Adventures in Asia: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Given my late night/early morning arrival in Ashgabat, I did not get a full night sleep, but did wake up around 9:00 and in time for breakfast at the hotel.

Around 10:00 I headed outside the hotel to check out the bus stop out front and try to figure out what bus routes might be useful. The internet seems to be of no use in this regard, and unfortunately I found the map confusing. Still, I at least learned some bus route numbers that went by the hotel. 

I opted to head out by taxi, however, and I showed the cabbie outside the hotel a screenshot of what I thought would be an easy landmark: the Lenin statue. Actually, the cabbie did not seem certain about where this was, at first, such that he asked someone else, but eventually I was on my way zooming down the immaculate streets of Ashgabat past the monuments and buildings . . .

. . . as well as the golden domed presidential palace, which I was told you are not supposed to photograph, but I managed this one surreptitiously though the taxi window.

The taxi dropped me at Lenin Park. My sense is the cabbie overcharged by about double (there was no meter), but that meant I paid 40 manat, or about the same price as a bus ride costs me back in Edmonton.

I was able to snap some photos of the Lenin Statue, but Lenin seemed small in this setting.

I am happy to see Lenin, but I picked this spot because I felt it would be an easy landmark to cab to and it is just a couple of blocks from the Russian bazaar, which was the destination I was more keen to get to. I walked through Lenin square . . .

. . . and down the block . . .

. . . until I reached the covered (but not entirely enclosed) Russian bazaar.

Immediately when I walked in a couple offered me samples of caviar, so I gather this is the product or at least one of the products foreigners are interested in buying. I accepted the sample, but was not interested in buying caviar.

I did, however, buy a postcard, and the postcard seller presented me with an English copy of Rukhnama, the book written by Turkmenistan's first president, the self-styled Turkmenbashy, or Father of the Turkmen. I am not sure how much to believe, but apparently at one time the book was taught in schools and all Turkmen were expected to know and study Rukhnama. I flipped through it and photographed it, but passed on this purchase as well.

I had been told by my tour company that officially you are not supposed to take photos at the Russian bazaar. I did not see any signs stating this, but I was very careful and took a few from the second floor. 

I enjoyed watching the fishmonger above as he prepared fish for his customers, and I watched him for some time. Then, I bought a couple of bananas and made my way into a lovely coffee shop next door. I needed some coffee, but the air conditioning was also very welcome as it was already getting very hot!

Having cooled down and enjoyed my coffee, I headed further down Azadi Street . . .

. . . and ended up in Inspiration Park. Of course, I was very inspired here.

Past Inspiration Park I got to Teke Bazaar. 

I did not mind seeing another bazaar, but my main purpose for coming here was that I believed I would find a bus that would take me back to the hotel. It took walking around a bit before I was successful . . .

. . . but eventually I found the bus I needed.

I really enjoyed riding the city bus. It costs half a manat, which even at the official exchange rate is about 20 cents, but at the black market rate is more like 5 cents. Seeing local people up close was nice, and given the heat, it was nice to be able to sit and see the streetscapes without walking. 

For example, we passed two telephone booths!

I got off the bus across from the hotel, next to this impressive building.

Before going back to the hotel I decided to check out the Berkarar Mall which I have been told is worth going to and a good place to eat lunch.

Like so much else in Ashgabat, the mall is quite something--check out this roof!

And the floor . . . 

. . . and on the bottom floor, an impressive fountain and ping pong tables, perhaps set up for a tournament?

I ate a large lunch at a Turkish restaurant here and spent 92 manat, or less than $5 US.

After lunch I had another coffee and walked around the mall before heading back across the street to my hotel. Even the walk from mall to the hotel is interesting!

I used this underground passage to go from one side of the street to the other. It was deserted but also absolutely immaculate. 

I rested in the hotel room for about an hour and planned my next move. It was 36 degrees and in the middle of the afternoon the sun was at its most intense so I did not want to be aimlessly wandering. I had three Ashgabat landmarks I still wanted to see, and I opted to go to 10th Anniversary of Turkmenistan's Independence Park next to see the Monument to the First President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov.

I caught the bus and took more photos along the way . . .

The bus was too full and I missed my stop! I got off at the next one, but even the little walk back was crazy hot and I decided it was a good opportunity to try a Turkmen beer. A pint of Zip set me back 22 manat, or about $1.50.

Once I got to the park it was deserted, which is likely usually the case in the middle of a workday, but anyway it was not a pleasant place to be in the heat.

I found the first president's monument. I understand it used to revolve so that he was always facing the sun, but now he is static.

I did not visit with the president long before heading to catch the bus back to my hotel. 

I took a little rest back at my hotel again as I tried to plot a way to Ashgabat's famous, largest-in-the-world indoor Ferris wheel. I knew buses traveled out there, but I was struggling to figure out the route, so instead I opted for a taxi. This time, the cabbie wanted to set a price ahead of time, and he started at 30 manat. I assume I was supposed to negotiate, but it struck me as such a reasonable price that I just accepted it!

The Alem Centre, which is where the Ferris wheel is, is about 10 minutes from the Sport Hotel, but it seems to be in the outskirts of Ashgabat. We passed Constituion Monument on the way.

The Alem Centre is among the more surreal monuments in Ashgabat. 

Also, it was deserted. 

The doors on this side were locked, so I walked around the building. Still deserted on the other side . . .

There was a nice view from here, and you can see the Yyldyz Hotel and the Wedding Palace in the distance.

The doors were open on this side of the Alem Centre, but the building appeared empty. I was actually close to giving up but eventually I found a janitor or security guard or something and he told me to wait and eventually found someone who could get the Ferris wheel working for me. Riding this Ferris wheel is an Ashgabat "must do" as a tourist, I think, but really outdoor Ferris wheels are a much nicer experience than an indoor one, I have to say!

Views were limited, but at moments you can see through the windows and get interesting glimpses of the city and surrounding area. 

I paid 50 manat for my Ferris wheel ride. Next, I had to figure out how to get back into the city. My taxi seemed to have left, but I remained convinced there was a city bus, so I walked to the road and crossed, and in a few minutes a bus came along and it all worked out. 

Instead of going back to my hotel, however, I went a little further to the massive Independence Park. Thankfully, it had cooled down considerably by now, so I enjoyed my walk through the park.

Although beautifully manicured in places, I actually saw that not everything was immaculate in Independence Park. For example, you can see dead grass and a blank and damaged sign in the photo below.

There were some people in the park, but definitely mostly it was empty. 

One of the strangest monuments in the park, and maybe really all of Turkmenistan, is this monument to Turkmenbashy's Rukhnama book.

Independence Monument is at the south end of the park (I had entered in the north), so I had walked almost two kilometres once I got here.

There are MANY Turkmenistan flags here!

There is another golden Turkmenbashy statue here, too.

Sun was setting as I headed back. I walked through the residential complex across the street below.

There was a bit of an empty lot between these buildings and the Berkarar mall that I cut through.

I had a nice dinner in the mall . . .

. . . before heading back to the hotel for the night. This was the nighttime view from my room.