Stepanavan to Haghpat

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We had a lazy start in the morning as the hotel cook doesn't start until 9am. This is what holidays are all about - not rushing anywhere. It was the usual breakfast of bread, preserve, eggs, cheese and sour cream. We loaded up the car but Saro discovered that the battery was flat. While he phoned a friend to help him, Rod and I went for a walk in the other direction from the previous day. We found a lovely looking theatre that was being used as a furniture shop and an abandoned playground, another relic of the soviet times.

Once we got back to the hotel, Saro had got the car started and we were on our way. His friend invited us for coffee at his home. This is very common in Armenia and it is quite rude to say no but we were already late with a busy day ahead so we had to thank him and get on our way.

We were leaving Stepanavan and would be staying at Haghpat for the night. Our first stop was at the gas station where we had a cup of coffee. I had to use the toilet which is one you squat over which is fine except the light didn't work and I was in serious danger of stepping in the wrong place. We then headed for Hnevank, a very beautiful church in a very remote area close to the Debed Gorge. The road we had to take to get to the top of the gorge had many twists and turns with a really poor surface - my least favourite. We finally got there - slowly. Lovely setting with the rushing river in the distance and lots of birds of prey flying above.

We had to return via the same route but it didn't seem quite so bad coming down. Our next stop was Kobayr monastery which both Rod and I had visited on previous trips to Armenia. They are continuing to renovate the buildings slowly. We met a boy from the village whose photograph was in the first edition of the Bradt guide. Rod met him and took a photo of him in 2004 which he sent to Nick Holden author of the guide. He was photographed again by nick's wife in 2010 and we did it again today. Poor chap! He is now 16 years old.

After the steep climb to Kobayr we were ready for lunch and stopped at Armens in Alaverdi. Last time I came it was pretty quiet and we easily got a table outside. Different story today - the place was jammed with tourist buses. We still managed to get a table but inside. The food here is very good. We had two bean dishes - one cold one hot. The hot dish was cooked with egg, almost like a bean omelette. All delicious.

We were then fuelled up for the next two churches, Odzun and Ardvi. Both are on the plateau of the gorge but this time, although the road had hairpin bends, the tarmac was in pretty good condition. Odzun is in a small village. We must have arrived when school was out as there were gangs of children gathering in the church grounds. Renovation is taking place on this church, too. It's an impressive example of a basilica church. Then on to Ardvi. The roads have a conspicuous lack of signs but some locals pointed us in the right direction. The church is on the edge of the village. Apparently this is where Parajanov filmed The Colour of Pomegranates. There were several graveyards near the church, the most interesting being the oldest one that had katchcars on a cube base as well as the carved flat gravestones showing some info about the person e.g. An arrow and sword we assumed indicates that they were a soldier.

The geology in this area is very interesting. I really wish I had a book about it - if one exists. One feature is called The Snake by locals. It looks like a seam of basalt that stretches horizontally for quite a distance. At one point along the seam there is a spring called the Snakes navel!

Saro needed to get his car checked out so he took us to our hotel in Haghpat, high up on the plateau. The hotel is quite new and the grounds are nicely set out. We had enough time to go for a short walk to the monastery before it became dark. There is no street lighting in the villages.

Another lovely meal, roasted aubergine, a spicy cabbage salad and yogurt soup. There are two Dutch women staying here, one of whom has been living here since the 90s working for humanitarian organisations. Her sister was visiting Armenia. The other party were a group of French people who were on a walking holiday. They were getting quite exuberant, singing drinking songs and generally being loud. After our meal we were going to get photos uploaded and blogs done but the music started and our hosts started to get everyone dancing. We were invited to join them and I think we didn't make too big a fool of ourselves. There wouldn't have been much point in going to bed anyway as the music was LOUD. Poor Saro - his room was right above the party. We talked to their guide- the group are walking about four hours a day. Rather them than me!

By 10.30pm we were ready for bed - that's 7.30pm in the UK - how quickly we have adjusted.

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Photos

Abandoned playground
Left over from the old Soviet days

Theatre turned furniture shop
Sad times

Road to Hvenank
Twisty turny road

Hnevank Monastery
Up a tortuous road but worth it.

Armenian village road
The roads have improved but not in all areas

Armen
The most photographed boy in Kobayr

View from Kobayr Monastery
View towards Tumanyan

Odzun Church
Lots of renovation going on