ARMENIA
Capital | Yerevan
Population | 2,967,004 (July 2009 est.)
Area | 29,743 sq km
Official language | Armenian
Holidays | Independence Day 21 September (1991)
Currency | drams (AMD)
Time Zone | UTC +4
Best time to visit | March to June- or the 10th century, the golden age of Armenian culture and art
Connecting with the Culture | Photographing the domes and cupolas of the national treasury in Echmiadzin. Enjoying cosmopolitan Yerevan’s choice of opera, concerts, museums and dining. Visiting the reconstructed temple to Helios, Roman god of the sun. Imagining life on the ancient Silk Road at Selim Caravanserai
Read | Philip Marsden’s The Crossing Place- a thought-provoking journey through the Armenian diaspora
Listen | Black Rock by Djivan Gasparian, the master of the duduk (traditional reed flute), the quintessential Armenian sound
Watch | Sergei Paradjanov’s The Color of Pomegranates, a visually striking Armenian epic, dizzy with color and symbolism http://www.amazon.com/Color-Pomegranates-Sofiko-Chiaureli/dp/B00005A05I
Eat | khoravatz (lamb or pork, skewered and barbecued) and lavash, the wafer-thin bread that accompanies every meal
Drink | strong and gritty coffee; vodka; Armenian cognac- a national speciality
In a word | Genats! (cheers!)
Characteristics| Solitary churches on rocky peaks; intricate stonemasonry; medieval manuscripts; bracing breezes from snow-capped mountains; rich vestments on bearded priests; vital people said to have their minds in the West but their hearts in the East Surprises: Toasts (lots of them) before, during and after every meal; a culture imbued with literature and poetry; the delights of summer fruits.
Surprises | Toasts (lots of them) before, during and after every meal; a culture imbued with liturature and poetry; the delights of summer fruits.