Wednesday the 18th was a holiday here. It seems to have the rather long title of "Day of Revival, Unity and Poetry of Magtumguly" as well as being known as Constitution Day. In any case, holidays often mean official building openings and wreath layings, which equates with road closures. This time, the openings were slated to start pretty early (about 0800 or 0900), so roads were likewise being closed early; in fact, early enough to interfere with my morning run (at about 0515). I started out with the intention of doing a long run, but those plans were thwarted. After about 2 kilometers, a plainclothes security officer on the sidewalk by the ice skating rink stopped me. We had the following conversation in Turkmen (more or less) [His part in green, mine in blue, with commentary in black]:
Stop, you can't go this way. Turn around and go back.
Why? Is the road closed? [Busses were taking students out to an opening, so it clearly was not closed.]
Not now, but it will be when you come back by. Go back now.
Why will it be closed?
Why wouldn't it be closed? [Basically, we both know why and I can't tell you.]
Is it possible to go this way to Chandybil Highway? Is that road closed?
Where did you come from? Where are you going?
Up this hill to Chandybil Highway and to the living place of the Americans. [There isn't a really good word for "housing compound" in Turkmen. Also, I had hoped to go much farther, but knowing there was an impending closure, I didn't want to push my luck.]
How long will it take?
About 20 minutes.
Fine, go.
Ah, the joys of Turkmenistan.
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