Turkmenistan has a few monuments. . . okay, a lot. A couple of us decided to spend a day exploring the monuments of Turkmenistan and taking pictures of as many as we could. There are more than we thought.
Our first stop was the Arch of Neutrality, which is perhaps the most infamous monument in Ashgabat. It is a giant, three legged arch that is topped by a gold statue of the former President, Niyazov. The statue rotates to always face the sun, though it sometimes seems like it's not working too properly. The latest word is that it will be taken down, but so far, the government doesn't seem to have figured out how to do so.
The Arch is in the center of the city and is surrounded by white marble government buildings and a monument dedicated to the devastating 1948 earthquake. It depicts a giant bull shaking the earth and the city falling down, but a golden baby is being presented from the cracks in the earth. The story I heard is that the former President stated that the earthquake happened in order to allow him to emerge from the devastation as a great leader (I think to physically emerge from the earth, but am not positive). Anyway, it's very strange and backs right up to the Arch of Neutrality. The other buildings include the Presidential Palace and a couple of museums and the World Trade Center in Ashgabat.
My group took the elevators to the top of the monument and got a true birds' eye view of the city. It's really beautiful with all the greenery and marble, and you are able to see for miles. You can go out multiple exits to see different parts of the city. A traffic circle goes under the arch, so I often passed it while going around town.
After the bull and the arch, we saw the monument dedicated to those lost in World War II. It's a circle of tall arching stones that have the years of the war at the base. It's very modern and one of the few monuments I saw without white marble. It leads up through a green field to the base of the bull.
The next thing we went to see, foreigners affectionately call "Forty Legs" as it's sometimes difficult to figure out the real names of the different monuments. This is perhaps my favorite monument. It is made out of ten horses (hence the name "Forty Legs) that are half rearing. They are modeled after the famous Akal Teke (I think that's the name) horses that are famously bred in Turkmenistan and are considered a national treasure. They are at the top of a fountain that has two manmade waterfalls cascading down the path leading up to it. It's quite beautiful and regal, especially as the flowers that border the walkway were in full bloom.
The next monument was the GINORMOUS Ruhnama. This is a book that was written by the former president. It's enormous. I'm not even really sure how to relate just how big it is. Apparently it used to open up and there used to be passages from the Ruhnama that scrolled on a giant screen TV but I haven't seen it, and I believe that the book no longer opens. Anyway, it's kind of insane.
So then we took a picture of the building that was built to look like an open Ruhnama and moved on to the last monuments of our tour, which are part of the Independence Day monument. There are two separate monuments that face a large, golden domed Presidential Museum. The first is shaped like a plunger, but has a golden crescent moon on top. The second has five fountains, one on each side, and has a restaurant in it. Both are made of white marble.
There are many other monuments, especially fountains and golden statues of the former President, that can be seen everywhere in the country, but these were the major monuments that I visited. It's quite the experience.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Nohur
On Saturday a group of us traveled out to a small town in the Kopetdag Mountains called Nohur. Again, not very sure how to spell it, but it's supposed to be a town that can trace its ancestry back to Alexander the Great's army, and it's particularly interesting to drive through. We traveled via four wheel drive for about three hours to get there.
To reach this town, you have to turn off of the main highway and start on a gravel and/or dirt road that winds through the mountains. It's quite beautiful, though some areas can lead to some rough driving. I'm not sure how some of the older, smaller cars are able to travel and not get stuck on the road. As you're driving through the canyons and valleys and winding your way up the mountain, there are cows that placidly plod along either side of the road. Then we turned a corner and there was a very large herd of sheep and goats that took up the entire road. As the herder tried to get them to part, another vehicle came from the opposite direction, complicating the situation further as it's barely a two lane road and there are rock walls on either side. By using the horn and slowly moving through the crowd, we were able to get through, but it was while surrounded by a sea of animals!
We wound our way to the village, which is nothing like Ashgabat. Most of the homes are mud brick, and locals use everything, including old car parts and scrap metal, in order to construct rough fences along the road. The houses themselves reminded me of the adobe houses from the Southwest part of the U.S. We wound our way through the village, which has tiny roads with high mud brick walls along them, probably dating back hundreds of years. It's obvious SUVs were not the intended users as we carefully made our way along.
While in the village, someone directed us to the local graveyard, which was like nothing I'd ever seen. On each grave there are horns, of either mountain sheep or goats, many of them painted bright colors. A huge cemetary was filled with these markers, one for each grave in the year. They were carefully tied to the top of poles to mark the gravesite. Our local driver told us that they are meant to represent the elements and offer protection and luck. As we saw similar horns above some houses in Ashgabat, I think that it may date back to pre-Christian traditions that are still used and observed here, which goes along with many of the superstitions in the region.
After touring the village, we drove out for another hour further into the mountains in order to see a waterfall. Though someone told us it would be cold, in a thick forest, and thundering, we did find a variation on this description. We hiked to the top of the waterfall after getting more detailed instructions from one of the local trucks we passed, and found some trees and fallen rocks along a small stream that led to the waterfall. The view from the top was breathtaking and overlooked a valley that was filled with brush and other greenery. It was a few degrees cooler, and had beautiful formations, even if not the "lush forest" we were told to expect. Strangely, while we were driving there, it looked kind of like the area near the black hills, until we saw the stone houses and other structures that were built there. The area around Nohur is truly a beautiful place.
Our last stop was to a carpet factory, where I broke down and bought, not carpet, but a looser weave of rug (and much cheaper). It was incredible to see as seven women squatted on a piece of timber and worked in conjunction with one another to make the complicated, hand made design on the carpet they were working on. The owner told us that one person can make approximately one square meter (approx 3 square feet) of carpet in a month. The amount of work that goes into a carpet blew me away. The colors and details, and the fact that everything is hand knotted, is rather hard to believe, especially as they were working on some carpets that were about forty square meters in size-- as big, if not larger, than many studio apartments.
Apologies for the brief description, but as things wind down, I'm beginning to be busy with packing up and making sure I have everything pulled together. I'll try to make a couple more entries describing some of the other experiences I've had in the last month-- but things have been really busy!
To reach this town, you have to turn off of the main highway and start on a gravel and/or dirt road that winds through the mountains. It's quite beautiful, though some areas can lead to some rough driving. I'm not sure how some of the older, smaller cars are able to travel and not get stuck on the road. As you're driving through the canyons and valleys and winding your way up the mountain, there are cows that placidly plod along either side of the road. Then we turned a corner and there was a very large herd of sheep and goats that took up the entire road. As the herder tried to get them to part, another vehicle came from the opposite direction, complicating the situation further as it's barely a two lane road and there are rock walls on either side. By using the horn and slowly moving through the crowd, we were able to get through, but it was while surrounded by a sea of animals!
We wound our way to the village, which is nothing like Ashgabat. Most of the homes are mud brick, and locals use everything, including old car parts and scrap metal, in order to construct rough fences along the road. The houses themselves reminded me of the adobe houses from the Southwest part of the U.S. We wound our way through the village, which has tiny roads with high mud brick walls along them, probably dating back hundreds of years. It's obvious SUVs were not the intended users as we carefully made our way along.
While in the village, someone directed us to the local graveyard, which was like nothing I'd ever seen. On each grave there are horns, of either mountain sheep or goats, many of them painted bright colors. A huge cemetary was filled with these markers, one for each grave in the year. They were carefully tied to the top of poles to mark the gravesite. Our local driver told us that they are meant to represent the elements and offer protection and luck. As we saw similar horns above some houses in Ashgabat, I think that it may date back to pre-Christian traditions that are still used and observed here, which goes along with many of the superstitions in the region.
After touring the village, we drove out for another hour further into the mountains in order to see a waterfall. Though someone told us it would be cold, in a thick forest, and thundering, we did find a variation on this description. We hiked to the top of the waterfall after getting more detailed instructions from one of the local trucks we passed, and found some trees and fallen rocks along a small stream that led to the waterfall. The view from the top was breathtaking and overlooked a valley that was filled with brush and other greenery. It was a few degrees cooler, and had beautiful formations, even if not the "lush forest" we were told to expect. Strangely, while we were driving there, it looked kind of like the area near the black hills, until we saw the stone houses and other structures that were built there. The area around Nohur is truly a beautiful place.
Our last stop was to a carpet factory, where I broke down and bought, not carpet, but a looser weave of rug (and much cheaper). It was incredible to see as seven women squatted on a piece of timber and worked in conjunction with one another to make the complicated, hand made design on the carpet they were working on. The owner told us that one person can make approximately one square meter (approx 3 square feet) of carpet in a month. The amount of work that goes into a carpet blew me away. The colors and details, and the fact that everything is hand knotted, is rather hard to believe, especially as they were working on some carpets that were about forty square meters in size-- as big, if not larger, than many studio apartments.
Apologies for the brief description, but as things wind down, I'm beginning to be busy with packing up and making sure I have everything pulled together. I'll try to make a couple more entries describing some of the other experiences I've had in the last month-- but things have been really busy!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Merv
A group of us traveled out to Merv for the day in order to see the ruins. Ancient Merv, as it is often referred to, is a huge national historical area that dates back to centures B.C. As we found out, there are many ruins instead of just one or two, and that each ruin is often due to a different civilization.
The first thing you see as you drive up to the historical sites is a huge wall that, I'm guessing, is more than twenty feet tall. Every so often there are structures built into the wall that had to have been guard towers. This wall extends as far as the eye can see. I'm not sure if this is the wall the guide was referring to, but one of them (yes, there is more than one) was built by an old king, one of the first to build a structure in the area, in order to preserve the oasis, flora and fauna that he found there. Though it is nothing but desert today, it had lush greenery and forests then, or that is what we were told.
We went from the wall to the first large fortress, which is said to be the Maiden's fortress. You can still clambor up the stairs to the second floor and see the basement and other structures. It is very, very tall-- about ninety or so feet. The outside is very striking and has ripples built into it in order to adjust and deal with the wind pounding against it. It almost looks like a series of mud brick columns that were built very close to each other. What is most incredible is that the entire structure is built out of mud brick and has survived for centuries.
Within a five minute walk is another fortress, though it is not as well preserved. This fortress is known as the Young Man's Fortress. Turkmen love stories and tales, and the happier one for these two is that there was a group of young men in the one fortress and a group of young ladies in the other. For great feats of bravery, a young man could choose his bride, and the common challenge was that if a man could throw an apple over the wall of the maiden's fortress (keep in mind, this is five- ten minute walk away, so a long distance, plus the height of the wall), he could choose any maiden he wanted. Well, the young men wanted the ladies so much and were so much in love that they kept trying and trying until they devised a catapult like device to get the apples over the other wall. Then all the men and women were happy when the men could choose their brides.
Stories such as these pervade the ruins, moreso than any real history that I heard, and they are all very beautiful. Our last major stop was at one of the old mausoleums. Though it was also ransacked during the time of the Moguls, you can still see some of the old tilework and designs that once were throughout the inside. It is a pilgrimage site for some people in the country. The legend of the king who built the mausoleum goes like this. A King fell in love with a fairy but was told that he had to obey three rules in order to marry her. The first was never to look at her when she was walking. The second was never to look at her while she was doing her hair, and the third was never to embrace her.
The King promised and the two married and were very happy and very much in love. Then the King broke the first rule and looked at his wife while she was walking. He saw that she was not walking, but was flying and floating along. She was very, very angry when she found out, but loved him so eventually forgave him, after he promised not to break the other two. Well, he eventually broke the second rule, and saw that while brushing her hair, she took her head off her shoulders to do so. He was not disgusted for he loved his wife very, very much. She was again angry, but forgave him.
Finally, the King could no longer resist expressing his love for his wife and embraced her. She told him that she had to leave, for he had broken all three rules and she could not remain with him. He was heartbroken and could not stand to be parted from her. She loved him very much, and she told him that if he built a structure that was very tall, and there was a hole for her to come down and look through, she would always meet him once a week.
So the King, bereft, built the mausoleum, and there is a hole in the ceiling. He was said to visit her every week on Fridays and became happy, for he was able to speak with his love. When he was dying, he asked to be brought to the mauoleum and begged to be able to speak with her one last time. She heard his plea and came down in time to see him.
Unfortunately I can't remember the full ending of the story, but such romance and tragedy is what makes Turkmen stories so beautiful and so common in the country.
The final two stops we made were impromptu and had nothing to do with the ruins. We were driving along and saw a herd of camels that had to have about a hundred in them. We all got out of the car and, very excited, began to take pictures. The boys in charge of the herd told us to come around and that they had a camel that was trained to allow people to mount her. We walked around the stream and over the low wall (that still went from the old fortress) and got to mount and (in my case) just stand next to the camel. There is a great photo of me looking nervously at the camel as her head came around. They are known to spit and bite. I was very excited to see so many camels, though!
The second stop was to a local store to buy this special type of cookie. Our guide told us that they were the best in Turkmenistan, and they were very good. They are soft, kind of like a firm cake, and have a glaze on them. Mine had honey in them. They were very good and we happily carried bags of the cookies back to the airport.
Mary had a very different feel from Ashgabat. You can feel the history pressing down from the past, as you can see ruins on the edge of town and see more of the neighborhoods that don't seem to exist as much in Ashgabat. There were fewer statues and grand marble buildings, which was nice to see as we got more of a feeling of the actual people in the country. I'm told that Mary is the second largest city in Turkmenistan, and it was a true pleasure to be able to tour, even if just for a day or two.
The first thing you see as you drive up to the historical sites is a huge wall that, I'm guessing, is more than twenty feet tall. Every so often there are structures built into the wall that had to have been guard towers. This wall extends as far as the eye can see. I'm not sure if this is the wall the guide was referring to, but one of them (yes, there is more than one) was built by an old king, one of the first to build a structure in the area, in order to preserve the oasis, flora and fauna that he found there. Though it is nothing but desert today, it had lush greenery and forests then, or that is what we were told.
One of the walls was said to contain a great city that included great scholars, happy people, and was the center of civilization during its day. The fortress and the great city that once was in these walls was eventually destroyed by the Moguls, to the point where tens of thousands of people were killed. The great king within the fortress walls was able to keep the Moguls from invading initially, but then their water was cut off. The Moguls told him that they would invade "peacefully" if the great walls to the fortress were opened. The King had no other choice and this beacon of civilization and research was quickly destroyed completely and set on fire. Unfortunately, tales like this (Monguls destroying great civilizations) seem to be common around Turkmenistan.
We went from the wall to the first large fortress, which is said to be the Maiden's fortress. You can still clambor up the stairs to the second floor and see the basement and other structures. It is very, very tall-- about ninety or so feet. The outside is very striking and has ripples built into it in order to adjust and deal with the wind pounding against it. It almost looks like a series of mud brick columns that were built very close to each other. What is most incredible is that the entire structure is built out of mud brick and has survived for centuries.
Within a five minute walk is another fortress, though it is not as well preserved. This fortress is known as the Young Man's Fortress. Turkmen love stories and tales, and the happier one for these two is that there was a group of young men in the one fortress and a group of young ladies in the other. For great feats of bravery, a young man could choose his bride, and the common challenge was that if a man could throw an apple over the wall of the maiden's fortress (keep in mind, this is five- ten minute walk away, so a long distance, plus the height of the wall), he could choose any maiden he wanted. Well, the young men wanted the ladies so much and were so much in love that they kept trying and trying until they devised a catapult like device to get the apples over the other wall. Then all the men and women were happy when the men could choose their brides.
Stories such as these pervade the ruins, moreso than any real history that I heard, and they are all very beautiful. Our last major stop was at one of the old mausoleums. Though it was also ransacked during the time of the Moguls, you can still see some of the old tilework and designs that once were throughout the inside. It is a pilgrimage site for some people in the country. The legend of the king who built the mausoleum goes like this. A King fell in love with a fairy but was told that he had to obey three rules in order to marry her. The first was never to look at her when she was walking. The second was never to look at her while she was doing her hair, and the third was never to embrace her.
The King promised and the two married and were very happy and very much in love. Then the King broke the first rule and looked at his wife while she was walking. He saw that she was not walking, but was flying and floating along. She was very, very angry when she found out, but loved him so eventually forgave him, after he promised not to break the other two. Well, he eventually broke the second rule, and saw that while brushing her hair, she took her head off her shoulders to do so. He was not disgusted for he loved his wife very, very much. She was again angry, but forgave him.
Finally, the King could no longer resist expressing his love for his wife and embraced her. She told him that she had to leave, for he had broken all three rules and she could not remain with him. He was heartbroken and could not stand to be parted from her. She loved him very much, and she told him that if he built a structure that was very tall, and there was a hole for her to come down and look through, she would always meet him once a week.
So the King, bereft, built the mausoleum, and there is a hole in the ceiling. He was said to visit her every week on Fridays and became happy, for he was able to speak with his love. When he was dying, he asked to be brought to the mauoleum and begged to be able to speak with her one last time. She heard his plea and came down in time to see him.
Unfortunately I can't remember the full ending of the story, but such romance and tragedy is what makes Turkmen stories so beautiful and so common in the country.
The final two stops we made were impromptu and had nothing to do with the ruins. We were driving along and saw a herd of camels that had to have about a hundred in them. We all got out of the car and, very excited, began to take pictures. The boys in charge of the herd told us to come around and that they had a camel that was trained to allow people to mount her. We walked around the stream and over the low wall (that still went from the old fortress) and got to mount and (in my case) just stand next to the camel. There is a great photo of me looking nervously at the camel as her head came around. They are known to spit and bite. I was very excited to see so many camels, though!
The second stop was to a local store to buy this special type of cookie. Our guide told us that they were the best in Turkmenistan, and they were very good. They are soft, kind of like a firm cake, and have a glaze on them. Mine had honey in them. They were very good and we happily carried bags of the cookies back to the airport.
Mary had a very different feel from Ashgabat. You can feel the history pressing down from the past, as you can see ruins on the edge of town and see more of the neighborhoods that don't seem to exist as much in Ashgabat. There were fewer statues and grand marble buildings, which was nice to see as we got more of a feeling of the actual people in the country. I'm told that Mary is the second largest city in Turkmenistan, and it was a true pleasure to be able to tour, even if just for a day or two.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Health Walk
Former Turkmen President Niyazov decided that citizens of Turkmenistan need to be healthier, and he created a long, paved path with railings that goes for miles, is lit, and is called the health walk. Let me preface this entry by saying that I have not been on most of the health walk, nor do I know exactly where it ends up. This, instead, is about my small experience on it and my amusement with some of it, and me talking about the Hash. But there is, actually, a health walk created for the citizens and visitors to Turkmenistan.
I went to the Hash on Saturday, and we walked from a small, walled community to the President Hotel area. We were told that this would be about a thirty to forty minute walk. For those reading this not familiar with a Hash, it is a running or walking activity where someone lays a trail for people to see parts of an area that are usually not explored by the group, and it ends at someone's house or a restaurant/bar where people enjoy a drink or two. I really enjoy it and the people who participate are really nice.
So we started out in a small community and were directed onto the walkers' trail. We went around the block, and then lost the trail, which is marked by bits of shredded paper. In the two hours since the trail was laid, busy workers had laid down more of a block of new road-- right over the trail. So. . . we ended up a little lost right off of the bat. Only here would a new road be laid between 3 and 5pm on a Saturday. So we went in another circle and refound the trail.
Did I mention that there are two trails? And a longer one is for runners? Yeah. . . so we missed the walking trail and our brief, three mile, forty minute walk extended for more than an hour and a half. It was a nice walk, but in the heat at midday, a little warmer than we were expecting. We followed a dirt road through the middle of a field that felt more like the desert than anywhere else I have been in Ashgabat. It was towards the outskirts of the city, and we were quite distant from buildings for most of the time.
On my left were the mountains, and as I walked through a stone strewn road, it was nice to see something that was not artificially maintained to be green and with fountains, unlike the majority of the city. I walked along this road until I reached a paved walkway. I climbed over the railling, and the person with me told me that it was part of the health walk that was built some years ago. It could hold about eight people walking abreast, and was paved with marble insets that list years every so often. It's kind of weird. It apparently goes for miles up into the mountains and is supposed to be for people to work on physical fitness. Someone told me that it's the long tail of lights that you can see on the side of the mountains at night, but really, it goes for miles.
Anyway, we walked along this path for about a mile or so, then we finally got back to the main road and headed in for the ending part of the Hash. I've since realized that this entry isn't as interesting, more just me being like "I went on a very long walk in the desert and was an idiot and didn't bring water", but oh well. It was a nice walk-one I enjoyed very much, and now I can say that I've been on part of the health walk.
I went to the Hash on Saturday, and we walked from a small, walled community to the President Hotel area. We were told that this would be about a thirty to forty minute walk. For those reading this not familiar with a Hash, it is a running or walking activity where someone lays a trail for people to see parts of an area that are usually not explored by the group, and it ends at someone's house or a restaurant/bar where people enjoy a drink or two. I really enjoy it and the people who participate are really nice.
So we started out in a small community and were directed onto the walkers' trail. We went around the block, and then lost the trail, which is marked by bits of shredded paper. In the two hours since the trail was laid, busy workers had laid down more of a block of new road-- right over the trail. So. . . we ended up a little lost right off of the bat. Only here would a new road be laid between 3 and 5pm on a Saturday. So we went in another circle and refound the trail.
Did I mention that there are two trails? And a longer one is for runners? Yeah. . . so we missed the walking trail and our brief, three mile, forty minute walk extended for more than an hour and a half. It was a nice walk, but in the heat at midday, a little warmer than we were expecting. We followed a dirt road through the middle of a field that felt more like the desert than anywhere else I have been in Ashgabat. It was towards the outskirts of the city, and we were quite distant from buildings for most of the time.
On my left were the mountains, and as I walked through a stone strewn road, it was nice to see something that was not artificially maintained to be green and with fountains, unlike the majority of the city. I walked along this road until I reached a paved walkway. I climbed over the railling, and the person with me told me that it was part of the health walk that was built some years ago. It could hold about eight people walking abreast, and was paved with marble insets that list years every so often. It's kind of weird. It apparently goes for miles up into the mountains and is supposed to be for people to work on physical fitness. Someone told me that it's the long tail of lights that you can see on the side of the mountains at night, but really, it goes for miles.
Anyway, we walked along this path for about a mile or so, then we finally got back to the main road and headed in for the ending part of the Hash. I've since realized that this entry isn't as interesting, more just me being like "I went on a very long walk in the desert and was an idiot and didn't bring water", but oh well. It was a nice walk-one I enjoyed very much, and now I can say that I've been on part of the health walk.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Annau
Last Saturday a group of us went to a pilgrimage site right outside of Ashgabat, which is known as Annau. The Annau ruins are those of an old mosque that has been destroyed by an earthquake and other natural events.
We all loaded into the van that was rented for the day and started the drive outside of the city. The fields outside of the buildings are completely flat except for a few strange bumps that seem to rise out of nowhere. There are fields of stunted trees and green wheat fields. Though the Turkmen are determined to make some type of forest, the fields of trees better resemble a Christmas Tree field with stunted trees in straight rows as far as the eye can see. There are also irrigated fields of wheat and other products, that make it seem less like a desert and more like a farming community.
The first stop on our trip was to what looked like strange mounds poking up from otherwise completely flat field. The area ended up being an ancient settlement that lasted from 5,000-3,000 (or thereabouts, I forgot the exact dates) BC. The funny part is, however, that there is a trench dug through the center of this mound. An archeologist in the late 1800s decided that he was going to look at these settlements (there are mutliple) for precious objects and dug a trench straight through it. He didn't find anything, but there are thousands of years old shards of pottery that you are walking through as you go through the trench. I could just reach down and pick up shards that probably should be studied.
We also passed a wheat museum, which is why this particular mound had so much importance. During the Niyazov era, a 5,000 year old grain of wheat was found in the mound, which prompted the museum to be built. We were told by our guide that any mounds that we saw in the otherwise flat territory used to be something that was manmade, from whole settlements to watch towers.
We all scrambled back down the hill and headed on to the ruins of the mosque in Annau. We arrived and climbed out of the van, and went up a hill to a grave site. It was covered with tiny, crude stone constructions that represented offerings and wishes that people traveled to give. From money to hair pins to string, there were various personal items that were left in tribute and supplication. They covered the low walls and the grave, and many of them contained items that were rusted or faded with time, giving visitors an idea of how old this site was and how many people have traveled to be there.
From the grave site we moved to the main ruins, which still stand fairly tall. There is light and dark blue paint on various parts, and a sign reminds visitors of what the mosque looked like before an earthquake caused most of it to crumble. I was told that light blue represented the sky and dark blue, water, both important to people in Central Asia. There are still two pillars that mark the entrance to the mosque, with hills and fallen stones marking the outside. When you look to the right of the entrance, there is still a lower part of the building partially intact. There is a wooden post alongside of that lower structure, and there are about thirty colorful handkerchiefs waving gaily in the wind, left there by pilgrims who wanted to leave an offering asking for good luck.
I walked up the little hill, through the two sides that remained of the entrance. Most of the back of the mosque is totally ruined-- just tumbling stones down a hill, but you can climb a little bit and there are still some walls that give you the feeling of how it must have been before it was destroyed. The outline of an arched window, the pillars with worn carvings, and smaller "rooms" that hold offerings from people traveling to the mosque to ask for blessings.
Central Asiam Muslim tradition is far different from any I have heard about around the world. There are far more shamanistic traditions and superstitions incorporated into their culture and way of worship. It is facinating to hear how previous religions impacted Islam in this area. There was Christianity and ZionAstricism (or however you spell/pronounce it), amongst many others, that already had a footprint here, and all of these traditions can be seen in some within Central Asian Islam. It also can be seen in the artwork found in and on the old ruins there. The guide showed us a photo of the old artwork from the arch, and told us that it is the only mosque in the world with dragons depicted on the outside. In Muslim tradition, architects and artists do not portray live beings. Instead, words, flowers, and geometrics are used. Not so much in Central Asia, which makes them even more unique. There is apparently another temple further away that had a carving or painting of a tiger, also unique in the world.
Before a visitor reaches the two pillars, there are two old sarcophaguses (sarcophogai? I don't know and can't seem to spell today). They are the most sacred parts of the site, or one of the most important, and have little altars in front of them with stones that, when spun on a finger, are supposed to tell the pilgrims something about their life or how they've been living it. Our guide was skeptical of its properties. We saw people approaching the ruins and coming with items to tie and leave as we stood there, a group of foreigners trying to understand these traditions.
I don't know if I have done these ruins justice with this description and will try to add photos later to help, but it was a beautiful trip and one I would strongly recommend for anyone who visits here.
We all loaded into the van that was rented for the day and started the drive outside of the city. The fields outside of the buildings are completely flat except for a few strange bumps that seem to rise out of nowhere. There are fields of stunted trees and green wheat fields. Though the Turkmen are determined to make some type of forest, the fields of trees better resemble a Christmas Tree field with stunted trees in straight rows as far as the eye can see. There are also irrigated fields of wheat and other products, that make it seem less like a desert and more like a farming community.
The first stop on our trip was to what looked like strange mounds poking up from otherwise completely flat field. The area ended up being an ancient settlement that lasted from 5,000-3,000 (or thereabouts, I forgot the exact dates) BC. The funny part is, however, that there is a trench dug through the center of this mound. An archeologist in the late 1800s decided that he was going to look at these settlements (there are mutliple) for precious objects and dug a trench straight through it. He didn't find anything, but there are thousands of years old shards of pottery that you are walking through as you go through the trench. I could just reach down and pick up shards that probably should be studied.
We also passed a wheat museum, which is why this particular mound had so much importance. During the Niyazov era, a 5,000 year old grain of wheat was found in the mound, which prompted the museum to be built. We were told by our guide that any mounds that we saw in the otherwise flat territory used to be something that was manmade, from whole settlements to watch towers.
We all scrambled back down the hill and headed on to the ruins of the mosque in Annau. We arrived and climbed out of the van, and went up a hill to a grave site. It was covered with tiny, crude stone constructions that represented offerings and wishes that people traveled to give. From money to hair pins to string, there were various personal items that were left in tribute and supplication. They covered the low walls and the grave, and many of them contained items that were rusted or faded with time, giving visitors an idea of how old this site was and how many people have traveled to be there.
From the grave site we moved to the main ruins, which still stand fairly tall. There is light and dark blue paint on various parts, and a sign reminds visitors of what the mosque looked like before an earthquake caused most of it to crumble. I was told that light blue represented the sky and dark blue, water, both important to people in Central Asia. There are still two pillars that mark the entrance to the mosque, with hills and fallen stones marking the outside. When you look to the right of the entrance, there is still a lower part of the building partially intact. There is a wooden post alongside of that lower structure, and there are about thirty colorful handkerchiefs waving gaily in the wind, left there by pilgrims who wanted to leave an offering asking for good luck.
I walked up the little hill, through the two sides that remained of the entrance. Most of the back of the mosque is totally ruined-- just tumbling stones down a hill, but you can climb a little bit and there are still some walls that give you the feeling of how it must have been before it was destroyed. The outline of an arched window, the pillars with worn carvings, and smaller "rooms" that hold offerings from people traveling to the mosque to ask for blessings.
Central Asiam Muslim tradition is far different from any I have heard about around the world. There are far more shamanistic traditions and superstitions incorporated into their culture and way of worship. It is facinating to hear how previous religions impacted Islam in this area. There was Christianity and ZionAstricism (or however you spell/pronounce it), amongst many others, that already had a footprint here, and all of these traditions can be seen in some within Central Asian Islam. It also can be seen in the artwork found in and on the old ruins there. The guide showed us a photo of the old artwork from the arch, and told us that it is the only mosque in the world with dragons depicted on the outside. In Muslim tradition, architects and artists do not portray live beings. Instead, words, flowers, and geometrics are used. Not so much in Central Asia, which makes them even more unique. There is apparently another temple further away that had a carving or painting of a tiger, also unique in the world.
Before a visitor reaches the two pillars, there are two old sarcophaguses (sarcophogai? I don't know and can't seem to spell today). They are the most sacred parts of the site, or one of the most important, and have little altars in front of them with stones that, when spun on a finger, are supposed to tell the pilgrims something about their life or how they've been living it. Our guide was skeptical of its properties. We saw people approaching the ruins and coming with items to tie and leave as we stood there, a group of foreigners trying to understand these traditions.
I don't know if I have done these ruins justice with this description and will try to add photos later to help, but it was a beautiful trip and one I would strongly recommend for anyone who visits here.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Turkmen Wedding
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend a Turkmen wedding. It was the brother of a friend of a group of people I was with, and it is apparently tradition to invite large numbers of people to the reception portion of the wedding, so I was able to go with. It was one of the most unique experiences I have had so far, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
We first took a gypsy taxi across town to the event hall. We walked past the ribbon and bow festooned car and into the entrance to a large hall draped with red and orange fabric decorations. To our immediate left was a raised dais with the bride and groom, and a huge picture of the current president behind them, proudly framed by matching wedding colors. It is a very elaborate display, and relatives and friends were going up all night to take pictures behind the bride and groom.
To the right of the dais was a music area with a full Turkmen band that began playing and singing. The music was very loud, and we all became rather good at "telephone" and sign language, even though we sat near the back. One of the other women in my group and myself were the only two not wearing full Turkmen dress. There was color everywhere, from the beautiful, hand sewn dresses with their elaborate embroidery, to the head scarves and colors from the wedding itself.
We all sat down at the table after easing our way through the forty or fifty tables that were set around the room. Food already filled the table, and waitresses, also in traditional garb, began pouring juices and sodas for each person. We all started to fill our plates with the salads and vegetables in front of us. The next couple of paragraphs are mainly about the food, because I can't believe how much there was.
Next came these little crystal goblets, and they were filled with vodka for each person around the table. What one does not know when you first sit down is that these are never ending goblets. You will quickly see how this can become a problem. Everyone makes a toast for the bride and groom, you drink the voda, waitress lady fills up the glass before you realize it, someone else at the table proposes a toast, you drink the vodka, repeat. I learned very, very quickly that a quarter mini glass per toast was preferable, especially with the "helpful" waitress filling it up when I wasn't looking. Good thing I like vodka. And began pouring water in my glass.
Anyway, back to the food. So there are a lot of salads on the table, and then they start bringing out more courses. There is the meat/fried potatoes course, the shashlik course, and more that I can't remember because there was so much food. It is all delicious, and I was able to try more dishes from Turkmenistan. They use a lot of produce, which is really, really good and they have lots of natural flavors, that I'm not sure I can describe.
While we are eating, dancing started. Turkmen dancing seems to involve a lot of people standing in a circle while moving back and forth to the side and putting their hands up. One or two people enter the circle and dance a little more energetically. I'm not trying to be funny, I just am not particularly good at decribing dance (you should hear me describe ballet). It's actually beautiful because of the colors, but there is no partner dancing. We were brought up to the dance floor (I'm not much of a dancer) and asked to participate.
But first, speeches. One of the women in my group was asked to give a speech for the bride and groom. She was friends/co-workers with the groom's brother. She said a few words on camera, as they film everything, and then we had to participate in a special dance. I was confused, but then an older lady came around giving us towels. Someone explained that the towels are meant to provide good luck and positive emotions to those who receive them. Towels are handed out, hundreds of them, to all of the guests on the dance floor. Guests then keep them and bring that positive energy home from the wedding.
The dancing, speeches, and recording went on for another couple of hours. We kept eating, toasting, and being brought back onto the dance floor. Kids ran around, just like any wedding reception, and folks looked on. I did find out that this was an arranged marriage, which was interesting. Both seems content with everything, though, and the family was very happy, if the speeches were any indication.
We actually left fairly early, before more courses were brought out because it was late and all of us had to work the next day. By fairly early, I mean 10pm and it started around 7. I did not give the wedding justice with this description, but I hope it gave you glimpse as to what it's like.
We first took a gypsy taxi across town to the event hall. We walked past the ribbon and bow festooned car and into the entrance to a large hall draped with red and orange fabric decorations. To our immediate left was a raised dais with the bride and groom, and a huge picture of the current president behind them, proudly framed by matching wedding colors. It is a very elaborate display, and relatives and friends were going up all night to take pictures behind the bride and groom.
To the right of the dais was a music area with a full Turkmen band that began playing and singing. The music was very loud, and we all became rather good at "telephone" and sign language, even though we sat near the back. One of the other women in my group and myself were the only two not wearing full Turkmen dress. There was color everywhere, from the beautiful, hand sewn dresses with their elaborate embroidery, to the head scarves and colors from the wedding itself.
We all sat down at the table after easing our way through the forty or fifty tables that were set around the room. Food already filled the table, and waitresses, also in traditional garb, began pouring juices and sodas for each person. We all started to fill our plates with the salads and vegetables in front of us. The next couple of paragraphs are mainly about the food, because I can't believe how much there was.
Next came these little crystal goblets, and they were filled with vodka for each person around the table. What one does not know when you first sit down is that these are never ending goblets. You will quickly see how this can become a problem. Everyone makes a toast for the bride and groom, you drink the voda, waitress lady fills up the glass before you realize it, someone else at the table proposes a toast, you drink the vodka, repeat. I learned very, very quickly that a quarter mini glass per toast was preferable, especially with the "helpful" waitress filling it up when I wasn't looking. Good thing I like vodka. And began pouring water in my glass.
Anyway, back to the food. So there are a lot of salads on the table, and then they start bringing out more courses. There is the meat/fried potatoes course, the shashlik course, and more that I can't remember because there was so much food. It is all delicious, and I was able to try more dishes from Turkmenistan. They use a lot of produce, which is really, really good and they have lots of natural flavors, that I'm not sure I can describe.
While we are eating, dancing started. Turkmen dancing seems to involve a lot of people standing in a circle while moving back and forth to the side and putting their hands up. One or two people enter the circle and dance a little more energetically. I'm not trying to be funny, I just am not particularly good at decribing dance (you should hear me describe ballet). It's actually beautiful because of the colors, but there is no partner dancing. We were brought up to the dance floor (I'm not much of a dancer) and asked to participate.
But first, speeches. One of the women in my group was asked to give a speech for the bride and groom. She was friends/co-workers with the groom's brother. She said a few words on camera, as they film everything, and then we had to participate in a special dance. I was confused, but then an older lady came around giving us towels. Someone explained that the towels are meant to provide good luck and positive emotions to those who receive them. Towels are handed out, hundreds of them, to all of the guests on the dance floor. Guests then keep them and bring that positive energy home from the wedding.
The dancing, speeches, and recording went on for another couple of hours. We kept eating, toasting, and being brought back onto the dance floor. Kids ran around, just like any wedding reception, and folks looked on. I did find out that this was an arranged marriage, which was interesting. Both seems content with everything, though, and the family was very happy, if the speeches were any indication.
We actually left fairly early, before more courses were brought out because it was late and all of us had to work the next day. By fairly early, I mean 10pm and it started around 7. I did not give the wedding justice with this description, but I hope it gave you glimpse as to what it's like.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Turkmen Music
Last Sunday was International Children's Day. I decided to attend a concert that was being held at Magtamguly Drama and Music Theatre that featured performers from five different music schools within Ashgabat. The ages of the students ranged from little boys who had to have been no older than seven or eight to university students who were eighteen or nineteen.
The musical talent in this city is amazing. I can only compare to similar age groups that I saw in my hometown and that I saw when my siblings were performing, but these groups are very advanced. One teacher said that they spend half of the day in regular school and then half of each day in the music school. Instruments ranged from Turkmen guitars (no idea what their real name is) to classical violinists. Before the concert began, there were two groups in the lobby area that moved between a brass band and a group of violinists. Both had a unique sound and provided quite the contrast.
The musical choice was just as diverse. The concert started out with a traditional Turkmen song, and I'll do my best to describe it. There are a few vocalists, and the vocal part is rather nasaly (not in a bad way) but with less tonal changes. It kind of is a series of notes strung together-- I couldn't make out, really, individual words. Kind of like Native American music from some parts of the U.S. There are four or five types of instruments used. A miniature cross between a cello and violin, Turkmen style guitars, a mouth boingy instrument thing, a hammar harp type instrument, and a larger guitar like instrument. Together it's rather haunting and a very unique sound.
The other music consisted of a mix of Americana and classical (it was a joint Turkmen-American concert). One of the most interesting and entertaining moments was a rendition of "Oh Susanna" sung by two adorable Turkmen girls. They did an incredible job, and it was interesting listening to an old American classic sung with a Russian accent.
My favorite part of the concert was the youngest choir. Little girls in sparkly green dresses, with big white bows in their hair filed out on stage. Then came the maestro and violin soloist-- both little boys about six years old. The maestro even had the full coat tails of a director. He bowed to the crowd, signalled the violinist to bow, and then raised his hands and signalled for the girls and other little boys to begin singing. They sang a lovely song about the ABCs. When they were done (and the violinist played in concert with the vocalists), the conductor told them when to end, and they all turned and bowed again to the audience. By far the best act :).
The concert just cemented how similar families are in any country. Mothers and fathers took pictures and recorded, and raised their cell phones to get their newest background picture for their phone. Kids sang, some shuffled in their seats, and flowers were given to the performers in the end. It was a very good concert and impressive with the talent it displayed.
The musical talent in this city is amazing. I can only compare to similar age groups that I saw in my hometown and that I saw when my siblings were performing, but these groups are very advanced. One teacher said that they spend half of the day in regular school and then half of each day in the music school. Instruments ranged from Turkmen guitars (no idea what their real name is) to classical violinists. Before the concert began, there were two groups in the lobby area that moved between a brass band and a group of violinists. Both had a unique sound and provided quite the contrast.
The musical choice was just as diverse. The concert started out with a traditional Turkmen song, and I'll do my best to describe it. There are a few vocalists, and the vocal part is rather nasaly (not in a bad way) but with less tonal changes. It kind of is a series of notes strung together-- I couldn't make out, really, individual words. Kind of like Native American music from some parts of the U.S. There are four or five types of instruments used. A miniature cross between a cello and violin, Turkmen style guitars, a mouth boingy instrument thing, a hammar harp type instrument, and a larger guitar like instrument. Together it's rather haunting and a very unique sound.
The other music consisted of a mix of Americana and classical (it was a joint Turkmen-American concert). One of the most interesting and entertaining moments was a rendition of "Oh Susanna" sung by two adorable Turkmen girls. They did an incredible job, and it was interesting listening to an old American classic sung with a Russian accent.
My favorite part of the concert was the youngest choir. Little girls in sparkly green dresses, with big white bows in their hair filed out on stage. Then came the maestro and violin soloist-- both little boys about six years old. The maestro even had the full coat tails of a director. He bowed to the crowd, signalled the violinist to bow, and then raised his hands and signalled for the girls and other little boys to begin singing. They sang a lovely song about the ABCs. When they were done (and the violinist played in concert with the vocalists), the conductor told them when to end, and they all turned and bowed again to the audience. By far the best act :).
The concert just cemented how similar families are in any country. Mothers and fathers took pictures and recorded, and raised their cell phones to get their newest background picture for their phone. Kids sang, some shuffled in their seats, and flowers were given to the performers in the end. It was a very good concert and impressive with the talent it displayed.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Shashlik and the Bazaar
I keep being asked what type of food there is in Turkmenistan, and decided that it would be good to start out with what seems to be kind of a national phenomenon, shashlik (pronounced shaush--leek).
Shahlik is very much like kabobs, but it can be any type of barbequed meat with marinade put on it. It is very good. The ground beef shashlik is probably my favorite, as it is basically like the kabobs I've had in the U.S. Most of the meat, chicken mainly, still has the bone on it, but it's no different than just always having the bone on in the U.S.
The food here uses a lot of produce, which is grown in the surrounding areas and is very fresh. The tomatoes are particularly excellent, which I'm told is due to the amount of sun that they receive. The cucumbers are also very popular, even put in the fried rice at the local Chinese restaurant, which made for an interesting flavor. The national dish of Turkmenistan is Plov. It is a rice dish which some form of meat mixed in along with onions and carrots. It has a very mild flavor, as some of the Turkmen have explained that they prefer using the natural seasonings found in the vegetables and meat. It does mean that is I want stronger spices, it can be a little more challenging to find.
I love the food here, generally, because it is so fresh. There is no such thing as a fast food restaurant. Instead, you can go to the local bazaar and pick up fresh made bread packets that have potatoes, spinich, meat, or other types of food in them. Though Coke products are commonly found everywhere, tea is also really popular, and can be served in various levels of ceremonies. While at the bazaar, you can purchase a variety of things, but let me describle what it's like to walk in to.
Imagine a farmer's market in the U.S., which lines of farmers in the center of four walks without a ceiling, so completely open air. All these people have goods laid out at separate, semi-permanent stands, all food goods, including whatever fruits and vegetables are in season. Each of them gesture or offer samples of the fruits and vegetables to passers by, in hopes that they will buy from that stand. This extends to booths with meat laid out (just pick which part of the animal you would prefer your cut from) to small refrigeration units with milk and chesses. There are people roaming through the narrow aisles, looking for the best vendor for what they're looking for.
The walls surrounding this market are filled with small shops that hawk everything from cameras to clothing to shoes, and the shop keepers invite you in. There are small stands that contain newspapers and books in Russian and Turkmen, and it seems one of the few places where the ever-present portraits of the Turkmen President are not in full display. Instead, this is a place of shop keepers and those who want to buy various products. There are colors everywhere, with machine made carpets draping second story railings, and the men and women in traditional dress with children darting through the crowd.
Another, very different place to buy food in this country is a relatively new store, Yimpas, (pronounced Im-pash) which is a Turkish department store that is three levels high, kind of like a mini-mall, with a restaurant on the top floor. Prices there, however, tend to be a little more expensive and some of the goods are not quite as fresh. I still like going there when I'm not in the mood to bargain or can't make it to the bazaar.
Hope this gives a glimpse into eating and shopping in Turkmenistan. It's never boring and the food is quite good!
Shahlik is very much like kabobs, but it can be any type of barbequed meat with marinade put on it. It is very good. The ground beef shashlik is probably my favorite, as it is basically like the kabobs I've had in the U.S. Most of the meat, chicken mainly, still has the bone on it, but it's no different than just always having the bone on in the U.S.
The food here uses a lot of produce, which is grown in the surrounding areas and is very fresh. The tomatoes are particularly excellent, which I'm told is due to the amount of sun that they receive. The cucumbers are also very popular, even put in the fried rice at the local Chinese restaurant, which made for an interesting flavor. The national dish of Turkmenistan is Plov. It is a rice dish which some form of meat mixed in along with onions and carrots. It has a very mild flavor, as some of the Turkmen have explained that they prefer using the natural seasonings found in the vegetables and meat. It does mean that is I want stronger spices, it can be a little more challenging to find.
I love the food here, generally, because it is so fresh. There is no such thing as a fast food restaurant. Instead, you can go to the local bazaar and pick up fresh made bread packets that have potatoes, spinich, meat, or other types of food in them. Though Coke products are commonly found everywhere, tea is also really popular, and can be served in various levels of ceremonies. While at the bazaar, you can purchase a variety of things, but let me describle what it's like to walk in to.
Imagine a farmer's market in the U.S., which lines of farmers in the center of four walks without a ceiling, so completely open air. All these people have goods laid out at separate, semi-permanent stands, all food goods, including whatever fruits and vegetables are in season. Each of them gesture or offer samples of the fruits and vegetables to passers by, in hopes that they will buy from that stand. This extends to booths with meat laid out (just pick which part of the animal you would prefer your cut from) to small refrigeration units with milk and chesses. There are people roaming through the narrow aisles, looking for the best vendor for what they're looking for.
The walls surrounding this market are filled with small shops that hawk everything from cameras to clothing to shoes, and the shop keepers invite you in. There are small stands that contain newspapers and books in Russian and Turkmen, and it seems one of the few places where the ever-present portraits of the Turkmen President are not in full display. Instead, this is a place of shop keepers and those who want to buy various products. There are colors everywhere, with machine made carpets draping second story railings, and the men and women in traditional dress with children darting through the crowd.
Another, very different place to buy food in this country is a relatively new store, Yimpas, (pronounced Im-pash) which is a Turkish department store that is three levels high, kind of like a mini-mall, with a restaurant on the top floor. Prices there, however, tend to be a little more expensive and some of the goods are not quite as fresh. I still like going there when I'm not in the mood to bargain or can't make it to the bazaar.
Hope this gives a glimpse into eating and shopping in Turkmenistan. It's never boring and the food is quite good!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Buildings in Ashgabat
My little sister asked me to describe some of the buildings in the city, since they're different from the States.
I have to add a little bit of context here. Turkmenistan had a Head of State for over ten years, President for Life Niyazov, who had a very particular idea of what the city and Turkmenistan should look like. He built many, many monuments and specific, grand buildings.
The city of Ashgabat is big-- requiring some form of vehicle to go back and forth. The center of the city if focused around a presidential palace that is made entirely of white marble and has gold domes rising from the main, majestic body. Surrounding this palace are green gardens, which is a challenge and expense to maintain in a desert country.
The entire section (or so it seems) surrounding the palace is devoted to government buildings that are made of white marble and are tall, kind of like the palace in Shrek. As you approach them, they rise many stories above you as you step into marble clad grand entryways. As you walk into one of the government buildings, you enter into a marble hallway that is filled with designs all over the floor and walls. You pass behind a glass section and proceed to one of the three elevators that it contains. Then you realize that one of these things is not so reflective of the grandeur of the building itself. Of the three elevators, only two work, and you hold your breath as you go up in it, hoping that it won't stop as it can be rather stuffy. The insides of the elevators are beautiful, with pretty paneling, but it slowly rises to the offices. Stepping off the elevator to one of the working levels reminds me of most U.S. government offices-- pretty in the lobby and on the outside, but very functional and almost sparse on the inside. Nice to see some similarities.
I live in one of the new luxury apartments that is made of white marble and towards the outskirts of the city. They are very nice apartments, but they don't reflect how most of the city lives. I've not yet seen the inside of a Turkmen home, but the outsides remind me of a log with many mushrooms growing out of it. Everyone seems to own a satellite, and they protrude from buildings like many white mushrooms, mostly pointing the same directions. The homes themselves seem to be mainly block houses that are either white, pink, or another neutral color and line the streets. These homes can range from four or five stories to much bigger, but I don't think I've really seen any single family homes. Keep in mind I have not been here for very long.
The shops are another unique experience. Though they can be in some of the white marble constructions (which I've been to, a music store, actually), many times they are in the neighborhoods near some of the bazaars. I love walking through these neighborhoods, as the area near the apartments doesn't really feel alive. In fact, the first morning I walked out of my apartment building, I felt like I was in a horror movie as there were no cars moving, no people walking, no kids, no sound, except for the bugs just kind of buzzing along.
Once you enter one of these neighborhoods (I walked through one about a week ago), you pass through parks and streets that are half sand, but the kids are building sand castles. Colorful fabrics and clothing are hung to dry on the various window sills and flutter as the wind cuts through very crossways. The roads are straight, but lined with mothers watching their children, children running through the streets, the occasional stray dog, and men watching everything happen. It's like being in a old neighborhood in the States in movies portraying earlier times, just with women in long dresses.
There are also outdoor cafes that seem to be spots for hanging out for hours that line some of the older parks. Hundred fountains, which seems to be in an older neighborhood (keep in mind, many neighborhoods were torn down to make space for monuments and government buildings) is alive and lined with small cafes and reataurants that serve drinks, ice cream, and sometimes full blown meals.
I'll end with a quick run down of some of the monuments that I've seen while driving around the city. They range from the Arch of Neutrality, that contains a gold statue of Niyazov that rotates on the top of this giant, three legged arch. There are also huge parks with fountains and even one that was built after former President Niyazov's vision of what Disney World looks like (completely surreal). Again, I don't have access that I can use to add pictures, but will do so as soon as I regain it. They are all unique monuments that collectively make quite the statement about Ashgabat, but my favorite part of the city is the neighborhood I visited.
I have to add a little bit of context here. Turkmenistan had a Head of State for over ten years, President for Life Niyazov, who had a very particular idea of what the city and Turkmenistan should look like. He built many, many monuments and specific, grand buildings.
The city of Ashgabat is big-- requiring some form of vehicle to go back and forth. The center of the city if focused around a presidential palace that is made entirely of white marble and has gold domes rising from the main, majestic body. Surrounding this palace are green gardens, which is a challenge and expense to maintain in a desert country.
The entire section (or so it seems) surrounding the palace is devoted to government buildings that are made of white marble and are tall, kind of like the palace in Shrek. As you approach them, they rise many stories above you as you step into marble clad grand entryways. As you walk into one of the government buildings, you enter into a marble hallway that is filled with designs all over the floor and walls. You pass behind a glass section and proceed to one of the three elevators that it contains. Then you realize that one of these things is not so reflective of the grandeur of the building itself. Of the three elevators, only two work, and you hold your breath as you go up in it, hoping that it won't stop as it can be rather stuffy. The insides of the elevators are beautiful, with pretty paneling, but it slowly rises to the offices. Stepping off the elevator to one of the working levels reminds me of most U.S. government offices-- pretty in the lobby and on the outside, but very functional and almost sparse on the inside. Nice to see some similarities.
I live in one of the new luxury apartments that is made of white marble and towards the outskirts of the city. They are very nice apartments, but they don't reflect how most of the city lives. I've not yet seen the inside of a Turkmen home, but the outsides remind me of a log with many mushrooms growing out of it. Everyone seems to own a satellite, and they protrude from buildings like many white mushrooms, mostly pointing the same directions. The homes themselves seem to be mainly block houses that are either white, pink, or another neutral color and line the streets. These homes can range from four or five stories to much bigger, but I don't think I've really seen any single family homes. Keep in mind I have not been here for very long.
The shops are another unique experience. Though they can be in some of the white marble constructions (which I've been to, a music store, actually), many times they are in the neighborhoods near some of the bazaars. I love walking through these neighborhoods, as the area near the apartments doesn't really feel alive. In fact, the first morning I walked out of my apartment building, I felt like I was in a horror movie as there were no cars moving, no people walking, no kids, no sound, except for the bugs just kind of buzzing along.
Once you enter one of these neighborhoods (I walked through one about a week ago), you pass through parks and streets that are half sand, but the kids are building sand castles. Colorful fabrics and clothing are hung to dry on the various window sills and flutter as the wind cuts through very crossways. The roads are straight, but lined with mothers watching their children, children running through the streets, the occasional stray dog, and men watching everything happen. It's like being in a old neighborhood in the States in movies portraying earlier times, just with women in long dresses.
There are also outdoor cafes that seem to be spots for hanging out for hours that line some of the older parks. Hundred fountains, which seems to be in an older neighborhood (keep in mind, many neighborhoods were torn down to make space for monuments and government buildings) is alive and lined with small cafes and reataurants that serve drinks, ice cream, and sometimes full blown meals.
I'll end with a quick run down of some of the monuments that I've seen while driving around the city. They range from the Arch of Neutrality, that contains a gold statue of Niyazov that rotates on the top of this giant, three legged arch. There are also huge parks with fountains and even one that was built after former President Niyazov's vision of what Disney World looks like (completely surreal). Again, I don't have access that I can use to add pictures, but will do so as soon as I regain it. They are all unique monuments that collectively make quite the statement about Ashgabat, but my favorite part of the city is the neighborhood I visited.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Talkuchka
Last Sunday morning I went to the oldest (or so I have been told) open air market in Central Asia. I think it's spelled, "Talkuchka". I already got some souvenirs that are quite nice. It was important to have someone who could list numbers along, though calculators are my and the women in the market's friend when it comes to price negotiation. It's amazing walking through the market, as you walk through tiny aisles and dodge the men walking through with carts to collect goods to take home. You pass from women selling hand stitched handbags to vendors hawking Disney plastic bags and Barbie knock offs to traditional wedding headdresses and scarves.
The "parking lot" is a dust filled bowl brimming with buses that come in from villages around the country and cars of every make and model. There is no rhyme or reason to parking or driving, with the painted divisions and pedestrian crosswalks little more than decoration. I think it took about an hour to park, with me laughing at the "direction" that pedestrians would offer the drivers in the parking area. Heaps of good are being loaded into the buses and press against the windows as villagers line up to get onto the buses that have little signs hanging in the window indicating their destinations. After almost being hit with buses backing up and cars shooting into too small lanes, we finally park and get out. We orient ourselves to where our parking spot is: kitty corner to the main gate, across from the blue glass building, near a retaining wall, and before you hit one of the sand dunes.
When you start walking into the market, you pass vendors offering soda, honey out of Cola bottles, women selling bracelets, and a continuous stream of people coming in and out of the main gate. Traditional dress continues to be well respected, with me wondering how the men are not dying in the fur hats a good chunk of them continue to insist on wearing, layers of robes, and pants. You can taste the dust as everything is so dry and the dust is everywhere.
Once you enter the market, you are immediately immersed in small stalls that are roughly divided by different womens' carpets that they display their goods on with aisles that are almost two small for two people to walk abreast. Women in traditional scarves and beautiful long dresses with embroidery around the collars offer goods that range from tourist souvenir sales to ancient neck wraps and carpets. As you move down the aisle, men hauling carts, both empty and brimming with goods, come by, pressing you to the edge of the walkway as chatting Turkmen women wander to stalls alongside the foreigners. As you move further into the market and away from the tourist areas, it becomes clear that this is the main way to purchase goods in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan has a lot of strange laws, especially about antiques and valuable metal (anything over ten years old is considered an antique, and thus a national treasure and cannot be brought out of Turkmenistan), but it doesn't really strike one in the market. It's evident that it is completely different from anything I've been to before, but children dart in and out of the crowd, sometimes shoving too roughly, and continue racing forward through the stalls.
When a shirt grabbed my eye (not going to describe it too much as it's a gift for someone who may be reading this), I stopped and this little old woman began bargaining. She offered it for 450,000 manat. I countered with 250,000 using her little calculator, and she agreed, "Da!". Hmmm, maybe I could have gotten a better deal, but for about $18 for a shirt that would easily have been $30+ in the US, I wasn't going to be too annoyed. She smiled, let me take a pictures with her, and kissed me on the cheek after insisting on looking at the photo I took. I had to carefully remove my sandals before stepping onto the carpet to take the picture.
I also bought "evil eyes", which are meant to protect someone from bad forces. These beliefs are alive and well in Turkmenistan. From leaving a longer strand on the end of carpets to wearing certain bracelets, men and women use various symbols to ward off bad things. Some of these are very beautiful and are hung at entryways to ward off evil.
We continued to move deeper into the market, eventually ending up in the fabric section. It's rather surreal, going straight and walking through one curtain after another of cloth that separate each vendor's booth from another's. Fabrics range from polka dots to beautiful velvet that are used to create the long dresses that are worn around the city.
We continued looking around the market for about another hour before the heat and the sun got to all of us. We started to head out and extracted the car from the parking lot. As we were driving out, we saw a string of camels with baby camels being led along the road. There were sheep and goats wandering, with a goat examining our car over the back of the truck ahead of us. I can't wait for my next trip out there.
The "parking lot" is a dust filled bowl brimming with buses that come in from villages around the country and cars of every make and model. There is no rhyme or reason to parking or driving, with the painted divisions and pedestrian crosswalks little more than decoration. I think it took about an hour to park, with me laughing at the "direction" that pedestrians would offer the drivers in the parking area. Heaps of good are being loaded into the buses and press against the windows as villagers line up to get onto the buses that have little signs hanging in the window indicating their destinations. After almost being hit with buses backing up and cars shooting into too small lanes, we finally park and get out. We orient ourselves to where our parking spot is: kitty corner to the main gate, across from the blue glass building, near a retaining wall, and before you hit one of the sand dunes.
When you start walking into the market, you pass vendors offering soda, honey out of Cola bottles, women selling bracelets, and a continuous stream of people coming in and out of the main gate. Traditional dress continues to be well respected, with me wondering how the men are not dying in the fur hats a good chunk of them continue to insist on wearing, layers of robes, and pants. You can taste the dust as everything is so dry and the dust is everywhere.
Once you enter the market, you are immediately immersed in small stalls that are roughly divided by different womens' carpets that they display their goods on with aisles that are almost two small for two people to walk abreast. Women in traditional scarves and beautiful long dresses with embroidery around the collars offer goods that range from tourist souvenir sales to ancient neck wraps and carpets. As you move down the aisle, men hauling carts, both empty and brimming with goods, come by, pressing you to the edge of the walkway as chatting Turkmen women wander to stalls alongside the foreigners. As you move further into the market and away from the tourist areas, it becomes clear that this is the main way to purchase goods in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan has a lot of strange laws, especially about antiques and valuable metal (anything over ten years old is considered an antique, and thus a national treasure and cannot be brought out of Turkmenistan), but it doesn't really strike one in the market. It's evident that it is completely different from anything I've been to before, but children dart in and out of the crowd, sometimes shoving too roughly, and continue racing forward through the stalls.
When a shirt grabbed my eye (not going to describe it too much as it's a gift for someone who may be reading this), I stopped and this little old woman began bargaining. She offered it for 450,000 manat. I countered with 250,000 using her little calculator, and she agreed, "Da!". Hmmm, maybe I could have gotten a better deal, but for about $18 for a shirt that would easily have been $30+ in the US, I wasn't going to be too annoyed. She smiled, let me take a pictures with her, and kissed me on the cheek after insisting on looking at the photo I took. I had to carefully remove my sandals before stepping onto the carpet to take the picture.
I also bought "evil eyes", which are meant to protect someone from bad forces. These beliefs are alive and well in Turkmenistan. From leaving a longer strand on the end of carpets to wearing certain bracelets, men and women use various symbols to ward off bad things. Some of these are very beautiful and are hung at entryways to ward off evil.
We continued to move deeper into the market, eventually ending up in the fabric section. It's rather surreal, going straight and walking through one curtain after another of cloth that separate each vendor's booth from another's. Fabrics range from polka dots to beautiful velvet that are used to create the long dresses that are worn around the city.
We continued looking around the market for about another hour before the heat and the sun got to all of us. We started to head out and extracted the car from the parking lot. As we were driving out, we saw a string of camels with baby camels being led along the road. There were sheep and goats wandering, with a goat examining our car over the back of the truck ahead of us. I can't wait for my next trip out there.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Driving in Ashgabat
So the following describes daily driving life here, as best as I could explain it. I am greatly amused by it all, and it is even better the further into the city you get. Btw, I am loving my time here in the city.
Ashgabat is a sprawling city that requires you to drive in order to get anywhere. And each time you get behind the wheel, a rather strange and frightening adventure awaits. As a passenger, I get to sit back and watch this, which provides no end of entertainment.
As though the driving isn't special enough, Turkmenistan has unique traffic lights. While in the U.S. there is the red, yellow, green system, they do have all these colors represented in their lights. Green means go, flashing green is the equivalent of yellow in the States, either slow down or get through the light, yellow means the other way is about to start going and you'd better be stopped, and red means don't even think about moving. When a yellow light appears below the red light after you've stopped, it's time to start moving and you will be honked at if you don't hit the gas.
Ashgabat is a sprawling city that requires you to drive in order to get anywhere. And each time you get behind the wheel, a rather strange and frightening adventure awaits. As a passenger, I get to sit back and watch this, which provides no end of entertainment.
The streets of the city are crammed with small, Turkmen made cars, Toyotas, and SUVs. Licenses are easy to get here-- I'm told that you just pay the correct fee. Cars can be bought at the used car market at Talkulchka, the largest open air market in Central Asia that is located right outside of Ashgabat.
The roads are fairly rough, with plenty of bumps along the way, but that is not the most entertaining part of the trip. A two lane road typically means you will have four lanes of traffic, with cars freely drifting every which-way in their attempt to get beyond the car in front of them. The painted lines on the road, including lane guides and pedestrian cross-walks, are beautiful decorations with little real meaning. Turning lanes are whoever can get across enough lanes of traffic in order to turn in that direction (no specific lane needed). You swerve around the driver drifting towards you on one side, honk your horn at the person going much slower than anyone on the highway, and then dodge two or three pedestrians on your way to beating the light before it starts to flash.
As though the driving isn't special enough, Turkmenistan has unique traffic lights. While in the U.S. there is the red, yellow, green system, they do have all these colors represented in their lights. Green means go, flashing green is the equivalent of yellow in the States, either slow down or get through the light, yellow means the other way is about to start going and you'd better be stopped, and red means don't even think about moving. When a yellow light appears below the red light after you've stopped, it's time to start moving and you will be honked at if you don't hit the gas.
Pedestrians bring a whole new level of attention to driving through the city. The ubiquitous, orange garbed street cleaning ladies fill the side of the street and often wander into it during their cleaning duties. They don't even flinch as cars pass within inches of hitting them. Then there are the folks who run across the road and pray that they aren't hit.
The last couple of unique things about the roads in Ashgabat are the potholes and the effect sprinklers have on other drivers. You almost need an SUV to be able to not be jostled too much, and sprinklers cause other drivers to do their dangnest to avoid any wet spots on the road, causing them to completely avoid areas where the water from the sprinklers accidentally overflows onto the road. Granted, it's a desert and water is not common to drive in, but it's particularly entertaining to watch this phenomenon.
The last couple of unique things about the roads in Ashgabat are the potholes and the effect sprinklers have on other drivers. You almost need an SUV to be able to not be jostled too much, and sprinklers cause other drivers to do their dangnest to avoid any wet spots on the road, causing them to completely avoid areas where the water from the sprinklers accidentally overflows onto the road. Granted, it's a desert and water is not common to drive in, but it's particularly entertaining to watch this phenomenon.
Police jump out from bushes waving striped sticks, some with lights on top of them, when they feel a traffic law has been violated (though I have not figured out what traffic laws actually exist). They're somewhat effective, causing some people to actually pull over, but as they are unarmed and as I have not seen them chase down a car in an actual vehicle, I'm not sure how many times they collect on traffic violators.
The best advice I received upon arriving was not to drive unless it is an emergency. I am extremely happy to remain a passenger in this city.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Long flight?
For those of you who do not know where Turkmenistan is, it's west of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, north of Iran and Afghanistan, and south of Russia and Kazakhstan.
On May 14, I take off to travel from Minneapolis to Chicago to Frankfurt to Baku to Ashgabat. I'm pretty sure that it is more than twenty-four hours before I land in Ashgabat. I am currently trying to figure out how to fit everything into one bag so I retain one bag for souvenirs. Don't know if it's actually going to work. Currently the pile of stuff that I am planning on packing looks far larger than the bag it's supposed to go in.
I'm torn between terror and excitement as I get ready to leave. Excitement is winning right now. We'll see what happens. I still have a roadtrip to Minnesota and the flight ahead of me.
On May 14, I take off to travel from Minneapolis to Chicago to Frankfurt to Baku to Ashgabat. I'm pretty sure that it is more than twenty-four hours before I land in Ashgabat. I am currently trying to figure out how to fit everything into one bag so I retain one bag for souvenirs. Don't know if it's actually going to work. Currently the pile of stuff that I am planning on packing looks far larger than the bag it's supposed to go in.
I'm torn between terror and excitement as I get ready to leave. Excitement is winning right now. We'll see what happens. I still have a roadtrip to Minnesota and the flight ahead of me.
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