I’ve been doing the tourism thing pretty hard core since I got here a few days ago, and on top of that have stayed
out late pretty much every night. The photo here is from the restaurant Old Yerevan, where we ate a wonderful Armenian
meal of dolmas and fresh meats, and where we were entertained by a group of traditional dancers and musicians (see
photo…although left out of the photo was a pair of men each playing a high-pitched horn-like instrument that was very
annoying…but anyway).
I am amazed how good the night life is here. The bars and restaurants around town, especially in the Opera House area
where we went, were alive and kicking long into the night. I really enjoy one place here called Jazzve, a happening
outdoor spot where there seems to be a fairly upscale crowd hanging out. The seats are comfortable and the service is
good (despite one experience with a rather ornery waiter who never seemed to smile at us no matter how hard we tried to
make him laugh). When I was there the other night, we sat and people-watched for hours, drinking Erebuni beer (my
favorite here) and eating watermelon and pistachios.
The crowd at Jazzve was quite young and very stylish. My guess is the area caters to more upscale Armenians and
visitors, even though the streets are filled with a hodge-podge of folks. But these nights in Yerevan so far have been
great. The temperature has been perfect, and the skies clear. I should also add that I have felt very safe walking
around at night. Like any city, Yerevan has its share of late night drunken louts roaming around (we saw a pack of them
last night at around 1:30 am, but they seem mostly harmless, and I haven’t sensed any real danger as I’ve made my way
from restaurant/bar back to the hotel.