Turkmenistan and Iran 7th September - 22nd September 2007

<- click on the thumb for a sketch of my route

Turkmenistan

Ashgabat

Independence Park

Wedding in the park.

Ruhnama Park

The late dictator Saparmyrat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi (Leader of the Turkmen)) had this park built to hounour his two volume book, Ruhnama.

Statue of Lenin

He's facing what used to be the walls of the Archive of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan.

Earthquake Memorial

With what is probably a golden young Turkmenbashi on top of the bull. He survived the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat, but his family didn't.

Arch of Neutrality

View from the top with view of the Independence Square, the golden-domed Palace of Turkmenbashi and more governmental buildings, among them the Ministry of Fairness.

Behind the montains is the border with Iran.

New Park dedicated to Akhalteke horses

... with another wedding photo shoot and a golden statue of you know who.

Around in Berzengi

Architectural experiments with oil money.

Azadi mosque

Russian market

Become a millionaire after changing 50$ into manats.

Or maybe opening an account and go crazy with your TurkmenCard?

Tolkuchka Bazaar

Animals for sale

Fruits, vegetables, snacks and traffic

Doors

Carpets

Mausoleum for Turkmenbashi and his family togheter with the biggest "mosque" in Central Asia.

The reason for the quote is that this is really a big Ruhnama worship center. The writing on the minarets and walls are quotings from Ruhnama.

We stayed on a farm with Akhal Teke Horses

Turkmenbashis great health walk.

Nissa

The 3rd century capital of the Parhisans

The Karakum Desert

Fueling up before going to the desert. 0,10 NOK or 1,5 cent (eurocent) for one litre.

Passing the train going to the north

Spot the camels

The clerk at this desert gas station has to get the fuel stored behind the sand dune.

Visiting the small desert town of Jerbent

Gas crater near Darvaza

Heading north

Stopping for breakfast

Trucks on the main road between the capital and the northern Khorezm area.

Some lunch in a road side café on the northern edge of the Karakum desert. Yes, pictures of the late leader, his family and books made it up here.

Konye-Urgench

Gonur Tepe

By many regarded as the capital of the fifth great civilization, the Margiana culture. Some think that this is the birthplace of Zoroastrism, and that Zoroaster might have lived here.
The excavations have been dated to 3000 BC.

Merv

One of the greatest archaeological sites in Central Asia. With village life as far back as 3000 BC and an essential stopover on the Silk Road.
Read more: Wikipedia