Turkmenistan - has to be seen to be believed

Our hotel in Turkmenbashi, was an aging Soviet Gem- but anything was a relief after our Ferry experience. It was tatty, threadbare and the water was an extraordinary brown colour out of the taps - but I should have known to be grateful, as after a few hours - there was no water at all.
For me though- with its Babuskas peering at your every move and its gaudy gilted, relief ceilings, and having to dip into a 44 gallon drum of water for a shower-it had a certain quirky charm.
Another bus ride was needed to get to Ashgabat to keep on our schedule and I was very disappointed to miss the 3 days of HOT desert riding. A fascinating trip though, with the Balkan mountains to the North, a desert of bossies and then sandy dunes with camels and scraggly goats, then changing to massive irrigated fields of cotton.
Our lunch stop was a on shaded stoep reclining on a thick felt carpet , consuming grilled chicken washed down with chilled yougurt.
I wish I could write a full and detailed description of Ashgabat - but the computer here - is snail slow- and there are no internet cafes.
Just know that the late president of this country - which is a virtual police state and has the second worst press freedom record in the world- set about to build a shining white marble city with some soaring symbol of his magnificence at every turn. There are Ministerial buildings which seem uninhabited - but they are magnificent archiectural feats- created by the President's french architect. Larger than life billboards of Turkmenbashi - " Lord of Turkmenistan" as he chose to call himself - appear on nearly every street corner and there are Arches of Neutrality and Ministries of Fairness and tributes to a range of subjects - especially anything to do with him. He died suddenly in Dec 2006 and his successor has yet to show his colours.
I did smile at their Public holidays - they have more than we do in SA - even have a Cat Day and a Horse Day and a Melon Day!!
There is so much more I want to tell you - but there is a queue for this old steam driven computer - so hopefully in Uzbekistan I can tell you more. Will post photos - but as Internet is not readily available in Turkmenistan - it will be about i 6 days.
Know that I am well and happy and love sharing this with you.