Comment

A Fantastic Acoustic Guitar Cover of Coldplay: Daniel Padim: "A Sky Full of Stars"

74
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge9/18/2016 1:12:28 pm PDT

Well, whoever was en route to Turkmenistan, theyā€™re ready for you:

A view of the new international airport terminal outside Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. The capital of Turkmenistan, a country largely closed to outsiders, has opened a $2.3-billion terminal at its international airport in the shape of a flying falcon.

Strict visa regulations in Turkmenistan mean relatively small numbers of tourists and businessmen ever visit the isolated, energy-rich Central Asian nation. In 2013, the Guinness World Records recognized Ashgabat as having the greatest density of marble-clad buildingsā€”estimated at more than 540. Many official buildings are noteworthy for literal or eccentric designs, including the state publishing house, which is in the shape of a book. (Turkmenistanā€™s best-known tourist attractions include the ā€œGates of Hell.ā€)