Day 1
The wake-up call was at six a.m.
We drove to the airport in Helsinki/Vantaa.
We bought some Moomin and Marimekko gifts for our friends in Armenia.
Then waited for the plane which took off from Finland at half past nine. Now we are waiting in Moscow for our second flight to Yerevan. The first flight took about one and a half hours! The second flight will take four and a half hours! There´s still three more hours to take a look at this Russian airport. Interesting.
Day 2
Last night was exciting.
We arrived at our guesthouse in Nazervan at 22:00!
Laura ( guesthouse keeper ) was waiting for us at the terrace, she gave us a warm welcome!
We had a homemade breakfeast today.
We went three times swimming.
We saw how Lavash bread was done.
We got to see 3-4 days old piglets.
+ Laura said she will come swimming with us tomorrow!
Mum´s adds:
The lavash bread was made in a neighbouring house in a traditional way, in an oven digged in ground...baking is women´s job and at the same time usually 50 litres dough is baked. Ladies talked and laughed, formed the dough fit to the oven, we talked with the words we had, in English, some Russian, little Armenian and lots of international smiles. We also met Marianne Tillman, the lady behind all our connections to Nazervan.
The Swimming pool at Laura´s place is wonderful. We were able to rest and refresh ourselves after the long journey.
Today I also heard many stories more about Armenia and living in Armenia.
This picture was found by Paavilainen Family from Google Pictures. It might have been taken by artist Jaakko Heikkilä.
She is from the neighboring village.
Day 3
We drove early morning to lake Sevan. It´s the big lake on the map. Can you find it? :)
The holiday season hadn´t yet started. Though, we found a beach, and rented a pedaling boat. Fun.
Later we drove to north, behind a 2 km long tunnel began a new world. We saw many mountains with forests. This area is called Armenian Switzerland. We stopped in a city called Dilijan. We had BBQ lunch with salad. We also visited a monastery called Hagartsin monastery.
Day 4
Finally some shopping got done! Lake Sevan again this time the peninsula and the Sevanavank monastery. In a small city we found a Turkish bazaar. I, mum and my sister bought some clothes, but my dad said he does not like to buy Turkish clothes in Armenia, because Turkish and Armenia have unsettled issues in history, which effect even the lifes of people today....
Our private driver Armen is very skillful when it comes to bumps, he drives so carefully that we would not hurt ourselves.
Day 5
We left Lauras guesthouse and drove to Laura's daughter´s guesthouse. ( Nelly´s guesthouse )
Then we drove to the chesshouse, my dads great intrest. ( He is a world champion in solving chess problems. ) It was so boring!'
Then after that we walked to Neptune, a childrens restaurant. It was cool!!! We met Hasmik and her daughter Donna who had got a battery in her nose, but is ok now. We also met Nina Niva. My mum works with them both in Armenia sometime. In the evening we took a taxi to a small restaurant with Armenian musicians that played Armenian music ("My Village").
Day 6
Armen came to Nelly´s house and took us to another trip. And this time we went to Geghard monastery. It was old. We got to go to caves man made. After that we bought Doodooks. Armenian national instrument, like a flute. Mine broke , some how.....Or I´m not sure how to play it properly, thought, I got the sound at the monastery.
Suddenly as we were having our lunch, a heavy storm struck....
Day 7
We ate breakfeast and left to Vernissage. Witch is a kind of bazaar near the public square. There was an old man who helped us to understand how to play our new doodooks. We baught a couple of extra reeds (the part to which you blow). They are very sensitive.
At Abovian street we also did some shopping!!
In the evening we had a party, Nelli and her mum Laura came, Hasmik and her daughter Donna came, me, mum, sister, dad came, Marjanne Tillman came, Nina Niva came, and with all these quests we had a lovely time.
In the evening-night I did my last second packings. I did some just before we left to the dinnerparty.
Day 8
Sunday was sunny. We sat in the balcony of Nelly´s house and talked. We also backed. Soon after noon Armen drove us to the airport. Dad, I and Maija took a flight to Helsinki via Moscow. Mum will stay another week in Yerevan and work.
New law says that in check-in a copy of the pasport of a child under 12 years has to be given to the officer. We ofcourse did not know that but luckily at new Zvatrnots everything seem to work and we got the copies needed. Nobody told what this was for. There must be a reason. Maybe even a good one.
When Jorma and the girls had gone to the security check and I did not anymore see them, I found the Huyr driver who took me back to Yerevan to a rental apartment just behind the Republic Square. The flat is brand new, terrible "clean" and functional. Living-room window gives to the Ararat over the roofs of the other houses. I like sitting on the sofa and looking at the huge mountain which seem to change its color and shadows all the time.
In the evening there was a party at Nelly´s house for her son, Hrayr, because he came back form the 2-year-long military service. This is truly worth celebrating since all the young men do not come back. There is an NGO which task is to raise the problem into the public time to time. We saw a demonstration on this on saturday in front of the governmet´s building. Women holding pictures of young men in military suite. What happens? There are occasional shooting in the area of Mountainous Karabagh and sometimes also in the boarder area between Armenia and Azer. Boys in the military training have been sent there.
In the Party Nelly, Laura, Marianne and Rosanne sends there regards to Maija and Paula and say kindly that it is nice that I am in the party but they had wished that also the girls could have been with. We ate, had lots of speeches - and danced a lot. Laura was the best, absolutely, and Nelly the happiest because her son was back.
Jorma sent a message that they had arrived at Helsinki ok.
Day 9
was Monday and my working day in the Ministry of the Economy. I met Nina and Hasmik at the office. There was also Anneli from Finland, Ieva form London (Latvia), and Paruyr and Albert from the Armenian regulatory impact assessment team. We had a meeting, started the work, had lunch at My Lunch and coffee in the Park. It couldn´t have started better.
Nelly called me and told that Armen can come and drive me to Khor Virap, Novarak and Areni on Thursday, which happens to be a national holiday, "the Constitution day".
Jorma´s message told that he and the girls, hamsters and the fish in the aquarium are fine...
Day 10
The Morning was sunny but there was rain showers quite often and once a thunder storm with heavy rain. Even then the rain was warm. Well, the local people tell that this is highly exceptional at this time of the year. Normally there is sunny and the temperature about 40 degrees. I am quite satisfied with the weather as it is now. It is a bit warmer as Finland right now...
In the afternoon we had a meeting with an expert in the Ministry of the Nature Protection. Hasmik interpreted in Russian-Armenian-English fluently. After that Ieva and I sat for a while at a park restaurant beside the Vernissage area.
The day is ending. I have not yet sent the postcards to friends from here.
I like the Republic square in the evening. Especially the music-light-color -show.
I heard that the government buildings around the square have been sold to a private company. They probably change the Prime Minister´s office building to a hotel...
