A Journey Through Armenia

A Journey Through Armenia

October 29 - From Tbilisi to Yerevan

The trip from Tbilisi to Yerevan wasn’t the simplest. It's always a bit confusing to find information about transport in the Caucasus. I found the address online to catch a marshrutka to Yerevan and got there early, a good thing considering the early departure.

The road journey was a tad less nerve-wracking this time—perhaps because I'm getting used to it, or maybe because the roads are wider here, allowing three cars side by side when needed.

I walked from the bus station to the hotel, a bit of a hassle with numerous busy roads to cross, not very pedestrian-friendly.

In the evening, I walked around the center of Yerevan. The main square is pretty – too bad it’s filled with cars.

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October 30

Explored Erevan and wandered through its parks.

The Cascade: a monument, an impressive 118-meter-high stairway, construction began in the 1970s… but it remains unfinished. PXL_20231030_081054399

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Tasted Armenian Tolma - vine leaves stuffed with meat. PXL_20231030_172116472

The parks here are full of people playing chess, backgammon or cards. PXL_20231031_100737387

October 31 - An Armenian Halloween

At lunch, I tried what they called "tabbouleh," which in Armenia turned out to be more of a parsley salad. PXL_20231031_105239558

I decided to walk to the Armenian Genocide Memorial. The trek along a busy road, not really pedestrian-friendly, was quite unpleasant.

However, the Memorial itself was intriguing. There were trees planted by public figures from many countries (Chirac, Macron, Putin, etc.) who acknowledged the genocide. Surprisingly, the flame on the top reminds me of the monument in Baku. PXL_20231031_115614951

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On my way back, I hailed a taxi. The usual ride-hailing apps like Bolt, Lyft, or Uber don’t work here; and I couldn't install the Yandex Go app. Unfortunately, I made the classic tourist mistake – I forgot to negotiate the fare beforehand. The driver used the meter and quoted an inflated amount at the end (almost 20 euros for a 10-minute ride). I didn’t have enough local currency, so he accepted all my Armenian drams and even took a Georgian bill I had. Lesson learned!

For the Halloween evening, I joined a small group (Egyptians, an Italian, Armenians) to share a Ghapama. It's a traditional Armenian dish made of rice, dried fruits, and almonds, all cooked inside a pumpkin. It takes hours to prepare, and luckily, Davit, the host, had preordered it. I was thrilled to taste this slow-cooked delicacy. PXL_20231031_165706350

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November 1 - Echmiadzin, Zvartnots, and a Little Fear

Tour

I joined an organized tour that covered several churches and a museum. We visited Etchmiadzin, the seat of the Armenian Church. The cathedral there is regarded as the oldest cathedral in the world. PXL_20231101_064042680

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Then we toured Zvartnots, an archaeological site with ruins dating back to the 7th century. In the ruins, they were shooting a video, I don't know if it's for a music video or something else. PXL_20231101_100657973

Credit Card

While heading back to Yerevan, I stopped at a café for some hummus. When it was time to pay, I realized I didn't have my credit card. After a moment of thought, I figured I must have left it in the ATM earlier in the morning. It sometimes happens when the machine dispenses the cash before returning the card, breaking the usual sequence. I wasn’t too worried as I had another card (albeit with hefty foreign transaction fees) and the ability to make contactless payments using my phone. But that card was pretty handy.

Using the app on my phone, I confirmed that my card hadn't been used. Given it had been five hours already, it probably had been reported somewhere. I returned to the ATM. Nearby was a bank, so I approached the counter and explained the issue to a lady who didn't speak English. She preferred that I type my message on her phone for translation. After verifying my passport and a few minutes, I got my card back. Everything's fine!

Evening

For the evening, I got in touch with two other travelers: Mischa (Dutch) and Ivo (Bulgarian). We met up for some beers. It was a pleasant conversation. Ivo shared how he enjoys hitchhiking, which got me intrigued to give it a try. Interestingly, I discovered that Ivo and I had both planned the same tour for the next day. Cool coincidence!

November 2 - Lake Sevan

A trip to Lake Sevan awaited me. I met up with Ivo in the morning, and there were also two Egyptians he had bumped into the day before.

It turned out to be a delightful day. We visited a monastery, took a chairlift ride up the mountain, and then headed to Lake Sevan, where we indulged in some fresh fish from the lake—some of it even cooked on a barbecue. To top it off, we embarked on a boat tour across the serene waters of the lake. PXL_20231102_070050699

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The camaraderie among our small group was fantastic. At the end of the organized tour, we decided to stick together. We made our way to the Cascade for a breathtaking view of the city at night. For the challenge, I decided to run the stairs. PXL_20231102_141216353

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Later, we dined together, and after that, we joined a gathering at a local bar. It was a reunion with Mischa, the Dutchman we had met the day before. There were also two Serbians, colleagues traveling through Georgia while telecommuting. I made a mental note to reconnect with them when I'd pass through Serbia.

This was my last day in Yerevan, as I planned to return to Georgia the next day.

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