Artaxias

Zhoghovourt@ xelqi pakas ouni.

Armenia Dispatch: 3 Tourism Posted Sep 21, 2005, 1:04 PM ET by Erik Olsen Related entries: Business, Cultures, Food, Media, Stories Well I have to confess that today was a day of rather basic sightseeing. I got hooked up with a group that headed out into the Armenian countryside to see some of the old monasteries and to hang out at Lake Sevan. The drive out of Yerevan was wonderful. Armenia, you might remember, was a Soviet satellite state, part of the Soviet Union, albeit one of the smaller, more distant places within Moscow’s reach. But that didn’t stop the Soviets from erecting all sorts of clunky, but strangely fascinating, iconography around the country. Many of the buildings in and around Yerevan bear the ugly stamp of Soviet era architecture. Still, as unsightly as some of these places are, there is something about them, because we know the era is now dead, that gives them an odd appeal; they have become kitsch. This morning, we headed out on the highway first thing…well, not first thing, first thing was to grab a cup of Armenian coffee, thick, gritty stuff that packs a wallop. It is wonderful. And entirely sufficient to start the day. There are no Starbucks in Yerevan. Not yet. We drove out the highway to Garni Temple, a fancy little Greek-like structure on a plateau in the mountains. The temple itself was rebuilt recently, and while it was pretty cool, the surroundings, the wide open mountain faces around the temple, were actually more interesting. We then headed to a really cool place called the Geghard Monastery, which is nestled in the mountains about 30 miles outside the city. This is a lovely place. The rocks are a magnificent reddish color, and they loom over the temple like a massive wall. Inside, the temple was nearly black, except for the glow of candlelight which barely lit the haze of incense smoke to create a very cool effect. An Armenian priest inside swung a pot full of burning incense, so that the smoke permeated the air. There were some Armenian pilgrims there, lighting candles and saying prayers. There were also a few tourists, but they were all Armenian. None of them were either American or European. This brings up a very interesting thing about being here right now. Armenia is largely undiscovered. For three days now the only Americans I’ve seen have been Diaspora Armenians from Glendale or Fresno. I did see one French and one German group of tourists at lake Sevan, but that is it. As a result the hucksters at the tourist areas number only a few, and the ones that are there, selling bread or handmade jewelry, are not ornery or aggressive as they are in places like India. I guess the point is, if you are looking for a place still raw and unbesmirched by tourism, Armenia is certainly one place to consider. Well, I am off to a dinner, so have to cut this entry short, but I’ll file again when I am back later tonight.

http://www.gadling.com/entry/1234000420059670/ Armenia Dispatch: 2 - Yerevan Posted Sep 20, 2005, 11:17 PM ET by Erik Olsen Related entries: Business, Cultures, Food So the short answer first (admittedly after just two days): I am hugely bullish on Yerevan. The city so far has exceeded my expectations by a degree or two of magnitude. Coming into the airport, which is somewhat run down and dreary, and then passing by the weak and weary casinos on the edge of town, you might be led to believe Yerevan is a post-communist republic (aka: one of the Stans), struggling to figure out what it wants to be when it grows up. Stunted and confused. Not true. Yerevan is a vibrant, happening, hip, fun, interesting and culturally rich city…and it is pulling this off in a neighborhood where the neighbors are all, shall we say, rather ornery. For those who don’t know, Armenia is a Christian nation, the first in history, yet it is surrounded on all sides by Muslim countries…many of whom, have not treated Armenia particularly well in the past. I’ll not get into Armenia’s extensive (and sometimes tragic) history at this moment; but you can read more at this link. No, I want to focus on today. The now. And tomorrow. I will forecast right here that Armenia becomes a viable and somewhat common destination for American and European travelers within three years. No it will likely never become Italy or the US in terms of attracting tourism, but the country has an immense amount to offer, and is only beginning to wake up to rediscover itself. You can see this in the streets of the city. I spent the day exploring Yerevan’s busy avenues, historic churches and a few tourist sites (including a somewhat disappointing tour of the Ararat brandy factory which ended well, though, with a tasting session). It is a busy city. People stride along the streets and sidewalks with purpose. Of course, many are just standing around. Or sitting in the park. But there is an upbeat vibe and hum to the city. Oh, one thing. Walk the streets with care. The cars don’t watch for you much. Even New Yorkers should take their alertness up a notch in Yerevan. In the early evening, I ate a marvelous meal of kebabs and fresh vegetables at a restaurant called Parvana. I attended a concert for the Armenian Day of Independence and witnessed some tremendous musical talent. A young violinist (whose name escapes me right at this moment, but I’ll find it) blew me away he was so talented. Afterwards, I walked around and experienced some of the city’s nightlife. At eleven pm, the streets and clubs and bars and outdoor cafes were teeming with people, most of them young, good-looking and bursting with confidence. Yerevan is a confident city, and you can tell that the youth here are making the culture their own. While everywhere you walk western music blares from the speakers, so does Armenian music, which, even though I can’t understand a word, has a unique, upbeat sound that’s very appealing. In fact, I hope to spend more time over the next few days checking out the Armenian music scene. So that’s all pretty positive so far. I have to say I’ve been very impressed in just a few days, although admittedly, I’ve been just a tourist and have done mostly tourist things. All that may change as I head out into the country tomorrow and after.

http://www.gadling.com/entry/1234000790059907/ Armenia Dispatch: 4 A Bit of a Primer Posted Sep 21, 2005, 11:14 PM ET by Erik Olsen Related entries: Business, Cultures, History, Learning, Media So I left off saying that Armenia is a country that is only beginning to recognize its promise as a travel destination. My guess is that many people don’t even know where Armenia is, and so I figured I’d talk a little bit about the country. Well, the fact is that Armenia is surrounded by a lot of folks you probably HAVE heard of. Namely, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. And my guess is that with the exception of Turkey, these countries are also not on the top of your travel list (although perhaps we should all expand our horizons a bit…I am told that Iran, for example, is a superb place to see). But Armenia especially deserves consideration. Why? Because there are some things happening here right now that are changing the face of the country, and because Armenia has some unusual characteristics that make it a very appealing destination, even if you’re just stopping by on the way to some place else. The first big thing happening is modernization and Westernization. As a former Soviet republic that only gained independence in 1991, Armenia has been locked in a post-Soviet stupor that it is only now emerging from….or so the folks I’ve been talking to tell me. Basic democratic freedoms that are less vibrant in other countries nearby are alive and well here. People feel free to speak their minds, and they are building a culture of tolerance and freedom. People are building successful businesses, examining their place in the world. They want to play a larger role, and their culture It is a very exciting time for Armenia. Another thing is that Armenians (already very friendly and welcoming) are particularly fond of Americans. They are a Christian nation surrounded by Muslim nations. Many people speak English and/or several other languages. I was out last night with a couple of guys who between them spoke German, Spanish, French, Armenian, English (perfectly), Japanese and Italian. The fact is, more Armenians live outside of Armenia than inside the country. The reasons for this are several, but include the genocide around the First World War, the Soviet occupation and to seek a better life in general. Many of these Diaspora Armenians, as they are called, ended up in the US, mostly California, and so they are completely versed in American culture. And now many of these so-called Diaspora Armenians are heading back here to live and build up the country, to make it a viable Western democracy, which, although there are some problems (corruption and so forth) it is doing. Anyway, I don’t want to speak in such detail about a place I’ve only been visiting for a short time. What I write here is based partly on what I’ve read, but also significantly on what I’ve learned in talking to people on the streets and while hanging out in Yerevan. As I said, I am impressed and excited for this small country. It is very much the kind of place that Americans should celebrate and support. Western-looking, entrepreneurial and enterprising, rich in culture, friendly and open…I honestly think you should check it out. (and if any of this seems rambling and nonsensical…forgive me. I was out until 2 am last night and just woke up)

The Ossetian women are very pretty. No wonder so many of our ancient kings married their ancestors the Alans. Satenik is an Alanian name.

Never a diasporan. That will never ever happen. The president must be born and raised in Armenia. Yes I know LTP, but many things were wrong with LTP. Kocharyan is the best possible President that Armenia could have now. Nothing better exists. Things are getting better on a daily basis and Armenia is doing much better than either one of our Transcaucasian neighbours who have much more manpower and resources.

True, we are not jews. We should always give an opportunity to idiots so they can voice their denial. It gives us a chance to refute them and make them look even more stupid. To Arpa: We need a thread where we can discuss deturkification of Armenian names and such.

Those names are NOT Armenian but Persian! Vahram, Artavazd, Anahit, Artashes, Varazdat, Vardkes, Shoushanik etc. are Persian. Suren, Karen, Mher, Vartan, Sanatruk, Arshak etc. are Parthian. But since medieval times only Armenians have been using these names as Arabs destroyed Persia. Since the names are of Iranic origin, and Iranic languages are a branch of Indo-Aryan(Indian and Iranian) languges of the Indo-European (Armenian, Greek, Slavic, Germanic etc.) family Indians have similar names.

True, some official bodies do. The people don't and that's what matters. Not the same with Armenia, Georgia and Cyprus. One fallacy after another. You can do better. Worthless? Obviously this matters a lot to you since you always seem to have a need to barge in with your nonsense. It might have somehting to do with your appearance or upbringing but to each their own...

Domino, you are not born in Armenia and you are not living in Armenia. You have no right or say in this matter. Armenians in Armenia consider themselves as Europeans and their country European on all levels. Armenia is recognized as a European country by all European official institutions. End of story.

Indeed, AIPAC must be burning the midnight oil these next few days. However, I didn't think even these would pass.

WOW. So does this mean US officialy recognizes the Genocide?

Obvious provocateur.

What do you expect? Their troops never had incentive to fight, unlike ours that were fighting to defened their lands.

Poor kid. Whatever happens to them there is their fault. There should be 0 Armenians in Iran.

George maybe, but Arthur is extremely far fetched. Here's another one: Ulfilas (Also: Ulphilas), apostle of the Goths, missionary, translator of the Bible, and inventor of an alphabet, born probably in 311; died at Constantinople in 380 or 381. Though Ulfilas in speech and sympathies was thoroughly Gothic, he was descended not from Teutonic ancestors, but from Cappadocians captured, in the reigns of Valerian and Gallienus, during the raids in Asia Minor made by the Goths from the north of the Danube. There seems to be no valid reason for thinking Ulfilas was not born a Christian (Hodgkin places his conversion during his residence at Constantinople). As a young man he was sent to that city either as a hostage or an ambassador, and, after occupying for some time the position of lector in the church, he was consecrated bishop in his thirtieth year by the celebrated Arian bishop of Nicomedia, Eusebius. Shortly after his consecration he returned to Dacia and during the remaining forty years of his life he laboured among his fellow-countrymen as a missionary. The first eight or ten years of his missionary life were spent in Dacia, after which because of the persecution of his pagan countrymen he was compelled with many of his Christian converts to seek refuge in Moesia. It was at this period in his life that he conceived the idea of translating the Bible into the language of the Goths, a task demanding as a preliminary that he should invent a special alphabet. His familiarity with Greek made the task comparatively simple, only a few letters being borrowed from other sources, Runic or Latin. Despite his many other activities Ulfilas translated "all the books of Scripture with the exception of the Books of Kings, which he omitted because they are a mere narrative of military exploits, and the Gothic tribes were especially fond of war, and were in more need of restraints to check their military passions than of spurs to urge them on to deeds of war" (Philostorgius, "Hist. eccl.", II, 5). The Books of the Old Testament were translated from the Septuagint; those of the New Testament from the original Greek. Ulfilas was at the Synod of Constantinople in 360 when the sect of Acacius triumphed and issued its compromise creed as a substitute for the formularies of the Orthodox as well as the Arian parties. It is unfortunate that the career of Ulfilas was marred by his adherence to the Arian heresy. It may be said in extenuation of this fault that he was a victim of circumstances in coming under none but Arian and semi-Arian influences during his residence at Constantinople; but he persisted in the error until the end of his life. The lack of orthodoxy deprived the work of Ulfilas of permanent influence and wrought havoc among some of his Teutonic converts. His labours were impressed not only on the Goths, but on other Teutonic peoples, and because of the heretical views they entertained they were unable to maintain themselves in the kingdoms which they established. Only a few chapters of Ulfilas's translation of the Old Testament are in existence. Of the New Testament we have the greater portion of the Gospels in the beautiful Silver Codex (a purple parchment with silver and gold letters) now at Upsala, and dating from the fifth century perhaps; nearly all of St. Paul's Epistles in a Milanese Codex edited by Cardinal Mai, and a large fragment of the Epistles to the Romans on a Wofenbüttel palimpsest. Ulfilas introduced the word heathen into Germanic languages, the word heathen is from the Armenian hethanos, itself a loanword from ethnos.

Stupid jewish propaganda. Yes that's all true, their perversions and multiculturalist programs are the reason muslims and other third world trash are flocking into Europa.

lol Come on, do you really think a mestizo, regardless of its name can be mistaken for an Anglo or any other White person for that matter? Most of the early Mexican land owners were Whites, even now there are plenty. Look at President Fox for example. Mexican mestizo: http://www.corozal.com/culture/mestizo/mestz084.wq.jpg Mexican White: http://gilmoregirls.monrezo.be/GilmoreGirl...ledel_Pub01.jpg

They treated everyone badly who was non-Chalcedonian. Be they Greek or Armenian. That's nothing, at least there was an Empire with a system worthy of protection. Justify non-Chalcedonian Armenians massacring Paulician Armenians en masse!

I doubt she was Armenian, even if there was a any Armenian blood how can anyone give a rats ass about such a sorry excuse for a human being? A mudslim cannot be Armenian.

Because it's not true http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_Jahan

Lav klini irents kron@ zargana. Verji verjo azgayin kron eh. Shat hangist kareli eh havasarakshrel inchpes Islandiajum aretsin Asatruji het.

A language is a living object. It always evolves. Loan words from the greater family=evolution. Loanwords from foreign families=devolution. When did the natives have America? The so called natives were migrants from Asia. They were part of the fauna and flora along with other mammals. Nobody took anything away from them, there were no states, flags or armies. Also look up Kennewick Man. Wait you believe there is a similarity between the first and only Holocaust and what turdish pundits threw at the French government? As part of my quest to educate you I will kindly refer you to the The Hundred Years' War. Gevork from Armenian Highland has a good commentary on that, look it up. It's also very interesting that inferior cultures are always able to penetrate and take over whenever the superior cultures are warring. We helped them, they helped us. We screwed them, they screwed us. That's normal. One of the Crusader principalities (Antioch) was a vassal state of Armenia throughout its existence. Sigh, such ignorance. Greeks did not exist. There were no such people that called themselves Greeks! The Eastern Roman Empire was Hellenized by the son of the Armenian Patrician and Exarch of North Africa, Heraclius. Greek was the lingua franca like English today, so it was easier to use Greek than Latin when not many people spoke Latin. Even less knew Armenian. Greeks as we know them today came to be after the break up of the Latin states, and even then most of their nobility traced their roots to Mamikonians, Arsacids, Kamsarakans etc. Read: http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Thread/31378 http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Thread/34087 Peter Charanis calls the Eastern Roman Empire the Greco-Armenian Empire. "Greco" because, as always, their civilization was Greek, "Armenian" because most of the people who directed the empire's destiny and provided most of the forces to defend it were either Armenians or men of Armenian origin". (The Armenians in the Byzantine Empire, p. 57). As always all citizens were Roman, some of Greek origin, some of Armenian others were just long lost assimilated tribes. Unlike Greeks, not all Armenians were Roman. There were Armenians who were just Armenians. Mostly in the East and mostly professing the non-Chalcedonian faith.

ankap, you should have raised the white flag and surrendered sooner. Perhaps we would still be talking about Ani. Classical example of an inductive fallacy. a. The sample is too small to support a generalization. Without getting into probability theories, one relying on common sense can surely see how ridiculous this is. b. Drunken teenagers on a Greek island are relevantly different from the British population as a whole. If the example provided is different; therefore, the conclusion is different also. It's interesting to note that this multicultist program has received so little attention or public support that one is unable to locate any recent media coverage. You know very well what the average Hellene would say regarding this hogwash. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the fallacy of distraction. a. I never talked about skinheads, although in my younger years I was associated with some and I do know several in Russia who are older now though b. I'm a redhead, why should I bleach my hair, my nose altough quite prominent is perfectly shaped. You know I also take long walks on a beach, listen to Verdi and smoke cigars. c. Chechens and Dagestanis on average are biologically very Europoid and have an exteremly high rate of blondism, more than Southern Slavs. Socio-economical and political problems of Russia will not help you as that's completely irrelevant for any topic in this thread so far. d. I already know that you are a miserable, swarthy, bitter fool. The final event in your amusing cry for dignity need not occur as a consequence of all the above. Now ankap, kneel before me and run away.

Ethnocentrism is good, but only healthy doses of ethnocentrism.