Ashgabat is a city that gleams with ambition. Rising from Turkmenistan’s desert landscape, its white marble edifices reflect both the sun and the nation’s drive toward the future. Amid the city’s contemporary structures, the Independence Monument stands tall, symbolizing the country’s break from the Soviet past. Fountains and golden statues punctuate the cityscape, offering a blend of opulence and national pride. But beyond its polished exterior, the city’s bazaars offer a vibrant pulse of daily life. In Ashgabat, the old intertwines with the new, crafting a narrative of a nation eager to carve its unique identity on the world stage.