Back to back in Baku

Full of impressions, and a little bit anticipation, I guess, I didn't fall asleep until long after midnight. Much to my annoyment, the hotel here plays "lobby piano" over the speakers in the restaurant. Loudly so. So I woke from a loud piano. I looked at the clock. 8 am. Sigh. I tried sleeping some more, but gave up. I got up, had a shower and walked down to the breakfast hall. The music was so loud that the patrons had to speak really loud. Too much noise for my taste. I finished my scrambled eggs with sausages, and my two loaves of bread with delicious honey and went back to my room. I checked the map for todays target. The old city and the flame towers. 

The forecast said slight rain and some wind. I chose my hoodie and a my cap. It was slight rain, but LOTS of wind. Especially between some of the buildings. After a while, I regretted not bringing my wool sweater. Oh well. We'll see what happens.

I walked down to the nearest metro station. Bleeped my card and got onto the red line. This would take me directly to a station between the flame towers and the old city. Perfect. A few stations later, I got up to the street and was greeted by a cold wind gusting. Threatening to steal my cap. I had to hold on to it tightly not to see it fly onto the great unknown... I checked the map on my phone and started walking up the hill towards the flame towers. They are situated on a hill overlooking the city. It was a nice walk, if it hadn't been for the cold wind and the rain. But I trotted on. And was awarded by a magnificent view of the towers. They are simply beautiful. Looking like tongues of fire licking towards the sky. One of the towers is a hotel, and the others (?) seems to be apartments. Wow! Imagine having an apartment here! 

Just beside it was something I had to inspect closer. It proved to be a memorial. Honoring those who lost their lives in the 1990 January massacre when Russian troops attacked an anti-Russian demonstration, killing 147 people. This was during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev ordered military law to be implemented to oppress the Azerbaijani independence movement. Leading to clashes that killed an injured hundreds of people. The show of force was supposed to be a warning to other independence movements in the Soviet union. But in the end, the Soviet Union dissolved. 

I walked the "martyr's lane". With names and pictures of all those who died on January 20th 1990. Roses were laid here and there beneath their pictures. At the end of the lane, the Shahidlar monument was erected. With what I presume was supposed to be an "eternal flame". But sadly, it was not burning. All I could hear was the hiss of the gas. But no flame. 

The not so eternal flame

I started walking back down again when I checked the map and realized, they have a funicular here! YAY! I had to try that one, of course. After some back and fort, I finally found the station. I paid my 1 manat (60 cents) and was shown to a heated (bliss...) waiting room with deep, comfortable chairs. After sitting there enjoying the comfort, the guy came and ushered us to the gate. I entered the card he had given me. The machine responded with a happy "bipp!" and I was let through. I walked to the front of the car. Best view. And a couple of minutes later, we were on our merry way down the hill. The incline wasn't the same all the way, and the point where we met the upcoming car, it was much flatter, so the seats were suddenly titled backwards. 2.5 minutes later, we arrived at the bottom. Kewl! Love these little surprises!

Front row view from the funicular

Now for the old city. It is a walled part of the city. With the usual souvenir shops, the guides and all of that. But comfortably free of the hassle. Not the aggressive selling I have experienced in other places. So I was left in relative peace along my merry way. I just enjoyed walking around. Took only a few photos here and there. Mostly just looking.

Old and new in the same view

At one point, I found an old and partly falling apart trebuchet. The ramp up to it was blocked by a small portable fence. But I pretended (?) to be a stupid tourist. So I walked past it and got a closeup shot of it before the guard called on me, and waved me down. "Sorry!" I said in my most innocent voice.

After walking around a while, I wanted to go over to the Crescent Hotel. A hotel built in the shape of a crescent moon. I saw it from the hill of the flaming towers, and assumed it was at the other end of the red metro line. Boy was I wrong. I had already entered the subway when I checked the maps, and found that it was actually just a short walk... So I got off at the next station and walked back down to the sea.

There I was met by a beautiful promenade by the sea. And right beside it, a shopping mall. With...a planetarium!!! YES! This was getting better and better! I walked over and at the very top of the building, I finally found the planetarium. But much to my disappointment, there was no show until the evening. And they were all about stuff I didn't find particularly interesting. The ads running on the screens showed the living sun and something about Mars exploration. But none of that was showing this day. 

Disappointed, I walked down to the food court. Might as well get some lunch. I found a place where they served köfte. I ordered a full plate with something that resembled a pita. The guy behind the counter asked for my name. "Ragnar!" He looked puzzled. "What?" "Rrrr-agna-rr". His face lit up! "You're a viking!" he said. I smiled and nodded. After a short wait, I got my meal. I sniffed the delicious meatballs. It was a hearty filling. And I left with a smile on my face. Despite the disappointing deal with the planetarium.

I walked over to the crescent hotel and took some pictures there before heading back to the metro. I hopped off a couple of stations later, and did some shopping before going back to my hotel. It had been a long day. A long walk. And again, a lot of beautiful things to see.

Tomorrow, I will meet the tour group outside one of the subway stations. And I will go on a tour of some of the sights in and around Baku. Looking forward to that. More impressions. More experiences. More food and more pictures. 2 days down. 4 more to go. Still loving it!

Beefeaters? Ah! Beef-eaters...

Ragnar

Traveller in love with köfte.