Tolkuchka Bazaar: Turkmenistan's Pushy Traditional Market

38°02'41.14"N 58°25'17.57"E

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Ashgabat is justifiably one of the most bizarre cities on Earth. Almost all buildings and statues are made out of Italian white marble arranged in an extravagant architectonic style, while the plazas are massive monumental surfaces barely traversed by either locals or tourists due to strict governmental rules and a complicated VISA policy. But this eerie atmosphere immediately vanishes in today's Blind Witness:the Altyn Asyr Bazaar (most commonly known as Tolkuchka) is the city's main commercial hub in which hundreds of people gather daily to contemplate and purchase the fruit, handcrafts, jewelry, livestock and traditional carpets exhibited on the various stalls. Let's take a look at the history of the Turkmen capital, Tolkuchka's traditional heart and the famous carpet-woving culture of this country, that has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Heritage.

Yungas Road: World's Most Dangerous Route

16°12'15.02"S 67°44'40.67"W

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Crossing the Andean valley of the same name, Yungas Road offers a spectacular mountain panorama, yet it is reserved exclusively for adrenaline junkies. This is because the road has received the nickname "Death Road", and not without reason. Since its opening in the mid-20th century, thousands have died ---in the 1990s, the estimated number was 250 per year--- due to the lack of proper infrastructure, but mainly because of the harsh geography. Nowadays, the death rate has decreased a lot and the safety guarantees are better, still, the curse of this place isn't completely extinguished. Today in Blind Witnesses, the relevant trade history of the Yungas accompanied by curiosities and historical context.