4-17 A Rest Day?

We were scheduled to do a Yerevan City tour with Gorgon today.  But it is a cold very rainy day and he called to suggest we cancel.  It was suppose to continue all day - so maybe we would do a museum or two.  But around 11am the sun came out. 

Mike had scheduled a meetup with Gorgon at 1pm to pay him for the meal his mother cooked.  He wanted around $80 usd.  Now - the most we have paid for a lunch at a nice restaurant in Yerevan has been about $23 usd.  We had expected it to be less than that.  We definitely felt that we had been played.  Mike bargained it down to half - still too much!

We headed out of our hotel in the opposite direction as usual.  So we did see some new things.  This building was not finished on the outside - but clearly was in use.

Just a short block away there was this facade - and behind it things falling into decay.

This is the start of many blocks of pedestrian only shopping street.  Way at the end is the Opera house.

This is what most of Yerevan looks like - half finished buildings - and half new construction.

Back at the Opera house.  Not sure what the statue is way up on the hill.

We next headed to the Yerevan Cascades.  Passing through this park on the way.  I like how he is sitting on a tree in front of trees.

Another statue - he looks aptly dressed for today's weather.

We finally reached the bottom park just in front of the Cascades.

The park contains a lot of local art.

On either side are stairways to climb up to the top.  It is a long way!

A closeup of the bottom level - where all the water is collected.  In between levels of the cascade fountains is a museum of art.  It was closed today - but thankfully the series of escalators that takes you to the top were working.  As you go up the escalator - there is artwork displayed. 

Next level up.

And of views of the park and the city.

Next level.

Art near the escalator.

Next level.

I liked this building - yes I tried to wait out the couple - but finally gave up.

Another level up.

and more art inside.

And it keeps going.

None of the fountains have water or are working yet. - I guess too early in the season.

And after 7 escalators  there is a final set of many steps to reach the level shown below.  As you look up you see the final sculpture.  There are more steps to climb if you want to get close.  But a lot of the area around the cascades and especially in this area is not maintained - we opted out and went back down.  There are dark clouds on the horizon.

Finally down - we set off into another park to head to our hotel.

This is near the opera house - I like the cycle that is used to deliver the flowers.

Back through the modern mall.

After today's walk through new territory - my conclusion is that our hotel is in a up and coming neighborhood.  The area we saw today was obviously mostly finished and in use.  We asked out guide where the money was coming for all the construction in Yerevan.  After the fall of the Soviet Union, some of the elite grabbed power - these oligarchs seem to be behind the building whirlwind.  There has been nothing to stop the destruction of history - in fact - Yerevan is sometimes called "the city without memory".