Azat Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 (edited) http://www.miami.com/images/miami/miamiherald/9978/99560922032.jpg Armenia on the Rise BY JANE WAMPLER Special to The Herald ALL PHOTOS BY GAYLON WAMPLER / FOR THE HERALD Mount Ararat stands looming over the Armenian andTurkish border lands. In the foreground sits Khor VirapMonastery, built in the 12th century. An Armenian woman gathers hay for the winterin a rural area near Mt. Aragats. A tourist strolls through thecourtyard of the Khor Virap Monastery. Gregorythe Illuminator is said to have been trapped in a well on this site in the third century. On a clear autumn day, the smell of fresh cement and the sound of chisels and hammers permeates the Armenian capital. Sidewalk cafes overflow with suited businessmen and couples huddling over demitasse cups of strong, boiled coffee. Fashionable women in rimless sunglasses and stiletto heels walk arm in arm, sidestepping wheelbarrows and loose paving stones on their way to smart eateries in new luxury hotels brimming with tourists. It's clear that Armenia is making a comeback. Again. After surviving 70 years of Soviet domination, a devastating earthquake and millenniums of foreign marauders who whittled this once-massive kingdom to one-tenth of its size, the first country to formally adopt Christianity is once again assuming its role of perennial phoenix. Cloaked behind the Iron Curtain for most of the 20th Century, until a decade ago, this mountain republic tucked between the Caspian and the Black seas fell out of bounds for most outsiders. Hidden was an astonishingly beautiful country of high mountain lakes, snow-capped mountains, ancient monasteries, cascading rivers and archaeological ruins so impressive they ought to be behind the velvet ropes of a museum. Perhaps more significantly, many Westerners are surprised to hear that this predominantly Christian nation -- bordered by Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan -- is politically stable and welcoming to tourists. ''What people don't know is that Armenia is safe,'' says Laura Gononian, editor of Armenian International Magazine, which caters to the English-speaking Armenian descendants around the world whose forefathers fled the region during the so-called Armenian Genocide in Turkey in the early 20th century. Though Iraq lies only 250 miles away, Gononian maintains Armenia is ``probably the safest place in the world at the moment.'' Nevertheless, democratic reforms have been bumpy. There have been recent demonstrations in the capital, which the U.S. State Department reports are peaceful; the State Department also calls robberies and other crimes against foreigners ''a concern.'' Armed clashes along the border with Azerbaijan also occur intermittently following a 1994 cease-fire agreement regarding border disputes. Not surprisingly, local entrepreneurs making the transition from communism to capitalism are grateful for the tourism. Consider Jirair Avanian, owner of Dolmama restaurant a warm and elegant eatery in the heart of Yerevan. Like many other native Armenians, Avanian could not resist the lure of his reopened homeland. He moved to Yerevan from New York City shortly after Armenia regained statehood in 1991. What he found was a city in tatters. Gutted factories, severe fuel shortages, border conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan and Karabagh, and the economic aftershocks of a 1988 earthquake had many questioning whether this tiny country could rise from the rubble. ''It was miserable here. There was no electricity, no lights, no heat, and Communism was in its death throes,'' Avanian recalls. ``Seventy years of not knowing how to fend for itself had taken its toll.'' With financial help from Armenian descendants around the globe -- including 1.4 million U.S. residents -- Armenia is getting a face-lift. Fountains, flowers and Russian olive trees line graceful boulevards, an amazing turn-around for a city once nearly deforested during fuel shortages. Crowds of stylishly dressed mothers and children walk down Khanjian Street to buy roasted coffee beans, potatoes, onions, ice cream and fried sweet cakes from street vendors. And dozens of eateries serve quality ethnic Armenian food at unbelievably low prices. A meal for two, at Old Erivan Restaurant, for instance, costs less than $15 for a basket of lavash (thin pan-fried bread, similar to a tortilla), a platter of cheese, a ripe tomato and cucumber salad, lamb stew, khoravatz (a shish kebab of meat and vegetables on a skewer), and a few strong Armenian beers to wash it all down. TRAGIC HISTORY Despite its forays into modernism and self-sufficiency, nothing can dim Armenia's rich and tragic history. Nor should it. For 4,000 years, civilization has flourished in lands associated with Armenia. The Biblical rivers of Tigris and Euphrates flowed through the original Armenia, or Ararat, as it was once called. The 16,945-foot-high namesake Mount Ararat, in present-day Turkey, holds what many believe to be the remnants of Noah's Ark in its crevasses. In 301 A.D., Armenia became first nation to embrace Christianity as a state religion, a dozen years before Rome. At the height of its power (under the rule of King Tigran II from 94-55 B.C.), the kingdom of Armenia encompassed parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and western Turkey. Over the centuries Armenia has been scooped up by empires Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian and Ottoman. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the U.S.S.R. in 1920. The monuments from this tumultuous past draw busloads shuttling from Hellenistic temples, Roman shrines, and early churches. At Echmiadzin, a small-scale Vatican-like complex with museum and a cathedral, nonbelievers mingle with pilgrims to view ancient silver chalices and religious relics such as a metal spearhead believed to have pierced the side of Christ. Another option is to leave the city center, as we did, and hire an English-speaking driver for a two-day, southeastern excursion from the capital and back. Boris, our driver, arrived with a Soviet-made SUV packed with snacks thoughtfully baked by his wife. First stop: eerie Khor Virap, the church complex built atop a well where Gregory the Illuminator reportedly was imprisoned for his Christian teachings in the third century. (He later converted the rulers to the faith and was sainted for his eforts.) We climbed into the narrow pit on a ladder to imagine Gregory's decade-plus claustrophobia, then emerged into the blazing sun for a view of Mount Ararat, just across the Turkish border. We moved on to Noravank, a 13th-century monastery perched on a forested cliff and surrounded by dramatic redrock outcroppings. On this day, we were the only visitors in sight as we wandered the church grounds and admired the khatchkars, or cross stones, elaborate crosses carved on basalt tablets found primarily in Armenia. That night we snagged a room at a dank, Soviet-era hotel room in Sisian, then headed out at first light for an early-morning glimpse of the Zorats stones. This is Armenia's version of England's Stonehenge: a circular arrangement of massive stones thought to be a celestial observatory. Though the Zorats stones lack the impressive lintels of Stonehenge, they are believed to be older than its British cousin by three millenniums. UNSPOILED Another difference: While Stonehenge has become so popular that it's been roped off to visitors, Armenia's stones are startlingly unprotected and uncommercialized. Only the snow-capped mountains, which loom over the windy field, stand guard. We strolled through the deserted site of lichen-covered stones and peer through holes that the ancient cosmographers might have drilled to better view the heavens. From Sisian, the road to Tatev is bumpy, but it soon opens to reveal a lushly wooded canyon crowned by a ninth-century monastery. To invaders of centuries past, the complex was viewed as a prize worthy of numerous bloody forays. On our visit, we were alone save a caretaker, free to explore the faded frescoes in dark rooms, climb the heights of the fortified walls, and to imagine the 13th-century Mongols who, historians say, pushed Christians into the gorge. Back in Yerevan, we wandered through markets, sipped brandy at the local distillery, soaked up the history in this city that is older than Rome by 29 years. In the square once guarded by tanks and named for Lenin, children play in the spraying fountains. Couples walk past some of the Armenia's most prestigious buildings such as the National Museum, home to 10,000-year-old Uratian cuneiform inscriptions and 3,000-year-old horse-drawn carriages uncovered in Lake Sevan. All are a tribute to the spirit of survival. For Armenians, the late novelist William Saroyan -- an American son of an Armenian immigrant -- may have said it best: ``I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard and prayers are no more answered . . . Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia.'' http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/livin.../printstory.jsp ---------------------------- YEREVAN, ARMENIA: THINGS TO SEE AND DO • Visit the ''closed bazaar,'' a football stadium-size indoor market on West Mashtots Avenue, brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables displayed like gleaming jewels. • See the rare document museum, the Matenadaran, which houses an extraordinary collection of ancient manuscripts, some dating to the ninth century. An English tour guide -- a paltry $2.50 above the regular $4 admission fee -- will heighten your experience by explaining the relevance of what you're seeing. Highlight: A huge 15th-century book relaying Armenia's history. It was ripped in half and smuggled out of the country by two peasant women, at great personal peril, during the 1915 genocide. Both women, and both halves of the book, survived. • Make time for the museum dedicated to Sergey Parajanov, a master of modern cinema and director of The Color of the Pomegranate. Through collages, mixed media and paintings you can glimpse into his complex mind. Alas, there are no film clips. • Learn the difference between brandy and cognac at the Yerevan Brandy Company, which offers free factory tours. Armenia is famous for its brandy and this is the place to go if you want to witness how spirits are distilled and aged. Located about five minutes by car from the city center on Admiral Isakov Ave. • Stroll through the Vernissage, a festive outdoor market that operates each weekend near Republic Square. Here will you'll find accordions, old toasters, Russian nesting dolls, obscure car parts, compasses, jewelry, and strolling musicians. • Visit Tsitsernakaberd, the somber site of the Genocide Memorial, and the Museum of the Armenian Genocide. Tens of thousands of Armenians make a pilgrimage here each year on April 24, the national day of commemoration and mourning. Otherwise, it is a fairly deserted place -- fitting for the solemn contemplation that it inspires. It is located at 46 Kievan St. in the Tsitsenakaberd Park, northwest of the city center. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/livin.../printstory.jsp ---------------- TRAVELING TO ARMENIA VISITING ARMENIA Visas: Three-week tourist visas are relatively easy to obtain through the Armenian embassy in Washington (202-319-1976) for about $32. Online, the cost is $60; www.armeniaforeignministry.am. Getting there: British Airways is the leading carrier offering service to Armenia, with flights from London to Yerevan three times a week. Getting around: Take our advice: Do not drive. Roads and traffic are nightmarish. An English-speaking driver and car cost about $50 per day. Information: www.ar meniadiaspora.com and www.armeniainfo.am Once you arrive: Visit the Armenian Tourism Development Agency, 3 Nalbandyan St., near Republic Square; (011-37-41) 542-306 or (011-37-41) 544-791. The staff is bend-over-backward helpful and can provide you with maps, books on Armenian history, hotel information, and phone numbers of reputable guides and drivers. Money matters: The official currency is the Armenian dram but U.S. dollars are widely used. Forget your credit cards; they are rarely accepted. Staying connected: CNN and BBC are available in most hotels. Internet cafes are ubiquitous and charge less than $1 per hour. Tour operators: The following offer day tours, multiday excursions, hotel reservations and airport transfers: • Menua Tours, (011-37-41) 527-372, www.menuatours.com • Sati, (011-37-41) 531-022, www.satiglobal.com • Princess Maneh, (011-37-41) 582-457, www.seearmenia.tk When to go: Autumn is best, with moderate temperatures are a dry climate. However, if you plan to hike Mount Aragats (not Ararat, which is in Turkey), note that most tour operators stop leading trips up the peak after Sept. 30. YEREVAN LODGING (Note: Armenia is nine hours ahead of EDT.) • Congress Hotel, a clean and modern four-star facility. The rooms are small but this centrally located hotel has a pristine outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a restaurant and bar. Rooms have private baths, air conditioning, satellite television, and phones. Double $105. Located just south of Republic Square, at 1 Italia Street. (011-37-48) 580-095; www.congresshotelyerevan.com. • Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan (formerly Hotel Armenia), with its hotel front cafe facing Republic Square, is considered by many to be the city's flagship hotel. The rooms are small but nice, with private baths, air conditioning, satellite television and phones. Facilities include two restaurants, cafe, bar, health club and business services. Double $115. Includes breakfast buffet. 1 Amirian Street, at Republic Square. (011-37-48) 599-000; www.marriott.com. YEREVAN DINING • Dolmama. Owner Jarair Avanian has created an upscale but cozy continental eatery centrally located in downtown Yerevan. Entrees range from $12 to $18. 10 Pushkin St. (011-37-41) 568-931. • Old Erivan. This four-story eatery is actually several restaurants under one roof, with dining rooms ranging from elegant to rooftop alfresco dining. The decor and lively entertainment is belied by the moderate prices. Entrees range from $5 to $7. 2 Northern Ave. (011-37-41) 540-575. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/livin.../printstory.jsp Edited October 25, 2004 by Azat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Wow, great article! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Agree, however I don't want herds of Americans and North-Western Europeans to come and "discover" Armenia. Let them go to Turkestan! PS: All others are more than Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 How about organizing tours from Isreal! Immagine a tourgroup in Mayr Ator with flags and stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 How about organizing tours from Isreal! style_images/master/snapback.png Israelis travel to Eastern Europe for only one purpose. No, actually twofold purposes. One is gambling (after closure of some casinos in Constantinople, they are coming to Bulgaria now) and the other reason is sex tourism. I will hate to see Israelis coming to Armenia for sex tourism, but if they want to gamble in an Armenian Casino, we can arrange one on-line for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Gams, I wouldn't mind the female part of them coming for some sex tourism either Immagine a newsline saying: "The male population of embattled Caucasian ex-Soviet republic feels the increasing pressures of growing tourism industry". How about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Armen, I feel your pain. I have the same trouble. If I have to sleep with all the girls that want to "marry" me, I have to walk around 24 hours pants down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Ehhhhhh, why cant I have that problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Zorats stones a nice place to be - just above the Zorats stones acorss the road is ishxanasar / Ughtasar it's on #2 road to Sisyan ( back road ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 #2 and my BArekam Aramayis and Gago - of Sisyan - geting some UrtS man it was awsssssssssammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emil Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 http://www.miami.com/images/miami/miamiherald/9978/99560922032.jpg Armenia on the Rise BY JANE WAMPLER Special to The Herald ALL PHOTOS BY GAYLON WAMPLER / FOR THE HERALD [article snipped] ''What people don't know is that Armenia is safe,'' says Laura Gononian, editor of Armenian International Magazine, which caters to the English-speaking Armenian descendants around the world whose forefathers fled the region during the so-called Armenian Genocide in Turkey in the early 20th century. Though Iraq lies only 250 miles away, Gononian maintains Armenia is ``probably the safest place in the world at the moment.'' The article was great, but did you guys notice the line I put in bold above? The so called Genocide? What is the paper trying to say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 (edited) #2 and my BArekam Aramayis and Gago - of Sisyan - geting some UrtS man it was awsssssssssammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm style_images/master/snapback.png Movses jan, es karogha mez hetevum eiq buk axper jan http://www.azat.net/Armenia2004/Tatev/DSCF2020.JPG http://www.azat.net/Armenia2004/Tatev/DSCF2021.JPG http://www.azat.net/Armenia2004/Tatev/DSCF2022.JPG Edited October 25, 2004 by Azat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Azat jan de Ightasarits amen inch shat hangist yerevum er te ov ura gnuam inch aanum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakersfieldian Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 I also thought we should tell them "Armenia sucks, don't waste your time going there" so they don't flood the country. Upon further review I have concluded that would be a horrible idea. Americans tend to bomb the crap out of places they don't like to vacation in. Agree, however I don't want herds of Americans and North-Western Europeans to come and "discover" Armenia. Let them go to Turkestan! PS: All others are more than Welcome! style_images/master/snapback.png Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 The article was great, but did you guys notice the line I put in bold above? The so called Genocide? What is the paper trying to say? style_images/master/snapback.png Well, with the NY Times having changed their policy in this regard (to desist from using 'so-called', 'alleged' and other such ambiguous terms when referring to the genocide) I'm sure that one could convince the Miami Herald to follow suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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