ARMENIA: EX-SOVIET STATE IS FINDING ITS PLACE IN THE WORLD
By Richard Plunkett

Miami Herald, FL
April 9 2006

Lonely Planet
Visiting Armenia

Armenians are rediscovering their traditional enjoyment of life —
they share a passion for culture, food and family not unlike Greeks
and Italians.

For an unfair first impression of a country, try arriving at an
unrenovated Soviet airport in the middle of the night. Armenia’s
Zvartnots airport looked like a space station from the outside and
a disused factory on the inside. Mercifully, this ancient country
revealed its authentic — and attractive — nature very quickly.

Along the stately boulevards of the capital Yerevan, cafes were still
doing business at 3 a.m., and the hosts at my B&B (a modern apartment
decked out with traditional Armenian carpets) were waiting up to
embrace me, literally, and feed me until I dropped. The next few days
were a never-ending feast of fruit, cured ham, lavash (flat bread),
salads, brandy, wine and divinely rich Armenian soorch (coffee).

Mountainous Armenia is a compelling mix of European elegance, Middle
Eastern exuberance, ex-Soviet mundanity and modern economic miracle.

The first country to convert to Christianity, it has countless legacies
from 1,700 years of faith — from ancient churches and monasteries to
the uniquely Armenian khatchkars, literally “crucifix stones,” upright
blocks of basalt deftly carved with crosses and interweaving patterns.

Though 20th century wars almost destroyed the country, the new century
is seeing a gratifying upsurge in fortunes. Armenia has one of the
fastest-growing economies in the world. It still has a long way to go,
but prosperity is beginning to spread. Smart new hotels and guesthouses
are sweeping away the gloomy old Soviet hotels.

The three million or so Armenians are rediscovering their traditional
enjoyment of life — they share a passion for culture, food and family
not unlike Greeks and Italians, even though their landlocked country
is tucked between Turkey, Georgia and Iran.

Armenia is the size of Maryland, and almost every corner of the
country can be reached in a day’s drive from Yerevan. The highlight
for Diasporan Armenians is the Vatican of Armenia, Holy Echmiadzin.

The 1,700-year-old Mayr Tachar (Mother Church) is an exotic mix of
Persian-style murals, monks in black cowls and richly gilded holy
relics. Armenia’s holiest treasure, the lance that pierced Christ’s
side, lies in the treasure room at the rear of the cathedral. The
casing around the spearhead is a riot of finely wrought silver, but
the relic itself is a brutal, crude shard of iron — exactly what a
provincial Roman soldier might have wielded 2,000 years ago.

Echmiadzin is only 30 minutes away from Yerevan through the
vineyard-studded Araks Valley.

North from Yerevan lies the vast blue mirror of Lake Sevan. The
richly forested northern province of Lori has two gorgeous World
Heritage-listed monasteries.

Heading south you skirt past the awesome bulk of Mount Ararat and
wind through jagged ranges and knotted valleys on the way to the
spectacular fortress of Tatev. Numerous tour companies run day trips
and overnight stays to the provinces.

Back in Yerevan the cafes stay open late into the night on warm summer
evenings; the Opera House offers high culture at bargain prices;
and the national museum on Republic Square has a magnificent art
collection, regarded as the third best in the former USSR.

The Museum of the Armenian Genocide at Tsitsernakaberd just outside
the city center commemorates the victims of the Ottoman and Turkish
massacres of 1915-23. There is a solemn procession here every year
on April 24 to honor the fallen.

Best of all, there are the Armenians themselves. The language is
something of a challenge (it has a unique 38-letter alphabet), but
many people, especially the young, speak English.

Armenians are an expressive, cultured, hospitable people who love
barbecues, boxing and homemade liqueurs as much as the latest opera
production. Visit someone’s house, and within minutes a table of food
and drinks is set.

As one host said, it is his duty to keep everyone’s glasses full,
but the next step is up to the guest.