Turkmenistan – His image

His image in the form of a golden coloured statue greeted me at the border as I entered Turkmenistan, Turkmenbashi, head of all Turkmen, President for life, the first Turkmen hero and the only man awarded the Order of the Hero of the Turkmen People by parliament. His image bespeckles the poor countryside, the broken potholed roads, an unimaginable contrast to Asghbat, the capital, the city of love in Arabic, the wide promenades fanned by government buildings of power and wealth, all bearing.