So my hiking wounds are healing well, and my stitches should be out on Monday. I still have so many large scabs I am afraid to jump under the showerhead. Luckily I have those detachable european showerheads and can wash around my wounds. Now if I can just get my act together I will make a dentists appointment soon as well.
It is really nice that today is friday, and I am looking forward to a full weekend at home. No trips out to the regions, no hikes, no insect bites, no new injuries, no discomforts, just relaxation. In any case, after 4 years of travelling here, my list of monasteries to visit has grown quite short, so maybe I need to start pacing myself, and visiting neighboring countries as well. We have Armenian monasteries in all our neighboring countries as well after all :-) Tonight is Raffi Niziblian's daughters baptism at Saghmossavank. What a beautiful monastery to be baptised in. His older daughter was baptised in the plain church we worked on renovating together in the beautiful village of Karintak, Karabakh.
If you are in Armenia, you can actually see Mt. Ararat today, so get out there early since it won't last all day. They are burning whatever remains in the wheat fields after harvest, which fills the air with particles that obstruct the view.
As for Ara's jab at me, I prefer not to turn the logs into a discussion forum, but will say this much. Lack of bathrooms are without a doubt on the list of top 3 complaints tourists have of Armenia. Laugh if you like, but an older lady is not going to enjoy herself touring the country if she has to pee in the open. It is just not the same as it is for a younger guy. Girls also have other issues if Ara cares to remember. This is *actually* a serious issue and no, USAID will not be having a "toilets across Armenia" program anytime soon, but it does need to be taken care of. Along the main highways, businesses need to be taught that if they build toilets they can charge money and attract customers. Anyway, these are the sorts of developemental issues it is hard to imagine in America, but which Armenia, with extremely limited funds has to worry about.
Another tourism development problem (something I am well aware of) is lack of signs. I the governor of Lori to promise to put up any sign I think is necessary for $100. I am thinking of a couple I will probably sponsor, but if there are any others out there who want to contribute to such a fund, I can even let you choose which monastery in Lori you want to have signposted!
It is really nice that today is friday, and I am looking forward to a full weekend at home. No trips out to the regions, no hikes, no insect bites, no new injuries, no discomforts, just relaxation. In any case, after 4 years of travelling here, my list of monasteries to visit has grown quite short, so maybe I need to start pacing myself, and visiting neighboring countries as well. We have Armenian monasteries in all our neighboring countries as well after all :-) Tonight is Raffi Niziblian's daughters baptism at Saghmossavank. What a beautiful monastery to be baptised in. His older daughter was baptised in the plain church we worked on renovating together in the beautiful village of Karintak, Karabakh.
If you are in Armenia, you can actually see Mt. Ararat today, so get out there early since it won't last all day. They are burning whatever remains in the wheat fields after harvest, which fills the air with particles that obstruct the view.
As for Ara's jab at me, I prefer not to turn the logs into a discussion forum, but will say this much. Lack of bathrooms are without a doubt on the list of top 3 complaints tourists have of Armenia. Laugh if you like, but an older lady is not going to enjoy herself touring the country if she has to pee in the open. It is just not the same as it is for a younger guy. Girls also have other issues if Ara cares to remember. This is *actually* a serious issue and no, USAID will not be having a "toilets across Armenia" program anytime soon, but it does need to be taken care of. Along the main highways, businesses need to be taught that if they build toilets they can charge money and attract customers. Anyway, these are the sorts of developemental issues it is hard to imagine in America, but which Armenia, with extremely limited funds has to worry about.
Another tourism development problem (something I am well aware of) is lack of signs. I the governor of Lori to promise to put up any sign I think is necessary for $100. I am thinking of a couple I will probably sponsor, but if there are any others out there who want to contribute to such a fund, I can even let you choose which monastery in Lori you want to have signposted!
posted by Raffi K. at 7:46 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home