Baku 30th July

We have now successfully navigated  50% of the Kafkaesque maze that is trying to catch a ferry to Turkmenistan.  Many men promise to help, but few come through at a price that is acceptable and actually deliver.  So far we have a Turkmenistan visa, and we might have a boat tomorrow, but then again.  Its classic Central Asia at its intriguing and complex best.  The way through is to talk to lots of people, keep your best poker face on, and fall out with no one.  Anyway, hopefully we are seaward bound the Central Asia's own version of North Korea.

The last few days in Baku have been idyllic.  Its a place that has fascinated me for many a year, with its wild complex history, and standing as it does partly in Europe, partly in Asia and partly in the middle east.  We (the British), even occupied it briefly in 1918, as we fought (unsuccessfully) to hold of the Turks and their German allies from capturing it.  We did however stop them getting across the Caspian and threatening India (the Afghan border is only a couple of days train ride from the other side), and at one point the Royal Navy shipped submarines up to operate in said sea.  Boys own stuff.  If you want to read more, get a copy of 'The adventures of Dunsterforce', which chronicles the British campaign.

Anyway, I digress.  Baku is a mad confection of ultra-modern oligarch oil wealth and the wonderful ancient.  We have enjoyed both. Here are some pics.

The lovely Zaha Hadid designed 'Great Leaders'  Cultural Centre. Who'd have thought that a narrow based oligarchy could throw up such good taste.

This is my favourite however.  The Maiden's Tower in the Old City. Archaeologists can't even get close to dating it, with estimates ranging between several millennia B.C. and the 12th century A.D.. It has Egyptian influences running throughout it, but no-one can agree even what it was for.  It's alignment with the equinox's and its design tell me it was originally some form of Zoroastrian (fire worship, which originated around here) temple/astronomical site, which was later incorporated into the medieval defences.  V. tasteful restored and explained inside it as well

And there was quite a funky design competition being run just in front of it, with scale models decorated in various patterns

And one for the animal lovers...

Baku saw a massive explosion in wealth, population and urbanisation in the late 19th century due to the enormous reserves of oil around here, which at the time was quite literally seeping from the ground.  Some of the architecture from the time is very fine.

Right, we (hopefully) go into the unknown tomorrow. Don't know when the next wifi stop will appear!