Down Memory lane: travelling in Armenia 

In 1998 I traveled to Armenia and then by land to Georgia. We stopped at a little town in the north of Armenia where we met an old women outside her shack where she was trying to collect water to make tea. She told us that she used to be a famous ballerina performing in a theater in the town. In fact she was living in a shack almost opposite to the deserted theater. The dilapidated theater and her shack were a true picture of what was happening in Armenia then.  

Say what you would in about the Soviet era but there is no doubt that art and in particular ballet flourished in all soviet countries. Of course Armenia was never part of the Soviet union as such but it was part of the Soviet bloc. 

What I saw in 1998 was the immediate post-Soviet collapse when the country was starved of cash and thus just about all institutions collapsed. In Yerevan (one of my favorite cities) I stayed in the only hotel at that time and had the best breakfast I ever had in my whole life! Armenian food is so delicious. very early in the morning I saw an old lady sweeping the fallen leaves from the street. My colleague told me that the state does not have resources to pay salaries. Basically the woman was doing her job in earnest knowing very well that she will not be paid her salary and that she will have to find other type of work to gain money in order to live. 

At that time I saw many houses opening a window as a little shop selling very basic items like soap and sugar. It was a reminder of what I saw in Cairo in the seventies after the economic open door policy was instigated. 

Visiting health centres and clinics, I was surprised to meet doctors and nurses who were working their full hours, also knowing that they would not get a salary. Patients did not get medicines either.

I think the situation has changed but I still have good memory of the beautiful pink/red stone buildings, clean streets and squares and very friendly people in Armenia. 

All the memories came back tonight while sorting some old photos!