Wow what an amazing evening last night... watching the sun set from Akhtamar Island, where one of the world's most amazing churches (Armenian) lies! Just look at the reliefs below, and there were frescoes inside, and the lake was beautiful.



Aside from that we have been offered tea right and left here. Almost everyone we meet we tell we are Armenian and find out they have an Armenian grandparent (three yesterday). Some of them want to visit Armenia, and they all say there is no problem between the people. It is so interesting. There is still something though, a fear of discrimination or problems with the government or something. One told us he does not tell many people he is part Armenian, another said to speak quietly about this (we were in a restaurant). I don't know if they would have talked nearly as freely with the video camera on, nobody has ever said anything with that rolling. Everyone says there were tons of Armenians here in the past, and a number of them now have mentioned the genocide. One even said that the only thing stopping the government from admitting to the genocide is fear of reparations... but otherwise what is the point, right? They were also talking about the Armenian gold buried here by those who were taken away/killed. They said Armenians came back for a lot of it. So interesting... so I have a slew of churches and monasteries to hunt down, so I had better be going, but enjoy the first photo...