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MATT ANDERSSON. "MY FRIENDS ASK ME, AND WHERE IS THE OLD CITY?"
October 9 2013
Swedish freelancer (freelance journalist) Matt Andersson has a
unique hobby. Once or twice a year, he takes a tourist group of his
acquaintances-friends to Georgia and Armenia. The route mainly is as
follows: landing in Tbilisi, 5-day trip to Georgia, then to Armenia,
five days trip in our country and return back to Sweden from Yerevan.
Matt was the first time in Yerevan twelve years ago. I asked him
how Yerevan is changed. He says that it has changed a lot. "To the
best or the worst?", I asked. "Well, how can I tell, - says Matt,
- Yerevan has become a modern European city. A very nice, but a
standard city. I love Yerevan very much, it's not the matter, but
over the years I've noticed how it is becoming more and more modern
by losing the coloring. The members of my group say, well, now let's
go to see the old city, where is the old city, and I have no answer
to them." Matt emphasizes that because of their route, willy-nilly
all compared Tbilisi and Yerevan, and noting that Yerevan is more
modern and developed, they notice that the coloring of Tbilisi,
especially, in the last few years, renovated and new breath received
Old Tbilisi, makes the city unique. "Yerevan has a very beautiful
old precinct, the private houses behind the hill of Saryan street,
only it needs to be renovated a little bit, and an investment, and
it will become a favorite place for tourists," says Matt. And when I
informed him that this precinct, Kond, is a territory on sale, and
these old houses should be demolished, building a new one instead,
Matt's eyes became rounded surprisingly. It seemed to him that I did
not understand me correctly, I repeat my words for several times,
and then perplexed Matt was able to ask, why, when I explain that
our government does not like any old thing, and considers any old
building over ten-twenty years subject to demolition, Matt, hardly
recovering his ability to talk, asks, "But, don't they understand
that it is your wealth? After all, it's your history, it is much
more expensive than any newly built building. All we need is to
polish this precious diamond, and not to throw away because of being
dusty." I remind Matt about his visit some six or seven years ago,
when the North Avenue was just being built. At that time, there was
an architect and film director in his group. When we were passing
along the dark and newly built constructions, but still not inhabited
buildings of North Avenue, they simultaneously cried: "we seem to be
in an Italian neorealizm films." Matt is laughing and saying that now
the North Avenue is not former inanimate skeleton anymore, and has got
a bit of flesh and blood. "I see that young people like this district
very much, it is very important that it becomes a history, a memory,
and a treasure. But, to build the new one by demolishing the old one
that has life and history, is incomprehensible and incredible." Matt
says that his favorite part in Yerevan is the Republic Square. "This
square is the most beautiful squares he has ever seen, and I can
stay here for hours, to look at the square surrounding buildings,
listen to the singing fountains," says Swedish journalist and notes
that one of the characteristics of Yerevan is the presence of numerous
cafes and restaurants "and everywhere the food is very delicious." He
also says that he does not like the appearance of standard European
store networks in Yerevan: our city becomes more and more alike other
European cities, but realizes that "Yerevan residents also have the
right to have such stores."
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/10/09/161959/
October 9 2013
Swedish freelancer (freelance journalist) Matt Andersson has a
unique hobby. Once or twice a year, he takes a tourist group of his
acquaintances-friends to Georgia and Armenia. The route mainly is as
follows: landing in Tbilisi, 5-day trip to Georgia, then to Armenia,
five days trip in our country and return back to Sweden from Yerevan.
Matt was the first time in Yerevan twelve years ago. I asked him
how Yerevan is changed. He says that it has changed a lot. "To the
best or the worst?", I asked. "Well, how can I tell, - says Matt,
- Yerevan has become a modern European city. A very nice, but a
standard city. I love Yerevan very much, it's not the matter, but
over the years I've noticed how it is becoming more and more modern
by losing the coloring. The members of my group say, well, now let's
go to see the old city, where is the old city, and I have no answer
to them." Matt emphasizes that because of their route, willy-nilly
all compared Tbilisi and Yerevan, and noting that Yerevan is more
modern and developed, they notice that the coloring of Tbilisi,
especially, in the last few years, renovated and new breath received
Old Tbilisi, makes the city unique. "Yerevan has a very beautiful
old precinct, the private houses behind the hill of Saryan street,
only it needs to be renovated a little bit, and an investment, and
it will become a favorite place for tourists," says Matt. And when I
informed him that this precinct, Kond, is a territory on sale, and
these old houses should be demolished, building a new one instead,
Matt's eyes became rounded surprisingly. It seemed to him that I did
not understand me correctly, I repeat my words for several times,
and then perplexed Matt was able to ask, why, when I explain that
our government does not like any old thing, and considers any old
building over ten-twenty years subject to demolition, Matt, hardly
recovering his ability to talk, asks, "But, don't they understand
that it is your wealth? After all, it's your history, it is much
more expensive than any newly built building. All we need is to
polish this precious diamond, and not to throw away because of being
dusty." I remind Matt about his visit some six or seven years ago,
when the North Avenue was just being built. At that time, there was
an architect and film director in his group. When we were passing
along the dark and newly built constructions, but still not inhabited
buildings of North Avenue, they simultaneously cried: "we seem to be
in an Italian neorealizm films." Matt is laughing and saying that now
the North Avenue is not former inanimate skeleton anymore, and has got
a bit of flesh and blood. "I see that young people like this district
very much, it is very important that it becomes a history, a memory,
and a treasure. But, to build the new one by demolishing the old one
that has life and history, is incomprehensible and incredible." Matt
says that his favorite part in Yerevan is the Republic Square. "This
square is the most beautiful squares he has ever seen, and I can
stay here for hours, to look at the square surrounding buildings,
listen to the singing fountains," says Swedish journalist and notes
that one of the characteristics of Yerevan is the presence of numerous
cafes and restaurants "and everywhere the food is very delicious." He
also says that he does not like the appearance of standard European
store networks in Yerevan: our city becomes more and more alike other
European cities, but realizes that "Yerevan residents also have the
right to have such stores."
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/10/09/161959/