Yerevan, Armenia August 2 - 5, 2015

 


Yerevan, as it turns out, is quite fascinating! I never thought I would ever visit there, but now I am very thrilled that we did! Craig was there for another accreditation trip and I didn't think much of it, to be honest. About a week before we left, I did some research because I wanted something to do with myself while Craig was working. It turned out to be the best plan ever! I hired a private guide - her name is Mariam Ghazarian and I found her through TripAdvisor. She was excellent! I highly recommend her. Here's a selfie she took of us in the Areni winery (not the 6100 year old one, but the one currently used today). It looks like I'm wearing make-up, but I haven't got any on! Maybe she Photoshopped it? lol

Selfie at Areni Winery

The company name is Exotic Armenia Tours. You can do fairly quick trips or you can do a week of touring with her and the driver. It is definitely not a cheap way to tour, but in my opinion, it is WELL worth the extra money spent rather than being part of a huge bus load of people. The whole experience is much more enjoyable, personal and authentic. We were also early enough to be ahead of the bus loads of people, so it wasn't very busy, which I LOVED.

Dancing Fountains in Republic Square

We stayed at the Tufenkian Historic Hotel because it was less expensive and more unique than the Marriott in Republic Square. We preferred the location where we were because it was directly across from the Vernissage Flea Market and is quieter at night. It is about a 5 minute walk from Republic Square where the dancing fountains are located. It is still very close to everything and the room was very large. We had a suite with a huge walk-in closet and bathroom for the cost of a standard room at the Marriott. It all depends on what you prefer. If your room at the Marriott had a great view out of the dancing fountains at night, that would be wonderful. I believe they do a show every night at 9 pm. The night we stopped to see the show it was very windy and we were entertained by the screaming onlookers when the wind would blow the water towards them and they'd get soaked. Then we were those onlookers...we thought we were far enough way, but we were mistaken! lol It was a smaller version of the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas where people gather every night to see the show. While wandering around the streets, we came across this little shop with a plastic roof where they do carvings in stone! I should have gone closer to get a better look and to talk with the carvers. Maybe next time. They do AMAZING stone carving work in Armenia. The ones with crosses are called Khachkars and are absolutely beautiful! You'll see pictures of those later on, but here's one dating back to 1291...they are all different, like a fingerprint and never perfect (they say that was on purpose because only God can be perfect). Another thing we saw as we were strolling the streets was a lady who right in front of us squatted next to the sidewalk for a pee! Unfortunately, there were many homeless people in the downtown core. There doesn't seem to be any statistics on the numbers... there aren't any recorded.

Khachkar from 1291... amazing detail still preserved

Stone carvers on the street.... absolutely incredible.

Shows how bath house was constructed

 The first tour included Craig after his work day was done mid-afternoon. We headed off on a 5-hour tour from Yerevan to Garni Temple and Gerhard Monastery. The Garni Temple is a reconstructed Greco-Roman columned building... the only one of its kind in Armenia and the former soviet union. You are able to tell which stones are original and which they remade (without carvings) so you can appreciate all the original stones that were found all over the valley. The original structure was built in 77 AD, but collapsed in an earthquake in 1679. With our guide, we also had special access to the bath house where you could see the remains of how they had brick patty columns and stucco to hold up the platform where people would lay on in the water.

Ancient mosaic tile (3rd century) in the bath house at Garni Temple

Faint view of Mt. Ararat by the Charents Arch

Garni Temple

A short drive away from the Garni Temple is the Gerhard Monastery (meaning spear - this name originated which wounded Jesus at the cruxifiction). Along the way we encountered many cows.They apparently roam free, but know where their homes are and return to them every night.

Mooooooo!

Hopefully you can access this quick video...

The original name of the monastery was Ayrivank (meaning "The Monastery of the Cave"). Some of the churches within the monastery were entirely dug out of the rock cliffs! It is here where we heard the incredible acoustics of this underground church. An Armenian woman was singing (chanting?) and I thought it was beautiful... Craig, not so much. He didn't hear the beauty in her singing. It was almost like when you rub your finger around a crystal glass at times because of the acoustics there. I did take a video (above), but am not sure if the link will work.

Me drinking from the sacred spring water

It is a medieval monastery partially carved out of the adjacent mountain and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main chapel was built in 1215, but the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century. There is a sacred spring within the cave and is thought to have healing powers. I did have a sip of the water from this spring...maybe, in hindsight (if you know what I mean...) I shouldn't have, but I could not resist!

Gerhard was incredible. To think that they would painstakingly carve out churches from a mountain is amazing to me. Every detail had to be exact and they had to be very careful because one wrong move would mean disaster.

More of those amazing carvings

See, I really AM an angel! lol

It is incredible inside these churches carved entirely from the mountain.

A magical place!

On the return to Yerevan from this magical place, Mariam stopped again at the Charent's Arch for a "surprise"! That surprise turned out to be drinking Ararat cognac straight up accompanied by a peach! I had a sip, but it burned! I'm such a wimp! Craig had to drink the rest of mine.

Cheers! Armenian style!

That evening, Craig brought me back to a carpet store he apparently had been in earlier. He liked the two men there and wanted to buy a rug from them if possible. After a significant amount of time sitting with them and negotiating, we purchased a rug we both agreed on and liked! That was one of my goals there, to buy a traditional Armenian rug. Goal accomplished!

Our new rug and my male model!

Our new friends at the "Antique Rugs" store next to Megerian Carpets!

 That evening, after a wonderful day touring together and buying our new carpet we ate out at Dolmama restaurant out on the courtyard. It was a lovely dinner and we shared some of it with a cute black cat who decided to join us. The waiter, for unknown reasons, gave us each a complimentary glass of wine with our dinner! Awesome!

Cheers with free wine!

Craig's Cornish hen

Our kitty cat friend who joined us for dinner.

 Day two of touring: Khor Virap, Noravank Monasteries as well as Areni winery and the oldest winery (6100 years old). Our first stop was Khor Virap. It's right off the highway and as you approach, you can see great views of Mt. Ararat. Known as biblical Mt. Ararat, which used to be part of Armenia before Stalin. It now is in Turkey, but it doesn't change the beauty for tourists and locals alike. The mountain holds significant importance to the Armenian people. The highest peak is 5137 meters (16854 ft.) high. It is located in the far East of Turkey, 16 km West of Iran and 32 km South of Armenia. While visiting this site, we are the closest Armenian citizens are allowed to get to it. We can see the actual border to Turkey... which is just a small fence and dirt road. The Book of Genesis identifies this mountain range as the resting place of Noah's Ark after the great flood.

At Khor Virap, St. Gregory was imprisoned for 14 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. As the story goes, St. Gregory did not die in the pit because a widow gave him a fresh loaf of bread daily. The King put St. Gregory there because he was preaching the Christian faith. Later, the King became very ill and someone (it's a lot of information to remember) had a dream that only St. Gregory could heal him. So, the king released St. Gregory, and St. Gregory prayed for him and was healed, so the King embraced Christianity. In year 301, Armenia was the first country in the world to be declared a Christian nation. This site is about 330 feet away from the Turkish-Armenian border (sealed by barbed-wire fencing) and defended by military that guard the troubled border zone. You can read more about it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khor_Virap.

Khor Virap Monastery (meaning deep pit or well)

I just LOVE these carved doors and stones!

The entrance to the dungeon where St. George was kept - 6 meters underground

In the dungeon...very steep staircase for us tourists!

 13th Century (1205) Noravank Monastery: 

Noravank Monastery looking towards the brick-red cliffs

This place is pretty incredible! Located 122 km from the city of Yerevan it is a bit of a trek due to the condition of the roads, but it's a beautiful drive with unique landscapes of tree-less mountains. An 8 km narrow gorge route off the highway ends at this monastery set among the gorgeous red and grey cliffs. It feels completely isolated here and tours don't seem to have ruined its' natural beauty. The main church has two stories. As I was walking around it I wondered "how on earth do we get to the 2nd story?" I soon found out when Mariam asked if I'd like to climb up! What I thought was just decorative stones on the side of the building were actually the stairs up! I could not believe they allow tourists to climb this! Even kids were climbing up it! Mariam was kind enough to come up with me...she doesn't do this very often she said. Noravank was the residence of the Orbelian princes. The ground floor was a family burial vault.

After touring this amazing place we had a small lunch. The ladies there thought it was too small and wouldn't charge us (Again, in thanks to the relationship our guide has with the people working here). Amazing! Where else can you go and eat lunch and not be charged??? I questioned the driver because I thought we were going to see the 6100 year old winery, but it wasn't in the plan. However, he just called up the man who guards the site and within minutes, it was arranged for us to go see it. Tourists aren't normally allowed...certainly not in large groups. I was incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to go! It was just myself, Mariam and the man who spoke Armenian giving us the tour (Mariam translated for me). Fantastic experience!

Noravank Monastery

Darn, I just missed getting cross in the picture....It was hard to see in the sun!

I captured the butterfly in the picture!

Mariam describing the secret message engraved in doorway

Can you believe they let tourists climb this????

Awesome!

Again, my favorite carved doors! 2nd story of church after crazy climb.

Stone carvers at the base of the stairs to the 6100 year old winery cave

climbing towards the 6100 year old cave winery

Inside the cave...see how it's an ongoing archeological site? Amazing!

After seeing this fantastic archeological site we went to the functioning winery where I tasted some of the local wines. It was the end of the touring and I was a little tired. When we were leaving, the lady who worked there gave us a bottle of wine! Mariam gave it to me saying she had lots of it! That's three free things I was given on this trip! Free glasses of wine with dinner in town, free lunch at Noravank Monastery and then a free bottle of wine at the winery! Talk about hospitality! This is part of the reason why Armenia has really left its' mark on me.... a lasting impression like no other place I've visited before. I truly enjoyed this adventure, as you can probably tell by the long post. Another post from Riga, Latvia next.