Recap: Anthony Bourdain's 'Parts Unknown' Visits Armenia

Bridget Hallinan

 

Every Sunday, we live vicariously through Anthony Bourdain's globe-hopping, face-stuffing adventures on CNN's Parts Unknown. This week, he takes us to Armenia: a true "part unknown" for the TV host, as it's his first time in the country. With the accompaniment of Serj Tankian—lead singer of System of a Down, and an Armenian-American—Bourdain dives deep into Armenia's history. There are painful discussions (the Armenian genocide in 1915, when an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman government; the diaspora; the earthquake in 1988), as well as optimistic glimpses into the country's future, bolstered by a booming IT industry and impressive after school programs. “Armenia remains a dream, a subject of stories; it is still, against all odds, a place,” Bourdain said during the show.

15 Years Later: Is It Getting Any Better?

Kristi Rendahl

“Is Armenia getting any better?” I’m asked on a regular basis. Few people hide their skepticism when they ask, but I also hear a hint of desperation in the question. After watching Armenia change over the past 15 years, I’m always happy to respond with plenty of reason for hope.