There's only one thing I love more than writing: Traveling. And I've been lucky enough to do so constantly.
There's no hierarchy or actual order to these fragments - they are simply bits and pieces of places that have stirred words within me. This...
At moments we feel a tinge of despair: isolated, uncertain of the future, forgotten. At the edges of history. This is the overarching feeling I had while traveling in Armenia.
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In this beautiful country at the foot of the Caucasus, located between Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, scars run deep. I was surprised to find the Armenian genocide pervading every aspect of society, architecture, history, and every single conversation. It is an open wound. Armenians have been unable to move forward, in great deal due to Turkey's denial of the genocide, even to this day. Speaking with them, I realized they felt neglected, forgotten, as if the world barely even knew about their little country, wedged somewhere between Europe and Asia.
A shame, because Armenia is beautiful.
As I landed in Yerevan last spring, I was greeted by the white, glistening face of Mount Ararat, which, though located across the border in Turkey, looms over the capital of Armenia.
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Yerevan, in and of itself, isn't a fascinating city. It's vibrant and alive, and the food is delicious, but there's nothing that really sticks to memory and beckons us back.
For the wonders of Armenia, we must venture into the countryside.
Our first stop was Echmiadzin, the holy city, the Vatican, so to speak, of the Armenian church. Unfortunately, the main church was undergoing repairs when we visited, so we only got a glimpse of how beautiful it is. The monks at the site made up for it by engaging us in interesting conversation and giving us a taste of Armenian brandy - which is very famous in the region.
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