Meet the worlds tallest flag pole!

An old couple took me from the refreshing mountain scenery just south of Dagestan through the desert to Baku. No way to resist their hospitality: well fed and with a hand full of pocket money they dropped me off in the dusty outskirts of the capital. Azerbaijan is drifting on oil. Still. And how this is visible! Everywhere across the centre are fountains sprinkling in stylish parks, shiny white cars and huge new (too expensive, empty) luxurious apartment blocks, encircled by numerous offshore platforms and rusty nodding donkeys. Horrible. Magnificent.

One evening I invite some acquaintances to guide me through the city. Many stairs lead us up the hill where an eternal fire governs a monument for the casualties of several wars. From there we enjoy a gorgeous view upon the city centre and the to-be-tallest-flagpole-of-the-world, yet another construction exemplifying Azerbaijan’s richness. Or at least it’s president’s richness, as it was him who decided to join the international competition on having the world’s tallest flagpole. The tallest flagpole on one of the windiest places on earth; millions are spent on it. The crane alone is said to be hired for 30000 Euro’s a day; enough to make him decide to build their own crane to replace the hired one. I hope he will be happy after achieving his goal. Maybe the people will be next…

Down the hill we pass my favourite park before we walk back to the newly built metro station serving the old town. At that very moment the road is roughly being emptied by shouting police cars, to make sure that two minutes later a tinted car containing whoever important has all four lanes for it’s own. Every police car has been provided with a megaphone, through which the officers can bark at ordinary people whenever they fancy. This, together with the constant honking everywhere in town, is one of the main reasons why I can never live in Baku. The policemen, shouting over the lanes and often just blowing their microphones, as if they try to blow away the humble person driving in front of them, are too powerful.

Though it’s definitely worth a visit. Go there and see it for yourself! The system may be unpleasant, but the people are amazing, food is affordable and night life is astonishing! Enjoy the good things!