From Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan- Another Flying adventure

What a drive- we saw kids swimming in drainage ditches and factories closed.
The border crossing from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan was a snap.
With time before our flight, we took at trip to Konya-Urgench.

We visited the Torebeg Khanym mausoleum, built in the 14th C as the family tomb of a Sufi dynasty. Across the road is the Kutlug Temir minaret, the only surviving part of the main mosque built in the 1320’s. Further along were the Sultan Tekesh mausoleum and the Il-Arslan mausoleum.
Back to the airport for our flight on Turkmenistan Air. The terminal was filled with swallows and not a single airline on the field- but 26 commercial bi-planes. Women were openly nursing children; another woman was bringing her chicken on board.

We met a 30-year-old woman with two children…the youngest was 18 months. She and her husband were taking their five-year-old daughter to the hospital in Ashkabad. “She can’t go” was her explanation—the little girls’ legs are deformed… We gave her a bubble pen and some tootsie roll pops and were rewarded with the most wonderful smile.

We finally made it onto the plane. The seat was wet from the sweat of the previous passenger and the engines wouldn’t start. We watched as they took a garden hose and sprayed it directly into the engine. The woman across the aisle fed us wonderful homemade sweets.

We landed safely. As we headed towards the exit, we gave the woman with her daughter a bag filled with treats and snacks and a $10 bill. We watched them walk away—with their two kids and only one plastic bag as luggage.
We headed to our hotel on the Las Vegas like strip of Ashkabad.
The city of filled with “Turkmanbashi” posters, statues and signs. Their President has a real love affair with himself

.

Note- in 2002, this was reported:

"Turkmenistan's flamboyant President Saparmurat Niyazov, after whom cities, airports and even a meteorite have been named, has proposed a new honor for himself -- the month of January will now bear his name.
Niyazov, officially known as Turkmenbashi, or Head of all the Turkmen, but usually known as Turkmenbashi the Great, proposed that January be renamed Turkmenbashi at a meeting of the People's Council, the country's highest consultative body. "