dà lǐ shí大理石huàn yǐng幻影：ā shén hā bā dé阿什哈巴德de的bái sè白色wài biǎo外表hé和tǔ kù màn sī tǎn土库曼斯坦de的zhēn shí真实shēng huó生活
The capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, has many white marble buildings that look new and bright, and have even broken world records.
The city also has large fountains, big statues, and huge stadiums, as if to show others that it is wealthy and successful.
However, many places are very quiet, with few people on the streets, like an empty city.
This country has a lot of natural gas, and the government has earned a lot of money from selling it, but the lives of ordinary people have not improved.
Many families find it difficult to buy food, often spending most of their income on flour, oil, and other basic foods, sometimes having to wait in long lines.
Some rural areas lack water, yet the capital still uses a lot of water to maintain parks and fountains.
The country strictly controls information and daily life; many people cannot freely access the internet or travel abroad.
Some people are punished for their clothing, beards, or for expressing different opinions.
Ashgabat's white facade is beautiful, but it also reveals a problem: without freedom, food, and safety, no matter how splendid the city is, it does not mean the people are truly living well.