Yerevan, Armenia

Thursday:
A very long traveling day - 9 hours total with lunch and stops. The Georgia bus ride was mostly through a valley but we entered the Lesser Caucasus Mountain range just before the Armenian border. Border crossing was smooth as our Armenian local guide was there to explain why we had been in Azerbaijan and to help answer other questions.

Armenia is mountainous. A very different view from Georgia. We passed villages full of vacant Soviet apartment buildings and a huge deserted copper factory “from Soviet times”. Many of these Armenians moved to America or Europe. This part of the country (6000 feet elevation) is agricultural —

wheat, potatoes, walnuts, apricots, lots of cattle breeding. Mt. Ararat was in the distance.

Downhill drive to the capital city of Yerevan (2900 ft elevation). Over half of Armenia’s population lives here. Marriott Hotel is right on Republic Square across from the Prime Minister’s offices where demonstrators were gathered to protest the government’s lack of response to Azerbaijan’s takeover of a disputed Armenian occupied territory. Our local guide convinced police to let our bus with suitcases go through to a half block from the hotel. We walked the rest of the way and checked in. Hotel staff brought our luggage from the street.

Dinner was in a downstairs restaurant down the street. Special features were kabobs and honey-covered dessert. By the time we got back to the hotel Republic Square had even more people peaceful walking, sitting - all ages. Some talking over loudspeakers. Police standing mostly on sidewalks outside the crowds. We walked through the crowds, then down a few blocks as more people continuing to arrive. Then inside to bed.