Armenia Sept. 2016

    First impression from airport: strip clubs, casinos, hotel/sauna-all very flashy.

   $1.00 = 473 Dram

     500 Dr.- Armenian pizza plus pomegranate drink

     500 Dr. - bag chips, cappuccino packet, cream cheese package

     100 Dr. Ride to town in the gitney. 1000 Dr. for same ride in a taxi.

      In the grocery store, a woman shadows me, either so I don't steal or to help me. So, I ask her questions, gives us both a purpose. In my local store, there is a full size Kaliknakof shaped vodka bottle in an olive metal box. Speechless. 

   Soviet era blue polyester track suits are still popular. 

   Men give their seat to women on bus as do women to older women, also squeeze together and hold others packages if there is no seat. 

   Tried to climb a hill to see the oldest churches. Checked the altimeter-+6000 ft. So stopped. 

  Many in this group live in North America, Armenians and Iranians. As always, where's my reciprocity?

   Its Independence Day today, Sept. 21. Parade in TV, military. They have the best precision marching, rifle tossing I have ever seen. 25 years from Communism and doing very well. 

    Whole Mountains of obsidian, and, I'm told, a green one. Have not seen it. Saw iridescent green stones for sale, turned out to be Moonstone. I now have a piece of that. My weakness. Not so good for a perpetual traveler. 

    Folk show was stunning. The choreography was different and a treat. My god, they can jump!

    Buildings are of square blocks of tufa, which has many colors. Yerevan is the pink city.

    A good visit. Treated so kindly.