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Yerevan, Armenia: things to see and do

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  • Yerevan, Armenia: things to see and do

    Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA
    Miami Herald, FL
    Biloxi Sun Herald, MS
    Aberdeen American News, SD
    Bradenton Herald, FL
    Oct 24 2004

    YEREVAN, ARMENIA: THINGS TO SEE AND DO


    - Visit the ''closed bazaar,'' a football stadium-size indoor market
    on West Mashtots Avenue, brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables
    displayed like gleaming jewels.

    - See the rare document museum, the Matenadaran, which houses an
    extraordinary collection of ancient manuscripts, some dating to the
    ninth century. An English tour guide -- a paltry $2.50 above the
    regular $4 admission fee -- will heighten your experience by
    explaining the relevance of what you're seeing. Highlight: A huge
    15th-century book relaying Armenia's history. It was ripped in half
    and smuggled out of the country by two peasant women, at great
    personal peril, during the 1915 genocide. Both women, and both halves
    of the book, survived.

    - Make time for the museum dedicated to Sergey Parajanov, a master of
    modern cinema and director of The Color of the Pomegranate. Through
    collages, mixed media and paintings you can glimpse into his complex
    mind. Alas, there are no film clips.

    - Learn the difference between brandy and cognac at the Yerevan
    Brandy Company, which offers free factory tours. Armenia is famous
    for its brandy and this is the place to go if you want to witness how
    spirits are distilled and aged. Located about five minutes by car
    from the city center on Admiral Isakov Ave.

    - Stroll through the Vernissage, a festive outdoor market that
    operates each weekend near Republic Square. Here will you'll find
    accordions, old toasters, Russian nesting dolls, obscure car parts,
    compasses, jewelry, and strolling musicians.

    - Visit Tsitsernakaberd, the somber site of the Genocide Memorial,
    and the Museum of the Armenian Genocide. Tens of thousands of
    Armenians make a pilgrimage here each year on April 24, the national
    day of commemoration and mourning. Otherwise, it is a fairly deserted
    place -- fitting for the solemn contemplation that it inspires.

    It is located at 46 Kievan St. in the Tsitsenakaberd Park, northwest
    of the city center.
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