Turkmenistan Hopes 'Door to Hell' Will Boost Tourism

Straits Times ^ | Jun 20, 2014

[nickcarraway]

Locals call it the Door to Hell, a giant burning pit that has spit out angry flames for more than 40 years, casting a yellow-orange glow into the evening sky.

"It takes your breath away," said visitor Gozel Yazkulieva, 34, from the Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat. "You immediately think of your sins and feel like praying."

[nickcarraway]

Great Dante's ghost!

[a fool in paradise]

The door to hell leads to Helen Thomas’ crypt no doubt...

[a fool in paradise]

The tourist shop is #667 across the street, the neighbor of the beast.

[nickcarraway]

By the way, this is not naturally occurring. This is a result of a Russian screwup in 1971.

[gubamyster]

I spent 3 years in Ashgabat Turkmenistan. The whole country is pretty much a Door to Hell.

[Argus]

Perfect location for the Obama Presidential Library...

[nickcarraway]

[DannyTN]

They are going to need a lot of carbon credits for that.

[cripplecreek]

Just looking at it on Google earth. During the day it apparently just looks like a hole in the ground. I can’t really see it attracting a lot of visitors.

[CrazyIvan]

Now if that was in Texas they’d just make a big BBQ pit out of it!

[a fool in paradise]

By the way, this is not naturally occurring. This is a result of a Russian screwup in 1971.

Dumping ground for a scorching hot hot sauce?

[Carriage Hill]

[faithhopecharity]

the entry portal to today’s WH?

[faithhopecharity]

the entry portal to today’s WH?

[FroggyTheGremlim]

"Turkmenistan welcomes just 12,000 to 15,000 tourists"

Well, it's obvious - they need a Turkmenistan Disneyland!

[RichInOC]

Somebody needs to drape stone hands on each side of that thing.

[nascarnation]

Or another branch of the Baraq Hussein Obama Presidential Library and Choom Gang Museum.

[fhayek]

I can just see it. “Where are we going this year for vacation, honey”?, my wife asks. Whadaya say we book a trip to Turkmenistan?, I reply.

[Mr. K]

what did the russians do to make this?

BTW there is a coal fire in Centralia Pennsylvania that has been burning underground for over 50 years I think.

There is no way to put it out except to trench out and extinguish every sinlge thing

A tire fire is another example- it creates its own oxygen and so you can’t put it out very easily

[familyop]

Tourists will go to Turkmenistan before diplomats have such courage. Folks there offered oil exploration deals to the U.S. years ago. It would have been an opportunity to further hem Iran in. But the politicians said no-go in favor of the comfort sensitivities of their bureaucrats. It turned out that there was not a wealth of services there.