Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Photo for February 28, 2006.

Brick paved street, old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The bricks are actually glazed blue.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 010, originally uploaded by nazarian.

The resistance is futile.

One Sunday morning, early February, Hartford, Connecticut. There is a major snow storm in New England. This is a hotel employee trying to clean up a path. He did clean a narrow path which was covered by snow in a couple of hours.

I was anxiously getting ready to drive back to Indiana and was hopeful that the roads would be cleared by the time my trip was due. I have touring tires on my car which is good for dry roads only.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 012, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Watching the weather forecasts. My hope was that the snow would melt before my trip to Indiana. I was quite sure that the roads would be cleared. After all, this is the US and the commerce depends on open interstate highways.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 015, originally uploaded by nazarian.

The snow has been cleared somewhat. Fortunately the bulk of it was gone after a few days when I had to drive back home.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 023, originally uploaded by nazarian.

A tourist 'photo' spot in New York state. Supposedly it's worth for someone to stop and take a picture of the valley under the mountains. It sucked during wintertime. I'll try to remember to stop there if I ever drive the same place during the summer.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 026, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Oh, noooo! Entering Pennsylvania.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 036, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Cheesy road sign in North Western Pennsylvania. Some others were 'uckle up next million miles' or 'My daddy works here' (written in a fake childish handwriting).

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 040, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Gotta get out of Pennsylvania. Fast!

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 030, originally uploaded by nazarian.

It's starting to rain in Eastern Pennsylvania. Which was good since I was running out of windshield fluid.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 038, originally uploaded by nazarian.

This way to Clintonville, PA. Bill Clinton definitely doesn't live there.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 044, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Had to stop in Akron, Ohio to fill up.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 043, originally uploaded by nazarian.

GoodYear factory in Akron, Ohio.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 046, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Home delivery. Somewhere in Northern Ohio someone has just purchased a home.

This is the first half. The second half of the home is a bout half a mile behind.

Photostory for February 27, 2006.


Feb_2006_CT_trip 077, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Got home - finally.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Photo for February 24, 2006.


Parking lot, Gaghard., originally uploaded by loretsi.

This is the parking lot of the Geghard monastery. To get to the monastery, one needs to follow the road which turns left and then right. There are a few street vendors selling 'gata' and have their stalls set under a large tree at the first turn (where the man in red T-shirt is standing at the left hand side of this photo).

The day we were at Geghard, there was a filming of a TV movie. There were actors playing old time Armenian royal family, etc. There were quite a few soldiers there as well taking part. You can see their transport vehicle parked in the distance.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Photo for February 23, 2006.


Rose hip bush, originally uploaded by loretsi.

Rose hips are favorite for making tea and juice in Armenia.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Photo for February 22, 2006.


Sevan and me., originally uploaded by loretsi.

Me posing near the Sevan Monastery, Armenia.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Photo for February 21, 2006.


Vanadzor church, originally uploaded by loretsi.

The church in Vanadzor.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Photo for February 20, 2006.


DSC00162, originally uploaded by nazarian.

One more photo of a cow. I think it's actually a bull who was cautious of us while we were approaching him.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Photo for February 15, 2006.

These are sculptures created by sculptors in Vanadzor. There were a couple of good ones and a few quite untalented ones including one depicting a gay cowboy playing a flute, and another one depicting a family or something whose faces looked like owl faces.

The owl faced family sculpture has been placed near the pedagogical institute. I don't know where the gay cowboy and the others have been placed.

The best one was a fish. Unfortunately, it was dstroyed by sledgehammers one night. I suspect it was a jealous sculptor.

These sculptures (the commissions and the tufa blocks) were sponsored by two brothers who were originally from Vanadzor but now live in Los Angeles.
Վանաձոր սերիա։

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Photo for February 14, 2006.


DSC00084, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Clouds and mountains, near Aparan, Armenia.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Photo for February 13, 2006.


Cemetery, San Juan, PR., originally uploaded by loretsi.

This is a cemetery in old San Juan city that is still being used albeit its old age and overcrowding. Some graves belonging to the same clan were actually stacked on top of each other due to space shortage.

The El Morro fort is in the background.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Photo for February 10, 2006.


DSC00043, originally uploaded by nazarian.

This is the view of the Sevan lake from the top of the Sevan island. In the distance, upper right corner, you can see the Harsnakar hotel.

Notice the ship docked at the shore. It had a BBQ grill on board. When we were at the beach, there was another, smaller ship next to it. A few armed men, the body guards of the President, boarded and headed towards the presidential 'dacha'. It is surprising to see armed people in Armenia - even the vast majority of cops don't carry guns there.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Photo for February 8, 2006.


DSC00024, originally uploaded by nazarian.

Heading for Sevan. The car in the picture is a ZroVets, aka VAZ 2106. It's still the most popular vehicle owned in the country but I suspect they will start disappearing slowly as they pass 25-30 year threshhold.

In the background is a roadside vendor selling sheep. The boxy vehicle under the tree is a Moskvich version of a pickup - that's as close as the Soviets got to utes.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Photo for February 7, 2006.


DSC00028, originally uploaded by nazarian.

A train near Sevan, Armenia. These are trains from the Soviet era. They don't look like they have been renovated since the independence. At first I thought it was graffitti but upon getting closer I saw that it was rust.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Photo for February 6, 2006.


DSC00197, originally uploaded by nazarian.

This is the signature of the guy who built the entrance gates for the school I went to - school number 6 in Vanadzor named after Stepan Shahoumian.

I was a kid when the gates were being built. The master was a fairly young guy - I don't really remember his face but I do remember the construction process. And I did remember this signature so when I visited my school a couple of years ago, I took this picture.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Photo for February 3, 2006.


Next to Dilijan, originally uploaded by loretsi.

This was taken from our car window when we took the Sevan-Dilijan road instead of the tunnel. The nature is quite beautiful there.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Photo for February 2, 2006.


Landscape, originally uploaded by loretsi.

Armenian landscape.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Photo for February 1, 2006.


Lori, originally uploaded by loretsi.

Lori, Armenia.