8 March 2025 - In Yerevan

The last full day in Armenia, the 60th country I have visited and the 45th I have driven in, dawned bright and sunny. I had to return the car to the AutoUnion car rental at 2 pm. As the city walking tour was scheduled for 2 pm, I arranged with the car rental company to hand over the car by 12 noon. They also nominated a car wash where they would take over the car after inspection.

After a leisurely breakfast of traditional and continental food I left for the Armenia Genocide Monument. Traffic was very light, being the weekend, and vendors had begun to setup their stalls. The Armenia Genocide Monument is dedicated to the 1.5 million Armenians who were slaughtered by the Young Turks during WWII in 1915. The memorial was inaugurated in 1967. It has since been a pilgrimage site and is integral to Yerevan's architecture.

The inwardly canted khachkar-like stones of the memorial symbolize mourning in memory of the victims, and the erect monument symbolizes rebirth. Central to the memorial is an eternal flame 1.5 meters deep symbolizing the 1.5 million people who lost their lives. The 12 stones symbolize the 12 towns lost to Turkey in 1915.

The last attraction on the list to be visited was the Mother Armenia Monument in the Victory Park. The 22-meter-tall female personification of Armenia, sculpted in hammered copper, overlooks Yerevan city. The Mother Armenia statue replaced the statue of Stalin that was taken down in 1962. Surrounding the monument are tanks and other military equipment, guarded by military personnel. The Mother Armenia statue symbolizes peace through strength. It also reminds locals of some important and prominent female figures in Armenian history.

On the way out from the monument complex I spied a car wash doing brisk business. I stopped by to find out if they could clean my car up too. I was told that they were completely booked for the day! On the way to the car wash nominated by the car rental company I drove into a fuel station and topped up to the point which was the same as when I had taken over the car. I rang up the car rental company and was told that one of their staff would meet me at the car wash nominated by them.

As I drove in, the young man was waiting for me. He did a cursory inspection of the car, compared the fuel gauge reading and told me that a proper visual inspection could be done only after the car was washed, which would take some time. He suggested that I could leave and receive communication regarding the release of the deposit before evening. I gave him 5000 AMD for the car wash and left for the hotel. However, later in the evening I was told that the car wash could not be completed as it was overloaded with work and that it would be done only the next day.

Behind the car wash was the Charles Aznavour Square where the Moscow Cinema is located. The cinema was built in 1936 in the place where the Saint Peter and Paul's church stood till 1930, when it was demolished by the Soviet regime. The square was named after the famous singer and song writer of Armenian descent, who is known as the French Frank Sinatra.

Walking through the portals of the History Museum I got a glimpse of the rich history of Armenia. A copy of the 14th century Noravank Momik Khachkar with the inscription "Remember Christ God The Soul of Momik And Have Mercy" was one of the pieces at the entrance. My mind went back to Noravank and the poignant story of Momik, the architect. The other displays included copies of the Coat of Arms of the Bagratid Kingdom, high relief of Prince Bishken, hunting scene and the like.

Before getting back to the hotel I went to the Armenian Market to buy some dried fruits. Armenia is reputed to grow the best apricots and prunes. Besides those, I also bought dried parsimony, figs, pear, peach and cranberry. I found the prices, as compared to what we have in India, quite cheap; 4 kgs costing me about Rs. 4500.

Back in the hotel, I got busy packing my bags. I had a 2 pm appointment for the city walk tour. At the very last moment I got a message from the guide canceling the walk due to poor patronage. It was the second time the guide, Tigran, had done this; first on the 2nd and now today. However, that left me free for the rest of the evening.

In the evening, I walked the short distance from the hotel to the Vernissage, which is an open market-exhibition in the center of Yerevan and is listed as a must visit for tourists. When I reached the fabulous market, I realized why it was mentioned so in travel recommendations. It is a place to find exclusive Armenian handmade masterpieces, souvenirs and works of art.

I spent a lot of time in the Vernissage buying nothing but simply admiring paintings, the most impressive handmade souvenirs, crafts, carvings, pottery, silken scarves, unique jewelry, dolls with traditional Armenian costumes, handmade handbags, wooden chess or Backgammon board games, folk clothing, antiques, carpets and much more.

I was surprised to see old stationary telephone, radio and tape recorder bits, dishes, medals, and extremely dated equipment. A visit to the Vernissage is to take a piece of Armenia with you.

Another place that fascinated me in the vicinity, behind the Gregory the Illuminator church, was the Skate Park. The park was constructed in 2021 thanks to the generous donation from the Armenian community of Ukraine and their leader, Vilen Shatvoryan. Additionally, an amphitheater has been built in the area, adding to its appeal. I feel that such facilities must be built in India too where, all through the year, kids and the youthful can spend their spare time acquiring skills of coordination.

The Book Lovers Park was built with a generous donation from the Alen Margaryan charitable NGO in memory of the great book lover Alen Margaryan.

The Gregory the Illuminator church, also known as the Yerevan Cathedral, is the largest cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cathedral was consecrated in 2001 to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of Christianity being made the state religion. The cavernous church can seat 1700 believers. The cathedral is 60 meters tall at its maximum.

The main church also has two chapels in the name of King Tiridates and Queen Ashken who were responsible for the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion. After spending a few minutes in prayer in the church I walked back to the hotel, completing the entire sightseeing agenda.

On the way back, in a small open space, young people were playing roundnet, a game I hadn't seen till then. It is also known as Spike ball, invented in 1989, inspired largely by the concepts of volleyball.

After polishing off the Gilli Vodka spiked with lemon Fanta, I had dinner at the Tashir Pizza. The huge pizza was more than enough to sate my alcohol-inspired hunger.

That marked the end of the vacation in Armenia. I will be flying back to Ahmedabad via Sharjah from Yerevan tomorrow morning. The only downside of the return trip is the more than 9 hours of layover in Sharjah. Of course, I will also miss live action of the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand.