Halfway down the Danube

Further notes

- We've lived in the house for a week today and so far we've had 53 incoming phone calls, one of which was actually connected correctly. It was Doug trying out the landline and we agreed quickly on using the cell phones instead because the connection was so bad we could hardly hear each other. Hissing noises, dial tones, ring tones - we had it all in one single phone call. The other 52 calls were all wrong numbers. As a consequence, I have unplugged the phone for the time being.
However, there is hope! We think we can manage to have a new line put in. There is even a 75% chance of getting DSL! Why do I keep thinking we're the unlucky 25%? Surely that is negative German thinking only!

- We have loads of ants in the house.

- Every morning, we look to Ararat and check whether it's visible or obscured by clouds. Yesterday, we had a glorious sunrise on the glaciers, with clouds circling the mountain in the middle like a belt. The peak glowed bright red in the morning sunshine.
Today, after a day of rain and thunderstorms, we can barely see the foothills. It's become a habit, looking toward Ararat.

- Speaking of mountains - Yerevan is just surrounded by them. I had not realized but driving to Alan's school, we see snow-covered peaks in every direction, and they are not far-off mountains, they are quite close. Within 30 miles of Yerevan, you'll find Mt. Aragats (4090m), Mt. Azhdahak (3597m), Mt. Kotuts (2061m) and quite a few more that are over 2000 meters (about 6000 feet). Whenever you have a view in Yerevan, you'll see a mountain (range). It's quite amazing and stunningly beautiful. The kids find it amazing that it can be spring when indeed they see snow everywhere around them...

- I found a wonderful physiotherapist. He's a real doctor and works at the Litte Spa in the Marriott Hotel. I threw out my back on Sunday morning and I'm almost painfree as I'm writing this. He charges the amazing amount of $30 per half hour but he's so worth it. He absolutely knows what he's doing, he did a thorough examination before even touching me and he instantly pinpointed my two big Bad Things for the Back: carrying heavy things (a.k.a. little boys) and not working out my stomach muscles. I did promise to be better about the exercises and I mean it this time! If you have back problems in Yerevan, go see him! (It also has the additional perk of sitting in the Vienna Cafe afterwards, with coffee and "Torte", and wireless Internet access.)

- In theory, we have satellite TV. In practice, we have three or four Armenian channels and some Russian ones. Maybe there is Georgian one too, I haven't paid much attention once I realized we don't have a cartoon channel or CNN or any of the Discovery Channels. I know you can get them here since they were available in the hotel. It doesn't seem pressing and maybe one day I can figure out how to readjust the dish outside our balcony.

- Wishbone Ranch salad dressing. Chuck Wagon Chicken Franks, frozen. Chunky peanut butter. Mini marshmellows. I was baffled to find those available in the shops here -- US products are usually not very prevalent in Eastern European countries. I think this is the Diaspora making itself noticeable.

- You know that the border to Turkey is closed, yes? I mean, you cannot go there from here, or the other way around. Our move is going by ship, from Hamburg through the Aegian, the Marmaris sea, the Bosphorus, the Black Sea, all the way to Georgia, and then by truck to landlocked Armenia - because of the closed border.
But: you can buy loads of Turkish food and other products, and I've seen Turkish trucks on the roads.
Conclusion: Borders may be closed to some but not to others.

- The American ambassador to Armenia has caused a public stir in acknowledging the genocide in a speech. He is now returning to the US in July. Coincidence? Many think not so. Ms. Rice couldn't order him home right away for fear of an uproar among the Diaspora so she ordered him home some months later. Not quite subtle enough for Armenians not to notice, it seems.

- I did change my Zeit magazine subsription to Yerevan before we left Romania. That was two weeks ago. The magazine from March 23 has yet to arrive. (Carlos, I checked and apparently we would get mail if there was any. I am waiting.)

- The heating has stopped three times so far and had to be restarted manually. The water stopped once (there was much complaining about a missed bath for the boys last night -- what creatures of habit they are!). We have lots of brownouts.

Posted by claudia at April 5, 2006 01:23 PM