest there were no fireworks - but when the Azerbaijani presenter called in with the results from Azerbaijan, she did so in front of a background showing fireworks over Baku. We had the same view from a friend's apartment - and there were no fireworks!

Spent New Year's Eve with friends in an apartment that overlooks the Bulvar and Caspian Sea - prime location to watch the fireworks, and the huge queue of traffic snaking along the seafront.

Yesterday evening the weather was good, if a little windy, but it's been so grey and wet since that it feels as though it hardly got light today. We've had lamps on all day.