ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 1996 by Richard L. Ney This tour guide is prepared for personal information-use only. Absolutely no part of this tour guide, its complete form, or the information contained within it may be reprinted, copied or otherwise duplicated for the purposes of resale or commercial gain. Any duplication or copying of this guide, any part thereof, and the information contained must receive the express permission of the author.

There are two official tourist offices, but only one works with any regularity, and even then, it is a last vestige of Soviet planning (and carelessness). There are no tourist offices to go to for free information and brochures or maps. Local travel agents can book tickets and sell excursions (See Travel Agents / Booking Offices), but the tourist industry--though enormous in the Communist Days, is yet nascent according to Western Standards.

Still, try your luck at the Yerevan Tourist and Excursion Bureau ((3742) 56-47-07), 8 Sakian Street (M: Republic Sq., B: 24, TB: 1,4,6), open between 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Not a travel agency, but having spent considerable time developing tourism proposals for Armenia, CEPRA (((374-2) 27-11-21, 27-17-32), with office at the American University, 40 Marshall Baghramian St., Yerevan, can give some pointers.

Established benevolent agencies with offices in Armenia and the West include the Armenian Assembly of America ((202) 393-3434, fax (202) 638-4904) 122 C Street NW, Ste. 350, Washington DC 20001; Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) ((212) 765-8260, 765-8208), 31 W. 52^nd St. 10th Floor, New York, NY 10019, which has 30 chapters through the Central Board, and an additional 58 chapters through their AGBU Central Committee of the America East (same address and phone as the central board); Aznavour pour l’Armenie ((33-1) 49-53-03-27, fax (33-1) 49-53-03-28) Paris, which has an excellent reputation for supporting development and regional initiatives; and Fund for Armenian Relief ((212) 889-5150, fax (212) 889-4849), 630 Second Avenue, New York, NY. Armenian Assembly of America is mainly concerned with lobbying, the others in benevolent or humanitarian aid for Armenia, but they can help with connections for travelers with specialized interests (educational, research and volunteers), and help put you in touch with the Armenian community.

Armenian churches worldwide are more than places of worship, they are centralized community centers. Though not tourist agencies, a visit to one near you may provide information about the country, its history and culture, and possible contacts you can make in Armenia. They usually have the lowdown on group tours for Diaspora Armenians, run language and cultural programs, and have a well stocked library of books. Most have a friendship society with the homeland.

AIM Magazine
((818) 246-797, fax (818) 246-0088),
207 S. Brand, Glendale, CA 91204, publishes a periodical magazine for Armenians both in Armenia and the Diaspora. They have a solid research department for particular cultural questions. The

Armenian Observer
((213) 467-6767),
6646 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028, publishes a weekly Armenian newspaper in English.

Some communities with large Armenian communities are Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Chicago, Houston, London, Paris, Marseilles, Venice (St. Larenzo Island), Cairo, Jerusalem, Athens, Sofia, Varna (Bulgaria), Lvov (Ukraine), Moscow, Delhi, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Buenos Aires.

Business Hours

Government offices work between 9-10 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. IN the winter they tend to close earlier. Some work 5 days a week, others 6 days a week. Banks usually work from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. State organizations and shops (including ticket offices) always take a lunch break, either 1-2 p.m. or 2-3 p.m.

State shops work 6 days a week, the Shuka and private shops are open 7 days a week. Private stores generally do not take lunch breaks. Private shops can open as early as 8 a.m., and work until 9 p.m. in summer, 7-8 p.m. in winter. Many shops tend to operate on "Armenian time", which means that though they advertise opening at 8 or 9 a.m., they don’t really open until 20-30 minutes after the hour.

Restaurants open between 11-12 noon and can work as late as 10 or 11 p.m. The larger restaurants will stay open past midnight on the weekends. Museums generally open at 10 a.m. and stay open until 5-6 p.m. About 30 minutes before closing, they stop issuing tickets, but you can still get in for a quick dash through. Most museums take wither Monday or Tuesday off. House museums may be open, but the doors are closed. Ring or knock, and an attendant will come.

Public Holidays
Trading 3 for two, Armenians have usurped May Day and October Revolution Day for Armenian Independence Day, Constitution Day and Referendum Day.

Jan 1-2 New Year
Jan 6 Armenian Christmas
Apr 7 Motherhood and Beauty Day
April 24 Genocide Memorial Day
May 9 Victory Day (WW II)
May 28 Independence Day
July 5 Constitution Day
Sep 21 Referendum Day
Dec 7 Earthquake Memorial Day

Other unofficial holidays for which most people take a day off before and after includes Armenian Easter and election days.

FESTIVALS
They are too numerous and impromptu to list in detail, but Armenians take the least opportunity to celebrate. Year-round there are concerts, recitals and traditional dance and music performances. In the regions, part of the delight is in stumbling upon a traditional dance and music recital in the shadows of churches and monuments 1500 years old. It takes very little to get someone to sing songs and recite stories going back 3,000 years. A living history.

1-2 January

Actually celebrated beginning the week before and after the holiday, this is still the largest holiday of the year, where people exchange gifts, and houses are opened to walk-in guests. An abundance of food and sweets are laden on every table that can afford it, and friends and family go from home to home to visit, so many so you wonder who can possibly stay at home to welcome them. But they do.

6 January

A religious holiday, Christmas is celebrated more solemnly than in the West. Winter The winter season is cultural season: Opera, theatre and concert venues are filled with audiences, even in the worst of conditions. Giumri takes the least excuse to bring its people out into the streets to celebrate.

7 April

Motherhood and Beauty Day is celebrated as Secretary Day in the West; as one woman put as she was boarding a bus for home, "Yeah, 364 days I slave at work and home, and I get one lousy bouquet of flowers before I work on the 365th day."

March/April

Easter begins with the cracking of boiled eggs died a rich brown color. The person who can crack another’s egg without cracking his own gets his wish. Religious celebrations begin on Good Friday, and last throughout the weekend.

May 9

The heroes of WW II come out in force on Victory Day, and stroll through the towns. They are still revered for their sacrifices, and tradition is for the very young to give them flowers and a kiss, the older shots of vodka and cognac.

Spring

Most towns have a cultural and music festival to accompany the season, and the locals pour out of their winter hibernation to take in the warm air, ask after their neighbors and take over the outdoor café’s.

Summer

Almost every region has a series of festivals, traditional and modern. In June, there is a water day, and the unsuspecting will get doused by children until the adults take revenge and join in the fracas.

Summer

Sevan Lake is host to weekend revelries and concerts, on the beach. Any town with an outdoor stage will host traditional Armenian dancing and music, with crafts and food decked out in the surrounding area.

Autumn

Early October. Hrazdan has an annual Fall festival, called Voski Ashun, with concerts, traditional dancing and music. Giumri continues its almost weekly celebrations with hand-crafts, dancing and street fairs. The cultural season begins in Yerevan.

With the harvest, and the oncoming days of winter, most organizations try to cram in conferences, festivals and meetings into the September-November calendar.

Year-Round

Vernisage Art Park in Yerevan on Saturday’s and Sundays includes spontaneous concerts by musicians and the occasional impromptu dance recital.