In 2007, Mercer, the unofficial consulting firm for the U.N., ranked Baku as the worst city for health and sanitation in the world. Incidentally, Dhaka, Bangladesh was second. A significant part of this distinction was the communist wasteland which is now Sumqayit, the third largest city in Azerbaijan. Only one question comes to mind, why did it take me 11 months to visit this place?Until 1940, Sumqayit was a village of some 4,000 beach bums, idyllically
located on a white sandy spit of beach. Original plans were to develop it into a "Costa Del Sol" type weekend happyland getaway, where scantily dressed Baku-ites could frolic their troubles away. Well, even the best plans change. By the 1980's, Sumqayit was home to 80% of Azerbaijan's heavy industry, a brave new world for chemical factories that belched colourful fume
s so toxic that passers-by on the train would find their white clothes stained yellow. As the years rolled on the saturation of pollutants increased exponentially. Luckily, today only about 20% of the factories are operational to some capacity. Even though they look like they're about to die. The northern edge of the city looks like a post-nuclear bombed site just after a major head-on collision while having a bad hair day. In other words, AWESOME! The majority of factories are walled off and inaccessible but the odd few still lend a great glimpse into an industrial hell in a land Al Gores environmental crusade has forgotten. My favourites were the triplets of cooling towers which still serve there purpose. Local men even fish nearby, as apparently the treated water runoff is a major fish attractor. But all joking aside, the environmental impact is unmistakable. Sumqayit has the 
unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest infant mortality rates outside of Africa. The main city cemetery, a few kms outside of town just off the main Baku-Quba turnoff, is testament to this. There is a disproportionate section of the graveyard set aside exclusively for children. While there are a few typically Soviet graves with engraved photo and all, many of the stones lie unmarked. Tiny rocks give parent a place to grieve. If visiting the site remember to be respectful. After all, it's not a tourist attraction, it's a cemetery.
But 
probably my favourite part of the day trip was the half-sunken ferry/new fishing pier at the end of the spit. Although seemingly impossible to get the exact story of the ship, is has for sure been there for some time. My local friend telling me how he used to climb on it when he was a kid, some 20+ years ago. Getting there is half the fun with an obstacle course of slippery kelp covered rocks with edges ground down to the status of "lethal". A labyrinth of old pipes and frames to tight-rope walk across, balanced precariously over certain death. And that's just to get to the damn boat. One things for damn sure, be sure to have a tetanus sh
ot as there is enough rust here to put Dow Chemicals anti-rust potion to the test. Most of the guys here are pretty friendly, if not a little nervous. Even though the practice of dynamite fishing is strictly forbidden, it still happens. They became especially uneasy as i started snapping photos, my friend had to assure them that is was just a tourist and not with the newspaper or "KGB" or something. Once that was cleared up, i even got to try my hand at a cast or two. I'm not much of an angler,and it showed. So with my head hung in shame, i left the boat.
Now all of this might sound a little doomsday-ish, considering you can add on the list late 80s 
violent clashes with Armenians. But the people of Sumqayit have persevered. The closing of the majority of factories has seen the air quality immeasurably improve. The boulevard area, next to the seaside, is teeming with life. The wonderfully tree-shaded promenade still lined with quiet little teahouses. The centre has a bustling market with newly added expansions. And a remodelled pedestrian street which could be from any city in Europe. There's life in the old girl yet. Reaching Sumqayit is a piece of cake with numerous buses (40 qapik) leaving from Baku's main bus station whenever full. Overall, it makes for an easy day trip from Baku, although I'm still not so sure about swimming there ;)