Florence Feeling Normal....

Baku? Beautiful  beautiful place!
Arrived at a very modern airport, reminiscent of Scandanavian architecture- clean and modern . Easy to navigate and exit!

Arrival

Taxi into the old town- nothing like a good barter to get the visit started. We felt like we did a good deal! It is about 40 minutes into the city. people drive in their lanes and give way and stop and go where they are meant to- none of the haphazard barging around as is de rigeur in Kuwait.

Driving in meant we saw the modern Baku- that which happened after the Russians left but we saw it merged with the old building - pleasing and some were stunning....

So to the old town. Like all old towns in European cities, there is the entry gate. Our hotel was just inside the gates- Shah Palace Hotel, an elegant and opulent hark back to a past of wealth and status.

The bedroom was huge... like I could have invited half the city in but I didnt ! and the walkway overlooked a huge roofed courtyard where one could sit and sip a little whiskey if one so desired.
The colours of gold, red and blue were obvious in the tapestries and carpets...
The old town, again,is like all the tourist traps in old towns- this one had wild sheepish hats of long wool, elegant colourful scarves- all thanks to the booming Chinese manufacturing industry of imitation.
But important things came first and that was lunch. We walked up the cobbled roads and were hauled/invited/encouraged to enter a shiny colourful Azerbaijani restaurant. With no time to speak, we were lead through to the back room and , in gratitude for a non decision making role, just sat on the rugs and cushions.... our magnificent waiter, understanding it was just a snack, and a taste of local wine... provided us with five types of small omelettes- herb, cheese, lamb, chestnut and another I have forgotten - divine! The local wine is a rich red and has a flavour that is wonderful. We also were offered pomegranite wine- very tasty !
Emil was the name of our waiter, and as we decided that this was the place to eat, we got to know him a little bit.
so... wine, lunch and then walking around into the main mall area of the city- modern, normal and enticing bcause of its normalising of clothing. The fur and wool shop was having a great sale of coats 50% off! As much as I loathe the fur trade, those coats were something else... but my heart was elsewhere!
We walked and coffeed, played chess then back to the hotel....
That night we walked in the old town -  and saw the age, the foundations that were being exposed and the lives that were about to be examined- the old Maiden tower was built in 700BC. Around its foundations are what appears to be the exposed remnants of ancient homes... stone bowls and grinding tools... so so old.
A very assertive woman grabbed us and hauled us upstairs - I keep my good textiles up here, away from those who are going to copy and imitate..... so the next half hour was spent being shown, silk scarves, silk things and silk..... I was so overwhelmed..... after the requisite glass of tea, we escaped down the almost vertical stairs!
Time to dine
back to our restaurant and that wonderful waiter, Emil. We ate lamb of the most delicious flavour- lamb wrapped in tiny repes, lamb chunks, herb salads, tomatoes,  a lamb based soup with dumplings. It was the food of Azerbaijan and cooked by the three women. Stupendous! A night of feasting, wine and lying on the cushions!!!! That was excellent... but the food is something else!


Apologies for no pics but every time I go to use ICloud..... the photos are somewhere else until days later..... and I cannot access them easily.....   but I finally found  a way to do this( this time)