Name Removed Stowaway, Getaways: Away for Awhile Word Count: 525 Big Sights, Small Borders Because

of its borders with Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Iran, the country of Armenia seems very out of place when religion is concerned: this tiny, landlocked nation is home to the worlds oldest national Christian faithknown as the Armenian Apostolic Churchwhile Islam surrounds it almost completely (only Georgia to the north is also predominantly Christian). Established as the official religion of Armenia in AD 301, the Apostolic Church has existed for over 1700 years; during that time, the country has been marinated in religious history and constructed numerous church buildings in villages, towns, and cities. Each location is unique, not only because of the building itself, but also because of the landscape where on which it stands. The northwest of Armenia is made of rolling hills and green fields. The villages that surround the city of Alaverdi stand apart from the others because of the high plateaus on which theyre built. The most impressive of that regions churches were built in towns that peer out over the valleys and canyons, with Sanahin, Odzun, and Haghpat being the most popular in the region; all can be reached by taxi or bus, but to reach the Sanahin Monastery, there is an alternative in the form of an transport by old Soviet cable car that seems like it could crash down at any moment. Whichever is chosen, the view from the summit-village Sarahart is breathtaking: in the winding valley lies the entirety of Alaverdi, the luscious green of the hills, and the smoke-emitting copper factory from Armenias time in the Russian Federation. The monastery is a short walk or bus ride away. The building itself looks ancient indeed, constructed of grey stones that look to be held together by moss and vegetation, but this only adds to the majesty of the church itself. Going southeast takes the visitor to the largest lake in the country, Lake Sevan, which covers 525 square miles of Armenia in water. The dark-colored church complex called Sevanavank is atop a
Comment [R4]: Since the audience is international, including the sq/km may be helpful Comment [R3]: What I typed is merely a suggestion, but I would review this sentence for flow. Comment [R2]: I would include the Armenian spelling of the city names, if they do not use a roman writing system, in parentheses. Comment [R1]: M-W 11,506 sq/mi (29,800 sq/km) or maybe you could compare the size to another country for US state.

modest hill, a peninsula, from which a hotel resort can be seen on one side and a picnic area to the other. Sevanavank is actually two church buildings next to each other, and each distinctive name sets one apart from the otherSurb Arakelots and Surb Astvatsatsin, or Holy Apostles and Holy Mother of God. The blue water seems to disappear into the horizon as one looks out from the pinnacle of the hilltop, and even then its only the smaller portion of the lake that is visible. This barely begins to scratch the surface of all there is to see. The capital city of Yerevan, a wonder to behold and a curious mixture of Soviet history and Western European influence. Etchmiadzin, the center of the Apostolic Church. Gyumri, Armenias second largest city, where the effects of an enormous earthquake from 1988 are still very much apparent. And Khor Virap, where the first leader of the Apostolic ChurchSaint Gregory the Illuminatorwas sentenced to imprisonment in a burial pit by King Tiridates III. Countless other sites exist within the borders of this often unheard of country, and it is well worth at least one summertime excursion.
Comment [R5]: Great description, I know where I am standing and looking Comment [R6]: I do not quite get the imagery in this last part. I would revise for clarity.