“A Journey in Armenia that Lasted for Months”

• April 11, 2021
• By Daryl
• 0 Comment

Across the street a heavyset elderly woman was walking in her own world, unaware of her surroundings. She grabbed the front of her dress or pants and in one quick move, pulled up and thrusted her pelvic forward to rearrange clothing, which had been heading south. I never has seen this move before, but she had it down.

Most people were not wearing face masks, as we have seen in ever country we have traveled to, since leaving Greece, following the March lockdown.

The fields are showing the disc-turned earth below the sparse snow, so they will be ready to till after the thaw. The trees are empty and there is no evergreens except for some at a few cemeteries. The small villages with grey roofs give the area a monochrome look.

We rented a new car but there seemed to have a braking problem. We took it back and they said there is no problem. The front brakes sound like metal on metal. The car does not pull to one side or the other, but the braking noise is atrocious. I try not to be bothered by it, or by the people staring at us when we come to stop.

One more all to the rental company, they cam out and asked a lot of questions. They drove it down four houses and came back assured we had a valid claim. New brakes and a quite car came back a few hours later.

As we find dogs along the road, if they look skinny and hungry, Bunny stops and feeds them. We save our leftovers to feed them. Bunny even bought some dog food. Happy, appreciative eyes follow us as we leave the dogs.

We passed some unusual tiny homes made from retired gasoline storage tanks. They are round cylinder, metal homes with cut outs for a small window and door. By Sevan Lake, we saw a cluster of them and they were placed close to the shore. They did not have much outside. The funny thing is the tube homes were not leveled but just place on the ground, one end higher than the other. The locals like their homemade wine and vodka. I imagined them tumbling around with the sure footedness of a cat. Or the uncertain stride of a sailor on rough seas.

We stopped by a stream, passing small trees billowing in the breeze. The stream’s waters rounding the edges of the ragged dark rocks. The blasting din of splashing drops traversing around the boulders on their relentless journey to the salty brine of the sea. I look up at a pair of Magpies landing on a limb. With a short glance at their strange quest, they drop down to a constant search for food, mixed in the soil below. With their beak, bits of soil scattered by quick movements, reveal morsels of nutrients and small stones. Soon they are off for we did not keep their interest long. The sun reflects flashes of light from the ever changing surface of the water. As we climb back up to our car, a group of sparrows fly in dozens of directions.

Our new apartment is really great. We have a huge room and a private bathroom. Our living room has two couches and a kitchen and dining room. Normally we would share the living area with guests, but the other four rooms are empty. Our kitchen is efficient and a nice change from just having a bar refrigerator and a hot pot, maybe. Our view is overlooking a great garden area which covers about a quarter acre. Garlic and some kind of greens show through the thin snow. Fruit trees dot the yard. One is a cherry tree for sure, and an apricot, for they served us homemade cherry juice with a couple of whole cherries at the bottom. Sometimes, it apricot juice, mixed with the cherry juice, with half apricots at the bottom. We had some before in Macedonia, at a farmers home. It was also a nice treat.

Today big flakes of snow crystals fall from the sky. Their swirling decent to the ground, ends in an invisible transformation into another dimension. A metamorphosis from a white dream to one with earth. As the pace quickens and the air chills a dusting and stillness fills the realm.

Driving the streets after spring snow is doable as the snow melts quickly. Some of the pot holes are big enough to hide a poodle. Sometimes we pass manholes with the lids open. Can you imagine not seeing the caution. I do the grocery shopping and I make a presence from being so tall and so un-Armenian. All eyes are on me and I use my charm to find what I need. There is always one person that speaks some English and they quickly find me. It is like a personal shopper for they follow me and get things for me. Soon all the girls and ladies are greeting me. The men are short and stocky, and the aisles are narrow. One man stops abruptly and I am right behind. He looks back and his head rises up and quickly moves aside, astonished.

Rain comes in buckets all night long. The drops got bigger and eventually turns into grape size snow crystals which float sideways. As they swirl and twist until the touch the ground and disappears. The quantity’s make it look almost like fog as we gaze into the distance. The apricot tree has pink blooms that cover the whole tree. The garden has greens that have started to cover the beds. Spring has sprung and it shows everywhere, so the snow is quite a contrast.

Along with spring comes the storks. Nine made their way back from Uganda, together. We saw them arrive! They were flying around the nest next to our house. About two weeks earlier the nesters had arrived for our closest nest. I think they have already laid eggs, for one stork stays at the nest with their head looking out over the edge of the huge nest. There is a lake close by, where they forage for food.

Across the street a heavyset elderly woman was walking in her own world, unaware of her surroundings. She grabbed the front of her dress or pants and in one quick move, pulled up and thrusted her pelvic forward to rearrange clothing, which had been heading south. I never has seen this move before, but she had it down.

Most people were not wearing face masks, as we have seen in ever country we have traveled to, since leaving Greece, following the March lockdown.

The fields are showing the disc-turned earth below the sparse snow, so they will be ready to till after the thaw. The trees are empty and there is no evergreens except for some at a few cemeteries. The small villages with grey roofs give the area a monochrome look.

We rented a new car but there seemed to have a braking problem. We took it back and they said there is no problem. The front brakes sound like metal on metal. The car does not pull to one side or the other, but the braking noise is atrocious. I try not to be bothered by it, or by the people staring at us when we come to stop.

One more all to the rental company, they cam out and asked a lot of questions. They drove it down four houses and came back assured we had a valid claim. New brakes and a quite car came back a few hours later.

As we find dogs along the road, if they look skinny and hungry, Bunny stops and feeds them. We save our leftovers to feed them. Bunny even bought some dog food. Happy, appreciative eyes follow us as we leave the dogs.

We passed some unusual tiny homes made from retired gasoline storage tanks. They are round cylinder, metal homes with cut outs for a small window and door. By Sevan Lake, we saw a cluster of them and they were placed close to the shore. They did not have much outside. The funny thing is the tube homes were not leveled but just place on the ground, one end higher than the other. The locals like their homemade wine and vodka. I imagined them tumbling around with the sure footedness of a cat. Or the uncertain stride of a sailor on rough seas.

We stopped by a stream, passing small trees billowing in the breeze. The stream’s waters rounding the edges of the ragged dark rocks. The blasting din of splashing drops traversing around the boulders on their relentless journey to the salty brine of the sea. I look up at a pair of Magpies landing on a limb. With a short glance at their strange quest, they drop down to a constant search for food, mixed in the soil below. With their beak, bits of soil scattered by quick movements, reveal morsels of nutrients and small stones. Soon they are off for we did not keep their interest long. The sun reflects flashes of light from the ever changing surface of the water. As we climb back up to our car, a group of sparrows fly in dozens of directions.

Our new apartment is really great. We have a huge room and a private bathroom. Our living room has two couches and a kitchen and dining room. Normally we would share the living area with guests, but the other four rooms are empty. Our kitchen is efficient and a nice change from just having a bar refrigerator and a hot pot, maybe. Our view is overlooking a great garden area which covers about a quarter acre. Garlic and some kind of greens show through the thin snow. Fruit trees dot the yard. One is a cherry tree for sure, and an apricot, for they served us homemade cherry juice with a couple of whole cherries at the bottom. Sometimes, it apricot juice, mixed with the cherry juice, with half apricots at the bottom. We had some before in Macedonia, at a farmers home. It was also a nice treat.

Today big flakes of snow crystals fall from the sky. Their swirling decent to the ground, ends in an invisible transformation into another dimension. A metamorphosis from a white dream to one with earth. As the pace quickens and the air chills a dusting and stillness fills the realm.

Driving the streets after spring snow is doable as the snow melts quickly. Some of the pot holes are big enough to hide a poodle. Sometimes we pass manholes with the lids open. Can you imagine not seeing the caution. I do the grocery shopping and I make a presence from being so tall and so un-Armenian. All eyes are on me and I use my charm to find what I need. There is always one person that speaks some English and they quickly find me. It is like a personal shopper for they follow me and get things for me. Soon all the girls and ladies are greeting me. The men are short and stocky, and the aisles are narrow. One man stops abruptly and I am right behind. He looks back and his head rises up and quickly moves aside, astonished.

Rain comes in buckets all night long. The drops got bigger and eventually turns into grape size snow crystals which float sideways. As they swirl and twist until the touch the ground and disappears. The quantity’s make it look almost like fog as we gaze into the distance. The apricot tree has pink blooms that cover the whole tree. The garden has greens that have started to cover the beds. Spring has sprung and it shows everywhere, so the snow is quite a contrast.

Along with spring comes the storks. Nine made their way back from Uganda, together. We saw them arrive! They were flying around the nest next to our house. About two weeks earlier the nesters had arrived for our closest nest. I think they have already laid eggs, for one stork stays at the nest with their head looking out over the edge of the huge nest. There is a lake close by, where they forage for food.