My kitchen cabinets, table, and my bed are delivered! They look fantastic. I can't imagine how much these custom hand made solid wood peices would have cost in America, but it was very reasonable here. I got a few outrageous quotes from cabinet makers in Yerevan until I tracked down a fabulous guy up in Vanadzor who does an amazing job, and delivers it all the way to Yerevan and charges much less. Meanwhile the place is being painted, so I hope to move in a week. When I do move I will rent out my current one bedroom apartment to tourists for $40/night... much cheaper than the hotels and much nicer than most of them too. It sleeps three easily and could accomodate more if necessary, plus it has all the western comforts except A/C.

Basturman

Last night we hung out with some Argentinian Armenians as well as American and local Armenians. Agata who was a voluteer with me and Zabel in Karabakh in 1999 was visiting from Argentina with 2 Argentinian-Armenian friends, Jorge and Juan. She is no longer a vegetarian thank goodness, and her friends were really interesting fellows. Juan is part of an Armenian punk rock group I think, and he has a cartoon called Basterman, an Armenian Superman who exudes bastera smell (chaman) from his armpits. I would really love to see it. Jorge is hilarious and unconventional. I cried from laughing so hard when I heard some of the stories of his shopping expedition to vernissage wearing a turban, no shirt, and shorts.