Earlier in the morning when the clouds shrouding the village of Tatev, which is in the southern Armenian ‘world of Syunik’, start to withdraw, the village in the bosom of late autumn begins to wake up. Red, yellow and brown are everywhere. Some tree branches are already covered with snow, but next to them ripe apples shine bright as if trying to prolong autumn in the Syunik mountains for several more days.

Detached from and unaware of the rest of the world, people in Tatev live with their own cares and problems, making sure they are on time with the autumn sowing campaign, that they have stored up enough forage for cattle, watching the weather… and answers to everything end with a question.

“They live somehow, trying to make both ends meet. What should they do? That’s their lot. But the good thing is that in the last few years they don’t leave the village,” says the village head, showing the way to the Khachatryan’s hut.