Gallivanting Grandma

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Khor Virap

Walking Up to the Monastery

Steps Up to Khor Virap

Church and Bell Tower

The Courtyard

Entrance to the Underground Prison

Stairs Leading Down to the Prison

Main Altar

View of Ararat Valley From Khor Virap

View of Church

Ararat Valley With Both Peaks of Ararat Mountain

Through Vayots Dzor

Fruit Stand Along the Way

Landscape From the Bus

First View of Noravank Monastery

Parked Hyur Tour Group Buses

Pilgramage to Noravank

The Valley Below Noravank

Noravank

Tourists Exploring Noravank

Underground Storage

Interior of Church

Al Fresco Lunch in the Valley

After Lunch

Mountain Village

Town of Goris

Check Point – Border Crossing Into Karabagh

Evening Over the Karabagh Mountains

Arrival at Heghnar Hotel in Stepanakert

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Europe Hotel was filled with several members of an extended family who arrived in Yerevan from several different countries to attend the wedding of a cousin.  The wedding took place yesterday and lasted late into the night, so the dining room was empty this morning.  This gave me an opportunity to take photos of the breakfast room.

One End of the Breakfast Room

The Other Side of the Breakfast Room

The Lobby

The Business Center

I had read that the museums in Yerevan were closed on Mondays, but one directory stated that the Erebuni Fortress was open.  It’s located on the outskirts of the city which is too far to walk.  We found a taxi on Republic Square and negotiated a price of 1000 Drams.  The driver was a congenial older man who chatted with us and waved to many friends in the streets along the way.

Erebuni Museum

Unfortunately, the Erebuni Museum was closed and we had to find another taxi to return to the center of town.  We asked him to take us to a busy street near Republic Square because Francoise wanted to find a market which she thought was nearby.

Art Gallery

We found a small private art gallery which so we entered and looked at the paintings in the collection.  It was well past lunchtime, so we walked to the Yerevan Tavern which had been recommended to us by Gagik’s wife, Anna.  There were many unusual items on the menu and food was very good.

Interior of the Yerevan Tavern

Street Art

Tomorrow, we were planning to go on a bus trip with Hyur Tours to Karabakh.  Armenians refer to the region as “Artsakh” which was the ancient Armenian name for the provence.  Karabakh is the remote mountainous area which serves as a border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  The two countries fought a bitter war over the region in 1988.  The Nagano-Karabakh Region is not internationally recognized or sanctioned by the United Nations.  At this moment, it is an independent ‘micro-state’ which is closely allied to Armenia.  We spent most of the evening packing and preparing for the three-day adventure.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Gagik invited us to go to Lake Sevan to see the lake and an ancient monastery called Sevanavank.  He picked us up at our hotel and we drove the 60 kms up to the lake.  The road was not the best and the speed limit, which is strictly enforced, was 40 km. so it took about an hour and a half to reach beautiful Lake Sevan.

Peddlers Along the Walkway

We had a very good lunch at a restaurant at the foot of the mountain which had a lovely view of the lake.

Restaurant Overlooking the Lake

Gagik and Francoise

Delicious Lunch

Crayfish Roll with Salad

After lunch, Francoise and I climbed the steep stairs up the side of the mountain.  At the top of the hill were the two 9th century churches of the Sevanavank Monastery: Arakelots and Astvatsatsin.

Climbing up the Mountain

View of Lake Sevan

Still Climbing

Spectacular View From the Top

The Two Churches of Sevanavank Monastery

Astvatsatsin Church

 Arakalots Church

A Beach on Lake Sevan

Access to the Lake

Clay Pots and Ancient Shoes

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Vernissage is the outdoor market which is in full swing on Saturdays and Sundays.  It is located one block from the Europe Hotel.  Here are a few photos:

Book Sellers

Painter

Setting Up

Book Sellers Playing Cards

Another Painter

Outdoor Framing Shop

Game of Tavlou

Crossroads in the Market

Musician

Glassware in the Flea Market

Embroidery

Armenian Dolls

In the Afternoon I went to the State Museum of Armenian History and the National Art Gallery which are located in the same building on Republic Square.  Unfortunately, photography was prohibited in both museums.

History Museum & National Gallery

The History Museum had artifacts from Stone Age cave dwellers through modern Soviet times.  The Art Gallery, according to the guide, holds the third largest collection of European masters in the former USSR.  It contained a large collection of Russian art.

Ara Guler Poster

The National Art Gallery had a special exhibit of color and black & white photographs by the Armenian photographer Ara Guler.  We had visited Ara Guler’s cafe in Istanbul in 2010.

View of Yerevan From the Roof

The museums were not air-conditioned and were warm and stuffy, so I was excited to receive an invitation by the 9th floor guard to go out onto the roof.  There was a magnificent 360 degree view of Yerevan and a nice cooling breeze from the roof of the museum.

Republic Square from Above

Another Bird’s Eye View

Armenian Drams

There are about 412 Drams to the American dollar.  After exchanging a few dollars, it feels like having Monopoly money in your hand.  There are also coins in lower denominations which are frequently used.  The cost of living is low in Armenia.  As a result, all goods and services are very cheap.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Francoise’s cousin, Gagik, lives in Ashtarak on a ranch with his wife, Anna, and their extended family.  Ashtarak is a small city which is located 20 kilometers north of Yerevan.  The family manages a summer youth camp on the grounds which specializes in training horses. Below are photos from our day on the horse ranch in Ashtarak.

Anna, Isabella, Francoise, Gagik

Armenian Coffee & Dessert al Fresco

Anna, Lillit, Edvard, Isabella, Francoise, Gagik

Training the Horses

Mare and Pony with their Trainer

Gagik and Week-Old Pony

Training Area

Martin, Edvard, Lillit

Ancient Persian Bridge Over Ashtarak River

Ancient Flour Mill with Grind Stone

Crossing Over the Ancient Persian Bridge

7th Century Church with Two Katch Kars

Sunset Over Ashtarak