Finally, Artashat is a town that still has some life to it, including open shops and even a little restaurant. At the entrance there's an interesting church compound with large sculpture scattered around the courtyard--sort of half scultures, half engravings of different people--I'm assuming saints or prophets (one of them is sleeping), all in the signature Armenian reddish brown rock.

There are multiple plazas in town, and when he sits down for my concert, he's soon joined by a 3 beautiful ladies . This doesn't happen too often in his travels--luckily he thinks quick and have someone take a picture to preserve this moment for posterity.

"We're going to Russia to work" They tell him. He decides not to inquire too much more.

He has another encounter of a different sort here in Artashat. There are a group of people walking up an down the sidewalks trying to hand out Gospel tracts to people. He follows behind just to see how people respond--and they don't seem too pleased, but aren't openly rude. Can't blame them. After all, Armenia was the first officially Christian nation and it's been Christian for 1,700 years! I imagine they find it insulting to be told by foreigners that they need to convert to an "upgraded" version of Christianity. If I were a Christian, I would come to Armenia to LEARN from Armenian Christians--not preach to them, the Traveler thinks to himself.

One of the track givers notices the Traveler and strikes up a conversation. He's an American, an enthusiastic fellow, he asks the Traveler what he does with his guitar... maybe wondering if he might be a missionary as well.

On a "mission"? Yes. Trying to convert people away from their ancestral beliefs? No.