The sparkling city of Ashgabat

Welcome to Turkmenistan, the oddest and most mysterious of the Stans. East of the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan is a strangely modern and strangely administered nation. Hear some of the classic folks sounds (thanks dutar.com), some freaky prog jazz, hip hop, and more:

The door to hell is inconveniently located in the middle of the Karakum Desert