In the Kudablin project, we send completely different people on traveling at our expense! Elena Burdjugova visited Baku: she found the shops of jammers, which no one had heard about, saw the most beautiful palace in the city and visited the Heydar Aliyev center, designed by incomparable Khuyu Hadid. Read more – in her report!
When OneTwotrip, in the framework of the project #Kudablin, invited my readers to choose for me one of the three directions to the former Soviet republics, I first was depressed. But, at the moment when Baku began to win, she decided to look for interesting angles in Pinterest and literally taken aback. “Yes! This is exactly the city that I want to see after Singapore and Japan ” – flashed through my head …
Baku is great! Already at the airport, you understand that you got into a modern metropolis and a lot of interesting things ahead.
The first thing I would like to advise the guests of Azerbaijan is to move to Uber, which is three times cheaper than local taxi. A trip from the airport to the city center cost us only 10 manat (this is about 300 rubles). The taxi drivers asked for the same amount for almost any distance, though it was possible to agree with them, but it came out more expensive.
The second is not to settle in the center of Baku! There is now a construction site and there is really nothing to see. Is it that the sea is also nearby, but in December it is not relevant. Better find yourself a cozy hotel in the old city. On OneTwotrip there were much more such options and many of them were more budgetary. We had to ride to the epicenter of everything interesting in a taxi.
And the third, but no less important, first of all go to the center of Heydar Aliyev. Not only is it beautiful in itself, but the exposition of Baku in Miniature is still exhibited there. We looked into the center on the last day and then, like a mad man, we rushed around the city in the pouring rain in order to finish what we did not have time to notice before.
The smooth lines of the center of Heydar Aliyev and the paved roads in front of the building create a transition from the ground to the sky, which symbolizes the connection of the times. And white – expresses hope for the bright future of Azerbaijan. And we believe in this after everything that we saw. By the way, we were lucky to see how the building literally dissolves in the clouds.
But perhaps the most amazing place in Baku is the Shivanshahs Palace. This ancient structure stores the memory of centuries, but what is especially interesting: from its walls there is an incomparable view of Baku.
It is here that the connection of eras is best visible and at the same time such a contrast between antiquity, the Soviet period and modern Baku. And fiery towers literally attract in this bright future.
Again to this attraction and take a walk to them. Soon they promise to open a restaurant on the upper floors there, but for now you can take a walk in a nearby park and admire again to the tank from the observation deck.
The most difficult on the trip was the task that readers chose for me. It was necessary to find the flea market. It would seem that it could be easier, because the old city is literally flooded with souvenir shops. But this is not right. We were looking for junk. We knocked on all the doors, asked passers -by and local residents in social. networks. Everyone just shook their hands: “There is no such thing in Baku” …
And yet we found him! In the very depths of Taza Bazar, several tents of junkers met. But, to be honest, they mainly sell items of the Soviet era there, so I would not recommend looking for it. Better look at the home cafe to the locals, there is very tasty and sincerely. And you will definitely teach you to eat Azerbaijani dishes and drink tasty tea with thyme from Armud (this is the name of a glass glass for tea, and not a glass at all, as many think at first).
And we continue our travels and hope once, I can share with you another story, and maybe not one.
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The author of the text and photo: Elena Burdryugova (@burdyugova)
