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| The Caucasus - My Journal |
A Proud Country and a Difficult Past
Yerevan, 3rd to 4th September
On my penultimate day in Yerevan, I was invited to join Teny and Garo for a typical Armenian lunch at one of their family friend's homes. The food was plentiful and delicious...khorovats (Armenian barbeque) and Lebanese salads with all the trimmings. It was one of the best meals I'd had on my whole trip and I ate until I couldn't move.
After the lunch, we had afternoon at the park where we went for a quick row around the lake before checking out the "Mother Armenia" statue, one of Yerevan's most famous sights. (Pictures to follow).
On my final day, Garo took me up to another of Yerevan's most important sights, the Genocide Monuments. In the words of Wikipedia: "The Armenian Genocide — also known as the Armenian Holocaust, Great Calamity or the Armenian Massacre — [was] the forced mass evacuation and related deaths of hundreds of thousands or over a million Armenians, during the government of the Young Turks from 1915 to 1917 in the Ottoman Empire. Some main aspects of the event are a matter of ongoing dispute among the academic community and between parts of the international community and Turkey." Even thought most Western sources (and a growing number of Turkish ones) point to a widespread and horrific genocide, the Turkish government rejects this.
The Genocide Monument is a very sombre and proud sight with a heavy air around it. The Armenians have faced tough times almost constantly throughout history, and this marks one of their toughest and most recent. There is a 44 metre tall spiked tower which symbolizes the national rebirth of Armenians. There are also 12 inclined slabs positioned in a circle, which represent 12 lost provinces in present day Turkey. In the centre of the circle, in a depth of 1.5 metres, is an eternal flame. Along the park there is also a 100 metre wall with names of towns and villages where massacres are known to have taken place.
Silently standing and watching the plain, but powerful monument, I thought of all the history I'd learned about Armenia while I'd been here. One of the main reasons I travel is to meet people and cultures around the world and to learn about them and their histories. It is, by far, the best way to learn about these kinds of things and I feel it is a very important thing to do.
Before I'd met Teny two years ago in the quiet computer room of my halls in Paris, I barely knew Armenia existed. I didn't even know where it was on the globe, never mind any facts about the country or its history. However, from then I began to rectify this important gap in my knowledge and especially since I'd visited the country, I've learned more and more about the proud country and its resilient history. Even though I've only touched the surface of a long and distinguished history, it's been a good start and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to visit the country and spend time with people living here.
My rest of my last day was very low key. I tided up a few loose ends then ended the night by having a drink with Teny and Garo. I thanked them for everything, and after a goodbye that was a bit emotional, I returned to my hostel for the last time...
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To know the road ahead, ask those coming back
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