Advertisement
A 'continental Armenian' breakfast - yoghurt, fresh bread from the neighbouring bakery, cheese, cold meat, apricot jam, ....... and sour cream. Apparently this is the Armenian way, but the hotel guy showed us that it was sour cream first with jam on top!
All you Cornish out there take note!
Then, we walked up to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial.
The Armenian Genocide is a very dark period of human history that we guess many of you may be unaware of. We were unaware until we came across information about it in our research for this trip.
In a sentence or two it was a Genocide inflicted upon Armenians by the Ottomans , starting in April 1915. 1.5 million Armenians, from a population of 3 million, were killed directly by, or as a result of the actions of (eg starvation, forced marches into desert concentration camps, ....) the Ottoman government under the control of the 'Young Turks'.
This was the first Genocide of the 20th C, and in fact the formal definition of the term 'Genocide' wasn't actually ratified until the late 1940s.
There is also international dispute as to whether it
should be classed as Genocide. Only 31 countries officially recognise it as such. The UK is not one of these - though the devolved governments of N Ireland, Wales and Scotland have, along with Derby Council. Many countries will not ratify it for fear of spoiling their relationship with Turkey. Wiki will tell you much more about it if you wish to delve into this sorry part of human rights.
Turkey flatly refuses to acknowledge the events as Genocide.
The Genocide Memorial - Tsitsernakaberd - in Yerevan was opened in 1967. It has layers of relevance. The 44-meter stele (spire) symbolizes the national rebirth of Armenians but with a split down its centre. Twelve slabs are positioned in a circle, representing the 12 lost provinces which are now within Turkey's borders. In the center of the circle, at a depth of 1.5 meters, there is an eternal flame dedicated to the 1.5 million people killed during the Genocide. The steps down between the slabs are designed so that you lower your head in respect as you enter.
Along the park's edge is a 100-metre wall with the names of towns and villages where massacres and deportations are
known to have taken place. On the rear side of the commemoration wall, plates have been attached to honor the people who committed themselves to relieving the distress of the survivors during and after the genocide.
At one end there are dozens of fir trees planted, with plaques to name the dignitary who planted each. We found Baroness Cox as the sole British.
The Museum beneath opened in 1997. It pulls no punches in laying the blame and describing the atrocities. And as is common with museums of this nature is full of photos. It is, not surprisingly, a difficult museum.
A quick taxi ride back into town and we headed for Charles Aznavour Square, for a coffee and cake. Yes, Charles is Armenian. Although born (and died) in France his parents were Armenian immigrants. And when you search around there are several streets, places, squares, etc, named after him around the country
So, while we are talking about people :- Some days ago, in Baku, and reinforced even more in Yerevan, we had remarked to each other how the regional 'ethnic' look for the women here was, on the whole, quite pretty, often very
elegant with striking features. Imagine our surprise, therefore, when our walking tour guide later that day told us that Kim Kardasian was Armenian. You can see that look all around in the women in Yerevan.
For the men, however, it is an entirely different affair. With their razor cut, greased hair, sharp stubble beards and black leather or cord bomber jackets, they would be a gangster film casting director's go-to look for a baddy who would abduct your daughter/sister into people-trafficking in exchange for drugs or diamonds, and slit your throat without a moment's thought if you objected. We are sure they are actually friendly and helpful people really.
And listing other famous - part - Armenians, according to our walking tour guide,
Andre Agassi ( Wiki fact check - OKish )
Cher (father American-Armenian)
Gary Kasparov, chess champion (father Armenian )
Princess Diana ! Apparently 1/64 Armenian. (Google check for yourselves).
Getting back to Sunday, after our coffee break we had wanted to go to the Manuscript Museum. Luckily we checked before setting off, and found that unlike all other museums which close on Mondays this one closed on Sunday also. Oh well, the Armenian Museum
was just around the corner so we went there and did half of that ... half closed for renovation, so half price. Then to the local craft /souvenir market - just looking.
This was biding time before a Free Walking Tour. A long one, over 3 hours, which is unusual. But the guide was very good, very knowledgeable, and had amusing anecdotes too.
In addition to listing famous Armenians for us, he also listed Armenian inventions. So, with due reverence to the team of Monty Python and their 'What did the Romans do for us?' we give you:-
What did the Armenians do for us?
Colour TV
MRI and the PET scan
Shower faucet mixer unit
The lorry-based cement mixer
Automatic gearbox, and power steering
MIG Fighter plane
Hairdryer
ATM (albeit, the original mechanical version)
The special green dye used on USA currency
Self focusing camera
Corrugated drinking straw.
Clever lot the Armenians. Talking of which, another tour guide fact is that the BBC once claimed that Armenia was the cleverest country, on the basis that it has the highest
Drinking Fountains
There are 1500 in city, installed in the 1920s number of chess grandmasters per head of population. Chess, in fact, is on the 'national curriculum ' for Armenian children at ages 6 to 8.
Monday we took a short drive out S West to Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to scholars it was the first cathedral built in ancient Armenia and is considered the oldest cathedral in the world. Founded by good old Gregory the Illuminator (remember! the pit guy), in 301 AD, though the current building dates from 483, with later renovations, 17th C dome, belfry and turrets, and 19th C sacristy.
It was built over a pagan temple, symbolising the conversion of both King Tiridates III and the nation to Christianity. It has been a World Heritage Site since 2000. But when we got there we found it currently closed for renovation so we couldn't see the beautiful painting and frescos inside. There are also some very modern, 2000s, structures within the complex too.
Beautiful unclouded view of Mount Ararat on the way out and back.
Back in Yerevan we got to some of the places that the tour guide suggested.
The St Gregory the Illuminator
Cathedral - gets around does ol' Greg (test - who can remember what Gregory was famous for?) The largest cathedral of the Armenian Church. It houses relics. Short walk to the fresh food market - dried fruits, artfully packaged for the tourists a speciality - then metro to the Cascades.
This is a giant, art stairway, built from limestone, linking downtown to the Monument district. We had been at its base yesterday, and the guide told us there were 570 steps at the moment, but that the original plan was for 1000. From yesterday's viewpoint it looked like they would have to dump several 10s metres of earth at the top to give space for that.
However, today, having used the dozen escalators built inside the Cascades, we found a large football pitch sized hole between the stairs and the upper monument. Perspective is important.
Taking the inside escalators, though, also enables viewing of an enormous art sculpture collection .
Back into town for a nice meal and a viewing of the music-linked fountain display finished our time in Yerevan.
Tomorrow we go back to Georgia, via a different border crossing.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.097s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 6; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0641s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb