Trapping Tourists In Turkistan

What do you do if you've got one amazing Silk Road era site and not much else? To keep the crowds beyond an hour? Build a modern tourist extravaganza! The folks in Turkistan just completed a meandering canal complex, lined with shops, hotels, performance halls, attractions, a museum, whatever keeps 'em coming and staying.

The centerpiece of the place is a giant, man-made lake, complete with a ruined sort of pirate ship fountain. Splashy.

Big halls with distinct architectural features. Drama, performance, convention. For rent.

Looking down the main pedestrian plaza, path. Busy planting welcoming flowers in the new garden bed.

New, old icons. Some sort of immersive theater in the shape of a giant, golden egg in a nest and a sculpture of the big bird of Kazakhstan, a falcon. Egg, nest detail. The big lay.

The canal runs a few blocks, several bridge crossings, better to get you to the Nike store or coffee cafe.