 Crossing the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan |
 The Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan |
 The 1375 km Qaradum Canal, built by the USSR 1954-1988, brings water from the Amu-Darya River to irrigate Turkmenistan's cotton |
 Karakum Canal, Turkmenistan |
 Freight train, Turkmenistan |
 Road across the Karakum Desert between Mary and Türkmenabat |
 Barriers to stabilize the dunes along the road |
 The M37 across the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan |
 ...not the world's most scenic desert... |
 Entering Lebap Province - I visited 4 of the 5 provinces of Turkmenistan on this trip |
 Caution - Camels |
 Gateway to Türkmenabat - known as Chardzhou until 2003 |
 Welcome to Türkmenabat |
 Grain silos, Türkmenabat |
 Like the other provincial capitals, Türkmenabat has seen much new construction since independence including a hippodrome |
 Marble and dome construction, Türkmenabat |
 Statue of Türkmenbashy in Türkmenabat |
 Cotton fields and industry in Türkmenabat |
 Butcher at the Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Woman selling traditional jewelry at the Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Turkmen caps, Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Türkmenistan track suit |
 Collars used in traditional Turkmen clothing |
 Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Flat screen TV's - Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Recycled shipping containers used as shops at the Türkmenabat Bazar |
 "Hardware Store" - Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Making a shovel, Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Autoparts corner, Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Carpets at the Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Kebabs, Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Fresh fruit, Türkmenabat Bazar |
 Cotton field, Türkmenabat |
 Cotton country, Türkmenabat |
 Billboard with various Turkmen motifs |
 Türkmenistan since independence |
 Cheap gas - 16 eurocent per liter (83 US cents a gallon) |
 3-nji Sport Mekdebi - Türkmenabat |
 The new hospital in Türkmenabat, very similar to the ones in Dashoguz and Mary |
 While often compared to North Korea, Turkmenistan isn't nearly as isolated from the world as these satellite dishes show |
 Abu-İusup Metjidi - mosque in Türkmenabat |
 Myhmanhana - Türkmenabat |
 Sport Toplumy - Türkmenabat |
 Government Palace - Türkmenabat |
 Ruhyıet Köşgi - Türkmenabat |
 Turkmenistan's President says: "Döwlet Adam Üçindir!" |
 Another Türkmenistan government building with the portrait of the Second President |
 Gülhan Toy Salony - Türkmenabat |
 Kafe Aınur, Türkmenabat |
 New district of Türkmenabat |
 New district of Türkmenabat |
 Statue of an eagle, Türkmenabat |
 Lebap Provincial Drama Theater, Türkmenabat |
 Low-rise apartments, Türkmenabat |
 Residential area, Türkmenabat |
 Türkmenabat - 62-nji Cagalar Bagy |
 Dost-Doganlyk Pugtalanıar |
 Traditional seating at a restaurant in Türkmenabat |
 Soviet-era apartments in Türkmenabat |
 What looks like a church converted into a mosque, Türkmenabat |
 Railway yard, Türkmenabat |
 Pontoon bridge across the Amu-Darya River, Türkmenabat |
 Railway bridge over the Amu-Darya River, Türkmenabat |
 Low water level stranding boats on a sand bar on the banks of the Amu-Darya River, Türkmenabat |
 A sturdy little house on the road to the Uzbekistan border |
 Turkmenistan is famous for high quality carpets |
 "Türkmen halysy halymyzyň ajaıyp arzulwalarynyň, mähir-muhabbetiniň älemogoşar öwüşginli lälesidir." |
 CLAAS harvester, Turkmenistan |
 And another billboard with a quote from President Berdimuhamedow |
 Iranian truck headed for the Uzbekistan border |
 A small mosque on the north bank of the Amu-Dara River |
 Water in the desert |
 Canal along the road to the Uzbekistan border post at Farab |
 Leaving Turkmenistan went fairly quickly but entering Uzbekistan took a couple of hours |
 Good bye Turkmenistan |