In with the East Wind: A Mary Poppins Kind of Life - Lake Sevan: A Night of Shashlik, Samogon, and Surprises
Lake Sevan, perched high in the Armenian highlands, is one of the largest freshwater alpine lakes in Eurasia. Its shimmering blue waters, framed by mountains and monasteries, have long been a source of spiritual and cultural sustenance. For Armenians, Sevan is more than a scenic retreat—it’s a place of gathering, gratitude, and ritual. Almost as soon as we arrived and checked into the hotel, our bus driver brought the sheep and vegetables from the market down to the beach. When we joined him, we witnessed the slaying of the sheep—not a casual act, but a traditional Armenian ritual known as matagh . It’s a gesture of thanksgiving, often performed after surviving hardship or in anticipation of a journey. The animal is slaughtered respectfully, with a prayer, and the meat is shared among families as a blessing. That did not sit well with me. Even though I was farm-raised and our animals served as both companions and food, the eating of “someone” I knew—or had just met—was unpleasant. ...