Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Weird and Interesting Things Around Ijevan

I've had a few months to explore Ijevan and I've found some interesting things.


Here is a sculpture on top of one of the walls at my host father's cafe. He claims it is 1000 years old, but I haven't found his carbon dating equipment yet. It is a carving of a mountain lion. You can see the balcony of my house in the background.

This is the WWII Memorial for the Armenians who fought in the Soviet army. It is across the street from one of my offices.

I have no idea what this statue is supposed to be. Surprisingly, this is not the weirdest statue that I have seen in Armenia.

This is a sculpture that is located in the "Rock Garden." In the 1980s, Ijevan was the site of many art symposiums dedicated to sculpture. The park was gradually filled with sculptures.

Here is one of the nicest houses in Ijevan. This is an exception to the rule when it comes to houses in Armenia. The building in the left corner is a Soviet-era apartment complex.

Sodas for sale on the side of the road? Nope, this is the Ijevan gas station.

Guard dog on a roof. No clue.

A huge eagle in a tiny cage at a cafe in Ijevan.

A Soviet carousel rusting away. Kids still play on it.

The abandoned Ijevan hotel is a relic of the days when Ijevan was a tourist destination for people in the Soviet Union.

Ever wonder where the t-shirts of the losing Super Bowl teams go? They come to Armenia. This is a San Diego Chargers Super Bowl Champs shirt from 1995. Grumps, I'll try to find you one, because it's the closest you'll ever get.

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for your posts. They remind me of the times I had while a PCV in Armenia. My wife and I lived in Alaverdi and part of the A12 group. I taught Environmental Education and my wife was a TEFL volunteer.

    If you're interested you can read about experience on our Peace Corps Experience website.

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  2. No problem Brett. I have some friends in Alaverdi now. I am having a great time and will hopefully be posting more. With winter coming, I think I am going to have a lot more time on my hands.

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  3. You're so ugly that it took me some time to decide whether I would follow or not. In the end, the opportunity to antagonize outweighed your ugliness. Please take more pictures of the land and less of yourself.

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  4. P.S. Happy New Year, putz. Drop a guy a line for once!

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  5. Little A, you and I both know that I have the good looks and physique comparable to Zeus. So in summary, you're a LAJDB.

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