Saturday, July 20, 2013
Vernissage is the outdoor market which is in full swing on Saturdays and Sundays. It is located one block from the Europe Hotel. Here are a few photos:
Book Sellers
Painter
Setting Up
Book Sellers Playing Cards
Another Painter
Outdoor Framing Shop
Game of Tavlou
Crossroads in the Market
Musician
Glassware in the Flea Market
Embroidery
Armenian Dolls
In the Afternoon I went to the State Museum of Armenian History and the National Art Gallery which are located in the same building on Republic Square. Unfortunately, photography was prohibited in both museums.
History Museum & National Gallery
The History Museum had artifacts from Stone Age cave dwellers through modern Soviet times. The Art Gallery, according to the guide, holds the third largest collection of European masters in the former USSR. It contained a large collection of Russian art.
Ara Guler Poster
The National Art Gallery had a special exhibit of color and black & white photographs by the Armenian photographer Ara Guler. We had visited Ara Guler’s cafe in Istanbul in 2010.
View of Yerevan From the Roof
The museums were not air-conditioned and were warm and stuffy, so I was excited to receive an invitation by the 9th floor guard to go out onto the roof. There was a magnificent 360 degree view of Yerevan and a nice cooling breeze from the roof of the museum.
Republic Square from Above
Another Bird’s Eye View
Armenian Drams
There are about 412 Drams to the American dollar. After exchanging a few dollars, it feels like having Monopoly money in your hand. There are also coins in lower denominations which are frequently used. The cost of living is low in Armenia. As a result, all goods and services are very cheap.