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Thursday 19 April, 2018

Around Armenia


Now most people wondered why we went to Armenia. It is neither a popular destination nor well-known. I am glad though we went because as a culture and photography buff, I found it amazing. The country is warm and welcoming and in April  - when we went – is a great time to visit as there are not all that many tourists. But be warned your jackets are required: it is still cold.
We went via Indus Aurora Holidays based in Delhi. Email and telephone were our only means of contact. Yet the entire tour went beautifully and we were impressed. Our guide Mary Mirzakhanyan was the best and extremely helpful and thoughtful.
Of course we had slight hitches at the airport as is to be expected when you are going to a country nobody has heard of except in the violent sense. But they soon gave us the green flag and we were all set to go.
Our journey was peaceful enough and we had a breakfast of croissants at Costa Coffee before we made the transit at Sharjah airport. Air Arabia proved to be comfortable enough during our entire journey, both ways. Remember, bro and I are both plus-sized.
At the airport after making our way through several lines, we found Mary waiting for us outside. After brief introductions, we went to the car and the luggage was loaded. Thankful for our jackets we climbed into the vehicle to escape from the cold.
Mary told us that the check-in would only be in the afternoon and so we would begin our city tour. The city reminded me of Iran. The well-paved streets, the pavements, the colourful stones, were all impressive. We enjoyed the view as Mary kept explaining to us the history and culture of the city. Let’s just say that it was silly of me to forget my notebook and pen and so I have very little in terms of notes about the country. Here’s hoping my memory helps, as well as the books I collected and Wikipedia.
Our first stop was the Genocide Memorial and Museum. There was a light spring shower when we stepped out. We were thankful for our jackets and umbrella. It was a short walk to the museum and memorial but I was huffing from the difference in altitude. My camera had some issues and so I ended up turning to our phones for the pictures. We stopped to take pictures at the tree that our former Vice-President Hamid Ansari planted. We then moved towards the memorial. The memorial structure consisted of large blocks surrounding an eternal flame that was burning in remembrance of the victims of the genocide in Armenia. The place was decorated with some flowers and we took pictures. There was also a large column at the memorial. We came across some school children visiting the place and they happily posed for some pictures.
We next moved towards the museum. Inside the guide explained all the pictures to us as well as artefacts. The Genocide Museum opened its doors in 1995 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. After WWI, the genocide took place in Western Armenia and more than 1.5 million people were killed often after torture.  Armenia had been under the Ottoman Empire since the 17th century. The brutality was chilling. I remember one particular photograph which showed people posing for photographs at two floor levels. The people on the top were then killed by the people below once the picture was taken. We went around looking at how horrifying the genocide had been and the guide was only too happy to answer my questions. I bought a book at the museum’s store before leaving. Armenians visit here on April 24 – the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
We sped through the city and arrived soon at Mother Armenia. It was still raining as we got out. There were some military sculptures on display and Mary explained to us that this was because there was a military museum in the base. We did not go to the museum as it wasn’t part of the tour but took some pictures around the memorial. The statue had initially been one of Stalin but after independence it was replaced by Mother Armenia in 1967. Wikipedia notes that the statue has a height of 22 metres, thus making the overall height of the monument 51 metres, including the pedestal. The statue is built of hammered copper while the pedestal-museum is of basalt. Every year on 9 May, thousands of Armenians visit the statue of Mother Armenia and lay flowers to commemorate the Armenian martyrs of WWII. Here too we saw an eternal flame burning. The view from here was amazing especially with the rain clouds in the sky. 
Our next stop was the Cascade. It looked like a giant waterfall or stairway. Made of limestone, it was built in the 1970s. There are a number of cafes and restaurants on both sides of the Cascade. We decided to take the escalators to avoid some of the huffing and puffing. As we went up we saw varied sculptures and installations. There were many pieces outside at the front as well. Some of the front ones were made of recycled materials, such as the lion built with tyres and the horseshoe horse. The fat lady sculpture made us decide to pose alongside her. I think my favourite piece inside was the lip chair and the multi-hued glowing man. We came down the steps part of the way so that we could enjoy the view as well as the cool weather.
Our next destination was Republic Square. It is the central town square in Yerevan, surrounded by five famous buildings: the National Art Gallery and History Museum of Armenia, the Government House, the Central post office, the Mariott Armenia hotel and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. We took pictures near the fountains and the installation that read I Love Yerevan.
Our lunch came next. I was extremely happy with my vegetarian meal. In Armenia the meal begins with salads, cheese and bread, followed by soup. Then comes the main course, usually rice dishes with a sort of curry. This is followed by dessert. Sparkling water was what we chose to accompany our food.
Following lunch we went to the hotel and checked-in. It was naptime as we were tired. We woke up soon and got ready for dinner. Mary came at the appointed time to the lobby and took us to a restaurant for dinner. She bid us goodbye after giving directions. Dinner was again lavish like lunch. There was cheese and different kinds of salad, with bread. I liked the spinach salad. My main course was mushroom and rice which was also yum. My brother had chicken instead of mushroom, cooked in gravy. Dessert consisted of a sweet roll of pastry followed by herbal tea. We walked back to the hotel and slept well that night.
Next morning we woke up and breakfasted on continental food. There was sausages, scrambled eggs, potato pastry, etc., with filtered coffee as well as the Armenian variety. After breakfast we took our belongings from the room and headed to the lobby where we met up with Mary. By now I had figured the problem with the camera (memory card was not on write mode thanks to a tiny switch on it in the wrong position) and had my gear with me.
Our first stop for the day was the Geghard Monastery. This monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, surrounded by cliffs. The monastery was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named the Monastery of the Cave. The monastery was famous because of the relics that it housed including the spear which had wounded Christ on the Cross, allegedly brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus, from which comes its present name – the Monastery of the Spear.
Way to Geghard Monastery

Geghard Monastery

 We were extremely lucky according to Mary because we were fortunate enough to listen to some of the choir singing. They sang for the tourists in a cave-like structure which had good acoustics. We enjoyed listening to them. We also came across a stream that had coins in it inside the monastery.
The water was cool and delicious. Throwing coins is from the belief that it will bring luck and prosperity. There was also a stream with a bridge across which we stood upon for a while before returning. We managed to avoid the sellers who would accost us and reached the car.
Our next destination was Garni Temple – an ancient, pagan temple that had been restored in the 1970s after the earthquake of 1679. There existed a church alongside the temple but only its ruins remain today. The temple is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia. It was built in the first century as a temple to the sun god. There was even an inscription at the entrance that showed the word Helios – the sun god. . After Armenia's conversion to Christianity in the early fourth century, the building was converted into a royal summer house. Today it is a favourite tourist spot. I did not climb the steps to the temple as they were quite steep but my brother did and it was empty, he reported.
Garni Temple

We spend some time looking at the bath house nearby from the Roman era. It had stones which were heated in ancient days and water flowed in amongst the stones. There was even a partial mosaic from that period. As we walked back we looked at the stones that had been recovered from the excavation and placed alongside the path like decorations. I bought some walnut jam outside from a lady who was selling preserved goods and let me tell you it was an excellent recommendation by Mary. I forgot to mention that we heard the sound of turkeys for the first time and were highly amused.
Our next trip was in a kind of jeep (from the Soviet Era) as the car would not be able to go that way. So we bundled in and then went on a bumpy ride to Garni Gorge. The ride was worth it despite everything because it was beautiful. Mary normally walks that way but considering our tiredness, she hired the vehicle. The gorge was awesome and not to be missed. I loved it. We were glad she took us there. After more photography and watching some cows that resembled Indian cows, we rode back to the car.
At the gorge

Gorge

Next was lunch. Mary took us to a restaurant that had been a home but had been converted to feed tourists. The atmosphere was homely and quite, since it was not yet tourist season. We had our taste of local bread as well as a lot of salads. For me the vegetarian, there was a pulao-like rice mixed with shredded carrots. There was a selection of cheese and some yummy olives too. The local tradition of drinking strong coffee or herbal tea after food continued.
After lunch we were excited to visit the oldest church in Armenia – the Etchmiadzin Cathedral. According to scholars it was the first cathedral built in ancient Armenia, and is considered the oldest cathedral in the world by some. The original church was built in the early fourth century. It replaced a pre-existing temple, symbolizing the conversion from paganism to Christianity. Called the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, it has been the administrative headquarters of the Armenian Church. It is a major pilgrimage site and one of the most visited places in the country especially for Christmas celebrated here on January 6.The cathedral was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Khachkar

The Cathedral

Mary showed us a stage, next to the entrance where Pope John Paul II had conducted Mass on his visit to Armenia. The church was decorated with many carvings and paintings and was undergoing renovation at the time of our visit. Mary also pointed out to us the seminary, the library and the residence of the Catholicos who heads the Armenian Church.
At the church museum we saw the spear that had pierced the side of Jesus after his death on the cross. Apparently Pope John Paul II had certified that this was the original spear of all the five spears in the world claiming to be so. There was also a relic from Noah’s arc, which is said to have settled on Mount Ararat in Armenia. Another fascinating piece was a remnant of the body of St. John, embedded in a metal hand. It was fascinating. There were even garments on display that had their origins in India. Mary told us the story of an Indian man who, on seeing the decorated garments wanted to order them and was surprised to learn they had their origins in India.
The Roman spear

While we were visiting the church, we were able to see the current new president of the country as well as the current Catholicos lighting candles. Mary said we were extremely fortunate people to see the choir and the President as well as the Catholicos in one day.  
On the way to the church from the gate, we came across several khachkars. khachkar, also known as an Armenian cross-stone is a carved, memorial bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, interlaces, and botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art. They are considered a part of world heritage by UNESCO. Most of the monasteries had them – either the original or duplicated ones.
After visiting the church we went to our last stop – Vernissage Market. The shopaholic in me was thrilled despite being tired. Mary acted as our translator and helped us bargain. We saw a huge variety of things – everything you could possibly want – from small handicrafts to urns. We purchased a few items. Mary then told us we needed to hurry as a protest was taking place on the roads there. So we hurried to the car and were able to see the protesters without getting in the way. Since our car was going the other way, the protest did not affect our departure.
We went to the hotel to freshen up and Mary in the lobby so she could take us to dinner. Since we had some time to kill, we went to a chocolate shop and picked up some gourmet chocolates for home. Then, after we had settled in at the restaurant, she bid us goodbye. There was dancing at the restaurant which we enjoyed watching. Dinner consisted of salads, cheese, bread, soup and a rice dish followed by dessert and tea. This was the one time I did not enjoy a part of my meal as I did not like the rice dish which seemed bland to me. But that is my personal thing. Everything else about the tour was excellent. One tiny factor after all.
Next morning, after a hearty continental breakfast at the hotel, we departed for our next destination Khor Virap Monastery. We stopped on the way for pictures but it was extremely windy and cold. Since it was a festival day the place was swarmed with people. Mary told us the story of the monastery.
Gregory the Illuminator was initially imprisoned here for 13 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. He was held in a cell at the bottom of pit dug into an Armenian hillock. For 13 years the man survived by being secretly fed by local Christian women. Then, as the story goes, Lusavorich cured the ruler of a disease and subsequently converted the monarch to Christianity. Thus Armenia became the first Christian country in the world in 301 AD. A chapel was initially built in 642 at the site of Khor Virap.
In 1662, the larger chapel known as the St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) was built around the ruins of the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Armenia, as we saw that day. Despite centuries of architectural turmoil, the pit where Saint Gregory was incarcerated can still be visited through the hole to the right of the altar in the chapel. We did not go there or visit the chapel above due to the conditions being unfit for us to go. Instead we watched some dance performances. Some children greeted my brother with a Namaste. After having a look all around I contacted Mary who was waiting for us outside.
Dances by children

We proceeded to our next stop - lunch. It was served in a nearby restaurant situated on an artificial lake. There was a drake calling for its duck in the lake. We were also visited by some stray cats asking for titbits.
Mary had bought us food from home – a kind of stuffed vegetarian chapatti that had been given to her by her neighbour and she shared with us. There was also the usual course of meals and we tried out some green lemonade drink.
After lunch we proceeded to the city of Jermuk to visit the waterfalls. When we reached there we realized it was extremely cold. The three of us proceeded to visit the waterfalls despite knowing it was freezing cold. The waterfalls were not extremely huge as it was only the beginning of April but we got some good pictures.
 The waterfall is also known as mermaid’s hair because according to legend once upon a time a nobleman’s daughter kept refusing suitors because she was in love with a poor shepherd. Every night she would let down a rope to her lover. When her father found the rope he cursed her to become a mermaid. Despite no rope, she let down her hair the next night to her lover but immediately became a mermaid and her hair, the falls. Soon we left the place, happy to have visited, but equally happy to get away from the freezing cold. I wonder what ice-cream would have tasted like to us then!
Thankful for the warm car, we climbed back inside and moved on to see the hot springs at Jarmuk. We were tired but the springs proved to be delightful. There were jar-like fountains at the springs with their temperatures written. This water was drunk as part of therapy. We tested the temperatures and took more pictures. There was a small artificial lake nearby. We went inside the Hotel Hyatt to use the restrooms before continuing our trip.We managed to see snow fall for the first time in this part of Armenia.
Our next stop was the Areni Winery. We visited the wine cellar and then there we were treated to tasting a selection of wines, as well as their brandy and vodka. We favoured the semi-sweet wines as we were most used to the sweet kind. We picked up some quince and apricot wine. After watching a video on wine-making and some coffee and apricots, we made our purchases so we could return to Yerevan.
Wines for tasting

We went directly to the restaurant, leaving our wines behind in the car as it would have looked odd in the restaurant. This place was fancier than our usual place and there was a lot of dance music and crowds. This was to be our gala dinner as arranged by Mary. The food was once again delicious and we began with a variety of salads, bread and cheese. I found my favourite cheese though I do not know its name. This was followed by some tasty soup. Then my main course consisted of grilled vegetables and cheese. My brother had a meat dish. Dessert was yummy too. We walked a few blocks to reach the hotel and get some rest.
Next morning, Mount Ararat looked bright and beautiful from our hotel window. After another continental breakfast, we proceeded towards the ski slopes, all bundled up for snow. But not before we stopped at the candy shop for chocolates to take home, which we did in plenty. At the slope, Mary got the tickets and we proceeded to sit down quickly on the ever turning cable car and buckle down. The trip was slightly scary as our feet were dangling in air. We were thankful for our snow shoes as they would definitely not fall off. Admiring the scenery despite our fears, we quickly made it to the mountain and had some help jumping off the car. We then walked around the place taking pictures, rejecting an offer at buggy riding. I was disappointed that there was no snow except for wisps of it. Since it was my brother’s first glimpse of snow we touched the snow before leaving. The way back was by cable car and we had to jump off like before with some help. We were soon back in the car and I took off all the warm gear finally.
The next destination was what got me all huffing and puffing because we climbed 250 steps to visit the Sevan Monastery or Sevanavank. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, on the side of which the monastery was built and which started in the era of Joseph Stalin, the water level fell about 20 metres, and the island it was seated on transformed into a peninsula. The view at the top was worth all the struggle because it was breath-taking.
The monastery

There was another story linked to this monastery. There was a princess whose husband died when he was 30 and so she vowed to build 30 churches in memory of her husband. Thus was enlarged the monastery. We took pictures around the place. There was a khachkar in the monastery that depicted the entire life of Jesus. We also saw the room where the princess used to pray. On my way back I picked up a painting of pomegranates that struck me as really pretty.
Being our last day of the tour, we had lunch at a restaurant that gave a beautiful view of Lake Savern. Mary had bought a kind of chutney for me to eat with my food. We both loved it. I had green lemonade with my salads. Vazgen, the driver, had bought some doughnut like pastries from the candy shop and we tasted it. It was all yummy to me. After lunch, Mary threw bread so the seagulls would come. When we were outside the restaurant, the seagulls came near the lakeside to eat the remnants of fish that had been thrown there by the restaurant workers. We saw a huge number of seagulls.
Seagulls

On our way back, Mary had said we could stop to pick up some of the famous Obsidian stones on the wayside. True to her word, the driver stopped the vehicle and picked up some stones for me to add to my stone collection. On the way we also saw Vazgen’s house atop a hill.
Our last stop was the dry fruits market. We went to the stall of a family that Mary knew and picked up a huge load of dry fruits and nuts. They were really tasty and a good bargain. By then I was almost out of drams. So we walked quickly round the market taking photos. My brother tried some cheese. Since we were not sure if we could take them we decided not to take any with us.
We reached the hotel a bit earlier than usual. This was helpful since we had to pack. After packing, with spare time on our hands before dinner, we took a stroll along the streets. We returned and met Mary outside the hotel along with another Indian friend she had met recently.
After being seated we had our dinner. We were the only guests that evening for some time and so it was altogether a quiet dinner.  Salads, cheese, bread, soup alongside our main dinner. My brother had tolma – meat wrapped in leaves. I had veggies with rice provided separately. Dessert for our last day was ice-cream cut in squares.
We strolled back and on our way came across protesters blocking the road with benches. They did not mind us and we walked back quickly. Mary was worried when we told her but it all went fine.
Next morning, following breakfast, we had an early checkout. Mary and Vazgen came early and we left before the protesters came. At the airport we said our goodbyes and gave our gifts to Mary before getting into the airport. The lady at the check-in counter shocked us by telling us our luggage was overweight but they finally sorted it out and we checked-in without any more problems.  The only hitch was that the immigration officer could not believe that my brother was the same person as the passport photo (he was thinner and had no moustache). So he finally made him sign on the boarding pass so he could verify the signature!
The flight back was good and we lunched on sandwiches at the airport. Since we had time to kill we were at the cafĂ© for three hours. Then we grabbed some takeaway from McDonald’s and went to wait in the lunge we were instructed to wait in. After a while we decided to eat since we had nothing else to do. We waited in the food court and joined the queue soon. The flight back was uneventful and we landed in Kochi at 3:30 a.m. We breezed through everything and we were soon bound for home with our luggage, pleasant memories and a smile on our faces.