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PLACES YOU NEVER HEARD OF: ARMENIA'S YEREVAN FLEA MARKET
Phillip Butler
Argophilia Travel News
http://www.argophilia.com/news/armenias-yerevan-flea-market/25796/
April 12 2012
Armenia is one of the least understood, and most fascinating places in
the world. Today we want to bring you a little piece of culture from
there, a place you undoubtedly never heard of, the Yerevan Flea Market.
Called Vernissage from the French meaning "varnishing" (or an
art preview), this world class flea market slash swap meet is
extraordinary. Shoppers here can find anything, and we mean literally
anything, from thoroughbred pups to rare war medals, and on to bargains
to extensive to list in any travel article. Vernissage Flea Market
may just be the best such bargain hunting dream on Earth.
Held behind the historic Republic Square in Yerevan, tourists get
not only the best look at souvenirs of the region, but a taste of
local culture as well. Wood carvings, baby dolls, handmade jewelry,
leather, stone items, carpets, clothes, anything you can name, one
vendor or another carries an example to sell you.
Recently the market came under some criticism for lacking in sanitation
standards, to which city Mayor Karen Karapetyan assured people there
the market would not be shut down, but upgraded instead.
Having become such an institution in Armenia, and especially where
tourist are concerned, the last thing the town needs is a closed down
draw like Yerevan Flea Market.
Turning back to Yerevan's tradition, some 25 years ago, artists
established the market about the statue of Saryan. As the saying goes,
"the rest is history," but a lot more kinds of art are on sale and
display here now. Stamps, unframed oils and water color, acrylic,
silver heirlooms, even sculptures, the market today resembles the one
from back when, only surrounded with myriad other objects. And just
like back then, some vendors really need the market. In the days of
the Cold War some were so hard up they would come here to sell the
shoes off their feet.
For the reader, Yerevan now is an up and coming metropolis, with room
for tradition - the old ways - and the new as well. Better even that
the deals you may find at the world's greatest flea market (arguments
welcome), the nearly 1.2 million inhabitants of Armenia's capital are
some of the friendliest people anywhere. The image above of Yerevan
Armenia with the backdrop of Mount Ararat, may strike a cord Biblical
scholarly types.
The city named for King Yervand IV (the Last), has a heritage dating
back to the Bronze Age, old and rich enough to cast a shadow on many
of Europe's more noted capitals. In fact, this place on our small
rock in space was once seat of a most amazing empire. Those who would
dig along the Tigris or Euphrates, all about the ancient Nile, would
certainly be as rewarded to discover more the Acheemenid Empire.
From: Baghdasarian
Phillip Butler
Argophilia Travel News
http://www.argophilia.com/news/armenias-yerevan-flea-market/25796/
April 12 2012
Armenia is one of the least understood, and most fascinating places in
the world. Today we want to bring you a little piece of culture from
there, a place you undoubtedly never heard of, the Yerevan Flea Market.
Called Vernissage from the French meaning "varnishing" (or an
art preview), this world class flea market slash swap meet is
extraordinary. Shoppers here can find anything, and we mean literally
anything, from thoroughbred pups to rare war medals, and on to bargains
to extensive to list in any travel article. Vernissage Flea Market
may just be the best such bargain hunting dream on Earth.
Held behind the historic Republic Square in Yerevan, tourists get
not only the best look at souvenirs of the region, but a taste of
local culture as well. Wood carvings, baby dolls, handmade jewelry,
leather, stone items, carpets, clothes, anything you can name, one
vendor or another carries an example to sell you.
Recently the market came under some criticism for lacking in sanitation
standards, to which city Mayor Karen Karapetyan assured people there
the market would not be shut down, but upgraded instead.
Having become such an institution in Armenia, and especially where
tourist are concerned, the last thing the town needs is a closed down
draw like Yerevan Flea Market.
Turning back to Yerevan's tradition, some 25 years ago, artists
established the market about the statue of Saryan. As the saying goes,
"the rest is history," but a lot more kinds of art are on sale and
display here now. Stamps, unframed oils and water color, acrylic,
silver heirlooms, even sculptures, the market today resembles the one
from back when, only surrounded with myriad other objects. And just
like back then, some vendors really need the market. In the days of
the Cold War some were so hard up they would come here to sell the
shoes off their feet.
For the reader, Yerevan now is an up and coming metropolis, with room
for tradition - the old ways - and the new as well. Better even that
the deals you may find at the world's greatest flea market (arguments
welcome), the nearly 1.2 million inhabitants of Armenia's capital are
some of the friendliest people anywhere. The image above of Yerevan
Armenia with the backdrop of Mount Ararat, may strike a cord Biblical
scholarly types.
The city named for King Yervand IV (the Last), has a heritage dating
back to the Bronze Age, old and rich enough to cast a shadow on many
of Europe's more noted capitals. In fact, this place on our small
rock in space was once seat of a most amazing empire. Those who would
dig along the Tigris or Euphrates, all about the ancient Nile, would
certainly be as rewarded to discover more the Acheemenid Empire.
From: Baghdasarian