Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Alex Bunch
Staff Writer
For the everyday person, there has never been a comprehensive travel guide to Armenia and Karabagh.
Well, now there is. In Matthew Karanian’s and Robert Kurkjian’s book, The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh, anyone traveling to Armenia or Karabagh can find exactly what they need. Armenia and Karabagh is very comprehensive and you can find just about any piece of information you are looking for.
If you are planning a trip to Armenia or Karabagh, this is an essential book to read.
When you look in the table of contents, you can clearly see this book is indeed as comprehensive as the authors’ claim. Armenia and Karabagh includes sections such as geography, population, language, sites to see, transportation, exchanging money, customs regulations, foreign embassies in Yerevan, and even a very comprehensive section on ecology.
“Of special interest is Chapter 3, Ecology. We felt this was important because we did not just want to promote irresponsible travel to the region,” said Robert Kurkjian.
That is exactly why their book is extremely helpful, because it goes beyond the basic information.
The book is also divided up by region, so one would know what to see with respect to the area they are traveling to. These individual sections are full of information, especially with respect to places of interest such as museums, churches, landmarks, and theaters.
What is also great about this travel guide is its structure-all the information is neatly organized and the index is very helpful to find information as well. The entire book, even the maps, is in color. “It is a unique travel guide for the quality of the book, the design, and the number of color photos,” Kurkjian said.
After examining the book, I agree with his comments. Having this book as your guide, you cannot go wrong and you are sure to have a great trip to Armenia and Karabagh.
Most of the information was obtained first-hand by the authors themselves, who have been traveling to and from Armenia for several years now, so the information provided is very reliable. In fact, this alone makes the book a better book when compared to other travel guides to Armenia.
“We consider our book an “Insiders Guide” because both Matthew and I have been living, working, and traveling in Armenia since 1995,” said Kurkjian.
If you are planning a trip to Armenia or Karabagh, then this book is a necessity. When you look at the amount of information available in the guide, you are sure to have a pleasant trip to Armenia and Karabagh.