Gallivanting Grandma

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

Thursday, July 18, 2013

We took another Hyur tour excursion today to see the seventh century churches of St. Hripsime, St. Gayaneh, and the Cathedral of Echmiadzin.  These historical sites are located approximately 30 minutes west of Yerevan.  The road leading to Echmiadzin was very well paved and straight. This was in sharp contrast to the very poor road which was filled with huge potholes and cracks leading to Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery yesterday.  Interestingly, the Hyur tour bus drove past a series of newly built casinos just on the outskirts of the Yerevan.

The Church of St. Hripsime

The Church of Saint Hripsime was built in 618 AD and according to the guide, had a major influence on Armenian architecture which followed.  The two-tier bell tower was added in 1790.  Hripsime was one of 36 religious women who were stoned to death for their religious convictions.

Rear View of St. Hripsime with Bell Tower

Another View

Interior Main Altar

Light a Candle; Say a Prayer

Francoise & Donnie at St. Hripsime

The church of  St. Gayaneh is a domed basilica which was built in 630 AD and restored in 1652.  The architectural style is much different from that of St. Hripsime which was built about the same time.

Saint Gayane Church

Exterior of St. Gayane Church

Interior of St. Gayane

Echmiadzin is the seat of the Armenian Church and is the holiest religious site in Armenia and to Armenian people around the world.  It is more than 1700 years old and is the oldest surviving Christian site in the country.  The Echmiadzin complex consists of several buildings, including the main cathedral, a museum, residences for clergy, a new baptistry, and two other churches nearby.  UNESCO recognized the Echmiadzin complex as a World Heritage site.

Modern Gate to Echmiadzin Complex

Echmiadzin Cathedral

According to the guide, there was a major reconstruction of the the church in 484 AD.  The original wooden dome was replaced in the 7th century by the current stone dome.  The three-story bell tower was added in 1658.

Symbolic Center of Echmiadzin

Treasures of Echmiadzin is a museum filled with chalices, illuminated bibles, robes of priests, relics, and other church related treasures.

Eucharist Dove

Legendary Geghard Spear

Persian Ceiling

The Main Alter of Echmiadzin Cathedral

New Baptistry

Interior of Modern Baptistry

Side View of St. Echmiadzin

The group left the Echmiadzin Complex and made a stop to see the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral.  Zvartnots was completed in 661 AD and is recognized for its unusual circular architecture.  When it was built, it looked like a giant three-tiered wedding cake.  The site is now a ruin of pillars and large stones.  The destruction was attributed to an earthquake which occurred in the 10th century.   

Zvartnots Cathedral Ruins

What Historians Thought Zvartnots Looked Like

Decorated Columns

Lower Tier of Columns

One of Five Remaining Entrances to Zvartnots

View Towards Mt. Ararat

The Hyur Tour group left Zvartnots and we returned to Yerevan by 4:00 PM.  Francoise and I crossed the Republic Square again and walked back toward the Europe Hotel.  The weather was very hot all day.  Someone said the temperature was today reached 42 degrees Celsius.  Which, by my calculations is about 107.6  degrees Fahrenheit.  “Shok eh!” as they say here in reference to heat.  It was refreshing to return to the air conditioning of the hotel.

The Singing Fountain by Day

After a cooling break at the hotel, we walked to Ayas Kilikia Restaurant for dinner.  As the sun was setting, the temperature was cooler.  Ayas Kilikia was a very good family-owned restaurant which features live music in the evenings.  It was recommended to us by some people on the tour today.  The brochure for the restaurant states that “you will be transferred to Cilicia of the 14th century” by eating their food.  

Keufta and Kale With Lavash

Interior of Ayas Kilikia

According to the menu, they use organically grown ingredients and their “cuisine includes historical Armenian national dishes.”   At the end of  our meals, we were offered glasses of Rose Brandy which was made by the chef.  The waitress said it was made from rose hips and was available for sale only at their restaurant.  Everything was very tasty and we planned to return to the restaurant if we had time.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

We had booked a tour today with Hyur Service, a local tourist agency, and arranged to take a group tour to visit Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery today.  Armenia is a very small country so it is feasible to use Yerevan as a base and take day trips out of the city to visit several important historical sights.

The Temple at Garni

The Temple was part of a fortress built in the first Century A.D. by an Armenian king and dedicated to a sun god.  The original complex included a palace, bathhouse, servants’ and guards’ residences, a church, and a meeting hall.  The temple is situated on a triangular piece of land with two sides along the steep Garni Gorge.  A thick wall had been built on the third side for to protect the fortress from invasions.

Garni Temple

Tilling the Soil

The Deep Garni Gorge

There are remains of an original bathhouse which been well preserved, although the roof is new.  This was the royal bathhouse for the king.

The Roman Bath

The interior of the bath has been restored to demonstrate how it was used.  The inscription on the floor was written in Greek and was translated as, “Work and gain nothing.”  The guide explained that historians believe that the inscription suggests that the craftsmen were not adequately paid for their services.

Interior  Mosaic

The Temple at Garni has been recognized by UNESCO for the preservation efforts by the Armenian government.

Tourists at the Temple

After the group’s explorations at Garni, we continued a short distance to Gerghard Monastery and Church.  UNESCO recognized this complex on its list of World Heritage sites.

Snacks on the Way to the Monastery

The surviving buildings of Geghard date from the 13th Century.  The Monastery was literally built into the side of a mountain and more than half of the interior floor space is located within the mountain.  The complex is also called “Ayrivank”, which means Monastery of the Cave.

The Inner Courtyard of Gerghard Monastery

The common name Gerghard refers to the monastery’s status as the original repository of one of the spears that was used to pierce the side of Jesus during the crucifixion.  Gerghard is the Armenian word for spear.  The legendary spear is now housed in the museum at Echmiadzin Cathedral.

Interior of the Main Room

Woman Being Baptized

The tour guide explained that since Armenian independence from the Soviet Union, many Armenian people are returning to the church and religious practices of weddings and baptisms.  The Armenian woman in the photo above chose to be baptized at Geghard Monastery.

Interior

Inner Chapel

Water that seeps through the walls of the mountain is collected in various pools.  People were touching the water and spreading it on their arms and faces.  Local legend advises visitors to throw coins into to pool to guarantee their return to Armenia.

Natural Illumination

Historians believe that the Monastery of Ayrivand may have been founded as early as AD 300 to 400.  Documentary evidence dates the monastery as far back as the 7th century AD.

Chapel Entrances

Cathedral Exterior

The main cathedral in the photo above was built in 1215.  The numerous chapels were illuminated only from sunlight coming through openings built in the thick stone walls and circular openings (“oculus”) in the middle of the ceiling of the high domes.

Standing in the Light