Armenia..first stop Yerevan, the capitol

Arriving at the airport there was no problem getting entry visa or $30. Hostel Envoy sent a car to pick me up and as we drove tp the town I could hardly beleive the poverty condition people were living in. Yet in Yerevan itself it looks like another world with broad streets, mixture if modern and old cars, buses and mini van galore and tons of sidewald cafes under beautiful tree lined streets.

Armenians claim to be decendents of Noah's great great grandson HAIK. Mt. Ararat is within viewing distance...the Mt where Noah's ark supposedly settled. Armenia went through multiple invasions and occupations from neighboring countries including Romans, Persians, Bysantines, Turks, Mongols, Arabs, and lastly the Russians before getting its independence 15 years ago. In 1828 Turkey controled most of the country but was extremely anti-Armenian and 1915 committed the modern worlds first genocide killing nearly 1.5 million Armenians and destroying 2200 Armenian churches. A huge Diaspora of armenians are scattered over the globe with nearly 1 million in the US particularly in Los Angeles. Next to Israel Armenia receives the second largest aid from the US. Georgia is the third largest recipient of aid. Most of this money is going toward rebuiding and lots of construction is very evident.Mostly replacing old non functioning deserted Soviet built apartment complexes build cheaply and quickly with no heating system or elevators.

Te archetecture here reveals the Greek and Roman infuences of the past with large columns, rotundas, oval windows. The Opera House is magnificent. I had the good forture to attend several different performances in the few days I arrived ahead of the tour group I will be joining to tour Armenia and Georgia with.

Armenia was the first country in history to convert to Christianity in 301; converted by ST. Gregory. Georgia was the second country. They had a papel visit recently to celebrate 1700 years of Christianity. i expect tp visit some very old monasteries here. One in particular claims to have found the spear that the Roman soldier thrust in Christ's side. Human artifacts have been found here as old as 200,000 years ago.

Here ther is a distinct absense of police in contrast to the high visibility i saw in Russia where police hassle tourists daily asking to see their papers and immigration card. The women are quite attractive and have a very characteristic long nose.

The food is great. I enjoyed a pizza for lunch with the best dough Ive ever had served with a cooked tomated stuffed with raw egg in the center. These people are my kind of people..they love there chocolates, and candy, sweets of all kinds, delicious cakes and baked goods and nuts...my goodness I've never seen peanuts presented in so many different ways. One I bought in a market just for nut lovers is called " Suchok". During grape harvest time walnuts are put on a string which is then dipped several times into a mixture of flour and honey and hot grape juice, and then dried. UMMM delicious.

Sep 14, 2006

Show all 20 photos