Armenia Info
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 14
Home Country: armenia
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 Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 4:27 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN ARMENIA / ARMENIA SHOPPING GUIDE |
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SHOPPING IN ARMENIA
General
Although Armenia’s economy is still relatively undeveloped, new shops are now opening. The Vernisaj flea market in Yerevan attracts sellers of all kinds of goods and is popular with tourists.
Yerevan's arts and crafts shops are a reflection of the burgeoning tourist and art industries in Armenia. In the shops you can find souvenirs made of wood, clay, obsidian as well as ethnic and traditional examples of pottery, jewellery boxes, dolls and many other hand made souvenirs. For the Armenian craftsperson, stone and wood are not merely seen as inanimate and utilitarian building materials, but as blank canvases on which these artists can realise the creations in their mind's eye. Hand made carved vases and jewellry boxes made from the wood of plum, apricot, and walnut are plentiful in the crafts shops of Armenia and will impress visitors with their workmanship and style. Exquisite wood carvings - replicas of the famed ancient stone crosses (khachkars) which dot the Armenian countryside, are also prevalent as souvenirs. Gold, precious and semi-precious stones provide inspiration for jewellers throughout Armenia country, while the alluring obsidian stone is another staple used in jewellery, desk accessories, and decorative items. Jewellery traditions in Armenia date back to ancient times.
A beautiful green park during the weekdays, Saryan Park transforms into an outdoor exhibition of paintings on the weekends, with artists often acting as salespeople of their original creations. The Painters' Vernissage is a cornerstone in the mosaic of the cultural life of Yerevan. Yerevan's Vernissage was established in the 1980s by Armenian artists who wanted to bring fruits of their labor directly to the people. Originally located the square in front of the Union of Armenian Artists, the Vernissage moved to the park around the Sarian Monument across from the Opera Square, an implicit tribute to the legendary painter. On week-ends, the lawns in the park disappear under rows of paintings, while people wander the corridors between them, appreciating and purchasing the high-quality artistic creations.
The pag shuka is the largest market in downtown Yerevan. Fresh produce, meat and preserves are sold here.
Visitors to Armenia are often thrilled to find the plentiful displays of market-fresh produce and foodstuffs, which are unveiled by private vendors daily. The fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts and vegetables of Armenia enjoy a much-deserved reputation and are easy to shop for at any neighbourhood food market. Vendors in open markets will entice the prospective shopper with their wares, luring them with homemade wafer-thin sheets of fruit rolls, and various dried fruit and nut combinations, not to mention the seasonal assortment of fresh produce at the time, which can include apricots, figs, mulberries, and pomegranates, to name just a few.
Food markets offer Armenia's national folded, unleavened bread, "lavash", which is used as a soft wrap for meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Food markets also offer fresh meat, fish, various kinds of homemade cheese (including goat cheese) and other milk products (including Armenian yogurt, or "matzoun"), and many other tasty treats.
Shopping hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Shops stay open longer in the summer.
Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1500. Exchange Offices are open until midnight and also operate at weekends and on public holidays.
Currency
Armenian Dram (AMD) = 100 luma. Dram notes are printed in denominations of AMD50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 25 and 10. Coins are in denominations of AMD500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 1, and 50 and 20 luma.
Note: The Government is intending to phase out all banknotes less than AMD500.
Currency exchange
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at the airports, banks and most hotels and shops during normal opening hours. US Dollars are the most widely recognized foreign currency. Visitors using the national currency are advised to carry plenty of small change as some shops and, particularly markets, may be unable to accept large denominations.
Credit & debit cards
Major credit cards are accepted in most cities. ATMS are available in major cities.
Traveller's cheques
These are accepted in a few shops and hotels. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.
Currency restrictions
The import of local and foreign currency is unlimited, however cash amounts in excess of $10,000 or equivalent must be declared. The export of local and foreign currency is unlimited, however cash amounts in excess of US$10,000 or equivalent are prohibited and must be transferred via a bank. |
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