Impressions from Armenia

When I went to Armenia in September 2000, I didn’t know what to expect, is it going to be as bad as they say it is? Was the country really falling apart? Or is it all exaggeration.

Well I can say that I fell in love with this country, so beautiful, so charming, full of history and stories, stories that go back thousands of years.

My thoughts about the country began at the Amsterdam airport, right when I stepped in the Armenian Airline A-310. I love the logo they have but when in the plane I noticed a few things that could be improved, specially when one thinks that the plane is the first thing any foreign national sees who travels to Armenia and from there the country is immediately judged!

Although there were some problems within the plane, I must say good things about the Armenian Airline crew. There were extremely polite and helpful both in the airport and in the plane, the pilot flew the plane flawlessly and landed flawlessly.

The airport is small but looks very beautiful from above.

We landed 9:30 at night. The plane didn’t go to any gate; instead we came down to the open space using stairs and went to a trailer bus that was burning oil and had no light inside. We were inside the bus for a few minutes, before we were taken to the doors near the terminal, from where we had to go up and down stairs to reach the customs area.

We waited in line where there were two customs booths operating. The workers were cordial and everything went smoothly.

It saddened me to see that the inside of the airport didn’t look as good as it did from outside. Again one more thing that was in obvious need of repair.

When I went out, my relatives greeted me and we took off toward the city of Yerevan. It was so fascinating from the first moment I stepped out. I noticed a lot of broken stonewall pieces on the airport building that have never been repaired or replaced. While driving, one couldn’t avoid noticing the potholes and bumps on the roads that have been caused by the cold winter.

It was so interesting for me to see little shops lined up on both sides of the road, selling little things, alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, although very few shoppers around at that time of the night. Some shops were not inclosed and were open all around which made me wonder, "What do they do in the cold winter?" Finally we reached my relative's home.

What can I say about a city so romantic but so broken hearted, so charming yet so much in pain! I must say this city is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, old buildings and new, beautiful parks and city circles, hills, statues and monuments, outside cafes and some fine restaurants. People on the streets at all hours. Tramways, buses, minibuses and taxis everywhere.

I noticed that many vehicles, cars and buses alike have dual fuel system, gasoline and natural gas and they fill up with whichever one they can, interesting and practical concept.

The city air was refreshingly clean and one could actually see the stars at night. While going around the city I notice none of the factory chimneys were exhausting anything, obvious evidence of factories shut. Factories that once produced a lot of goods, both low tech and high tech during the Soviet empire are now rusting away, and with them shut, thousands of jobs have disappeared and has forced the people to take extreme measures for survival of their families. Some new factories do open and some existing factories have been revamped and operational but the progress is slow.

I was in Armenia for two weeks, although not enough time, I still managed to see the city of Yerevan, roam outside of the city to lake Sevan, Echmiatsin, Khorvirab, Garni and Geghart. I wish I had enough time to see more.

Walking through the streets of Yerevan I couldn't help but notice the pain of this once thriving city. The desperate need of repair of everything small and big. The need for major revamping of its infrastructure that is literally falling apart. The pain of this city is being ignored by the people of the city, not because they don't care but because most of the people have more imediate problems to deal with and have left city problems on the government. I am sure the people’s hearts bleed just as mine does for this city. Yet, with all these, they are some of the most hospitable and friendly people I have encountered. they have learned to make the best of what life offers them! I was fascinated to see how resourceful the people are, how they don't waste anything that could be used for something, and how they make things from nothing! Almost all the people are educated and talented.

In a way the city was at a stand still. It had the feeling of time stopped. I saw many cranes across the city that have been sitting idle for almost ten years, constructions that were half done and left as is, one could see many half finished buildings all across the city. Many of these building house the poorest residents of the city. People who just can’t afford even the cheapest accommodations so I was told and have no reason to doubt.

After a few days with my relatives, I stayed in a hotel in the center of the city, hotel Erebuni, although modest and a one star hotel, the price was very reasonable which included breakfast too. One thing I liked about the hotel was the services it had, some with money, some free. There was a full time nurse at hand, a tailor, a coffee shop, restaurant and a disco. One thing that was missing was information about the country, about the city, where to go and see, tour services, shows if any and so on. The only way to find out was to ask someone, even then there was no guarantee that they would know.

A few days after arrival, I finally got over my jet lag and started to get a sense of belonging and feeling of pride, I don’t know why, the misery the country is in is nothing to be proud of, but being there and knowing it’s ours at least there and then gave me the goose bumps and made me joyful. Seeing mount Ararat with all its majesty gave me another dimension on who we are and away from the photographs I’ve seen all my life.

On some of the streets in the center I saw expensive boutiques as well as low price stores, flea markets (swap meets), street vendors who were everywhere.

I did go inside the stores to check out what they have, they had very nice clothes for reasonable prices, some cheaper than here in LA, some not. Although they did not have a variety of selection, which is understandable, after all, how many people could afford what was in those stores with the salaries they were getting paid.

Some of the restaurants were really nice even with western standards and the food was absolutely great. Living in the US I had forgotten how a good fruit tastes like until I had some fruit in Armenia. By far the best fresh fruits, dried fruits and jams.

I saw houses on the hilltops, monuments and statues every where, the street right at the main city circle with thousands of water fountains, outside coffee shops spread out all over the place, people on the street till very late hours, walking in the street or gazing at the stars at night gave them joy and made them forget about their problems for a few hours. People were happy with each other and with what they had.

(This feeling of enjoyment from simple things in life has been lost to an extend where we live in the west).

Going outside of the city, I saw many farms including grape farms, peach tree farms, cows every where, sheep everywhere, it sure was a different world, I went through the villages and seeing what little people have and how they cherish what they have made me realize how for granted we take what we have here. There is a certain bonding between people and that's what made them pull through the tough times of early 90s. Relatives, friends and neighbors became one during those days.

Then there was Khorvirab (deep hole) where legend has it that Saint Grigor was put inside the deep hole to die but he miraculously didn't; this is another story of it's own! The road to Khorvirab is absolutely beautiful; one could see it with mount Ararat in the background. Once there, looking at the mountain, the border is visible.

One final note:

I think every Armenian should visit Armenia at least once, if only to get a sense of who we are and to get back to our roots that we think we know but we really don’t; to see how our brothers and sisters live, how they suffer and understand how they always keep the dim light of hope lit, for the better...

we should all visit Armenia to learn to appreciate what ever we are and have.

I know I will be going back there, again!

Armenia is so beautiful; it’s so green and so mountainous, so fresh and so dusty. One could only appreciate it if one sees it.

Garni was located in such beautiful area, it made me think about what they did 2000 years ago when it was built, I asked myself “who walked the same path I am walking back then?”

Geghart gave me the feeling of the past being alive, inside of the church with it’s three chambers was dark and medieval, there were also the original section that was inside the mountain rock. No place took me back in time as much as Geghart did!

Etchmiatsin is one of the oldest churches in the world if not the oldest with almost 1700 years of history, it reminded me of the phrase “if only these walls could talk”. Etchmiatsin city, which is half an hour away from Yerevan, is a clean city. In the grounds of the churchyard one could see the burial of Armenian religious leaders.

Social & economic Problems !!