It was time for the next country, time for Azerbaijan. The flight to Baku was actually terrible, with a guy snoring loudly one row behind me. After I arrived, everything worked quite well. I got stamped in and welcomed to Azerbaijan.
Getting to My Host
Jalil provided me with all the information I needed to make it to his place. I checked on maps to make sure I had it right and then headed to the bus. It was the first time that taxi drivers, who usually harass me, accepted my “no” right away and even helped me get to the bus stop. In Baku, you need a card that costs 1.1 Euro, and with it, you can use all public transportation. The machines don’t give change, so any extra amount goes on the card. It was 1.3 Azerbaijani Manat (about 72 cents) for the airport bus and 0.4 Manat (about 22 cents) for the metro and city buses. I found the prices reasonable, given the decent quality of the transportation.
The bus didn’t stop where it should have, but since I had the maps downloaded, I saw that there was a metro station near Jalil’s place, which was perfect. I went there and walked to his place. It didn’t look like what I expected at all – old and rundown buildings. It reminded me a little of Chernobyl, and as I walked through the area, the more it reminded me of that.
It was quite complicated to find his place, but with the information I had, it somehow worked. Jalil wasn’t home, but the lady who helped with cleaning was. She was super sweet, but she didn’t speak English, which was fine; we got along.
The First Day
After arriving, I needed some time to relax. I was exhausted from the previous night, and the heat made me struggle a bit. My mood wasn’t great that day; I had planned to have company on my trip, so being alone in the country didn’t feel nice. Also, hearing the news that Azerbaijan was launching rockets into the Karabakh region again was distressing. It made me feel uneasy because what’s happening there is honestly messed up, but the locals don’t seem to see it that way.
I mostly relaxed the whole day. Part of it was that I wanted to meet Jalil, who was at work the whole day and had plans with friends after. The only time I went out was to get something to eat. I had pizza, and for 3 Euros for a whole pizza, you can’t complain. The owner was a nice guy who gave me some recommendations while I waited for and ate the pizza. He spoke good English, unlike most of the locals I talked to.
The region where Jalil lives is on the other side of the coast; you can see downtown from the balcony. It’s about a 30-minute ride by metro to downtown, and it was nice to be there. Even though it didn’t look that nice, it was great for me, as the region reminded me of good memories. With the key, I could come and go whenever, which was great.
Meeting Jalil
When Jalil came home at 11 pm, we talked and got along right away. You could tell he hosted often. It was like a routine, being super welcoming. Everything was chill; we heated up some food and chatted a bit. We had political talks, mainly about the Karabakh conflict, and it was interesting to hear a different perspective.
We didn’t talk that much because he had to sleep and get to work on time the next day. I stayed up a bit longer, but that was fine.
In the morning, he wasn’t feeling well and even had a doctor visit during the night, which I didn’t hear at all, quite surprising. I felt bad about leaving him alone after leaving to see the city because I guessed that in his position, some company would be nice.
Exploring Baku a Little Bit
When I met up at 2 pm with a Couchsurfer, everything was already easier. No hassle getting around the station I was staying in, finding the metro, and knowing exactly where to go, even without a sim card, it all worked fine. I was staying at the last metro station, and to get downtown, you just take the red line until the final station, and you’re all set!
I arrived a bit early, so I looked around, trying to understand the society better, which isn’t easy when you don’t speak the language. When we met, we got along quickly, and he had a lot of knowledge about the city and the country. We explored the historical center of Baku, and it was nice to see something of the city.
Feeling of the City
The city looks very modern with pretty buildings, the wind, and the sea, friendly people, and relatively cheap food (Falafel Döner for 3 Euros). However, Baku didn’t give me good vibes, and I didn’t feel comfortable there. I was already ready for the next country. We walked around for at least 10 km, and he also spoke German, which was interesting. However, when the conversation shifted to politics, I didn’t enjoy it much because it felt like propaganda, in my opinion. Jalil, on the other hand, provided a different perspective, making it possible to have a meaningful discussion. Everyone has different opinions, and that’s fine, but not being willing to listen to others isn’t nice.
I was thankful for his time and for all the things he showed me, but I was also happy when I was back home, relaxing a bit by myself.
Exploring the Region More
The next morning, I wanted to see a bit more of the region I lived in. I felt like it was necessary to do some more walking. Right after waking up, I wanted to walk to the harbor, which I saw from a distance the whole time. Somehow it was really hot right in the morning already, which wasn’t expected. Before reaching the harbor, it was time for some snacks along the way. In the supermarket, I felt quite overwhelmed because nobody understood me at all. It was fine; it was just the somewhat rude behavior that I didn’t enjoy.
When I reached the harbor, it was clear that the industrial harbor was off-limits to me. I can’t just show up and explore there, which is fine. I walked back, and there were some nice green patches along the way. It was interesting to look at my surroundings; I saw many things I might not have noticed otherwise. Some women were picking olives, others were going for a walk, and some were smoking cigars in suits. It was all interesting to me because I usually don’t pay as much attention to my surroundings as I should.
Lunchtime
It’s amazing how cheap Döners are in Baku; sometimes they cost only 2 Azerbaijani Manat, which is only 1.10 Euros, but those are for the ones with meat. Vegetarian options, such as falafel, for example, cost 5 Manat, making it around 2.5 Euros, which is still a good price.
I also bought some spices to bring to my mother, and they were priced at 2 Manat, which is a fair price.
I had the feeling that the food was cheap in general but quite unhealthy, with a lot of fast food everywhere. It wasn’t what I expected. Next to the train station, I now had my go-to Döner shop where I ordered a few each time I went to the metro and whenever I returned with the metro. I didn’t go there many times because I wasn’t staying in Baku that long, only three nights, which was more than enough.
When walking through the streets, I always had a strange feeling. People seemed to be in a perpetual bad mood, as if they despised everyone around them. Making eye contact was not something people did, at least not with me. In Germany, people might also appear annoyed, but when you smile at them, they sometimes smile back or at least look at you. This contrast created a peculiar feeling that didn’t make me feel particularly welcome, even though all the people I interacted with were really nice.
Exploring Baku at Night
Cities are always different at night, and Baku was no exception. I ventured out in the darkness, and everything felt safe. In downtown, I met up with Aytan, a local girl I had also connected with on Couchsurfing. She was a delightful person, fluent in German, and soon to work as a doctor in Germany. Hopefully, I’ll have the chance to spend more time with her in the future. We went for a walk and talked the entire time. It was a pleasant meeting, and she even explained details about the places we saw along the way.
Finally, I had a lot of fun in Baku, and meeting Aytan was delightful. We talked extensively about our lives, and her energy was simply amazing. It provided me with a deeper insight into local life. We didn’t see much; instead, we mostly sat and talked after a brief walk. One of the highlights was the Flame Towers, perhaps the most iconic buildings in the city, illuminated at night. It looked impressive in the evening, and I had seen them from Jalil’s apartment all the time, so seeing them up close was exciting.
We spent a few hours together, and then I drove back home to spend some time with Jalil. That night, he realized it would be my last night with him, so we had a conversation.
What’s Up Next?
In the next installment, you will read about my airport transfer and my first destination in the next country, Kazakhstan.
