2hr out 2 hr back, nearly but no cigar. Ashgabat. Turkmenistan
So a walk, 2 hours out 2 hrs back, just follow the lens, things I learnt.
40°centigrade at 11:00am is fucking hot
No shade
No bars
No shops
No one seems to walk in Ashgabat
The marble white buildings don't help
Everything is spread out and visiting places on foot is fucking difficult
Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, dubbed the "city of the dead"; this being due to its very surreal, eerily quiet atmosphere, despite it being filled with over the top opulent and grand white marble buildings. A government mandate enforces white buildings and white cars, which must be frequently washed.
Can you spot the little ladies with the brooms, busy sweeping up ...nothing; the legend on an unknown marble structure reads "The Sovereign State" and "Epoch of Happiness"
Took a brief respite in the underpass, spotlessly clean, looks like it has never been used.
The name "Ebedilik" which translates as "Eternity" is a rather decorative centre piece on a roundabout on one of the main arteries into the city, this stainless steel structure was unveiled in December 2016.
Just like the white-winged dove sings a song.
A large golden statue of Saparmurat Niyazov, the first president of Turkmenistan.
The city holds the Guinness World Record for the highest density of white marble-clad buildings, of which there are over 500 such structures.
State Development Bank of Turkmenistan, an investment bank, I read the blurb on its website, i think what they meant to say is "money laundering"
I didn't make it 2hrs out, personal disaster struck, the coil of my CI implant decided to pack up on me, hoping it was just a temporary glitch I headed back to the hotel to see if I could remedy the situation.
Cut a long story short, there was no remedy, I was to be bereft of hearing until I got back to the UK. Did it spoil my road trip? Nah don't be silly, I can still lip read, I got by. I loved every minute of it.....coming to a blog near you very soon.
[//]:# ([//]:# (!worldmappin 37.93797 lat 58.39168 long d3scr) )
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Apart from that personal disaster at the end, which is sorted out by reading lips, the place you visited is incredible. I can see why they call it the City of the Dead, so much white marble, so clean… is it because it looks like a mausoleum? Or is it because there are so few people on the streets? The truth is, it really does have that surreal atmosphere, with that sculpture and its pigeons, which looks marvellous. And the bank building is incredible! Thank you for introducing us to this fantastic, rather strange place. Big hugs!🤗
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it is becuase there is no one about except some silly brit traveller! Outside the capital is not so grand as I will be bringing stories to one and all
The first part of that comment really made me laugh!!😆
Cheers @avdesing always hear to amuse and entertain LOL
🤗
Even all the cars are white. Why are they do obsessed with keeping everything so white 🤔
I can imagine it might feel kinda weird there...
Weird is a good word, it is all don to the regime, and their megalomania and control of the populous. Together with corruption and crime
Typical megalomaniac architecture, to intimidate people and show superiority. This is what you get in communist and Muslim countries, where citizens live to serve whoever is ruling the country. I've seen some documentaries about countries from that region and ... oh God! I feel sorry for those people honestly.
Disregarding what I wrote above, the architecture is impressive, too bad it does not serve the people.
Yes indeed all the former USSR republics are governed by criminals. muslims christian or jews they are all like pigs with their snouts in the trough
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40° heat is a killer and walking around in it was very risky. Glad you made it back 👍
yeah i lived to fight another day, !! It got hotter
An unexpected travel destination.
Why did you choose this country?
Cheers @svitlana-h thanks for dropping in, I have an odyssey, to visit each of the former republics of the USSR, I have just Belarus to visit to complete the adventure. I have a strong interest in the USSR as was