Belarus
Despite my best efforts to be organised, the 24 hours before my departure were pretty hectic - tying up loose ends at work, making a few last minute purchases, packing, and dealing with messages coming from Belarus.
The first big news from Belarus was that Alexey Vaytkun had broken his leg and because he lived upstairs in an apartment with no lift, he would have to go and stay with his parents to be looked after. Since they did not live in Minsk he would not be able to meet me on 6 September as planned. Poor Alexey! We were both really sorry to miss one another.
In the same email Alexey said that in preparation for my visit Valentina Novitskaya had been to visit the former Tarbeyev estate and the site of the former family home there. Only foundations now remained and it was deep in the forest, so she had had to be guided to the site by a local hunter. Mrs Novitskaya said that visiting the site of the former family house would involve a 2 kilometre walk over difficult country. She wanted to check through Alexey whether I really wanted to make all that effort. I quickly assured her that I did. I wasn’t going to travel for almost 30 hours to Minsk, and then on to Shumilino district near Vitebsk and be put off by a 2 kilometre walk!
The next big news was that Alexey Adashkin emailed to tell me that he had organised for a TV company to do a short item on my visit to the former family estate and surrounding district on Saturday 8 September.
In the early afternoon of 5 September, Helen took me to the airport. The flight was to Sydney, but my bags were checked through to Minsk, via Sydney and Abu Dhabi (flying with Etihad Airways). In true New Zealand style, we met people we knew at the airport - Nicki, Helen’s cousin and her partner Norrie. They were off to Sydney.
Nicki took this photo for us.
I arrived in Minsk just after noon on 6 September. My flights had been pretty uneventful, and I had been able to get some sleep. When I arrived in Minsk after almost a 30-hour journey I had a long wait for my suitcase, which didn’t appear! There was good news and bad news. The good news was that the person at the luggage counter was helpful and the suitcase could be traced in the system. It was still in Abu Dhabi! The bad news was that there was a flight from Abu Dhabi only every second day, so I would be in Vitebsk by the time the next plane arrived. The person at the luggage counter and I agreed that she would arrange my suitcase to be delivered to the hotel I would be staying at in Minsk on the night of 9 September. Unfortunately, that meant that I would be without my luggage for 3 days, which contained the clergy clothes I had wanted to wear for the visit to the estate, gifts for those whom I would meet there, and some papers for the local historical museum in Shumilino.
After going through Customs I was met by Pyotr and the hotel driver. Despite the inconvenience of not having my luggage, I felt really excited. It was like a dream finally to be in Minsk after such a lot of planning and on this special journey to connect with my family roots in Belarus. The driver took us to the hotel and I didn’t actually feel like sleeping, so I made a few arrangements, washed any clothes I could do without tonight and talked with Pyotr for a while. I was also excited to get the news that Alexey Vaytkun, the researcher, would now be travelling to his parents’ place on the evening of the following day, so we would be able to meet on the morning of that day.
Pyotr and I went out to the Kamyanitsa Restaurant in Minsk, to have dinner with Alexey Adashkin, who had been such a help in making connections with people in Belarus. The restaurant advertises itself as serving traditional Belarusian food and Alexey helped me to choose potato pancakes, which were delicious, and another traditional recipe. Unfortunately, the serving of potato pancakes in a rich mushroom sauce with cranberries, which I had thought would be entrée-size, was enormous, so by the time I got to the main course, which was ordinary pancakes with a rich meat sauce, I could only nibble at it. I had my first glass of kvass - a traditional (fifty centuries of tradition!) very low alcohol drink brewed from rye bread. Alexey described it as “Belarusian Coca-Cola”, because it was a dark colour and drunk by lots of people on all sorts of occasions. Alexey also asked whether I would like to try an alcoholic drink that was a form of whiskey distilled with oranges. It was fine too, but as I had a sip or two I got in touch with how tired I was (I had not slept since the flight to Abu Dhabi). So I declined the next option of honey mead in case they might have to carry me out of the restaurant!
Pyotr and Alexey at the Kamyanitsa Restaurant
A feature of the meal at the restaurant was some traditional music performed by a man with a shawm-like instrument and a woman on the drum and tambourine. Another woman encouraged people to participate in folk dancing and Pyotr gamely joined in. I did not participate (I am uncoordinated enough even when I can understand the instructions!) but Alexey and I took photos and a video or two.
Pyotr was one of the first up, and was joined later by others.
We walked back from the restaurant to our hotel around 9pm. I noticed that the streets were not as bright as they might be at home and that there was a lot less traffic, but there were quite a few people out walking - mainly young people. It felt safe to be out walking at that hour of night, and Pyotr took us straight back to the hotel, so he had a great sense of direction. I lay down on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. Then I woke up ready for the next day around 3am Minsk time, (which was noon back home), so my body clock was still adjusting.
7 September: A visit to Alexey Vaytkun and then on to Vitebsk
This morning we checked out of the hotel around 10am as we were due to go to Alexey Vaytkun’s place. But first, we went to a nearby shopping centre as I needed a top up on my Belarusian SIM card, so that I could read my gmail messages, one of which had directions for how we were to get to Alexey’s place. Another reason we needed data was that Pyotr and I were communicating mainly by Google Translate!
We got the top up, and then I went to get some money at a currency exchange place while Pyotr was shopping in a particular shop. There was a miscommunication between us because I thought I had asked Pyotr to wait for me, but by the time I returned, Pyotr had left the shop. After phoning him a couple of times without an answer and after waiting a while, I began to think that it wasn’t just the family history that was lost at this point. I was lost too! This was only one of the times on this part of the trip when I recognised how indispensable Pyotr’s help was. Finally he returned and we took a taxi to Alexey’s place.
On the way there Mrs Novitskaya called to ask for our shoe size and clothes size so that she could find us suitable clothing for the walk to the house in the forest tomorrow. Pyotr spoke with her as she spoke no English. Mrs Novitskaya was so energetic and bright on the phone, and she was being so thoughtful and hospitable. I was looking forward to meeting her tomorrow.
For me the appointment with Alexey was really important. He had done a great job of researching documents relating to the family history in Belarus – going to the National Historical Archive in Minsk and travelling to Vitebsk to work in the archives there for another week. But there was a heart connection with him too, through his insight into the significance of the work I was doing to discover what family history I could in Belarus, and his genuine care for me on this journey. There were other points of connection too - his interest in imperial Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church, and the fact that we had both been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Mt Athos. He had shared a bit of his life with me in the correspondence we had had, and we had both responded emotionally to aspects of this shared journey of discovery. So our meeting was one of the things I had most anticipated in coming to Belarus.
Without Pyotr I could hardly imagine that I would have found the correct entrance to Alexey’s apartment block, but we got to the right place and Alexey, propped up on crutches, opened the door. We embraced warmly. Then he invited us in and we sat at his table together.
Sitting with Alexey Vaytkun
Alexey had copied some historical documents in their original sizes. He spent time going through the significance of each one - the documents of the estate in 1906, the consistent decline into poverty of my great grandfather Ivan’s brother Georgii, which was traced through tax and property records of the late 1910s and early 1920s, and the handwritten application by Georgii to work as a teacher at the Poddubyie village school on the former family estate, which was granted by the authorities. Georgii was unmarried and there is no record of his having any children, but he is recorded as having two nephews living with him and his two sisters and others in his home. If the nephews were sons of his sister(s) then their family name would not have been Tarbeyev, but something different. Sadly, we do not now know what that was.
Sitting with Alexey Vaytkun
Alexey had copied some historical documents in their original sizes. He spent time going through the significance of each one - the documents of the estate in 1906, the consistent decline into poverty of my great grandfather Ivan’s brother Georgii, which was traced through tax and property records of the late 1910s and early 1920s, and the handwritten application by Georgii to work as a teacher at the Poddubyie village school on the former family estate, which was granted by the authorities. Georgii was unmarried and there is no record of his having any children, but he is recorded as having two nephews living with him and his two sisters and others in his home. If the nephews were sons of his sister(s) then their family name would not have been Tarbeyev, but something different. Sadly, we do not now know what that was.
I recorded our conversation so that I could glean any further information from it. One lovely thing Alexey said was that as a family researcher he remembers all the families he has helped, and if by any chance he were to come across information about a family that he has previously researched, he would always provide it to the family concerned. So perhaps one day further details will become available about our family connections in Belarus. But whatever happens, I believe that he will always be a friend through this shared experience of finding my family’s history in Belarus, even though he was a total stranger not long ago.
We took a taxi back to the shopping centre, I bought a few clothes for the coming days and we caught the train to Vitebsk. When we got there I felt strongly that I was nearing my goal. Pyotr and I took some photos at the railway station to mark the occasion.
We had arrived at Vitebsk
Then Pyotr took me on foot straight to Komsomolskaya Street 7, where we were booked to stay the night. I was impressed. It turned out that he had spoken to Mrs Novitskaya on the phone and had been given directions by her. The entrance to the apartments was not on the street side of the building but down a little alley and around behind it. Again I would not have found the right place without his help.
We had arrived at Vitebsk
Then Pyotr took me on foot straight to Komsomolskaya Street 7, where we were booked to stay the night. I was impressed. It turned out that he had spoken to Mrs Novitskaya on the phone and had been given directions by her. The entrance to the apartments was not on the street side of the building but down a little alley and around behind it. Again I would not have found the right place without his help.
8 September: At home on the estate
I had a relaxed start to the day with Pyotr, and then Valentina Novitskaya came with Viktor, the driver of our minibus, to pick us up. First we went to the Marc Chagall museum. At the bottom of the street there was a lovely sculpture of Chagall, and we took some photos there.
The angel on the arch is like the figures Chagall himself painted.
Denis Koshelev from MIR TV, with his cameraman Igor, arrived from Minsk to make a Sunday evening programme on my visit. After that we went to Chagall's childhood home. Mrs Novitskaya had arranged for a tour in English from a knowledgeable guide, Elena.
Elena at the Chagall museum
Elena at the Chagall museum
There was a lot to learn about Chagall on the tour. I heard about his loving, religiously observant (Hasidic) but open family circle. When he wanted to paint they did not forbid it, even though the depiction of creatures was not permitted in strict Hasidic practice. Some memorable things that I learned about Chagall were his deep love for his first wife Bella, his gratefulness and positive take on life, and the spiritual joy that went with that.
I was also strongly affected by the sadness of the story of the Jewish people in Vitebsk (and other places in the region, no doubt). In Chagall’s day more than 50 percent of the inhabitants of Vitebsk were Jewish. Now Jewish people are only one percent of the total population of the city. We went to the ruined synagogue, which was within easy walking distance of the Chagall’s house. It was a big building and must have been impressive in its day. Now it was broken down and had been disfigured by graffiti.
The ruined synagogue
The ruined synagogue
We then went on to the Marc Chagall Art Centre in Vitebsk to see an exhibition of his lithographs and some other works, all of which had been donated to the centre by people who wanted to support it. There was a special exhibition on Chagall’s first wife, Bella Rosenfeld, and her writings.
After lunch in Vitebsk, we travelled to Shumilino District. We arrived at the Council building to what seemed to me to be a Belarusian version of a Maori Powhiri - a speech of welcome with singing and dancing according to Belarusian custom. I could hardly believe that my visit had prompted all of this! It communicated such a welcome to me as ‘long lost family’ from the other end of the earth.
I was welcomed at the Council steps by Irina, the Deputy Chair of the Shumilino Executive Committee.
She hosted a reception for me inside the Council buildings, at which there were several Council employees and other invited guests.
Galina, a local English teacher who acted as an interpreter was on my left and Valentina Novitskaya next to her
Among the other guests was a local family that shared my great grandfather’s family name of Tarbeyev. They were probably not blood relations, but their ancestors could well have lived on the estate and have taken the name of the estate owner as a result. Another woman, Tamara Yakovleva, who was not related to this family, was also present. She remembered her grandmother saying how beautiful the family estate Ekaterinhof was when my ancestors lived there. A photo was taken of us after the reception outside the Council buildings.
From the left: Tamara Yakovleva, Mrs Tarbeyev senior, Tamara Tarbeyeva, Pyotr, Sergei and Ivan Tarbeyev.
After this reception, Pyotr and I were thoughtfully given protective clothing to wear for our walk through the forest to the site of the former estate house. This was “army surplus” clothing and boots. "Spetsnaz!", Pyotr chuckled.
I was welcomed at the Council steps by Irina, the Deputy Chair of the Shumilino Executive Committee.
She hosted a reception for me inside the Council buildings, at which there were several Council employees and other invited guests.
Galina, a local English teacher who acted as an interpreter was on my left and Valentina Novitskaya next to her
Among the other guests was a local family that shared my great grandfather’s family name of Tarbeyev. They were probably not blood relations, but their ancestors could well have lived on the estate and have taken the name of the estate owner as a result. Another woman, Tamara Yakovleva, who was not related to this family, was also present. She remembered her grandmother saying how beautiful the family estate Ekaterinhof was when my ancestors lived there. A photo was taken of us after the reception outside the Council buildings.
From the left: Tamara Yakovleva, Mrs Tarbeyev senior, Tamara Tarbeyeva, Pyotr, Sergei and Ivan Tarbeyev.
This photo was taken a bit later, when we were at the former family estate.
We left in the minibus for the Village of Sirotino. On the way, Svetlana, who managed the Shumilino local lore museum, told me how delighted she was that the museum could help me to find my roots in Belarus. There was something remarkable about the emotional warmth she communicated. I felt so blessed to be surrounded by such goodwill.
Svetlana on the bus to Sirotino
At Sirotino I was again given a lovely welcome - this time with gifts of bread and fresh fruit and vegetables and honey and jam. Part of the ritual of this welcome was for me and those with me to taste some of the local fresh produce. I then said goodbye to the Tarbeyev family who had met me at the Shumilino District Council, and we picked up a local hunter, Vladimir, who would be our guide to the Tarbeyev estate and the site of the former house, now hidden in the forest.
Vladimir was a knowledgeable and warm-hearted man
The story about the discovery of the house is an interesting one. When the researcher Alexey Vaytkun contacted the Shumilino museum of local lore about the Tarbeyev family and their former estate, a message went out through local connections to seek to identify the precise location of the estate and whether any buildings from the former estate were still standing. Vladimir had been hunting elk and wild pig in the area for years. He contacted the museum to say that he knew that there had once been a building in the forest. It had obviously been a significant place because its foundations were made of high-grade stone that was not available locally. It was on the high point of the former estate and was identified as the house that had belonged to my ancestors, but only the foundations of the house now remained. Valentina had gone earlier with Vladimir to reconnoitre and make sure that it would be worthwhile to bring me.
Svetlana on the bus to Sirotino
At Sirotino I was again given a lovely welcome - this time with gifts of bread and fresh fruit and vegetables and honey and jam. Part of the ritual of this welcome was for me and those with me to taste some of the local fresh produce. I then said goodbye to the Tarbeyev family who had met me at the Shumilino District Council, and we picked up a local hunter, Vladimir, who would be our guide to the Tarbeyev estate and the site of the former house, now hidden in the forest.
Vladimir was a knowledgeable and warm-hearted man
The story about the discovery of the house is an interesting one. When the researcher Alexey Vaytkun contacted the Shumilino museum of local lore about the Tarbeyev family and their former estate, a message went out through local connections to seek to identify the precise location of the estate and whether any buildings from the former estate were still standing. Vladimir had been hunting elk and wild pig in the area for years. He contacted the museum to say that he knew that there had once been a building in the forest. It had obviously been a significant place because its foundations were made of high-grade stone that was not available locally. It was on the high point of the former estate and was identified as the house that had belonged to my ancestors, but only the foundations of the house now remained. Valentina had gone earlier with Vladimir to reconnoitre and make sure that it would be worthwhile to bring me.
We reached the place where we needed to walk into the forest, and Valentina, Irina, Galina, Vladimir, Pyotr and I made our way through the forest to the location of the house. Vladimir was a good guide. On the way to the house he showed us a trench and a fox hole from fighting in the Second World War, which is called ‘the Great Patriotic War’ in Russia and former Russian territories. It is not surprising that so little remained of the house if the fighting was that close.
Evidence of a trench from the Second World War in the forest close to the house.
Vladimir also pointed out where exotic specimen trees had been planted and suggested that they might have been planted at the boundaries of the gardens of the house. He showed us a glade with specimen trees, which was still relatively clear of undergrowth, and suggested that it was probably part of the gardens.
The garden glade
Evidence of a trench from the Second World War in the forest close to the house.
Vladimir also pointed out where exotic specimen trees had been planted and suggested that they might have been planted at the boundaries of the gardens of the house. He showed us a glade with specimen trees, which was still relatively clear of undergrowth, and suggested that it was probably part of the gardens.
The garden glade
At the actual place where the house had been we could find one of the foundation walls, some other foundation stones, and old glass, metal, crockery and pottery in the surrounding soil, some of which I gathered up for family members.
The foundation wall
Pyotr with his hand on the foundation wall
I had a sense of the protection and nurture that this place had formerly given to my ancestors, and a sense of gratitude - for those ancestors, for the house and for the fact that I had been able to reach that spot. I took some time to thank God for all of that. Then some photos were taken and we headed back to join the others.
The foundation wall
Pyotr with his hand on the foundation wall
I had a sense of the protection and nurture that this place had formerly given to my ancestors, and a sense of gratitude - for those ancestors, for the house and for the fact that I had been able to reach that spot. I took some time to thank God for all of that. Then some photos were taken and we headed back to join the others.
From the left: Vladimir, Pyotr, Galina, Irina and Valentina
On the way back from the house, Vladimir pointed out the roadway that a century ago had led up to the house on the high point of the estate. It was great to have his keen eye for the features of the forest and what could still be gleaned from them.
The old road in the forest
The old road in the forest
When we joined the others, they had set out a picnic under an oak tree as it was close to dinner time. There were barbecued sausages, and we had the abundant bread, fresh fruit and vegetables from Sirotino still to enjoy together. Those of us who had walked in to the house site went down to the nearby Usysk River, which had been part of the estate in former times.
The Usysk River on the former estate
From there Vladimir indicated where the three villages on the family estate - Mishki, Puzanovo and Poddubyie - had all been situated, and he also pointed out to us the exact site where Poddubyie school used to be. This site is significant for our family history as my great grandfather’s brother George worked there as a teacher for a few years after the revolution.
The stones behind me were part of the foundations of the school
The Usysk River on the former estate
From there Vladimir indicated where the three villages on the family estate - Mishki, Puzanovo and Poddubyie - had all been situated, and he also pointed out to us the exact site where Poddubyie school used to be. This site is significant for our family history as my great grandfather’s brother George worked there as a teacher for a few years after the revolution.
The stones behind me were part of the foundations of the school
The group then enjoyed a picnic together with good food and drink, conversation and laughter. The vodka came out, there were toasts and, as the evening drew on, songs were sung in Russian that were familiar to the group. I had the strongest sense of appreciation for this event, which had the effect of connecting me deeply to the soil of this place that had been so special to my ancestors. They would have enjoyed picnics on the estate over many years, and here I was doing the same thing. The village name Poddubyie even means ‘under the oak tree’, which was where this picnic was. To visit the site of the former estate house had been very special, but it was capped off by this experience of relaxed enjoyment with people whose deep warmth and hospitality had been shown to me. Throughout the day and especially during the picnic they had given me the gift of feeling truly at home.
As the night came on, we packed up the picnic and visited a local craft museum (at which we again sat down to food and drink!) and then we went to the Shumilino local lore museum, where the staff had been so helpful to Alexey Vaytkun. They even presented a special display on the Tarbeyev family.
The display in the museum, with items found on the site of the house displayed on the table.
The display in the museum, with items found on the site of the house displayed on the table.
We were then taken back to our accommodation in Vitebsk towards 10pm after a very full and emotional day. I had dreamed of one day visiting the old family estate, and now this dream had become a reality.
9 September: Historic Polotsk
Valentina came early with the driver to collect us from our accommodation in Vitebsk and we went off to visit two famous sites in the ancient city of Polotsk, where my great grandfather was born. On the way we picked up Galina, who would act as my translator again for that day. Valentina had arranged visits to these two sites as an extra expression of hospitality, knowing that, as a Priest, I would be interested in the religious history of the area. Both the sites we visited are Unesco World Heritage sites.
The first place we visited was a convent established by St Euphrosyne of Polotsk in 1125.
Approaching the St Euphrosyne convent
St Euphrosyne came from an influential noble family and, like Mechtild of Magdeburg and some other female saints of this period, was a polymath, with outstanding learning, holiness and influence on political leaders. She is now the patron saint of Belarus.
I was given a tour in English by one of the more than 100 sisters living in the convent (it was not permitted to take her photo). The most special place she showed me was the stone Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1161. It had some important frescoes (again not to be photographed). They had been painted by Byzantine artists and reminded me of some of the frescoes I had seen at Vatopedi monastery on Mt Athos. We also visited the much larger Holy Cross Cathedral.
The Church of the Transfiguration is on the right, and the Holy Cross Cathedral on the left.
Approaching the St Euphrosyne convent
St Euphrosyne came from an influential noble family and, like Mechtild of Magdeburg and some other female saints of this period, was a polymath, with outstanding learning, holiness and influence on political leaders. She is now the patron saint of Belarus.
I was given a tour in English by one of the more than 100 sisters living in the convent (it was not permitted to take her photo). The most special place she showed me was the stone Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1161. It had some important frescoes (again not to be photographed). They had been painted by Byzantine artists and reminded me of some of the frescoes I had seen at Vatopedi monastery on Mt Athos. We also visited the much larger Holy Cross Cathedral.
The Church of the Transfiguration is on the right, and the Holy Cross Cathedral on the left.
In the Cathedral are the relics of St Euphrosyne. In the Orthodox faith, the physical remains of people who were notably holy are considered to retain some of that person's holiness. It makes sense really, when we are both spiritual and physical, that a person's holiness does not just reside in their spirit, but in their physical body as well.
The casket containing the body of St Euphrosyne
It was a Sunday and the Cathedral was full of people for the liturgy. In my discussion with the Sister who was guiding me, and in the beautiful convent precinct and churches within it, I strongly sensed the presence of God. It was a wonderful place to visit. We were also welcomed to lunch at a place outside the convent walls where families of the sisters and other guests receive hospitality.
Next we went to the St Sophia Cathedral, which was built in the 11th century and is considered to be the oldest church in Belarus.
The St Sophia Cathedral is set in a commanding position above the Dvina River.
It is now used as a public auditorium rather than a place of worship. Perhaps because of this, and even despite its beauty, it seemed to me to have much less spiritual presence than the Convent of St Euphrosyne.
The St Sophia Cathedral is set in a commanding position above the Dvina River.
It is now used as a public auditorium rather than a place of worship. Perhaps because of this, and even despite its beauty, it seemed to me to have much less spiritual presence than the Convent of St Euphrosyne.
The interior of the Cathedral
Valentina had us back in Vitebsk in time for our train, and I felt so full of gratitude to her and appreciation for all she had done. She really had thought of everything.
Pyotr with Galina and Valentina
Pyotr with Galina and Valentina
We travelled back to our hotel near the Minsk Railway Station and my suitcase was there! It was great to see it, and I was able to put out some of the items I had brought for Valentina, ready to post them the following day.
10 September: My
driver was a dentist
The main thing about today was always going to be the
flights from Minsk to Kiev in the Ukraine and then on to Yerevan in Armenia for
my Cox and Kings tour of Armenia and Georgia.
Pyotr also needed to get his flight back to Russia, so we got to the
airport in Minsk in plenty of time, and sat eating bread and the delicious jam
that we were given in Sirotino.
Amazingly, I broke a tooth eating bread and jam! At first I thought the discomfort might have
come from seeds in the bread getting stuck between two teeth, but no such
luck. I simply needed to catch my
flights and hope that sometime soon I would be able to see a dentist.
Pyotr had kindly arranged for Gurgen Harutyunyan, the nephew
of a friend of his, to pick me up from Yerevan airport. I had nothing to declare so I went straight
through and Gurgen and his friend Edgar (I didn’t know if they were kidding me
or not, but they assured me that Edgar was his name) met me right outside the
exit. They thought I looked like Bill
Gates, so they were laughing and calling me Bill on the way to
the hotel. They asked me whether I was
hungry, and I was, so after dropping my bag off in my room at the hotel, we
drove around Yerevan looking for a place to eat. We finally stopped at a shawarma place for a
feed.
Gurgen is in the middle and Edgar on the left.
Edgar’s English was okay, Gurgen had very little English and
I had not one word of Armenian. But we
got on very well, and Gurgen kindly insisted on paying for dinner as I was a
guest. One surprising thing that Gurgen
said during the conversation was that he was a dentist! And I had wanted to see a dentist soon, so that was an amazing coincidence!! Still, I decided to take some advice from my travel insurers about their
requirements before I spoke to Gurgen about my tooth.
Gurgen and Edgar dropped me back to the hotel around 1am. I had had a lovely, fun welcome to Armenia.
