I came across a major article about Armenia in the Sunday Telegraph, under the Travel section today. Although there was a factual mistake on the very first page, [“…having adopted Christianity in AD 310, a decade before Rome…” - this should be 301, Not 310] the article is definitely worth a read, it is written from a tourism perspective, and talks a lot about how diaspora Armenians are investing in the economy of the country. Here are a couple of extracts:

It is surrounded by Muslim countries on three sides - Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan - and war-torn Georgia to its north. In 1915 Armenia suffered its own holocaust: the slaughter of 1.5 million people by the Turks, a genocide the Turkish government still refuses to acknowledge.
[…]
And yet, partly as a result of this tragic past, Armenia, more than any other country in the Caucasus, is now finding its feet fast. The Diaspora, descendents of those who escaped the genocide, now number three times the 2.5 million population of Armenia itself, and they not only dominate the country’s fledgling tourist industry, but the wealthiest of them, men such as Vahak Hovnanian and Kirk Kirkorian, the owner of MGM studios in LA, invest US$1 billion a year in Armenia, funding everything from airports, roads and radio stations, to universities, museums and hotels.
[…]
Yet, sweep away the dust, and Yerevan, an eighth-century fortress town, reveals itself like a lost icon. On the wide expanse of Opera Square in the centre, opposite a new Marriott hotel, the National Opera House had been restored and the Yerevan Philharmonic was performing works by the great Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian.
[…]
Armenia’s countryside is a virtual museum of religious sites, many dating back as far as the fourth century and most neglected under Soviet rule. Some, like the spectacular Geghard Monastery set in a canyon west of Yerevan, have been well maintained, but Sanahin, the holiest site in northern Armenia, was a mess: grass grew on its roof, its frescos were fading and the vast root of a tree buckled its foundations.
[…]
Armenia is about the size of Belgium and its roads are surprisingly good. From Yerevan the following morning it took us only two hours to get to the third stop on the cultural triangle: Lake Sevan, north-east of the capital. At 6,230ft, one of the highest lakes in the world, Sevan was a popular resort for the Soviet elite, and when its silvery-blue water came into view, I could see a number of sturdy stone dachas on its banks, shaded by forests of red and yellow aspen.

The full article is here.

RFE/RL reports phenomenal figures in Armenia’s tourism industry.

…The increased influx of tourists, most of them foreign nationals of Armenian descent, was particularly visible last year. Virtually all hotels in central Yerevan and flights to and from the Armenian were fully booked from August through October, the traditional peak period for travel to Armenia… more…

I was very happy to see that Air Arabia is now serving Yerevan! In my opinion, this is a very important link for business. The fact is air links equate business expansion and opportunity. If you look at most any major economic development initiative in Europe or America, there is an emphasis on having air links with business hubs. Air Arabia has many links with up and coming business centers which could truly add to real, knowledge economy expansion in Armenia.

Why do I see this as such a good thing? The main reason is the fact this past week we saw a huge issue made about the lack of skilled technology professionals in the developed world and even more of a surprise was the projection of a huge shortage in India. Just imagine if Armenia can continue to increase its knowledge work force especially in high technology to become a destination for knowledge work! A cheap air link with the knowledge centers of India could boon well for true economic expansion. Of course the jewel in the cap of the Armenians is the fact that Armenians are excellent linguists, picking up languages easier than most due to the difficulty of Armenian. Couple language with increasing technical know-how and we have a strong mix for future growth!

This is a wonderful thing! I hope that Armavia sees the competition and picks up its own expansion. Yerevan could become a hub of engineering excellence and if served by solid air links it could grow tremendously fast! Here is to open borders and expansion of ties!

If you want to see the real beauty of Armenia, come here in October – that’s my advice to all my friends. That’s my advice to you. The nature around is beautiful (that is to say – if you have the heart to try hard and find some nature) and you might want to give a try to a car-ride around the Lori region: drive the road from Vanadzor to Alaverdi, and to crown it all - go see the Hakhpat Monastery.
more…

Having docked in the Shahumyan square, Yerevan for 5 days, Cilicia will sail to the harbor near the Opera house, most probably the wharf of the Freedom square in Yerevan, where it will spend 5 days – to the joy of the children and some romantic airheads, wide open for anybody to get on-board, take photos, talk to the sailors and wonder: where will it go from here?
more…

Please forgive me for not posting regularly, I am now at the epicentre of the reason this blog exists, the place we talk about, gossip about, report about, and complain about : Armenia.

I will try not to bore you with the usual “change is slow but its happening” kinda stuff but just a couple of observations - entirely shallow I admit:

Yerevan has become far more cosmopolitan, it is not unsually to see Chinese, Russian, Spanish, British and whoever else tourists walking the streets - Local men have finally lost the obsession with black, and it is much more comfortable to walk around and not feel like a circus act amidst the black sweaters and shirts.

There are new garbage bins everywhere in the centre of the city ( literally every corner) some work needs to be done because they keep falling apart! - but it’s good that we don’t have to walk for hours with rubbish in hand.

The city is a dusty, windy construction site, Northern Avenue looks much better than I expected - very modern and once its all done it’ll be great.

The fountains at the metro station near the Republic Square have finally been put into operation again - something I’d always wanted to see, they look great.

Generally, as someone commented, there is no better place for an Armenian ( and other!) to be than in Armenia. What more can I say?!

Sunday was a great day, I was at the official sendoff ceremony of the Armenian replica Cilicia vessel. This is a model of an 800 year old ship that is being sailed around the world by a very talented group of Armenians. The ceremony was great, with easily 1000 people present. There were excellent performances from the London community dance group, and speech from His Excellency Dr Vahe Gabrielyan, Ambassador for the R.A. - It was great to see British passersby being so interested by the event that they ended up watching it, security was needed to control the crowds, I don’t think anyone expected it to be so big…and it was truly amazing to see the ship sail through the Tower Bridge to the tune of the Zurna and Dhol , and the cheers of the Armenian Community.

I think it’s amazing that this ship is sailing around so many parts of the world, and it will be great to see it docked at Sevan lake one day…

Lufthansa have an offer on flights available until Tuesday that makes visiting Armenia from Europe more affordable than ever.

I was really surprised to see this from Lufthansa who are usually a bit more expensive… but I managed to find a flight from UK to Yerevan ( they fly from elsewhere too ) for just £129. The next cheapest is Czech Airlines with £310- a big difference.

This may be the start of a new, cheaper set of fares for visiting Armenia. Hurry, its only on til Tuesday…so if cost was putting you off flying to Armenia, go ahead and make the booking now…and you could be there this summer

- this isn’t an advert, just something I thought many of you might like to know.

Another awful day for Armenian aviation as news arrived that 2 Armenian aeroplanes have beentotally destroyed in a fire that broke out in Brussels airport this morning.

The planes ( one Armavia, and another smaller company ) were undergoing maintennance checks. Both have been seriously damaged.

I worry that this could be spelling yet another disastrous end for the Armenian national carrier.. Previously Armenian Airlines went bankrupt, and now the owner of Armavia, Michael Baghdasarov, has stated that the company will suffer serious losses as a result of this fire.

The hunt for the victims continues in Sochi. Today already the newspapers and other media have begun their rumour mills ( which can be expected ) some say the crew weren’t prepared, some saying that the number of influential people on board made the crash suspect. Perhaps the most sensational piece of news is the Georgian Aviation Authority’s claim that they have 90% of the contact between Armavia and themselves on tape…before they were handed over to Russian controllers. Apparently the Georgians told Armavia not to continue to Sochi, but Russian’s OK’d it…they also claim the language used by the Russians was not very pleasant, but they say that they wont give any more information.

Up until now no one approached them for the recording, but an Armenian official is on his way to claim a copy now.

Reports state that Armavia is functioning pretty well, but with some cancellations, as the first flight from Sochi with the bodies will arrive in Yerevan this evening.

Theres also the report from ArmeniaLiberty that the same plane was involved in a near disaster recently, and it was possible to save it, and there are suspicions that the plane was never repaired.

It all remains a mystery until the Black box flight recorder is found, and there are Russian, and foreign workers attempting to find these. There have been reports that radio signals emitted from the box have been picked up by French teams. These all remain unconfirmed.

Michael Baghdasarov , owner of Armavia, as well as the Multi Group of companies, stated that each victims family would recieve approximately $20,000 compensation for the loss from insurers.

The National Assembly is also giving $1,500 per victim, as well as arranging funeral costs for all Armenian citizens, and any Russian citizens of Armenian origin who’s families wish for them to be buried in Armenia.

It is a very sad day.

If you are looking for anyone you can either call the numbers above- Armentel are offering the calls to Sochi for free today and tommorow. Or you can click the SECOND page of this post where you can find the full list which I translated from A1plus.am’s Armenian site..

According to reports everyone in the plane has lost their lives, the plane was en route to Sochi when it was refused permission to land, and the craft reportedly tried to emergency land. The craft was one of their new A320 airbuses, recently added to the fleet.

This is a real shame. Many Armenian airlines have fared badly in the past and Armavia seemed to be making great steps. I worry that this may destroy the company and once again we will be left without a national carrier. I have been singing the praises of this airline for their increased capacity and quality and addition of many new flight routes. I would still fly if they started a London > Yerevan route.

This aside, I’m sure I could relay our sincere condolences to all the families, friends and loved ones of the victims who are suffering as a result of this tragedy. I hope Armenia can be in the news for more than events like this.

I saw this report fromon Groong Lonely Planet - It’s a pretty good picture of Armenia today.

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.

Full Report from Groong

The following article appeared in The Washington Post today.

From Hosting Mice to People, With Help From Marriott

Monday, February 6, 2006; Page D02

In the cold, dark winter of 1993, checking into the Hotel Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, was an exercise in fortitude. The country had barely any fuel, and word was that mice, seeking a source of heat in freezing hotel rooms, would snuggle up against the warm bodies of sleeping guests.

The squeamish contrived to share a room, figuring they had a 50-50 chance that the mice would head to the other bed. Bundled in their coats, guests found their beds by flashlight — the city had electricity only two hours a day. A daily splash of perfume took the place of a shower.

You may think this is yet another insensitive, stupid little article written by an ugly American… It’s actually a praise for the Hotel Armenia Marriott.

By 1997, the hulking Hotel Armenia was offered for sale, chock full of Soviet baggage — often resentful service, lumpy twin beds in every room, bathrooms with gaping and scary holes. (Where did they lead? What might they harbor?)

A group of Armenian Americans, called A&K Development Corp., stepped in, buying an 80 percent stake in the hotel from the government for $10 million and planning an ambitious transformation.

The Overseas Private Investment Corp., a U.S. government agency, provided an $18 million loan. The International Finance Corp., an arm of the World Bank, invested $4.9 million. And Marriott International Inc. of Bethesda took over management, training employees and supervising the renovation, which began in 2001. The name Marriott only went on the hotel in 2004, when all was complete — and the mice had found new lodgings.

Hi all,

Back in London, but exhausted.

Here’s a question for everyone:

What would you do with 1-1.5 weeks in Armenia, assuming that you want to be based in Yerevan, and some members of your party have never been to Armenia or have very little background on things Armenian?

Let’s assume that you can hire a driver and that you could do overnights if you wanted to.

What would you do?

I spent an entire day in Glendale today - it was surreal hearing Armenian spoken in public outside of the RoA. Going into stores and speaking Armenian was wild for me!

I didn’t get to spend too much time walking around, as I was really trying to catch up with friends, but I certainly ate and picked up some pastries!

It was really fun. It was like Watertown X100! (And warmer!)

I’m going to try to swing through again later in the week to see other friends, if possible. I didn’t get a ton of photos today but hope to later on.

Onnik posts that the US Embassy sent out a warning about the cases of Bird Flu very close to the Armenian-Turkish border.

Embassy Yerevan Warden Message 1

The Turkish Ministry of Health has confirmed three positive tests of H5 avian influenza in humans in eastern Turkey –approximately 55 kilometers from the Armenian-Turkish border. Two of these cases have resulted in deaths. Press reports indicating other infections in Turkey have not been confirmed. At this time, it has not been confirmed that the recent illnesses in Turkey were caused by H5N1 strain of avian influenza, which has resulted in human deaths in Asia.

The Government of Armenia has stated that there are no confirmed cases of either bird or human avian influenza in Armenia.

Given the situation in neighboring Turkey, we recommend that American citizens avoid all contact with live poultry and wild birds and to avoid commercial or backyard poultry farms and live poultry markets.

Eek! When I was in Azerbaijan in December, I didn’t eat chicken for the same reason (chicken and fish are the only types of meat that I eat.) But with this being so close to the border, I’m a little freaked!

Be careful if you’re in Armenia right now!

I posted a lot of photos from Geir Engene’s flickr. Here’s a direct link if you want to see more. Enjoy!

Shuka No. 2 food market

Originally uploaded by Geir Engene.

I’m so hungry now.

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