Day 12 - Azerbaijan

When people stitch the word, 'Baku' to 'oil fields', I see why they do that now. Baku has oil at its heart, in its lungs, running through its veins - basically Baku is covered in the stuff. I have never seen a city quite so dedicated to a single commodity. Absolutely nothing is allowed to get in the way of oil production, refining and transportation. It does create a staggering industrial landscape. I don't however want to write Baku off. I've judged too soon on this trip before now and regretted it. Baku definitely has something about it. Sure it's all about the oil but it feels like there might be a soul underneath the slick. Some sort of richer past hidden beneath the glossy gloop. I don't think I'll be here long enough to get to the bottom of it, much less be able to atriculate it. Nice to leave with the feeling that while it's a money town - but there's probably more to it than that.

On that note, I may not be leaving at all. Not at the moment anyway. I went down to the Ro-Ro terminal yesterday to find out if I could get on a boat today and was told to come back tomorrow (today). We'll see. I have a tense wait until 3pm when I'm supposed to know more. I did pass a conveniently located Marriott which was calling me as I walked by. If I have to stay another night, I might drop in. 

Had to catch a cab to the terminal yesterday. My Azerbaijani isn't that great (two or three words of Russian that I know, plus the odd word of Bulgarian that seems to translate is all I'm able to employ) but the driver and I spent a long time in traffic playing the 'which country manufactures which car' game. We had a bit of a row over Rolls Royce being British or not. I think I was more up to date than him but I let him have his way in the end. It didn't seem worth falling out over. 

Azerbaijan border post