Baku

The Unpredictable Allure of Baku: A City Molded by Wind and Riches

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Arriving in Baku was quite the welcome! I stepped off the plane right into a blast of 70 mph winter winds, which pretty much kept me holed up in my Soviet-era apartment building. But even from indoors, the city thumped with incredible energy. Cars blared the loudest music you could imagine, and clubs pulsed with life well into the early morning hours. That month I spent in Baku ended up being incredibly humbling and surpassed all my expectations.

Baku truly defies easy definition. Its very soul is a captivating mosaic: the Turkic tongue of Azerbaijan mixes with cuisine steeped in Persian tradition, all set against a backdrop of architecture pulled from every corner of the globe! The city exploded during its late 19th-century ‘oil boom’. Moguls from Europe, Russia, and Azerbaijan flocked here, erecting their opulent palaces facing the Caspian shore. Today's Baku, though much of it was shaped by sweeping Soviet-era planning—think vast parks, broad boulevards, and statues honoring poets—is deeply anchored by İçərişəhər, its ancient, Persian-influenced walled city. Yet, you'll also find cutting-edge museums and public buildings boldly presenting an image of the future.

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