Week 3, Sunday - outside of Yerevan

Our day started out with a trip to the Armenian Genocide Museum with Karen and Frants. Arevik would join us later. Her young daughter would be with us for the day and Arevik felt that it would be too much for one so young. After having been there I completely agree. It was almost too much for this old lady.

For those of you who may not know the Armenian Genocide refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was implemented through wholesale massacres and deportations, with the deportations consisting of forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees. The total number of resulting Armenian deaths is generally held to have been between 1 million and 1.5 million

It is one thing to know of these atrocities but is another thing entirely to see pictures of it and to read accounts of it. I was both shaken and moved. One thing I found quite chilling was this quote of Adolph Hitler to his generals: ‘Thus for the time being I have sent to the East only my ‘Death’s Head Units’ with the orders to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish race or language. Only in such a way will we win the vital space that we need. Who still talks nowadays about the Armenians?’

On the grounds of the memorial there are trees planted by distinguished visitors to the museum. Robert Dole and Howard Dean are among the tree planters.

The cathedral at Ejmiatsin

As we finished our tour Arevik and her daughter joined us and we headed off to Ejmiatsin.  Ejmiatsin became the spiritual center for Armenia's Christians shortly after the country's conversion in the early 4^th century. The grounds are quite extensive and include the cathedral, a museum in which we had a guided tour, and several other churches. The new gateway to the cathedral precinct commemorates the visit of Pope John Paul II in 2001.  It was altogether a most impressive complex.

Then we were off to Khor Virap Monastery which is within site of the Turkish border. Khor Virap is famous for being the site of Saint Gregory the Illuminator's thirteen year imprisonment by King Trdat III. Although there was a monastery here by the 5^th century, the present buildings are much more modern having been built in the latter part of the 1600s. It is possible to go down a narrow opening via a 27 step ladder to view Saint Gregory's prison. Since it took a while to navigate the ladder and it was used to go both up and down, the congestion and our schedule precluded a visit. Being that I'm somewhat claustrophobic, that was probably all to the good.

From there we climbed a serpentine route through the mountains to reach Geghard Monastery. As we were driving there with the road twisting and turning and climbing, Arevik recounted a story of taking some friends from the Republic of Georgia here. She said that when she was telling them how the monastery had been overrun by enemy forces several times, the friend exclaimed “How could that be true? How could enemy forces possibly get up here?” That explains the location perfectly.

Geghard is unique in the it is partially an ordinary surface structure and partly cut into the cliff. In total surrounding the main site are more than twenty other rock hewn chapels and buildings. Truly it is an amazing site. 

While we are there Frants buys a cake for us to share from a woman selling them at the base of the monastery. It is more the consistency of a bread but has a layer of something sweet, sugar or honey, running through the middle. It is decorated on the top and lettered “Geghard”.

A short distance away is our final stop, Garni Temple. Garni is the only Graeco-Roman style building in Armenia and was built sometime between the 1^st century and 175 AD. The temple itself was destroyed by an earthquake in 1679 but was rebuilt in the early 1970s. It looks a bit like a mini Parthenon.

We arrived just at sunset and the reddish pink glow behind the mountains was glorious!

Karen had made reservations at a restaurant on the outskirts of Yerevan. Once again we had a room to ourselves and once again the food and drink seemed endless and tasted wonderful. Neil was determined to pick up the tab for the meal. Up to this point and including our meal the first week, we have paid for nothing. I really did not think Neil would win this battle. Perhaps getting down on his knees helped for he did win. I don't think Karen was pleased.

We were finally dropped off at the hotel fully sated and very happy. Greeting us at the door was our bellhop from our first day who has taken us under his wing. We had been given the remaining cake from Geghard Monastery and I was holding it in my arms. Upon seeing it he said “I see you were at Geghard. I hope you didn't pay too much for the cake. Those women will charge a fortune if you don't bargain with them.” We assured him that a knowledgeable friend purchased it and our only contribution was to eat it.