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In October 2006 I visited Turkmenistan with Koryo Tours. After visiting North Korea the previous two years, I was eager to compare the legendary personality cults of Kim Il Sung/Kim Jong Il to Turkmenbashi the Great, Saparmurat Niazov. Additionally, I knew nothing of Central Asia, an increasingly strategic region of the globe, particularly in terms of the escalating competition for energy resources between Russia/Europe, China, and the US. I flew to Ashgabat from London Heathrow. Most of the passengers on the flight were continuing on to India, so the in flight reading was pretty limited. A photo of Turkmenbashi stared directly at me from the panel in front of my face. A nice warm smile,”gangster gold ring,” and that blue suit kept me company as I struggled to sleep on the overnight flight. I was not able to sleep well on the flight, so I arrived at Ashgabat Turkmenbashi the Great International Airport somewhat delirious. As I deplaned, I pulled out my camera and snapped a shot of the plane. The security official on the tarmack did not like this and ordered me to hand over my film. What a great start to thrip. I was not even into the airport and already my film was being confiscated! I convinced him that I was just taking apicture of the plane for tourist reasons and he eventually relented. 
Looking at Ashgabat from Google Earth you can’t enjoy the full ambiance of soviet architecture. From the sky the airport looks like a modern marvel built from the largess of natural gas exports. Guess, what…it is a dump. It looked as though it was constructed in the 1970s and not a thing had been touched since then. I also think the metal detectors screwed up my film! Clearing the airport itself took HOURS. We all first had to purchase our visas and obtain the proper entry forms, which were more complicated than the old Soviet procedures. I signed a total of at least twelve signatures and was given duplicate copies of numerous forms to keep with me throughout my visit. The price of the visa fluctuated by $10 throughout the whole process. Next we had to retain our luggage. this could have been quick but the security agents in charge of the luggage room made sure that all of the baggs owners had the proper sticker with matching serial numbers so the owners could be properly identified. Next we had to clear customs. Customs agents checked the papers and bags of every single passenger to get off the plane. As best I could tell there was no difference between the “declare” and “nothing to declare” line, except the nothing to declare line was longer. Several hours later, we emerge in Turkmenistan. Ashgabat Lenin Statue The Turkmen are not Russians. They consider themselves Central Asians not Middle Easterners (even though they share a border with Iran). Nor do they consider themselves Europeans, despite the heavy influence of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin. This Lenin statue was interesting precisely for its attempt to give Lenin an indeginious flavor.
Around Ashgabat The currency in T-stan is the Manat. There were approximately 25,000 of them for each US$. The highest valued note, however, was only US$.50–So if you changed $50 into Manat, you got a big pile of cash. How fun. Architecturally, the city is a combination of Soviet-era communist apartment and office buildings mixed with new Niazov inspired marble-domed buildings. Blocks and elephants. 
Ashgabat’s Propaganda In the last days of the Niazov regime (it was brought to an end by a heart attack just a few weeks after my visit), his vision of Turkmenistan’s future was promoted through the education system, the political system, and through public propaganda. Some aspects were less subtle, such as public billboards, and others were more ostentatious-like the gold statue of Turkmenbashi that rotates so it always faces the sun (Pictured below with the Arch of Neutrality)!
Ashgabat Russian Market (North West of the Arch of Neutrality) Although the market has another formal name, everyone calls it the Russian Market. It is very colorful and all manner of foods are temptingly displayed. When in Ashgabat, I ate here at least once a day. Kebabs, bread, lamb, yogurt, fresh fruit, meat pastries, alcohol, and tobacco were all readily available. Outside the central part of the market, you can purchase clothes, school supplies, books, etc. There is a store near the market that exclusively sells volumes 1 and 2 of the Rukhnama. These books did not appear in any of the market stalls, which gives you a signal of the book’s actual demand. One beggar did approach me in the market. He was Russian and tried to explain to me in English about his mother’s large hospital bill. I said “Sprechen sie Deutsch?”–and he switched over immediately to German. I rolled my eyes, laughed, and moved on.
Presidential Square This first photo of the presidential palace is actually illegal. Luckily I took it when no other security agents were around. Others I was traveling with tried this as well and had to delete the pictures from their camera.
Arch of Neutrality My guide, Ata, was a nice guy and very helpful. We had elections in the US a couple of days earlier, so I gave him my “I Voted” sticker to wear. I figured it would be a while before he got one himself. Check out the gold statue of Turkmenbashi! 
Ertogrul Gazy Mosque Turkmen are not very religious. Of course, they self identify as sunnis, but people do not bother to go to mosque very often, and I never once heard a call to prayer. The Soviets took different strategies in dealing with Catholocism in the Baltics and Islam in Central Asia. Is the Baltics, they faught it and made it into the premier organization for resisting communism. In central Asia, the mosques were all brought under state control and the Imams made party members and put on the state payroll. Fast forward a few generations and most people do no care about being that religious. Still, I heard a couple of Turkmen express anger at the Rukhnama (Turkmenbashi’s book on all things Turkmen) being elevated to the status of a holy book in Islam. 
Independence Tower
Rukhnama Statue
Ashgabat Puppet Theater (No puppets in performance)
Underground Lake
Mosque
Tolkuchka Bazar
Nisa
Desert Village
Trip to Mary
Merv
Dashoguz
Konye Urgench
Kony Urgench 2
