From the moment I arrived back in Armenia it has been absolutely scorching. A sun that I had somewhat remembered, but it's hard to accurately remember just how strong heat can be until you're back in it. Georgia's summer days are strong as well, though they're a very different type of feeling. It's far more humid there. Where it's more of a dampness in the air. Much of southern Armenia which is bordering Iran is within a rocky, dry landscape. A literal desert. And you certainly feel it. This is a type of warmth that is dry. The type of sun which is met with an intense light to the point where you're mostly squinting. Armenia is pretty good at dealing with this by offering water fountains throughout the many towns and cities, even along the roads between. They're much appreciated given you can buy a bottle of water, fill it up at the drinking fountains, and roam around. And in some areas the trees of little parks around offer some much needed shade.
I'm absolutely loving this warmth despite how brutal it is. It's not the easiest environment for photography given how harsh that light is, but it's still fun to run around. Though I haven't been doing a whole lot of that so far, it's mostly just visiting the odd place while searching for an apartment, which we finally found and signed a contract for. Slowly moving in on Monday. I'm really excited about it, to have a much nicer home than the one we had before in Tbilisi. And no matter how intense that sun gets, the quality of life here is so much nicer. Walking through those parks, seeing the history and culture proudly on display, there's this sense of peace. A sense of calmness as the streets feel safe again. As you actually see elderly people sitting outside and playing board games together. You know a city is a good one if even the elderly still find enjoyment in getting out. I shot these images with my Helios 44-2 while in a park we randomly discovered near the apartment.
Nearby is also a modern (I assumed they were Soviet but they're actually about a decade old!) landmark in the city: two apartment buildings with some really beautiful designs to them. I'd love to return and photograph them a bit more. Maybe even find ways to incorporate them into some portrait shoots with people. A great modernist design that reminds me a little bit of London in some ways. I was surprised to see that this building was built so recently, but it shows that Armenia is still a nation that holds its past close to its heart, it still loves the way it has developed. And still has an interest in not just maintaining, but pursuing its future in a similar fashion. Combining the modern interests of people with the former beauty of its architectural concepts. It's a bit of a rarity these days as nations just build tall glass buildings and remove all brick and stone from them. Upon moving into that new place, I'm really excited to get some photography going again. To start testing some creative pursuits. To really take advantage of that Armenian sun.
