Today was the “rest day” at COP; the venue is always closed during the middle day. So this morning we took a trip to the “old city” of Baku by metro, free for anyone with a COP pass!

Interesting point to note: the same “see it, say it, sorted” message as the UK (more or less) is used on the trains here too! There are not many lines or stations but what there is is good; let’s hope the legacy of COP does something to improve public transport here; this is very much a city where car rules. Crossing the road is hair-raising and walking along a main road is like strolling along the M25 and you can smell the pollution.

On approaching the twelfth century walled city, one is greeted with palms and the native Azeri pines and we step into a world gone by; this is a UNESCO world heritage site and deservedly so.

The legacy of a former Arab Caliphate and the Islamic Shirvanshah dynasty has gifted the walled city beautiful mosques and palaces with ornate stone carvings.

The dynasty were great patrons of art and this legacy can still be seen too.

Creativity extends into links with eco ideas such as the oil drum planters seen in many places.

A stroll away from the walled city is the Caspian sea, which didn’t quite meet the romantic fantasies from my childhood fairytales; of course, this has been used for over a hundred years as an industrial centre for oil production and refinery.

However I did quite enjoy this giant pomegranate building; sacred pomegranates are literally everywhere in Baku- in shops, restaurants, kiosks, stalls, and I will personally miss drinking the hand-squeezed juice served almost everywhere!

And there they are again!!

On our way back through the old part, Tony haggled for a hat at which the shopkeeper said the man would “kill her” for not getting more manats; I really hope not, and wondered if I should have suggested joining a union? Do they have USDAW there?!

The next trip was a walk from the old city centre to the new, taking in a highly elaborate subway

Followed by a route through “Central Park” which is part of the new urban plan to regenerate the polluted city; this park has been built partly OVER the roads

Spot the flame towers behind! And it was great to be passing that iconic mosque during the call to prayer.

Nature was not absent from the poorer quarters of the city either

And neither was art…

But you’re never far from a reminder of who rules the republic now

Azerbaijan does have trade unions (not as free as ours but freer than some others), and they hosted our afternoon trade union COP strategy day in the city centre, where we were very well looked after.

This is the day that unions from all over the world, present at COP, come together to agree on, and discuss, strategy on climate change for the coming year.

It’s traditional to hang a flag if you can sneak one in with your luggage:

I won’t be discussing the strategy here; that’s for meetings and events back home. Suffice to say, there will be an action plan, recommendations, a report, and plans brewing for a joint union event…(in addition to sitting in the road, taking to the streets etc!!!)

The COP continues tomorrow but the UK only have a one week pass. We will be following the talks on the whatsapp groups from back in the UK. And please check back on this blog soon as I have a plan to put up a COP 4 KIDZ blog later this week…watch this space!

Meanwhile I will leave you with this: a picture of the collective action this week in Azerbaijan; many reps from nearly every continent, taking the time out of normal life to travel here, come together, work together and try to help the world save themselves…the struggle continues and we have a plea: PLEASE JOIN US!!!