Day Four

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Today was a travel day. We began the day at the Armenian Genocide Memorial just outside of Yerevan. Genocide was committed on Armenians by the Turks starting around 1915. All Armenian men were recruited to be in the Turkish army and were made to dig their own graves and then shot to death. Armenian women and children were forced to go on long journeys through the desert and died of thirst and hunger and were also mass murdered like the men. More than 1.6 million Armenians were killed by the Turks. The Turks purposefully killed all the well known influential and intellectual Armenians so that the people would not be able to get together a revolt or some kind of rebellion. We placed white flowers around a torch inside a circle to commemorate the lost Armenians. America will not officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.
After the Genocide Memorial, we had a long bus ride to Lake Sevan, the largest lake in Armenia. We hiked up a hill to the only church in Armenia that has a crucifix with Jesus(the others just have a cross). Jesus on this cross has Mongolian features because the Armenians were protecting their church from Mongolian conquerors who were going to destroy it.
We spent the rest of the day lying in the sun by Lake Sevan.
We'll add pictures later. No time now.

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Photos

Wild Hollyhocks
On hillside above Lake Sevan

Floats
One of inumerable small stands on the way to Lake Sevan selling water toys and swim suits

Obsidian Cliff
On a section of the road to Sevan were extensive veins of volcanic glass

Comments

[Ann]

What about lakes One thru Six?
Sounds like a great trip, but I wish you were here helping to paint our shed. Thanks for keeping us up to date!