Baku, Azerbaijan: A Stormy, Scorching, Wind-Swept Adventure

it’s 1.94°c here, feels like a survival challenge. hope you like that kind of thing. wind’s howling, humidity at 80%, and the sky’s doing that gray brooding thing it loves. map time:if you get bored, sumgait and xırdalan are just a short drive away, but honestly, i’d brave the wind over the occasional snowfall.

「let me tell you」, they built this city on secrets. mud volcanoes? salt lakes? yeah, we’re talking ancient terrain here. feel like you’re walking on a place that’s seen empires rise and fall. and the oil industry? oh, it’s still in its bones. boom, 19th-century ghosts with underground fires. but today? all glass towers and booming commerce. whiplash.

now, these winds. khazri or gilavar-whatever. it’s like the city’s breathing. you’ll either love it or hate it. i’m leaning toward annoyed, but hey, it keeps summer brutal temps in check. speaking of summer: i just checked and it’s... well, 42.7°c records. someone told me they call july the "unofficial sunscreen test season." not kidding. grab your sunglasses, douse yourself in water, and pray the ac works.

water, though. bay of baku’s this massive stretch, and the city’s got this weird charm. dark urban heat island effect? check. streets that glow red under the sun? also check. but hey, the locals? they’re all about survival. light layers, always. and don’t trust anyone claiming they’ve lived here without a story about a flash flood or a snowstorm in april.

lower than sea level, baby. 28 meters, whatever. feels like you’re in a bowl yelling at clouds. but the harbor? sparkling in the noonday sun. trade routes, caravans, oil spills-it’s all there. someone once said it’s the only capital where you can literally dig up history. turns out they weren’t wrong.

i’m not saying baku’s for everyone. if you need sunshine and smooth breeze, maybe skip. but if you want chaos, weather that’ll mock your plans, and a skyline that’ll make you shrug and keep walking? yeah, this place’ll stick to your ribs. good luck. and if you see a weather app glitching, don’t worry. that’s just baku.

🖖

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