Earlier this month, Armenia had a soccer game in the capital of Yerevan with their western neighbor and sports rival, Turkey. Although we lost the game 2-0, hopefully some good was done in re-establishing better relations as the President of Turkey was in attendance. Re-opening the border to the west could go a long way to assisting economic recovery and providing access to the ports of the Black Sea.

The next day as I was walking to the bus stop, I discovered something else that Armenia takes great pride in besides their athletes: their artists and cultural heroes.  The two creations of metal and stone in a downtown park were fitting tributes to their respect for the arts in Armenia.