Egqumeni elingaphandle kweYerevan, inhloko-dolobha yase-Armenia, kunesithombe esimnyama nokumhlophe sendoda eneminyaka engu-24 ubudala. Udutshulwe ekhanda namahlombe, ugqoke iyunifomu yamasosha, unamashiya aminyene, ikhala elibanzi namadlebe kakholifulawa. Isithombe sinemininingwane kangangokuthi ngisho nokugoba kwe-apula lika-Adamu kucacile.
Ugqolozele kancane kude nelensi yekhamera, okubukeka sengathi ucasukile ukuthi amasosha amphoqelele ukuba athathwe isithombe sakhe. Ethuneni lakhe kulele izimbali ezimbili ezomile eziphuzi.
Iningi lamakhulu amatshe ekhanda emathuneni ase-Yerablur anomfanekiso owenziwe kabusha wobuso bomufi kuwo. Lapha kulele izisulu zase-Armenia zeMpi yaseNagorno-Karabakh, eyaqhubeka iminyaka eyisithupha kuya ku-1994, lapho kufinyelelwa khona isivumelwano esingekho emthethweni.
I-Armenia kanye nomakhelwane wayo wasempumalanga, i-Azerbaijan, basesempini ngesifunda saseNagorno-Karabakh. Okubaluleke kakhulu, isitha esidala sase-Armenia ngasentshonalanga, iTurkey, yeseka i-Azerbaijan futhi yavala umngcele wayo omude ongamakhilomitha angama-330 (amamayela angu-205) nezwe elikhiywe umhlaba. Ekugcineni, ngoMfumfu, enye inqubekelaphambili yangempela yenziwe ekusebenzisaneni kwezomnotho nezokukhuluma phakathi kwamazwe, ngokusayinwa kwezivumelwano ezizovula umngcele ofanayo maduze.
Okuyinhloko phakathi kwezifiso zezomnotho zikahulumeni wase-Armenia ngesivumelwano saseTurkey ukukhulisa imboni yezokuvakasha ekhulayo yezwe. UMnyango WezoMnotho ulinganisela ukuthi izivakashi ezingu-422,500 zivakashele izwe ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagalolunye zokuqala zalo nyaka, zikhuphuke ngamaphesenti amahlanu ngesikhathi esifanayo ngo-2008, futhi unethemba lokuthi lesi sibalo sizosandisa ngemingcele ezinzile.
I-Armenia ibilokhu inxenxa obala izivakashi ezingaba khona: ngoSepthemba izwe lagubha uSuku lwayo lokuqala Lwezokuvakasha Lwamazwe Ngamazwe, kanti ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka i-visa yokungena esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Yerevan's Zvartnots International yehliswa ngamaphesenti angama-80 yaya kumadram angama-3,000, cishe ama- $ 8 (£4.75). Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi ngangingenayo imali yendawo, ngakhokhiswa amarandi angu-15.
Emuva emathuneni, indoda eshuke kakhulu inakekela amathuna (abasebenzi abasebenza ngamakhola aluhlaza bavame ukuba nesikhumba esimnyama kunezigaba ezicebile e-Yerevan) ingixhawula, njengokungathi sihlanganyele usizi olufanayo, okungenza ngizibuze ukuthi abantu babukela phansi umkhankaso wezokuvakasha ngokuma kwabo okumelene kakhulu neTurkey.
Kamuva, uweta uyangitshela: “Iningi licabanga ukuthi lezi zimiso azilungile, amaphesenti angu-60 noma angu-70 athukuthele kakhulu. Bacabanga ukuthi sizokukhohlwa [okwedlule].”
Eziningi zezinto ezikhangayo ezinkulu zase-Yerevan zifanekisela intukuthelo yayo ezweni namuhla elibusa ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angama-60 e-Armenia yomlando. Okubheke enkabeni ye-Yerevan, emise okwenkundla yemidlalo yeshashalazi njengoba ukuphakama kwedolobha kusuka ku-900m (2,900ft) kuya ku-1,300m ngaphezu kolwandle, i-Mother Armenia (osesithombeni esembozweni). Yakhiwa ngo-1967, i-Mother Armenia ime ngamamitha angama-21 ukuphakama futhi ihlezi endaweni eyi-plinth engamamitha angu-43 ubude eyake yaba isisekelo sesithombe sikaStalin. Ugqolozele iNtaba i-Ararati, manje esendaweni yaseTurkey, ngokudabukisayo esithwe intuthu ngosuku engivakashe ngalo ngo-Okthoba ofudumale ngokungafanele, ongenamvula.
Esandleni sokudla sikaMama wase-Armenia kunenkemba, eyehlisiwe ukuze igijime phambi kwesisu sakhe. Uma ukude umfuziselo womzimba nesikhali wenza isiphambano, esifanele izwe elaba ngelokuqala ukwamukela ubuKristu njengenkolo yezwe. Phambi kwalesi sithombe, esibhalwe ngezinhlamvu zesi-Armenia esineminyaka engu-1,700 XNUMX ubudala, kunamagama athi “Asilazi igama lakho, kodwa isibindi sakho asifi”.
“Usekulungele ukuphakamisa inkemba yakhe ukuze avikele amadodana akhe,” kuchaza u-Elya, umqondisi wami wokuvakasha, ovela ezifundazweni ezisenyakatho yezwe. "Kuyingozi enkulu eTurkey." Usho le ngxenye yokugcina ngokuhleka, kodwa kukhona ubuqotho ngemuva kwehlaya.
U-Elya uzichaza ngokuthi "um-Armenian ojwayelekile - lokho kusho ukushisekela izwe". Uthi abantu base-Armenia bebelokhu besengozini “yokuqedwa kulo mhlaba”. U-Elya ucaphuna amazwi omunye wabaholi Abasebasha baseTurkey bezinsalela zoMbuso Wase-Ottoman ekuqaleni kwekhulu elidlule: “Kumelwe kulondolozwe um-Armenia oyedwa kuphela emhlabeni, futhi lowo njengombukiso emnyuziyamu.”
La mazwi amabi aphindaphinda ekhanda lami njengoba ngisuka eYerevan, ethafeni elisenyakatho-mpumalanga, ngiya egqumeni elingasentshonalanga, lapho kukhona iSikhumbuzo noMnyuziyamu Wokubulalana Kwesizwe. Lapha, abantu base-Armenia babeka isikhalo sabo esikhulu ngokumelene neTurkey. Umnyuziyamu, oqoshwe phansi njengendlu engaphansi, unikeza imininingwane ngokubulawa kwabantu base-Armenia abangu-1.5m iqembu elishisekela ubuzwe ngokwedlulele lama-Young Turks.
Ngenxa yokungezwani kwamasiko nenkolo, ngokuvamile kuthiwa ukuqothulwa kohlanga kwaqala ngo-1915 ngemva kokuhlukana kokwethembeka kwabantu base-Armenia eMpini Yezwe Yokuqala. Umhlahlandlela womnyuziyamu okhuluma isiNgisi ngokushelelayo ungibonisa imibukiso ehlobene neyabase-Armenia ababezuzele ama-Ottoman izindondo zama-Olympic ngo-1912, bese kuba nesithombe esinyantisayo sabantu bakubo belengiswa yilowo mbuso e-Aleppo eminyakeni emine kamuva. Kunezimemezelo ezigxeka ukubulawa kohlanga kubaholi bamazwe ngamazwe, okuhlanganisa nencwadi yakamuva evela kumbusi waseCalifornia u-Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I-Turkey iyayiphika inguqulo ye-Armenia yezenzakalo, futhi yilokhu okuhlukanisa i-Yerevan namuhla. Ngaphandle kwalapho iTurkey ikuvuma lokhu kuqothulwa kohlanga, abantu abaningi base-Armenia abafuni ukusayina noma yisiphi isivumelwano nesitha sabo esidala. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi umhlahlandlela womnyuziyamu awuwuthathi lo mbono. Ithi: “Kungokwemvelo ngomakhelwane ukuba babe nobuhlobo obuhle emhlabeni wonke.
Ngingena esikhungweni, ngifuna okuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisayo. Yisikhungo sedolobha esikhulu kunazo zonke engake ngasibona, sigezwa futhi silungiswe njalo ekuseni. Lokhu kuhle kakhulu - umbono ovela e-Victory Bridge, onqamula umfula i-Hradzan, uveza imijondolo efulelwe ngothayela endaweni engekude kakhulu.
Kodwa-ke, isikhungo yilapho iningi lezindawo zokudlela nezindawo zokuphuzela zikhona. Futhi kuyiphupho lomhleli wedolobha. Kukhona igridi yomgwaqo ehlukile ehlukanisa kahle idolobha libe yiziqephu okungahambeka kalula kuzo, elizungezwe indandatho yebhande eliluhlaza. Kunemithombo yonke indawo, ayikho ehlaba umxhwele ukwedlula leyo ephambi Kwemnyuziyamu Kazwelonke endaweni eyi-extravaganza yezakhiwo eyiRepublic Square, enezakhiwo zayo ezinkulu, ezinhle ezakhiwa phakathi kwawo-1920 nawo-1950. Nsuku zonke, ngemva nje kuka-8pm, imithombo yemnyuziyamu ikhanyiswa ngokuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, okubomvu nokuluhlaza, futhi idansa kumanothi omculo wakudala.
Isikhathi sesidlo sakusihlwa, futhi ngibeka engcupheni i-veal tjvjik, isidlo esingengcwele esihlanganisa inhliziyo namaphaphu, endaweni yokudlela edumile yaseCaucasus. Ngokuphawulekayo, ukunambitheka kuka-anyanisi okunamandla okulimaza ukudla. Ezinye izitsha zivame ukuba mnandi, kusukela ku-barbecue yengulube elula kodwa evame ukunezinongo, kuya ku-kyalagyosh, ingxube efana nephalishi yesinkwa esingenamvubelo, inyama yenkomo, iyogathi kanye nogalikhi obabayo namalentile.
Izindawo zokudlela ziyashunqa kancane, ngenxa yalokho okubonakala kuwukuzilibazisa kazwelonke wokuphafuza ugwayi, kodwa azibizi. Isibonelo, Idolobhana Lethu, elituswa kakhulu ngumuntu wendawo futhi elisenhlizweni yenani lendawo yomgibeli wezivakashi ezungeze i-Opera House ebabazekayo, lifika emalini engaphezulu kancane kwama-$30 ngokudla kwababili, okuhlanganisa abaqalayo, izifundo eziyinhloko, obhiya kanye ne-vodka enamandla ngendlela engavamile. Ngenxa yokukhungathekiswa i-vodka futhi ngokuvamile abajabuliswanga ubhiya - abantu abaningi bendawo bakhetha i-Kilikia, enamanzi futhi i-lager ephuphile njengoba amandla ayo angamaphesenti angu-3.8 engasikisela - ngithathwa kakhulu ibrandy ye-Ararat ebabazekayo.
U-Marspet, ongumshayeli wetekisi, ukufingqa kahle kakhulu njengoba sidlula ekomkhulu lenkampani nophawu lwayo olukhulu oluphuzi lwe-Ararati. “Kuhle kakhulu,” esho enginika izithupha kanye nensini ebanzi yezingqimba zegolide. Ubungane obunjalo bujwayelekile eYerevan. Abantu baphinde bathandeke kakhulu futhi bagqoke kahle, bavale umbono ojwayelekile wabesilisa ngisho nabafana abancane abagqoke amasudi amhlophe esitayela se-Miami. Kodwa-ke, ukufana komphakathi - amaphesenti angama-98 omphakathi wase-Armenia abomdabu - kunobubi obusobala. Kwenye indawo yokudlela, indoda engumFulentshi yozalo lwase-Afrika yabuza lapho ibuzwa umbuzo ofanayo kulokho okubonakala kuyikhulu kuye ngokuthi: “Kunendaba ukuthi ngivelaphi?” Noma ubani ongeyena omhlophe futhi onezinwele ezimnyama uzogqama imayela lapha. Mhlawumbe ezokuvakasha eziningi zizokushintsha lokho.
Ngivakashela isifunda sase-Erebuni eningizimu-ntshonalanga yedolobha. Yilapho i-Yerevan yasungulwa khona ngo-78BC - iminyaka engu-29 ngaphambi kweRoma. Ngizulazula emanxiweni eNqaba Yase-Erebuni, eyayaziwa ngokuthi “Inqaba Yegazi” ngenxa yenani lama-tulip abomvu amila kuleli gquma. I-graffiti ezindongeni ezisele lapha ithanda kakhulu izindinganiso zasentshonalanga, ezinezinhliziyo ezinkulu kanye negama elithi "kiss".
Ukuvikela isicukuthwane saphesheya kwezilwandle esiqalaza emanxiweni amalungu ezempi, inkonzo yeminyaka emibili ephoqelekile emadodeni ngaphandle uma enza izifundo zePhD noma ezilungiselela impilo yezenkolo esikoleni sobufundisi. Akuwona umsebenzi onzima: bayahleka futhi badlala ngothando nomqondisi wami u-Elya, kuyilapho umbono ongavamile we-Ararati uphinda uvela emkhathizwe. Umsolwa oneminyaka engu-24 ubudala olele emathuneni aseYerablur uzobe eneminyaka engu-40 namuhla. Njengoba kunje, la madoda ngeke abe nesiphetho sakhe. Mhlawumbe sekuyisikhathi sokuqhubeka. Ungakhohlwa, kodwa uqhubeke.
UFIKA KANJANI LAPHO
I-Cox & Kings (020-7873 5000; coxandkings.co.uk) inikeza ukuvakasha kobusuku obuyisishiyagalombili e-Armenia nase-Georgia kusuka ku-£1,795 ngomuntu ngamunye, ngokusekelwe ekwabelaneni okubili. Intengo ihlanganisa izindiza ezibuyayo nge-bmi, ukudlulisa ubusuku obuthathu e-Yerevan nobusuku obuhlanu e-Tblisi ngesisekelo se-B&B, okunye ukudla kwasemini, nohambo oluya e-Echmiadzin, esigodlweni sezindela saseKhor Virap, eMtskheta nase-Davit Gareja.
