Aktau Seaside Promenade

It was not high season, but as the construction activity shows, they are preparing for bigger crowds.

Aktau

Aktau was founded beginning of the sixties of last century to extract uranium deposits. There was a nuclear power station that has been shut down in 2001. Today the oil industry is the economic backbone for the region together with the port.
The city has over 150 000 inhabitants and there a plans for urban extension. 
So it was vey promising to visit this soviet planned new town.
The main sights besides the Caspian Sea with its beaches and promenades are the MIG Monument and WWII Memorial.

first view of the Caspian Sea the next morning

the cars don't fit to the building style

The WWII Memorial is a popular place for wedding pictures

arriving in Aktau

We had to wait almost for a day before the ferry could enter the port. Getting through the customs took another five hours, so I was happy to finally arrive in Aktau. It was to late to take the night train to Usbekistan, so I took the Hotel next to the train-ticket office, a building from soviet times. Finally I was happy to stay one day to get some rest and to visit the city.

Crossing the Caspian Sea

The ferry left Baku finally at midnight. I watched the city slowly disappear from the Quarterdeck.
The Sea was very calm during the whole crossing. I spend a lot of time drinking tea, talking to people or just watching the Sea. It was a great experience and I am very happy it worked out in the end.





my mates from the cabin

they prepared some delicious food in the caboose

Aktau in sight

Baku ferry 2

After waiting for over two weeks, I decided to give up and take a plane directly to Uzbekistan. The day I wanted to buy the ticket, I gave it a last chance and went to the port in the morning - and instead of "niet" I heard a "da". there was a ferry at noon. So I had to hurry to get my luggage. I took a taxi and despite the usual traffic jam I made it back to the port at 11h30. Getting through the costums was not a problem and I got on board where I changed my passport against the key for cabin no. 23

climbing in Baku

I had the chance to meet some nice people who opened the first climbing wall in Azerbaidjan (greenrock.az). It did not only give me the chance to climb but I also had a very good time with local people.

outside the center

As soon as you leave the center, you get another impression of the city.
People live in some of the  old oil fields close to the city.

Bibi Heybat oil field

oil field in Suraxani



Baku construction

There is a lot of construction going on in Baku.
It's hard to find out the Architects of some projects. Only world stars seem to be cited.


The Flame Tower construction site



Heydar Aliyev CulturalCenter by Zaha Hadid





Baku center

the old town has been renovated to a point where it is hard to destinguish old from new.
the 19th century city center is also very shiny.

Baku ferry

The Transit Visa for Turkmenistan takes three weeks, so I decided take the ferry to Aktau instead of Turkmenbashi. I had to get a second Visa for Kazakhstan and also change my Visa for Uzbekistan, as I was late in my initial planning.
I managed to arrange this in three days, but then the waiting began.
As there is no schedule for the ferry, I had to check every day if there is one. You can call, but they do not always answer the phone, so I ended up going there almost every day, a quite frustrating procedure. "No ship today, come back tomorrow."
After a few days they told me there is one the following day in the evening, I should come in the morning to buy my ticket. We made a little farewell party in the evening and when I showed up the next morning, the ferry was about to leave - and I didn't have my luggage with me.
The next one left three days later, but for some reason they didn't want to take as a passenger without vehicle.

that's where you can buy the tickets for the ferry.

the service is as good as the place looks.