Harout, what were you saying about the weather?
There was a heavy fog in Yerevan today. We descended from Azadutyan St. to downtown Yerevan and noticed that the city was in mist. On Derian Street we saw volunteers cleaning the streets, then to Republic Square and the Christmas tree was invisible. By the time we reached the outskirts of Yerevan I was urging Nigol to cancel the trip to Giumri. However, once we passed Vahakn's houses everything got clear. The same thing happened in reverse order on the way back in the evening. Most unnerving experience.
I love Giumretzi-s, they are so proud of their heritage, and contribution to the cultural life of Armenia. At the beginning of the 20th century when Yerevan was a mud city, Giumry was flourishing. Had all the qualifications of becoming the capital. In this sense Giumri reminds me of Vazken Manoukian, the man that could have been the president.
Times changed, earthquakes happened, azeri population got exchanged with Armenian refugees. Today we got very close to the border, to Voghchi and Pyuragn inhabited by the refugees. Most of them had higher education and professional careers in Baku.
The highway from Vahakn's houses to Giumri was clear and well paved; the roads in Giumri were atrocious; to visualize the roads of Voghchi and Pyuragn, you have to think of a narrow passage beyond atrocious with lots of pits and holes in it and covered in ice.
This year Giumri's roads will be paved and construction of 71 more buildings completed. Important for economy, but transitory jobs. Seasonal/ permanent employment is being created in Agriculture. Even a couple of years ago the Armenian market in Winter was full of tomato, cucumber and other hothouse products imported from Turkey. No more. The agricultural field is tax-free for the next five years and is growing rapidly, and hothouses are sprouting in Araradian and Shirak fields. And Giumri is rising again.
There was a heavy fog in Yerevan today. We descended from Azadutyan St. to downtown Yerevan and noticed that the city was in mist. On Derian Street we saw volunteers cleaning the streets, then to Republic Square and the Christmas tree was invisible. By the time we reached the outskirts of Yerevan I was urging Nigol to cancel the trip to Giumri. However, once we passed Vahakn's houses everything got clear. The same thing happened in reverse order on the way back in the evening. Most unnerving experience.
I love Giumretzi-s, they are so proud of their heritage, and contribution to the cultural life of Armenia. At the beginning of the 20th century when Yerevan was a mud city, Giumry was flourishing. Had all the qualifications of becoming the capital. In this sense Giumri reminds me of Vazken Manoukian, the man that could have been the president.
Times changed, earthquakes happened, azeri population got exchanged with Armenian refugees. Today we got very close to the border, to Voghchi and Pyuragn inhabited by the refugees. Most of them had higher education and professional careers in Baku.
The highway from Vahakn's houses to Giumri was clear and well paved; the roads in Giumri were atrocious; to visualize the roads of Voghchi and Pyuragn, you have to think of a narrow passage beyond atrocious with lots of pits and holes in it and covered in ice.
This year Giumri's roads will be paved and construction of 71 more buildings completed. Important for economy, but transitory jobs. Seasonal/ permanent employment is being created in Agriculture. Even a couple of years ago the Armenian market in Winter was full of tomato, cucumber and other hothouse products imported from Turkey. No more. The agricultural field is tax-free for the next five years and is growing rapidly, and hothouses are sprouting in Araradian and Shirak fields. And Giumri is rising again.
posted by Nigol at 10:32 PM
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