Our first taste of Baku

After 26 hours of travel, we finally arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan. Exhausted, we were a little shocked to find that we all slept in until 1pm. Despite our late start, we managed to fit a lot into our first day.

Our first stop was the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace was built in the 15th century and served as the residence of the Shirvanshahs, the rulers of Shirvan. The palace is a great example of Azerbaijani architecture and offers stunning views of the city.

Outside the palace was a small park full of cats. Needless to say, this is where Ella’s day peaked. 

After visiting the palace, we had lunch at a local restaurant, Burc Qala. With our bodies unclear on what meal we were eating, we decided on a variety of Qutab, a pancake with a small amount of filling. Some were good, others less so. Overall, though, the food was good, and we enjoyed our first taste of Azerbaijani cuisine. We even got a smoke show when an electrical box on the building across the street burst into flames. 

Next, we visited the Carpet Museum, which houses a collection of over 10,000 carpets from all over Azerbaijan. The carpets are all handmade and beautiful examples of Azerbaijani craftsmanship. I will admit the most interesting part for me is that the building is shaped like a rolled carpet from the outside. The downside, apparently, is that it limits carpet display options. 

After the Carpet Museum, we walked along the waterfront with views of the Caspian Sea, sort of. It seems that they subscribe to the Doug Ford school of Waterfront Design and block people from the water with random roads and buildings, like a giant mall. So, we had a look at the Baku Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the Caucasus region. It’s fine for a mall and even had a giant slide between floors, much to Ella’s delight. It’s an odd thing to put on the waterfront, though, almost as bad an idea as a giant spa. 

To end our day, we took the funicular up to Upland Park. The park is located on a hill overlooking the city and offers panoramic views. The stairs that light up and the Fire Towers with the light show were pretty impressive. We walked down the hill back to our hotel for a quick bite to eat before collapsing into bed.

Baku feels, perhaps not surprisingly, given its location, like a mix of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Russia. From our first sample, I’d say they’ve done a good job of picking good things from each, but there’s still a feeling of… “almost”. Potential not quite realized. A viewpoint… with trees blocking the view. A waterfront…cut off from the city by a 6-lane road.

That said, we’re excited to explore more of Baku and the surrounding area.