calicok8's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Thimphu, Bhutan
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Places visited in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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Places visited in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Places visited in Mérida, Mexico
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Places visited in Milos, Greece
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque

The controversial final resting place of the equally controversial first president of Turkmenistan.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Arch of Neutrality

A dictator's gold statue once rotated to face the sun on a 75-meter high marble tower.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Independence Monument of Turkmenistan

Sumptous memorial to a controversial independence.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Giant Ruhnama

A huge monument to a bizarre book written by Turkmenistan’s longstanding dictator.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Wedding Palace

If you want to get married in the White Marble City of Ashgabat, you should do it in this surreal disco ball building.
Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.
Beruni, Uzbekistan

Elliq-Qala

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Xiva, Uzbekistan

Walls of Itchan Kala

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.
Bukhara, Uzbekistan

"The Bug Pit" at Zindon Prison

Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit.
Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Kalyan Minaret

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Bibi-Khanym Mosque

Controversially restored in the 1970s, this giant 15th-century mosque is shrouded in legend.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Tomb of Daniel at Samarkand

An 18-meter-long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Ulugh Beg Observatory

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.
Durman, Tajikistan

Sarazm Archaeological Site

Right beyond the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border lies the oldest human settlement in Central Asia.
Ayni, Tajikistan

Anzob Tunnel

This dark, damp, perilous tunnel is the only passage from north to south Tajikistan.
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Wall of Great Tajik Writers

A building facade covered with the statues of 11 giants of Tajik literature.
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Dushanbe Flagpole

The world's second-tallest flagpole stands proud despite dropping rank.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Statue of Panfilov's 28 Guardsmen

This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Ascension Cathedral

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Beatles Statue of Almaty

Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.