Blogs from Armenia, Asia - page 5

Our overnight train from Baku to Tbilisi started off very well. Picking up ticket from the on-line booking window was efficient. That evening -Wednesday - the train departed dead on time at 20:40. The compartment was cosy enough, though somewhat stuffy as no window could be opened. The carriage lady offered tea/coffee which she brought to us, with boiled sweets, in our cabin. And we settled down early as it was dark, so nothing to see, and the border check would be at 05:30. From there on, Thursday went somewhat naff, to put it mildly (you don't want to know the words we considered rather than 'naff'). The crossing out from Azerbaijan took the hour, as timetabled. The entry into Georgia took nearly 2 1/2 hours, not the hour timetabled. As a result we only arrived ... read more

Drove along the apparently historic Debed Canyon (this is what the guide book says, but we didn't spot any of the churches that are supposed to line the valley). Very different scenery, green tree covered hills. Very steep and long canyon with a lot of old Soviet industrial factories along the way. Our destination of Alvaverdi town, a very ugly big town that is full of semi-derelict factories, a decrepit looking cable car and two UNESCO world heritage monasteries, Haghpat and Sanahin. Haghpat we felt was the more interesting of the two. Both are from Medieval times with libraries and great stone work. Sanahin was known for the illuminators of manuscripts. The town of Sanahin is the top of the cable car from Alaverdi and is where the factory workers lived, the cable car was for ... read more

Picked up our Lada Niva for a 6day tour around Armenia. First stop was Geghard monastery, not so far out of Yerevan (UNESCO world heritage site, Medieval monastery). This is a big complex founded by Gregory the Illuminator (3rd Century founder of Christianity in Armenia and patron Saint of Armenia). There are some lovely carvings in the stone, both inside and outside. We were fortunate to catch a choir singing beautifully in a cave chapel. It was a very popular destination, probably due to it being Saturday. Close by is Garni temple, a left over from Roman occupation, interesting history but not so interesting to visit. From there a longer drive took us to Khor Virap monastery (17th century) which has great views to Mt Ararat, it's also where Gregory the Illuminator was incarcerated for 13 ... read more

I think that title just about sums up Armenia in one sentence! I do like the way Lonely Planet summarises Armenia: "Few nations have histories as ancient, as complex and as laced with tragedy as Armenia. But even fewer have a culture that is as rich and as resilient”. As stated, Armenia has a long and tragic history of wars and conflicts, a number of which continue to this day. It was invaded in the early days by Mongols, Persians, Turks, Russians and many more, and even today it is in conflict with two of its immediate neighbours, with whom it has closed borders. There has been a long-simmering argument about the Ottoman Empire’s treatment of Armenians between 1915 and 1922, which the Armenians consider constitutes a genocide but this is vehemently denied by the Turks. ... read more

FACES OF ARMENIA...The Most Beautiful Women in the World. I am so embarrassed...I can't stop shaking my head in disbelief...like a snail hiding from the sun under a leaf...like a chameleon afraid to show his true colours. What made me like this? Is it too much sun? Past my used by date? Silly due to the oppressive heat? Politeness overcoming common sense? An over abundance of self-conscious hormones in my jeans...or is it in my genes? The measure of a man is how he deals with disappointment. OK I'll fess up...missed opportunity after opportunity...not wanting to look like an Ugly Tourist...Yeh that's it. Others would say gutless I reckon. I visit Armenia voted by reliable sources as having the most beautiful women in the World...and I'm too timid to ask if I may take their photo. ... read more