Back from Tbilisi
Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006
Sorry for the silence since the last post, but I’ve just returned from a few days in Tbilisi, capital of the neighbouring Republic of Georgia. Thanks to Nahro Zagros, the Yorkshire Kurd who is documenting the musical traditions of Armenia’s largest minority, I had the opportunity to travel with Rostom Atashov, President of the Union of Yezidis of Georgia who was in Armenia with his family.
Incidently, IWPR ran a story on the situation of the Yezidi in Georgia in 2003, but things appear to have improved somewhat since then. Anyway, Atashov was one of the minority community leaders who met with U.S. President George Bush on his visit to Tbilisi last year.
Mr. Rostom Atashov is a lifelong resident of Tbilisi. Atashov received his law degree from Yaroslavl State University in Russia in 1987 and worked there in the Prosecutor’s office after graduation. He returned home to Georgia in 1988 and joined the Ministry of Justice. He also sat several terms as a judge in Georgia. He currently serves as chair of the NGO “Union of Yazidis of Georgia” (Georgian Kurds are also known as “Yazidis”), the larger of two Kurdish organizations in Georgia. Founded in 1987, the organization has approximately 10,000 members and works to promote the Kurdish language and culture in Georgia and assists ethnic Kurds with their integration into Georgian society.
Great visit and not least because I managed to update my work on the Yezidi in Armenia by looking at the situation there, but also because I absolutely adore Tbilisi over Yerevan and see no reason to change that opinion after this visit. Incidently, I say that even though whenever I go there I’m always working. Last year’s visit was for Everychild, for example. Anyway, glorious and very beautiful city.
Some posts, interviews, articles and photographs to come after Independence Day, I guess. Meanwhile, thanks to Rostom Atashov and his family for their hospitality and assistance. It was also interesting to run into other Yezidi from Georgia staying with relatives in Armenia. Many of Georgia’s Yezidi apparently immigrated from Armenia during the Soviet era.
Edo, Yezidi from Georgia, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006
“I absolutely adore Tbilisi over Yerevan.”
You would.
Comment by Mr. E — September 21, 2006 @ 5:07 am
Mr. E. can I ask you a very simple question? Have you actually ever been to Tbilisi or do you constantly play the armchair nationalist from afar because most people seem to prefer Tbilisi over Yerevan.
Anyway, given that your IP address ( 66.214.167.210) shows that you’re based in California I have to wonder if you’ve ever been to Armenia let along Georgia and even if you have, for how long you stayed. Quite remarkable.
In fact, the first question local Armenians asked en route back to Yerevan at every stop along the way was which is nicer, Tbilisi or Yerevan? Be honest, they’d say, and I had to admit that for me it was Tbilisi. None of them could dispute it or the reasons I gave as to why.
Why?
Because it’s full of old streets, buildings and religious monuments. Because it’s a multi-cultural mix. Because it’s so very, very green and the parks are intact while some very stylish temporary cafes for the summer and autumn haven’t destroyed the old part of town like the ugly, loud cafes have in what used to be Yerevan’s parks.
I’d also add that the police inspire confidence in the possibility for rule of law in Georgia and Tbilisi whereas in Yerevan and Armenia they are still typical of post-Soviet corruption. God knows how many times we got stopped on the way to the Armenian-Georgia border for bribes — five or six times? — but never once when in Georgia itself.
I’d also add that Georgians, Yezidi, Armenians and Azeris were particularly open about both the positive and negative developments in Georgia as well as regarding their place inthe world. The mentality developing was more productive than in Armenia as well, although I say that with some reservations. I’ll elaborate more on that when I post my full impressions.
But I do admit I was also very impressed by the fact that even the furthest residential districts from the center had street lighting as well as a vast number of playing areas and tennis courts and football and basketball pitches for kids and so on. My ultimate conclusion was that Tbilisi is following a natural and mature path in terms of development whereas Yerevan is not.
Ultimately, Tbilisi felt like a European city whereas Yerevan feels like madness and anarchy typified by a total lack of regard for communities and the environment or indeed, its own future. Anyways, don’t just take my word for it. Read Zarchka’s account of her recent trip to Tbilisi although as usual, she says she still doesn’t like Georgians much.
Some other accounts of visits to Tbilisi are at the following URLs:
http://community.iexplore.com/planning/journalEntryFreeForm.asp?JournalID=45407&EntryID=22095&n=Timeless%20Tbilisi&t=
http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/tbilisi-streets.shtml
http://www.romartraveler.com/RomarPages/Georgia-Motili.html
A very beautiful city with plenty more for the tourist to do and to marvel at. Great place to stroll with both the new and old to attract and inspire. Meanwhile, more and more Armenians as well as other foreign nationals are flocking to Georgia’s Black Sea resorts, usually choosing to go there instead of Sevan.
Comment by Onnik — September 21, 2006 @ 8:46 am
Tbilisi or Tiflis was a city long before than Yerevan. It was regional capital during Russian tzarist dominance of the region. Armenian cultural center among other things. Well I guess everyone knows this. But then Why you compare Yerevan to Tbilisi? Why not to Prague or PAris, they were built (or their face formed) a lot earlier and they were centers of even more important and reach countries. I think this discussion is childish, but it is so persistent. I think we should be just glad that there are nice places surrounding us and that for turism one can travels some 300 km and get into a nice and DIFFERENT city.
On the other side lets do something to make our city better. Even with that eclectic style that Yerevan has it still can be nice. What it can not be it is an old european capital, because it was not. But it can be a modern city and georgians might envy saying that their city looks old, while neighboring Yerevan is new and beautiful.
Comment by Gagik — September 22, 2006 @ 12:06 am
Hmm, I guess I know the park on the photo. Isn’t it the new Euro-Georgian Park? And something remembering a sport complex was buing constructed right next to it.
Well, Yes, Tbilisi is very beautiful, very natural. But notice, I say Tbilisi, and not the georgians
Comment by Zarchka — September 22, 2006 @ 12:20 am
What does my living in California have to do with having visited Armenia? You make Tbilisi sound like some kind of paradise which it is not. Yerevan also has a cafe culture and a pretty vibrant nightlife. There is plenty of corruption in Georgia (as well as in Armenia). Watch the documentary “Power Trip.” I have visited Armenia, but you’re right, I haven’t been to Georgia. Tbilisi’s Flickr gallery reveals that it is a very pleasant city to look at from a distance, but once you zoom in you see that the buildings are quite run-down and dilapidated.
Comment by Mr. E — September 22, 2006 @ 6:46 am
CNN is starting to run Armenian tourism commericals–I’m not talking about the BizBreak thing but during regular CNN Europe broadcasting. Let’s start b eing a lot more positive about what there is to see, smell, hear, and taste in Armenia. I hate all the cafes too, but that doesn’t mean tourists would. Lake Sevan is also a beautiful place to spend the day. It’s not the Black Sea, but what can we do being surrounded by mountains? And despite all the construction and dust, Yerevan is still a pretty place. Haven’t been to Tbilisi yet as you know but I can’t wait to see things for myself.
Comment by Christian Garbis — September 22, 2006 @ 9:22 am
Mr. E. my impressions from ACTUALLY BEING THERE is that Tbilisi looks run down from a distance, but when you’re in amongst it, it’s quite beautiful. For your information, the buildings are now being rennovated and as for the nightlife, a myriad of corrupt official owned cafes that have destroyed Yerevan’s parks means nothing for me other than loud noise and the destruction of the environment. Besides, Yerevan’s nightlife is pretty boring. Horrible cafes, pretentious bars. Very few places with any atmosphere and an interesting clientelle. Anyway, my opinion and that of local friends who also love Tbilisi.
On the other hand, Gagik has it right and I too believe in the possibility of regional tourism that takes in say Azerbaijan and Georgia, Georgia and Armenia, Armenia and Iran or whatever. I also believe that someone should address the issue of making Yerevan a nicer place and that means getting rid of 95 percent of all the cafes and returning the green back to the city. Garo might say tourists like the cafes, but unfortunately, desertification and respiratory diseases result. I also believe the lack of proper recreational facilities affects the psychology of residents of the city.
I saw nothing to make me think otherwise in Tbilisi. Beautiful city and one that has a greater possibility for long term tourism growth than Yerevan does at present. That said, the Georgians seem to be doing quite well with Black Sea tourism so perhaps they’re quite content to keep their city intact. Moreover, I’d add that Yerevan as A WHOLE is MORE RUN DOWN than Tbilisi. I stayed in the extreme suburbs of the city and they were way in advance on similar areas in Yerevan.
Street lighting, paved roads, and many, many play areas and looked after parks for children and families. Also, much more economic activity in terms of supermarkets and shops. Community policing by officers who had the trust of residents was also evident although there is still a problem with crime. That said, the police in Tbilisi were amazing to behold after the corruption and inactivity of police in Yerevan. Of course, I’m sure armchair nationalists in California can “explain” that one away too.
Anyway, Tbilisi is overall a more relaxing and European city in my opinion. It also seems to have a better selection of cosy and very lovely little guesthouses as well as luxury hotels (2 Marriots and 1 Sheraton among others). The guesthouses are very well priced and we need more of those if tourism is really to take off. The Georgian resorts outside of the capital are also meant to be more evolved than in Armenia and I suspect that the same ratio of tourists visiting both Republics (4 to Georgia, 1 to Armenia) experienced during the Soviet era will emerge in the future.
Incidently, Georgia is also meant to be running ads on CNN so the deciding factor in the long term will be if Armenia or Georgia is cheaper than the other. So far, I think Armenia is ridiculously overpriced, especially for flights and accomodation. However, my main point stands. Amazing how people who have NOT visited Tbilisi suddenly become experts on it. Only Gagik seems to offer the best response to my comments although Zarchka has lamented the destruction of Yerevan and the charm of Tbilisi.
Anyway, I totally agree with Gagik’s comments.
From a personal point of view was how much more faith the Georgians had in the rule of law than Armenians here. This makes all the difference when considering how societies develop. I suppose the only other thing to add is that while the Georgians have and are still continuing to rennovate old buildings in town, they are also building new modern apartment and office blocks in derelict land surrounding the Center. Contrast that with Yerevan where corruption and extreme violations of human rights has seen the destruction rather than the development of Central Yerevan.
Anyway, while Mr E. sits in California and plays the nationalist card even when it involves places he’s never even visited, I’m quite happy to have Tbilisi as my escape from the madness of Yerevan. Even so, I wish someone would do something about the green areas and rule of law in Central Yerevan. One day soon this is going to adversely affect us all and many residents of Yerevan lament this situation. Hell, even the Mayor’s Office has admitted this fact, but says that it is powerless to do anything.
Comment by Onnik — September 22, 2006 @ 1:11 pm