Armenia is a forgottten land. The splendour of the past century gone after more than 100 year, after the genocide, afer the earthquake, afer the Nagorno Karabakh war. The signs of russian imperialism are still there. The country is divided, the lights and new buildings of Yerevan, the capital, are degraded by the state of abandon of all the other cities. Where is the ancient armenia?
The earthquake in 1988 gratly affected Gyumri. The cemetery was too small so they used the space near the railway as burial site.
There is only one train in Armenia, from Yerevan to Gyumri and than Georgia. Along this trip there are many stops in small villages where people get in with all the product of their field to sell on the Gyumri Market.
Areni is famous for the wine, but you can barely see some vineyared and the wine you can find is sold along the street inside coca-cola bottle.
The silk way is all lond Armenia, and this part of the Caucaso is amazing, kilometers of nothing, just mountains and land. It is simple to imagine how it was in past centuries.
Afer the earthquake Gorbaciov told "in two years we will built a new city" but after two years there wasn't any more a russian empire. Since than people are waiting that the government help them to build new house. Meanwhile they leave in the old falling buildings.
Old man play Backgammon and chess along the street almost at every hour during the day.
Armenian is a hard land, there isn't any resource and the factory are closed after the collapse of the russian dominance. In the mountain there are only shepherd living there with their animals and dog.
In Yerevan in Republic Square every evening there is a light and water show. All the armenian that are back home come here to see it.
Lada is the most used car in Armenia, but inside there is always a carpet. A strange matching between soviet and asian.
Northern Avenue is the street of shopping, of amazing buildings...with no one inside cause only a few people could afford the rent.
Still Gyumri, out from the center city, some people still live in container, if it is possible to call this live.
The faith is everywhere also in abandoned monastry in Stepanavan.
The gas is expensive and many family could not afford to use it for the winter so they use excrement while the radiator is only a stand in the yard.
In Armenia everyone is "sister or cousin", tha family is something more "open" than the western one. During the evening the men take their time to drink and talk while women tidy up.
It is hard to work and to live. Most of the people have low income and they need the help of people from diaspora (living abroad) that send them money.
Yerevan is the only city with huge street, life, bar.
Gyumri
This is a kitchen in a house. Armeinan most of the time are poor but they will open their house and share what they have with you.
Goris, in the south, was and old capital of Armenia. It is hard to belive this. I found a city with no lights, no "real" street. But here the children seam heppy and free.
There are abandoned structure everywhere as if something happen in the meanwhile and no-one will go on.
In August in Sverdlov here is a huge celebration. Some stand in the middle of the valley and the children could ask for a toy.
When the Nagorno Karabakh war stared many Armenian form Azerbaijan leave their house and come in their original country as refugee. Some people give them work in the field.
Two Armenian border are closed, the one with Turkey and the one with Azerbaijan (after Nagorno Karabakh).
The forgotten genocide. Armenian genocide is still today not recognized but this flame is always burning in Yerevan.
The soviet imprinting is everywhere. Stepanavan
In the night there are no street lamps, only the light from houses and cars along the street.
Cascade in Yerevan is an amazing staircase full of different sculpture. During the summer night the people in the capital spend their time in this place or in the opera square.
Armenia is full of church and monastry.
The Ararat is the symbol of Armenia, but it isn't on the armenian land.