and during this time I have:
- Eaten my weight in tomatoes and apricots.
- Practically given up drinking carbonated beverages.
- Run out of the five packs of Marlboro Ultra Light Menthol that I brought with me and am not experimenting with brands available here, which is usually a hit or miss type of exercise. Menthol anything, let alone Ultra Light, is nowhere to be found in these whereabouts, so it’s usually Winston One, Kent or Davidoff White depending on the mood - the latter when I am feeling particularly fancy and pretentious.
- Somehow lost my favorite blue sapphire ring that my mother had given me on my 21st birthday. I think the ring was lost sometime during the trip. Although it wasn’t an expensive ring per se, I had gotten really attached to it. All my efforts to find a suitable replacement at local gold markets proved to be fruitless, so I am now working on making a sketch of the old one so that a goldsmith can make a new one that comes as close as the one that I lost.
- Realized that running four miles in Richmond, where elevation is 50m above the sea level translates to 2.5 miles here before my muscles get all cramped up in 1200+ meter altitude. I am improving – very slowly, in hopes that this mock “altitude training” will give me that extra push that I need when I go back to Richmond. My endurance past the 4th mile is practically non-existent.
- Spent insane amounts of time talking to my mother (our conversations can switch from petty gossip to the genetic significance of meiosis within a blink of an eye).
- Went to a small show at a local club to realize that the rock scene is no longer what it once used to be - perhaps for the better of it.
- Realized that despite the recent abundance of pub-like establishments, nothing will ever come close to replace Cheers.
- Discovered that the nightlife of this town has long lost its appeal that it once used to have on me.
4 comments:
I had a chance to visit Yerevan in July of 1982 and still keep the warmest memories of that time--wonderful place, amazing people!
I am really happy that you liked Yerevan and our people! I must have been two years old during your visit. I would have to say that today's Yerevan is quite a different place than what it used to be - but still, it has kept the one feature that makes it such a great city - its warmth and familiarity, even to strangers. You should come for a visit once again!
I certainly will whenever I have an opportunity. I liked your new pictures of the central plaza--I immediately remembered when uncle Henrik was showing us around and we came there, kids were playing in the fountains. Another memory--we were somewhere outside of Yerevan, and we were walking by a small chapel and suddenly a singing of a choir could be heard from in inside. Even though it turned out a recording, it was unreal and stunning. I should google for images of Armenia--it will be a nice going back in time.
The main plaza was called Lenin's Square back in 1982. Now it is the Republic Square. The fountains are singing fountains - they used to and still have light shows with the fountains at night. I remember how my parents used to take us kids there to watch the show. The chapels outside Yerevan must have been near the main church in Echmiadzin, although I can't say that for sure. I must have some more pictures of Yerevan (and Armenia) both here and on flickr (see the link on the right side of the page). Plenty of really good pictures of Yerevan elsewhere as well. Enjoy :)
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