Ashgabat with its frenetic building everywhere makes me think of Dubai. At nighttime I would add a mixture of Las Vegas and Disneyland.
Maybe it is because the actual president, who was Turkmenbachy’s dentist until its death in 2006, putted so much gold in the mouth of Turkmen people, that nowadays he puts it on top of all these new white marble buildings?
In 1948, a terrific earthquake totally destroyed Ashgabat, killing 180000 people. A brand new city was erected on the ashes of the old one, and since the independence in 1991; gigantic works started everywhere, thanks to the income from oil and gas exports. Actually it was Turkmenbachy who started these. Maybe the Guinness book of records was one of his favorite readings, because he managed to figure a few times in it: The longest canal on earth, the biggest mosque in Central Asia, the greatest dome on the world in this same “golden mosque”. By the way, when I visited the mosque it was empty, the first time ever I did not see anyone praying in a mosque. Islam is not very strict in this country, where religions were prohibited until 1991. So, my “guide” Angela, did not even cover her hair when she entered the holy place. Also, people drink alcohols and go to discothèques and nightclubs. But there are more records: The biggest flag in the world: 420 kilos; size: 26 x 57 meters. Why? Well because the new president is born on June 26th,1957! The minarets from the golden mosque are 91 meters high, because ’91 was the year of independence. The monument of Independence is 118 meter high: Independence day was on a 27th of …. In 1991, so 27 + 91 = 118. And so on…
When the “father” and his wife stopped smoking, a law was voted prohibiting smoking in public places, fine: 20$. But you can still smoke in restaurants. Speeding costs 10$. But I have another good one: Driving a dirty car costs 20$! My guide kindly recommended me to wash my car, and yesterday evening, a kind receptionist arranged me a car wash at 11 pm.
Opposite to my hotel is the faculty of medicine, a gigantic building all in white and gold. Next to it is the ministry of health, shaped like the head of a cobra, and next to this one is the ministry of energy, shaped like a lighter.
My hotel is not the one that was first booked for me, no this one has been requisitioned by the government for some important guests. So I am in the neighboring hotel, one of a row of 15 hotels, all owned by the government. Everything is big but nothing works. When I entered my room, there was no electricity and no water. I design elevator opposite to an empty bar is not working. If airco works, I cannot regulate it, but I also couldn’t switch it off, as it was getting freezing cold, so I hat to pull the plug out. And this morning I was the only guest in a gigantic breakfast room. I guess this room can contain some 300 people, while there are only 20 rooms in this hotel. There are water basins everywhere and 2 swimming pools, but all are empty.
