Ganja to Baku, good 4 lane road all the way and not much traffic but not a nice ride, very strong gusting winds blowing me all over the place, requiring a real effort to hold the bike in a straight line. Arrived in Baku to the usual chaotic traffic.
Just over 10,100 kilometres later my Eastward journey comes to an end. It wasn’t meant to but the next country in line is Turkmenistan and they don’t like visitors and make it very hard to get a visa. I would have had to hang around for 6 weeks to get one and even then its not guaranteed. Cost of travelling through the country on a tourist visa is US$300 per day because I have to be accompanied by a minder all the time. The Police corruption in the Stan’s is legendary, you have to basically pay a negotiable toll every time one of them sees you, so I am also relieved.
- Hastings to Baku 10,100 kms
- Heading out
- 110 kph
- Radar warning
- Speed Camera
- Melons
- Baki
- Wrong way hahaha
- Cattle
- Loaded
- Farmer
- Mountains
- The man
- Caspian Sea
Baku – the city of winds and the name means “wind pounded city”, I can vouch for that. It has a population of 2.4 million and is 28 metres below sea level. Modern and clean with some fantastic buildings. The old town is quite sterile and deserted, looks residential. Only the area near the Double Gates has a few shops and restaurants. The area just outside the old walls has many restaurants and cafe’s and a very nice park. The promenade and park along the coast is a great place for a walk if the wind is not blowing.
Besides a couple of Police motorcycles I have not seen any others in Azerbaijan. Which is probably why I could not get tyres here and the Baku bike shops I contacted said get them in Tbilisi.
First thing I did was get a Baki Card for the metro, you buy it from a ticket machine at one of the stations, easy as they have an English version, cost 1 Euro and every ride after that is 10 cents, cheap. There are only 2 lines and most of the cars are old bangers with open windows so the noise is horrendous hahaha but I rode in one new train and it was silent and air-conditioned. The announcements on the train are also in English.
- Metro Card
- Going down
- 28 May station
- Inside
- 28 May Square
- The Hilton
- Fountain
- Park Bulvar Mall
- Inside
- Runs along the Foreshore
- Milli Park
- The view
- Looking the other way
The National Museum is worth a visit, I had to walk around the block twice to find it hahaha, the sign is inconspicuous.
All the old Mercedes come to retire here and silver is the favourite colour.
- Looks new
- Bread
- The Oven
- The Bakery
- The Metro
- Nizami Station
- Nizami Station
- Nizami Station
- ?
- ?
- Art
- Street
- The National Museum Entrance
- Skull
- Romans
- Pottery
- Gold
- War
- Pottery Grenades
- Gravestone
- Gravestone
- Scholar
- Warrior
- Art
- Girls dressed up
- Russian
- Azerbaijani
- Rich man’s house
- From Russia with luggage
- Fəvvarələr Meydanı
- Fəvvarələr Meydanı
- Fəvvarələr Meydanı
- Fəvvarələr Meydanı
- HRC
- The local drop
- Burger and Fries
- Hot Fudge Brownie for 2 hahaha
- From Massachusets
- A Favourite
The old town, lots of steps.
- Street Sweeper
- City Gates at the top of the hill
- Filarmonya Park
- Clock that works
- Filarmonya Park
- The flag
- New building
- Venice
- Flame Towers
- Art
- A motorcycle WOW
- Turkish Baths
- Old Town
- Old Town
- Old Town
- Old Town
- Catapult
- Old Town
- Old Town
- Double Gates
- Old Town
- Old Town
- Water
- Old Town
- London Taxi
- Food
- Gas pipes
- Bicycle made for Flowers
- Gas Pipes
Hyder Aliyev Centre – Amazing building with a few exhibitions inside.
- Hyder Aliyev Centre
- Hyder Aliyev Centre
- Convention Centre
- Buy your ticket here at 11 am
- Art
- Inside
- Inside
- Self Portrait
- Inside
- Hyder Aliyev
- Stairs
- Stairs
- Inside
- Inside
- Model
- Dolls Exhibition
- Dolls Exhibition
- Mini Baku
- Dress Exhibition
- Mini Baku
- Arm Wrestling
- Art
- Bee Mobile
- Art
- Bullet Holes
- Art
- Outside
- Hyder Aliyev Centre
- Hyder Aliyev Centre
- Brabus G-wagen
- Nariman Narimanov Station
- Air-conditioned
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Icharishahar Station
And my bike got a wash today, about time it was filthy.
Loved it all! Thank you for the vicarious view accompanied by all the catchy captions. Continued safe travels.
Nowurries