the Armenian wedding, products from India and Brazilian party

I had a very active and full Saturday. In fact, Saturday isn't yet a weekend for me because of my work, but it's the last working day of the week, a bit short, and not so productive for working :)

I was invited to the Grigor Lusavorich church (the biggest one in Yerevan, it was opened in 2001 during the celebrations of 1700 year anniversary of adoption of Christianity in Armenia) for my friend's wedding ceremony.

 I don't really like that church. It's too big and doesn't have that spirit of Armenian churches, it's more like a big hall of something. For me, there's no spirituality, sacrament, "intimacy".. It's usually very crowded and even sitting in the first rows you cannot almost hear the priest. And there are weddings each half an hour. The church has two main entrances. The bride and the groom enter from one and quit from another. There's a saying that if two brides meet each other face to face, one of them may become infertile. But later, i've hard another thing that in case two brides meet each other, they need to exchange their bunch of flowers in order for the bad luck not to work :D It was the first time i heard about this thing. I'm not superstitious at all and some superstitions seem just very meaningless and funny :D Why are there so many bad superstitions and predictions and so few positive things, bringing luck and happiness? (or is it just me? :D)
So about the ceremony.. it was very quick (i suppose there are 'express', 'short and quick', or 'extended' versions for the ceremony :D excuse me for being so cynical, but it really looked like "c'mon, speak faster, there's a queue waiting...")
 Some photos from the wedding:

 

(isn't she wonderful - the bride? :)))

with Tata and Anna

I'm religious but I'm not a committed Christian. My faith is inside myself and i don't feel the need to go to churches often, but i do have a favorite church - it's Surb Zoravor - where some notable things for me happened - there my parents had their wedding ceremony and i was baptized there.

After the ceremony we went to the newly opened "Products from India" trade exhibition. I was looking forward to buying some nice Hindu scarfs and shawls. In fact they were very cheap - 1500-2500 AMD, same price for the nice handmade bags. I bought a couple :)))

then i noticed a showcase where henna tattoos were presented. Then an Hindu woman approached and i happily said "namaste!" :)) Me and my friend Tata couldn't resist to have a real henna tattoo. Tata did it on her hand, i preferred it on my foot :) She was drawing so quickly and masterly. It took less than 5 minutes each and costed 1500 AMD. We decided to return another day and do some more :)) A lot of people were standing behind me and watching my foot being painted :D
The woman promised that it will last 2 weeks :) I'm happy!

Then i had to go back to my office and in the evening we went to the Best Western Congress Hotel for the Mini Brazil party! It's organized by Centro Hispano and the hotel. (i hate that Centro Hispano is writing their website URL www.centrohispano.am on all advertisements, but the address actually doesn't exist!!!)
After the previous Mega Latino party in the same place i was looking forward to this one very much and had big expectations :) The previous one (on August 30) was attended by more than 1000 people!!! and the whole party was around the Caribbean swimming pool. This one was less crowded and it's good - less people trampling on your foot without apologizing (especially those rude guys!)
I was eager to meet Brazilians (since i'm starting to learn Portuguese) and to watch capoeira :)
What i really like in these parties, is that they invite professional latino dancers and students so they are dancing and spreading the mood :) We had a lot of fun and danced a lot :) Brazilians rocked!

I also met my Italian friends from the Renco and Congress hotel.
Some photos from the party: