Asgabat, Turkmenistan looks like it could be a 3D movie set that is currently not being used other than the traffic circling the roundabouts with massive sculptures. It is a clean and beautiful all white marbled city with gold atop everything, even the street lights and the trash bins. This former USSR city has been revamped and while eye-catching it appears to be empty of people. It is also rather expensive although my tour that included hotel, some meals, a great guide and transportation was worth every penny.

The information put out by the government says it is a neutral and secular country. Apparently the people who live her basically go from work to home without stopping anywhere else. You see only white cars and mostly all Toyotas. Perhaps that’s why the people don’t visit the “public” areas of the city as they might never find which of those cars is theirs! The streets are wide, signs are few and far between but all are the same size, shape and only four colors are allowed.

The city was devasted and destroyed by a horrible earthquake in 1948 killing, 10% of the population. Turkmenistan declared its independence from the USSR in the Fall of 1991. Since 2006 it has been ruled by one family and the various clans of this area seem to be quite compliant, even with some of the rules and regulations that seem to be quirky at best and repressive to those of us from the West. There appears to be no political dissent anywhere.

The first modern airport was built in 1994 and demolished in 2013 in order to build an amazing terminal that took the shape of the Falcon, the national bird! While they can handle a great many passengers per hour their immigration lines last longer than anyplace I’ve been. Tourists are not a top priority yet even though there is an abundance of places of interest.

Next blogs will cover both the Silk Road and the Darvaza gas crater also known as the Door to Hell.