Baku is the largest city in the Caucasus, on the Caspian Sea. The city has changed much since Ali and Nino's time. The cultural crossroads has emerged into the monoculture of "Modernity," much helped by Caspian Sea crude oil.
Historically Azerbaijan belonged to the Persian sphere, home of Zoroastrianism, undoubtedly fueled by all the oil they were immersed in. Today the most emblematic landmark of the city are the Flame Towers. It seems Batumi aspires to be Baku of the Black Sea, especially since the two are linked by the Baku-Supra pipeline, since the Caspian Sea (100 feet below sea level) has no outlet.
In Baku, a string of shiny new modern buildings lines the Bulvar (Boulevarde) along the Caspian Sea, from the Cresent Hotel (1st and 2nd below) to the flower-shaped Deniz Mall (3rd and 4th below), with the three Flame Towers towering above.
The school that Ali and Nino attended.
Recent graduates (not sure which schools) taking photos in the Philarmonia Garden
Lunch at Samik,a local restaurant (1st two below), and lunch at a falafel fast food place (3rd).
We were always walking by the eye-catching, circa 1926, Baku Railway Station.
One evening we walked up past the Carpet Museum (1st below), and Swans Fountain, to the "Panoramic View".
The Soviet-built Government House and the nearby Permanent Baku F1 Grand Prix grandstand and pits.
There are quite a few Art Nouveau buildings in central Baku. First below is the former Tiflis Trade Bank, now a Rolls Royce showroom! And second the Zeynal bey Selimkhanov Apartments.
Azerbaijan is over 95% Muslim. Below is the Friday Mosque.
The very modern Heydar Aliyev Center is extremely photogenic from every angle. And so is the 12th-century Maiden Tower in the Old City (5th below).
No comments:
Post a Comment