Men's Basketball FIBA World Cup 2023 (American First Qualifying Round, Week 3)

There are some government allowed routes that go to the West, but the usual one is just around the two main cities (Ashgabat and Mary) and then crossing the desert to that gas fire crater.   thats what I did, entered from the east from Bukhara (Uzbekistan) and left again to Uzbekistan but in the Khiva border.   Not sure how’s the caspian sea there, but the only time I saw it , in Azerbaijan, didn’t look very clean to swim.

...and this is how I learned Costco sells poutine in Canada    Is it a food court item there, or something you buy and prepare at home?

I don't see any photos from the Caspian Sea? I wonder if there are swimming conditions there?

Some other fast swims today include a new commonwealth record by Duncan Scott in the 400m free and a European record in the 100m IM by Marchand. Watch out for some quick swims in the 200m free and 200m IM later on. 

Last stop on this TISC Central Asia tour: Turkmenistan    One of the most closed and censored lands in the world, Turkmenistan is a place with incredible things to visit, with a beautiful desert landscape, historical ruins from ancient civilisations, and the unique "Door to Hell".   But it is also a country where everything is controlled and restricted (we had no access to social networks and tons of blocked websites, can only enter with invitation letter, with a predefined tour and accompanied by a guide at all times), with giant megalomaniac buildings created in order to maintain a cult of the leader and its regime. It basically felt like what i imagine is North Korea (but without the hate for americans).   It is eccentric, it is impressive, but above all, it is bizarre. Here is a patriotic catchy song i heard when was traveling there. .      Mähri Pirgulyýewa – Halkyň arkadagly zamanasy