Cilicia.com

Great birthday party for Yerevan

Raffi K — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:22:38 +0000

Sunday was Yerevan’s birthday… her 2,794th birthday to be exact. Yes, Yerevan was founded thousands of years ago, even before Rome! Though Yerevan’s fortress of Erebuni didn’t grow quite as fast as Rome, the city has a very long history. …

Janapar Trail in Karabakh ready for more hikers!

Raffi K — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:49:03 +0000

I spent some quality time in the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh this year, hiking on the Janapar Trail and along with the help of others, we whipped the trail markers back into shape. The trail is now not only very …

Turkey Agrees to Pay Armenians Reparations!!

Raffi K — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:06:13 +0000

Alright, so Turkey hasn’t agreed to pay reparations yet, but I’m extrapolating from their own hypocritical actions which were highlighted in the NY Times this week in the article “Seeking Return of Art, Turkey Jolts Museums“. But seriously, if you …

Have a drink Armenia, you’re 21 today!

Raffi K — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:40:31 +0000

Yes, it seems like forever, but Armenia is just 21 years old today (well, the current independent Armenia anyway). If Armenia was a Californian, she’d only today be allowed to take her first drink. It’s been a crazy ride, and …

Azerbaijan rewards murderer of Armenian

Raffi K — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:03:27 +0000

In case you’ve somehow missed the story, here’s a quick summary. In 2004 an Azeri military officer and an Armenian military officer (among many others) were attending a NATO Partnership for Peace language training course in Hungary. The Azeri officer, …

You can visit the house I stole from you… ie Western Armenia

Raffi K — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 04:11:45 +0000

I just got a trip report from my father, who took a trip through Cilicia and Western Armenia. It reminded me of the trip I took back in 2004, which was much the same route. It’s a very strange thing …

Summertime, Karabakh, Janapar Trail

Raffi K — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 05:06:31 +0000

It’s the middle of summer in Yerevan. The weather has been great lately, not too hot, but nice and warm. I’ve been on the road a lot, and really enjoying the countryside. You forget just how beautiful the landscapes can …

Smoke free coffee and sandwiches

Raffi K — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:16:57 +0000

Long overdue in Yerevan is a spot for a coffee and a sandwich, salad or bagel… without cigarette smoke!! It’s July, it’s hot out, and although I love the outdoor cafes, this cool new air conditioned cafe is a long …

Give Syrian-Armenians space

Raffi K — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 02:36:38 +0000

There is a large Armenian community still in Syria, though it has been reduced quite a bit mostly by emigration to the west. Now that the situation in the country has deteriorated rapidly, many have been applying for Armenian citizenship …

Little Armenia Walk of Fame

Raffi K — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 03:15:56 +0000

Little Armenia is a fairly large designated neighborhood in east Hollywood. The northern boundary of the neighborhood is Hollywood Blvd itself. It also has Sunset Blvd running through the center of it, and Santa Monica Blvd is the southern boundary. …