Sunday is for sightseeing staring with Echmaidzin, the Holy City for Armenians. It is where the seat of the Armenian church is, the Holy Katholikos, their version of the Pope in Rome. It is a very large complex with many buildings to house the priests, provide classrooms for education, museums for precious artifacts.... Every year I've gone there seems to have been more construction going as this year also proves true. 
We went into the sanctuary but services had not started yet. It was not very crowded for a Sunday morning though there was a large group a distance away, probably waiting for services to begin. Several team mates light candles in rememberance of loved ones passed away. When we finished we made a pit stop in the souvenir shop. I had been requested to replace a cross purchased here for a former team mate whos previous one had been stolen. (Katie, I have it!) :-)Afterwards we went to the huge Grand Candy store near the Matenadaran. Lots of wonderful choices and a Grand Candy bakery next door, where I picked up a batch of half chocolate, half vanilla creme filled Armenian doughnuts. These would be our dessert after lunch. I had never had one before and wouldn't have known about it except for Vartuhi, our interpreter's guidance. Good choice. Of course lots of purchases were made...by the kilos! Having been to vernisage I volunteered to bring the candy back to my apartment to avoid melting while the rest of them shopped.
Next stop, lunch at Square one, a nice American fare restaurant. A bit pricey-er(?) after half the team ordered milkshakes or smoothies on top of their meals but they sure did enjoy it! Hamburgers, Pizza and breakfast omelets and the like landed in front of everyone and they dug in heartily. At the end donuts went around and even those who were full had to at least try an Armenian donut. It was a good choice!
The team went off to the vernisage with the guidance of Hasmik, Taron and Nune for souvenir shopping. I headed up to the apartment- 4 flights up- with what felt like 50# of candy in my backpack and hands. Then I turned around back down to do some shopping for our farewell dinner at the apt on Monday.
I know they were probably overwhelmed with all that vernisage had to offer: old books and carpets, new t-shirts, scarves, hand-embroidered tablecloths, jewelry, Ornately Carved wooded Nardi/Tavlo/Backgammon boards and other wooden creations, CLocks, Salt bowls and shakers, glassware and Jazzve pots, Cd's, keychains, Postcards and bookmarks, Khorovatz swords, Paintings, artist supplies,Carved wood and toof and obsidian, and so much more to choose from multiple vendors all vying for ones attentions and money. Of course the heat would make it less desirable to spend too much time, which was good because we were getting picked up at 4pm to go to a House Blessing that evening. The house was about the same distance away but not near to our family's house. It was a family of 4 with a daughter and son about 8-10 years old.
This was a combined effort with a local TV station who videoed the ceremony and then interview the family, staff and I as team leader. WHen they found out that none of us had actually worked on this particular home, they kept it short, I spoke to the fact that volunteers come to work on homes wherever the option is available to us and that we were happy to help bring this family's journey towards homeownership to it's official conclusion.
Dinner was piled high on the table, Khorovatz meat and vegetables, boiled lamb, salads, and fruits, candy and cakes for dessert. As usual we all ate too much. Toasts were made by several of us with wine and vodka and around 8pm we got ready to head back to Yerevan. At the last minute I remembered my glow sticks. I had 4 glow necklaces which I distributed to the 2 kids, , mom and Grandmother. Then I gave a package of 15 bracelets to the daughter, Geghetsik, meaning Beautiful, whose lovely eyes lit up with delight. SO glad I remembered I'd brought them!
After we returned and had a reminder that tomorrow we would again meet at 9:30 for pick up, everyone headed to bed and I climbed back up my 4 flights to the apartment. I should have really great legs when we get back after all the walking and stair climbing I've done this past month!!!
by Susan Bosovich
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