Turkmenistan - Misturn taken?

Having learnt much from visiting North Korea the previous year, I wanted to see what I could pick up from visiting another country run by a controversial leader. So I got my ticket to Turkmenistan, not at all knowing what I was in for. I'm guessing that you're probably nearly as clueless as I was, so here's a photo journal giving you a good idea of what to expect, should you ever be granted a visa to this marble madness of a country.

 

Turkmenistan - Usett rikmann?

Etter å ha lært mye av et besøk i Nord-Korea året før, fikk jeg lyst til å se om kanskje andre land med kontroversielle ledere også har mer å by på enn det media forteller oss. Hvis media forteller noe som helst, da. Så jeg reiste til Turkmenistan uten egentlig å vite stort om hva som ville møte meg. Du er antagelig nesten like uvitende om landet som jeg vår, men om du følger med på bildeferden nedenfor, kommer du snart til å vite en hel del om dette landet av hvite marmorpalasser, og litt til.

DSC06305BlueMosque.JPG
DSC06590StarryCisterns.JPG
DSC06669MonstersInc.JPG
DSC07013TravelingLight.JPG
DSC07033HookerCentral.JPG
DSC07037TheDudeOfTurkmenistan.JPG
DSC07038MisterUniverse.JPG
DSC07040Confusion.JPG
DSC07041GoGoGirls.JPG
DSC07044Illusions.JPG
DSC07050HotelFromHotel.JPG
DSC07051FirstGold.JPG
DSC07055PompousPark.JPG
DSC07080PastThePalace.JPG
DSC07081TypicalApartments.JPG
DSC07082WherePeopleLive.JPG
DSC07083PavementBaby.JPG
DSC07086DangersOfTheWoods.JPG
DSC07091Braidsmaids.JPG
DSC07095BusStopWithAC.JPG
DSC07096Thief.jpg
DSC07097SidewalkScenery.JPG
DSC07275MainRoadToCity.JPG
DSC07284Carriers.JPG
DSC07298GoatsAreUs.JPG
DSC07309Reluctance.JPG
DSC07318TheDogMarket.JPG
DSC07365ShreksAndTheCity.JPG
DSC07390TheMarketClocktower.JPG
DSC07425SlowTraffic.JPG
DSC07429MakingALiving.JPG
DSC07434DearLeaderOnHorse.JPG
DSC07451TeaParty.JPG
DSC07457CloseRace.JPG
DSC07462RunForrestRun.JPG
DSC07657ScaryWall.JPG
DSC07677BigBook.JPG
DSC07680RuhnamaBuilding.JPG
DSC07693ThePlunger.JPG
DSC07701KingAndWorker.JPG
DSC07777ReadyForLaunch.JPG
DSC07794GoldenHallway.JPG
DSC07818CrazyBoulevard.JPG
DSC07821Symbols.JPG
DSC07822LawnmowerMen.JPG
DSC07859HikingWarMemorial.JPG
DSC07875SaveOurSouls.JPG
DSC07879RunningAtMonument.JPG
DSC07963PetrolThis.JPG
DSC07976QuietRoads.JPG
DSC08012StreetsWithNoNames.JPG
DSC08018TurkmenHillbillies.JPG
DSC08054AntiErosion.JPG
DSC08060WildlifeOnTheRoad.JPG
DSC08069CamelTick.JPG
DSC08143HoleArea.JPG
DSC08144BurningHot.JPG
DSC08314AdmireFire.JPG
DSC08342CameraSettings.JPG
DSC08359CyclingMadman.JPG
DSC08389PeopleOnAPeak.JPG
DSC08392DerwezeNightlife.JPG
DSC08426DesertSpider.JPG
DSC08442PeopleAtDerweze.JPG
DSC08449CloseEnough.JPG
DSC08526BlackMetal.jpg
DSC08545SemiaridDesert.JPG
DSC08551ToiletWalk.JPG
DSC08559MeetupFromHell.JPG
DSC08593CuteDesertian.JPG
DSC08622FrontAndBackAnt.JPG
DSC08640TheMudhole.JPG
DSC08658HoleThree.JPG
DSC08684NotAshgabat.JPG
DSC08698RusticCamelyard.JPG
DSC08708BasicShop.JPG
DSC08761DangerZone.JPG
DSC08784RumblingRunway.JPG
DSC08792LovelyTB.JPG
DSC08798PeaceOnWalls.JPG
DSC08811RiskyRunning.JPG
DSC08821StreetMarkets.JPG
DSC08823CuteYoungsters.JPG
DSC08832SoManyDishes.JPG
DSC08833RustyPlayground.JPG
DSC08871TurkmenbashirMadness.JPG
DSC08873WaryCat.JPG
DSC08923WideSpeedInternet.JPG
DSC09003LookingAtUs.JPG
DSC09043FinfintOteli.JPG
DSC09044StylishHotelLobby.JPG
DSC09045NoWaterNoCry.JPG
DSC09046SnakeCountry.JPG
DSC09048HotelSnake.JPG
DSC09060SageAdvice.JPG
DSC09085DramaticHour.JPG
DSC09103CrazyFlagpoleByNight.JPG
DSC09114HotelSunrise.JPG
DSC09118HotelsFromHell.JPG
DSC09122WaitInStyle.JPG
DSC09145ToothyDolphin.JPG
DSC09166RulersOfTurkmenbashi.JPG
DSC09204InflightService.JPG
DSC09213TurkmenCappadocia.JPG
DSC09255GrowingRoads.JPG
DSC09289HorseGlorifing.JPG
DSC09293HorseWhisperer.JPG
DSC09322CrossingLegs.JPG
DSC09356HelloWorld.JPG
DSC09384BadHorsekeeping.JPG
DSC09410IntoTheDeep.JPG
DSC09421NoSwimLine.JPG
DSC09435NotASoberKing.JPG
DSC09456MausoleumDome.JPG
DSC09467MosqueReflected.JPG
DSC09578ManagerOfNisa.JPG
DSC09580NisaEntrance.JPG
DSC09616HealthTrail.JPG
DSC09722RushHour.JPG
DSC09755Megalomania.JPG
DSC09833HappyFerrisPeople.JPG
DSC09840SillyGimmick.JPG
DSC09858WorkInProgress.JPG
DSC09934GoesToSixty.JPG
DSC09999TheyHaveNeon.JPG
DSC10012WeddingPalaceByNight.JPG
DSC10021Nightlines.JPG
DSC10023FerrisByNight.JPG
DSC10060WeddingPeople.JPG
DSC10080Sugarbabes.JPG
DSC10089Screaming.JPG
DSC10099JurashgabatPark.JPG
DSC10139ArchitectsFantasies.JPG
DSC10142GoldfingerAndMore.JPG
DSC10180SunnyCircus.JPG
DSC10190CircusExcitement.JPG
DSC10195CheapCircus.JPG
DSC10268Goatwoman.JPG
DSC10369Horseman.JPG
DSC10430CircusByNight.JPG
DSC10432GreenPartOfTown.JPG
DSC10472IranianEnclave.JPG
DSC10482Necropolis.JPG
DSC10489CutestHeadstone.JPG
DSC10499FacesOfAshgabat.JPG
DSC10542QuakeChildren.JPG
DSC10551LeninAndI.JPG
DSC10598SukkerspinnOg17Mai.JPG
DSC10634LadyInReddish.JPG
DSC10643GiantsAndPhotographer.JPG
DSC10701TheyHaveShoppingToo.JPG
DSC10725FancyHotel.JPG
DSC10779StrangeCreation.JPG
DSC10784AshqabatAtSunset.JPG
DSC10839CoolFont.JPG

About the photos:
* Taken with a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX400 (fixed lens, not an SLR)
* These 155 photos were selected from about 4,600 photos I took during this trip 
* Some photos were processed using PaintShop Photo Pro X5 and Nik Color Efex Pro 3

If you enjoy these photos, your experience may continue at http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html
(Where you can also download my travel book, One for the Road, for free!)