Armenian Party

This morning my mom woke us up early to go to Nana's store for breakfast. (My stepfather stayed asleep in the hotel). Nana took us to a really good chicken place right near her store that my mom said we used to go to all the time.

After "brunch," we sat in Nana's store for a little bit and had coffee. Then we headed back to the Old City. BigSis and LilSis and I all had to do some souvenir shopping. LilSis bought t-shirts for all of her friends and I got a water pipe, some t-shirts, etc. El came with us because she is getting ready to go live with a family in Sweden for a week and she needed to buy some gifts for the family.

We couldn't stay out too long, though, because we were supposed to meet my mom and stepfather back at the Convent at 6:00 PM. Of course, as usual, they were an hour late, so we just hung out.

After that, BigSis, my mom and I went to go check out Friday night services at the Wall. I must admit-- it was pretty odd. We had to have our bags checked before we could even get near the Wall. When we got there, there was every kind of Jew from the jappiest of japs to the machine gun carriers to a million varieties of Hassidic. Anyway, we only stayed about an hour total because we had to get back to the Convent for the Armenian party that night.

When we got back, all the girls got ready and my mom took pictures. The party officially started at 8:00 PM, but we didn't go over until 9:00 PM. It was in the "Lower Club."

The Armenian club is divided into two parts-- upper and lower. Originally, when they were founded, Armenia was part of the USSR. The Upper club wanted an independent Armenia-- pro-nationalism and pro-capitalism. The Lower club was Pro-communism. Our family has always belonged to the upper, but now that the USSR is gone, they more stand for "East" vs. "West," so Uncle A favors the lower (or the East).

Anyway, when we got to the party (there was a cover charge) we entered a room that was pitch black, but streaked with the glow of white streamers reflected under a black light, a net with balloons on top draped from the ceiling--