'No man should travel until he has learned the language of the country he visits. Otherwise he voluntarily makes himself a great baby - so helpless and so ridiculous.'

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Of course Mr Emerson has a little overreacted here, as being a tourist in a foreign country is an adventure one of a type, but if you are going to live somewhere for longer than a week, it won't be bad to know some basic words and phrases of the local language. 

Georgia is a very nice and hospitable country. On my first trip there I was absolutely amazed at how people were patient and would accompany you up to your target place, no matter how busy they were. Georgians really get happy when they see you try to speak their language and are able to understand you even when you deform the words :)

Here is a list of most necessary word and phrases:

Greetings and Communication

Hello - gah-mahr-joh-bah( you can add a 't' at the end to make it formal)

How are you? - roh-goh-rah khahrt?

Fine, thank you - k'ahr-gahd, gmahd-lohbt

What is your name? - rah gkvee-ahd?

My name is... - cheh-mee sah-kheh-lee-ah...

Nice to meet... Read More

Not much is know about pre-Christian Armenians, however there are old legends telling that before adopting Christianity as a state religion, Armenians were pagan. Armenian mythology was strongly influenced by Assyrian traditions and Zoroastrianism with pagan gods like Aramazd, Mihr, the god of sun and heaven. His main worship was located in Bagaharich. The pagan temple of Garni was Mihr's worship. Anahit was a pagan Armenian goddess of love, beauty and water. The ancient sculptures sculptured her without clothes, as beautiful young woman during swimming were usually naked. The celebration in her honor took place in June and was called Vardevar. It is still celebrated in Armenia by pouring water on each other. There are also some traces of native traditions, such as Hayk or Vahagn and Astghik.

Ancient Armenians were worshiping many cults (mostly the cult of ancestors), heavenly bodies (the cult of the Sun, the Moon cult, the cult of Heaven) and some animals (lions, bulls). The main subject of belief were the gods of the Armenian pantheon. The head of the gods was the common Indo-European god Ar, then Vanatur. Due to the influence of the relations with Persians God... Read More

The 57th Eurovision Song Contest, one of the longest running television shows in the world, is coming closer and closer. This time it is going to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is surely Europe's most favorite show and each country is now busy selecting their participants, meanwhile Azerbaijan is highly busy with preparations at full speed to host the contest and according to Jorgen Franck, director ad interim of Eurovision TV, the Azerbaijani organisers do their very best to prepare a joyful event in May. The organizers also put a significant effort into security and safety of all fans, media and delegates during the event weeks. The contest starts on 22 May when First Semi-Final will be held, Second Semi-Final will take place on 24 May and the Grand Final will be on 26 May.

This year the contest has changed the voting rules back to how they were before 2010, I.e the voting will begin after the show and last for 10 minutes.

On 18 January the official Eurovision website confirmed that Armenia's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku. However, Armenia as well as Georgia are still to announce their entries. One of the most presumable... Read More

National symbols are important part of the culture of a country. They speak of its people’s identity and what they stand for in their life. Furthermore they uncover their history, traditions and the unity as a nation. Even though some cultures are symbolized with common items findable elsewhere, such as eagles, lions, pomegranates, swords etc, Armenia belongs to the cultures that, along with the above mentioned, have created their own symbolizing items: kachkar is an example of that. The word literary means cross-stone and is a cross curved into a stone. This is a typical medieval Christian Armenian form of art that developed in the 12-13th centuries.

How they look like

Kachkars are similar to each other at the first sight, but their design varies. On most khachkars Christ is not depicted on the cross. Those that have elaborate design are called lacework khachkars, while those that have a freestanding cross are called ‘tevavor’, meaning ‘with wings’. Khachkars are usually memorials covered with rosettes and other attributes. Most of them bear a curved cross and a solar disc, the later symbolizing the sun, while the remainder of the... Read More

Before you travel to Armenia, it is a good idea to learn some basic Armenian words and phrases. (Even if you are not traveling to Armenia any time soon, wouldn't it be cool to know how to say a few phrases in a foreign language?) Not many people in Armenia speak good English, even in the capital Yerevan. Knowing some simple phrases, you can make friends with the local people, make the journey easier without having to depend on an interpreter and perhaps help yourself bargain for stuff more successfully.

Before we jump to the lessons, you should keep these few things in mind:

Learning a foreign language is never a piece of cake. Except for memorizing words and sentences, you need to pronounce them correctly. If people seem to be confused about what you say, no need to be discouraged. Just try to speak slower and they will get it eventually.

If you try to speak Armenian to the local people and they laugh, please don't be offended. Armenians love to laugh. They are just laughing with you, not at you. In fact, they really admire foreigners who try to speak their language and here laughing is a way to show admiration.

Greetings and some other simple... Read More

Women travel for numerous reasons, whether to discover new destinations and cultures, come up with business opportunities, or simply to relax - not unlike men. But when it comes to personal security, and the way religious and cultural beliefs of the foreign countries affect travelers, there's a huge difference between women and men. It's surely admirable for an independent woman to explore the world on her own, as embarking on a journey of this mode will surely increase the efficiency and overall, her self esteem. However, from the midst of the merits emerge some challenges.

Different countries have different rules and they require matching behavior accordingly. So, ladies, here's what you need to know should you decide to take a solo journey to Armenia.

Armenia is a Christian country but sometimes more conservative than other Christian countries. Even though there is no certain dress code neither for men, nor for women, there are still several underground rules that shouldn't be ignored.

If you are a tourist, you can dress as such, however, whatever comfort you might find in wearing minimal clothing will be canceled out by the discomfort of having men... Read More

In ancient times the term 'taking the waters' was commonly used. Water therapies in natural hot springs were used not just to cleanse and rejuvenate, but also to heal. This is still being done today.

The earliest civilizations used the hot springs as far back as 4,000 B.C. often for religious rituals but also for healing. These kinds of rituals were very popular in Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Taiwan, India and Crete. In the 16th century Europe rediscovered the ancient Roman spa culture in towns like Bath. People used to take the hot water in natural hot springs or baths. While today it is taken in hot tubs or spa tubs in spa salons. However, not underestimating the relaxing and healing effects of these tubs, I believe that nothing can take the place of a natural hot pool in terms of its healing, rejuvenating power in a natural environment, which surely leaves its positive impacts.

If we go a little into geography, a hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth. Armenia is not an exception.

There is one located in the... Read More

Markets are great places to get a sense of the local agricultural bounty and culinary inclinations of a particular place. Yerevan does have quite a few of such markets. 

Covered Market

The covered market, or as Armenians call it Pak Shuka, is one of the most famous food markets in Yerevan. This market is located on Mashtots Ave. At the first sight it looks like a an ornate airplane hanger. The entrance is a large semicircular structure with intricate details, while inside is an impressive museum of food. Visitors can shop for different kinds of fruit, vegitables, nuts, Armenian traditional lavash, sujukh, dried and candied fruit and spices. 

Pricing is on a resonable level, which makes it all affordable for everyone. The market offers local as well as imported products. One of the major importers is the neighbour Iran, which imports rare type of saffron to the Armenian market.

Vernissage

Vernissage is a weekend open market in Yerevan. It is situated close to the Republic Square. Here you can find artworks by famous and not so famous Armenian artists, as well as carpets, embroidery, posters, old collections of coins, jewelry,... Read More

That's right, here in Armenia the most delicate and unusual food is probably Asian food, which is the first to come to our mind when we decide to try something "special". Whether we know where it comes from, how it tastes, how they cook it, is it worth trying or is it a little awkward, we still get excited while holding those too uncomfortable chop-sticks. You know what I mean, don't you?

In Europe where the primary thing people consider when it comes to food is appearance and taste, it is quite difficult to believe that Asians are a step forward when it comes to incorporate look and healthiness. Asian cuisine is not only about having excellent texture, appearance, and taste. It also considers the need of body and the benefits it gets to feel better. Hence most dishes are tasty and light but very satisfying. Ever since the 1980's, Asian food was given a great deal of attention because of high source for protein.

Here is a list of four different Asian restaurants/bars in Yerevan where you can taste food you may not have known of.

Samurai Sushi Bar

If not the only, at least the most famous place in Yerevan to taste sushi. The bar is located on... Read More

Coffee...Now...it doesn't make the sun rise in the morning, but really now, who'd want to face the sunlight without being able to greet it with that hot, strong darkness you pour into a cup?

It is the energetic force that enhances our IQs and refreshes our minds, gives a beat to our creativity and revives the senses. But hey! Not every coffee can achieve such feats.

The dishwater-weak we come across pretty often is so disappointing sometimes that it makes you wonder...Massimo Zanetti knew this, when he founded Segafredo Zanetti initially in Italy becoming the only company in the coffee industry which directly controls the coffee production process starting from the harvesting of coffee beans from plantations in Brazil and Costa Rica. Segafredo soon conquered the whole coffee-loving globe, reaching us in Yerevan!

Currently there are two Segafredo Coffee Shops in Yerevan located on North Ave and Amiryan street. Here is a short review on each of them:

Segafredo - North Ave

Located in the most prestigious district of Yerevan, Segafredo keeps the high-class standards offering the best Italian espresso in the city. This is a place I enjoy being... Read More