Sunday, 16 October 2016
Saturday 15th October
Leaving Yerevan this morning we first visited the winery.
This was a spectacular establishment on all counts. Much bigger than any I have seen before, it was also the ultimate in luxury. Everything sparkled, the floors were the walls marble and a great deal of thought had gone into every aspect of the buildings. Wine brandy and vodka are produced by this company which is owned and run by two Armenian businessmen. In the room where they store the barrels of wine the wall were covered with pictures done by local artists, including this one of Mount Ararat. (We didn't see the top as the cloud was too low.)
At the tasting afterwards we were given champagne and red wine both of which far excelled anything we have tasted so far. A most impressive enterprise.
Our next stop was at the Amberd Fort high up in the mountains.
With its splendid location it towers over the valley and provides spectacular views over Mount Aragats, the highest mountain in modern Armenia. The road to the Debed Canyon was closed due to reconstruction so we had to make a lengthy detour to our hotel, a beautiful and interesting place in the base of the canyon.
Leaving Yerevan this morning we first visited the winery.
This was a spectacular establishment on all counts. Much bigger than any I have seen before, it was also the ultimate in luxury. Everything sparkled, the floors were the walls marble and a great deal of thought had gone into every aspect of the buildings. Wine brandy and vodka are produced by this company which is owned and run by two Armenian businessmen. In the room where they store the barrels of wine the wall were covered with pictures done by local artists, including this one of Mount Ararat. (We didn't see the top as the cloud was too low.)
At the tasting afterwards we were given champagne and red wine both of which far excelled anything we have tasted so far. A most impressive enterprise.
Our next stop was at the Amberd Fort high up in the mountains.
With its splendid location it towers over the valley and provides spectacular views over Mount Aragats, the highest mountain in modern Armenia. The road to the Debed Canyon was closed due to reconstruction so we had to make a lengthy detour to our hotel, a beautiful and interesting place in the base of the canyon.
Sunday 16th October
From our hotel up in the Debed Canyon we planned to visit two monasteries, Sanabin and Haghpat, both worlds heritage sites, and to walk from one to the other. We started at Shanahan, a village cut into the canyon wall above the town of Alaverdi. (The transport and administrative hub of the area with shabby Soviet era apartment blocks and a huge smokestack pouring smoke from the mining works.) Shanahan is packed with ancient graves and chapels and study halls (very cold and draughty!)
Below is one of the khatchkars or carved crosses for which Armenian monasteries are famous.
Haghpat was founded by Queen Khosrvanuch who funded construction of the church there in 966.
The most fascinating building was the library. Here the monks used to store manuscripts in pottery jars sunk into holes in the ground.
We then made our way across the mountains to the monastery at Haghpat, a stimulating and enjoyable walk over the mountains, albeit it with a rather scary descent, managed by we older people with a certain loss of decorum, but nonetheless, safely.
Haghpat was founded by Queen Khosrvanuch who funded construction of the church there in 966.
The most fascinating building was the library. Here the monks used to store manuscripts in pottery jars sunk into holes in the ground.
As our guide Nana, a professor at the university in Yerevan, now feared snow we returned to our hotel and a welcome swim and jot tub helped to restore some energy to my aching limbs.
Sadly the evening meal marked the end of our stay in these interesting countries and many thanks to all those, drivers and guides who eased our way through unknown territory but especially to Rosa and Robin who organised such a great holiday. Tomorrow we go to Tbilisi for the plane home.
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Thursday October 13th
After a leisurely breakfast we set out to explore Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Twenty two metres high, Mother Armenia stands ready to fight against repression, and freedom for the citizens of Armenia.
Inside the carvings are amazing and all lend to the atmosphere of this very special church.
After a leisurely breakfast we set out to explore Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Twenty two metres high, Mother Armenia stands ready to fight against repression, and freedom for the citizens of Armenia.
The manuscript library, the Matendaran, houses thousands of manuscripts from the 5th century onwards. There are over 23,000 manuscripts, documents and maps and some exquisite illuminated texts. The building was designed specifically as a manuscript store and at the base of the building is a stake of Mashtots teaching his alphabet (he invented the Armenian alphabet) whilst the stakes of six other scholars and writers are to be found near the door.
After lunch we visited the Armenian Genocide Museum and memorial. The stark building is built into the hillside in order not to detract from the monument above.
The museum commemorates the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire from 1915-1922 and the story of this horrific event is told through photographs, documents, newspaper reports and films. Sadly, Britain has not recognised the genocide.
In the evening we went to the ballet Spartacus by Kachachurian and performed by the Armenian state ballet company. Both the dancing and the music were thrilling and the evening was a great success.
Friday, October 14th
Today we set off to explore three of the country's top attractions. Echmiadzin is the Vatican of the Armenian church where legend has it that Sur' Grigor Lusavorich saw a beam of light fall to earth in a vision and where he then built the first Mother Church of Armenia.
The main cathedral is surrounded by lawns and flower beds , the Pontifical Residence Museum and other churches, seminaries and libraries within the compound,
and the interior of the church is noted for its frescoes.
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At the back of the church is the Cathedral Museum which houses precious objects and relics collected by the church including wood from Noah's Ark from Mount Ararat, the spear used by the Roman soldier to pierce Christ's side when on the cross and a gold reliquary said to contain a relic of the cross.
After viewing the museum we then went on to visit the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral which was built in the 7th century, destroyed in the 10th and the ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was originally dedicated to Gregory the Illuminator who was the first Catholics of the Armenian church. The ruins were buried until the 20th century when they were excavated. Around the cathedral are the ruins of the palace and the wine press and tanks of a mediaeval winery.
Our next stop was the Geghard Monastery, named after the lance that pierced Chris's side at the crucifixion. (relic found in the museum, see above) This world heritage listed monastery was carved out of the rock face of the Azat River Gorge. It is thought that it was founded in the 4th century and the oldest surviving chapel dates back to the 12th century.
In the evening a stroll around the city brought us to the Republic Square where an illuminated fountain display was set to music and proved the perfect end to the day.
Wednesday October 12th
We spent the night in Dilijan which is known as the "Switzerland of Armenia" with its attractive scenery and extremely pleasant climate. During Soviet times it was a popular place for composers , artists and writers.
The local architecture features steep roofs and wooden beams and some very pretty little houses.Our first visit was to the Art Gallery
which houses an eclectic collection of European and Armenian art from the 16th to the 20th century.
We then returned to our coach for the next part of the journey, this time to Lake Seven.1900 metres above sea level, as well as being the largest lake in the Caucasus it is also one of the largest freshwater , high altitude lakes in the world.(940square kilometres)
Overlooking the lake on the Seven Peninsula, is the Sevanavank monastery.
A pagan temple once occupied the site but was replaced by a now ruined church in the 4th century and two further churches were built in the 9th century.The climb to the top up a long flight of steps was well worth the view. Queen Mariam, wife of Vasak of Syunik, built the churches in 874 and they were heavily restored in the 17th century. In the 19th century the monastery was used to reform monks who had gone astray.
After lunch in the capital, Yerevan we drove to Khor Virap Monastery on the border with Turkey (4 borders in 2days!). The village is best known as the home of one of Armenia's major pilgrimage destinations. The buildings have been rebuilt several times since the 6th century. The pagan King Trdat imprisoned St Gregory in a well but became cursed with madness and it was only after he was cured by the saint that he converted to Christianity.
The monastery lies opposite Mount Ararat, and there are some spectacular views of the surrounding river pastures and vineyards. Although Mount Ararat is actually in Turkey, the Armenians claim it as their own. Armenian was the first country to officially become Christian , in 301.
In the evening I went for a stroll through the city centre, which was vibrant and buzzing with its cafe culture, and in the square restaurants and bars were crowded.
We spent the night in Dilijan which is known as the "Switzerland of Armenia" with its attractive scenery and extremely pleasant climate. During Soviet times it was a popular place for composers , artists and writers.
The local architecture features steep roofs and wooden beams and some very pretty little houses.Our first visit was to the Art Gallery
We then returned to our coach for the next part of the journey, this time to Lake Seven.1900 metres above sea level, as well as being the largest lake in the Caucasus it is also one of the largest freshwater , high altitude lakes in the world.(940square kilometres)
A pagan temple once occupied the site but was replaced by a now ruined church in the 4th century and two further churches were built in the 9th century.The climb to the top up a long flight of steps was well worth the view. Queen Mariam, wife of Vasak of Syunik, built the churches in 874 and they were heavily restored in the 17th century. In the 19th century the monastery was used to reform monks who had gone astray.
After lunch in the capital, Yerevan we drove to Khor Virap Monastery on the border with Turkey (4 borders in 2days!). The village is best known as the home of one of Armenia's major pilgrimage destinations. The buildings have been rebuilt several times since the 6th century. The pagan King Trdat imprisoned St Gregory in a well but became cursed with madness and it was only after he was cured by the saint that he converted to Christianity.
The monastery lies opposite Mount Ararat, and there are some spectacular views of the surrounding river pastures and vineyards. Although Mount Ararat is actually in Turkey, the Armenians claim it as their own. Armenian was the first country to officially become Christian , in 301.
In the evening I went for a stroll through the city centre, which was vibrant and buzzing with its cafe culture, and in the square restaurants and bars were crowded.
Wednesday October 12th
We spent the night in Dilijan which is known as the "Switzerland of Armenia" with its attractive scenery and extremely pleasant climate. During Soviet times it was a popular place for composers , artists and writers. The local architecture features steep roofs and wooden beams and some very pretty little houses.Our first visit was to the Art Gallery
which houses an eclectic collection of European and Armenian art from the 16th to the 20th century.
We then returned to our coach for the next part of the journey, this time to Lake Seven.1900 metres above sea level, as well as being the largest lake in the Caucasus it is also one of the largest freshwater , high altitude lakes in the world.(940square kilometres) Overlooking the lake on the Seven Peninsula, .is the Sevanavank monastery.
A pagan temple once occupied the site but was replaced by a now ruined church in the 4th century and two further churches were built in the 9th century.The climb to the top up a long flight of steps was well worth the view. Queen Mariam, wife of Vasak of Syunik, built the churches in 874 and they were heavily restored in the 17th century. In the 19th century the monastery was used to reform monks who had gone astray.
After lunch in the capital, Yerevan we drove to Khor Virap Monastery on the border with Turkey (4 borders in 2days!). The village is best known as the home of one of Armenia's major pilgrimage destinations. The buildings have been rebuilt several times since the 6th century. The pagan King Trdat imprisoned St Gregory in a well but became cursed with madness and it was only after he was cured by the saint that he converted to Christianity.
The monastery lies opposite Mount Ararat, and there are some spectacular views of the surrounding river pastures and vineyards. Although Mount Ararat is actually in Turkey, the Armenians claim it as their own. Armenian was the first country to officially become Christian , in 301.
In the evening I went for a stroll through the city centre, which was vibrant and buzzing with its cafe culture, and in the square restaurants and bars were crowded.
We spent the night in Dilijan which is known as the "Switzerland of Armenia" with its attractive scenery and extremely pleasant climate. During Soviet times it was a popular place for composers , artists and writers. The local architecture features steep roofs and wooden beams and some very pretty little houses.Our first visit was to the Art Gallery
We then returned to our coach for the next part of the journey, this time to Lake Seven.1900 metres above sea level, as well as being the largest lake in the Caucasus it is also one of the largest freshwater , high altitude lakes in the world.(940square kilometres) Overlooking the lake on the Seven Peninsula, .is the Sevanavank monastery.
A pagan temple once occupied the site but was replaced by a now ruined church in the 4th century and two further churches were built in the 9th century.The climb to the top up a long flight of steps was well worth the view. Queen Mariam, wife of Vasak of Syunik, built the churches in 874 and they were heavily restored in the 17th century. In the 19th century the monastery was used to reform monks who had gone astray.
After lunch in the capital, Yerevan we drove to Khor Virap Monastery on the border with Turkey (4 borders in 2days!). The village is best known as the home of one of Armenia's major pilgrimage destinations. The buildings have been rebuilt several times since the 6th century. The pagan King Trdat imprisoned St Gregory in a well but became cursed with madness and it was only after he was cured by the saint that he converted to Christianity.
The monastery lies opposite Mount Ararat, and there are some spectacular views of the surrounding river pastures and vineyards. Although Mount Ararat is actually in Turkey, the Armenians claim it as their own. Armenian was the first country to officially become Christian , in 301.
In the evening I went for a stroll through the city centre, which was vibrant and buzzing with its cafe culture, and in the square restaurants and bars were crowded.
Monday 10th October
We started our day by heading north on the Georgian Military Highway to our first stop at the fortress at Ananuri. The trees were in their full autumn colours so on one side of the road was a fabulous display of reds and oranges and yellows in contrast to the brilliant turquoise of the river flowing on the other side of the road.
The fortress,
overlooks the Zhinvali reservoir
and within the fortress are two 17th century churches, the larger of which, the Assumption Church has 17th and 18th century frescoes on the south wall.
From here we gravelled to the ski resort of Gudauri, highly rated apparently by many foreign skiers. There was a brushing of snow on the highest peaks but the season does not begin until December. On the way we passed a viewing platform, jointly erected by Georgian and Russian bodies and depicting stories from both countries.
We started our day by heading north on the Georgian Military Highway to our first stop at the fortress at Ananuri. The trees were in their full autumn colours so on one side of the road was a fabulous display of reds and oranges and yellows in contrast to the brilliant turquoise of the river flowing on the other side of the road.
The fortress,
overlooks the Zhinvali reservoir
and within the fortress are two 17th century churches, the larger of which, the Assumption Church has 17th and 18th century frescoes on the south wall.
From here we gravelled to the ski resort of Gudauri, highly rated apparently by many foreign skiers. There was a brushing of snow on the highest peaks but the season does not begin until December. On the way we passed a viewing platform, jointly erected by Georgian and Russian bodies and depicting stories from both countries.
At this point we were. 2000m above se level so were feeling distinctly chilly!
We continued to climb, well above the tree line and the clouds began to swirl around us. We were making for Kazbegi in the High Caucasus just ten miles from the Russian border, to visit the Tsminda Sameba Church sitting opposite Mt Kazbek.(5047m). Unfortunately we couldn't see the top because of the clouds but the ride to the church in four wheel drive vehicles was memorable as indeed was the interior of the church. (No photos allowed). In 1988 the Soviets built a cable car line to the church but he people of Kazbegi felt it defiled their sacred place and destroyed it.
As we returned to Tbilisi we went down below the clouds to a lovely sunny autumn evening.
The evening was taken up by a cultural show and dinner. The former was very loud but quite diverting but the latter proved a disappointment as, after serving half the party they announced that the others would have to wait two hours! We consequently shared what we had already received and returned to the hotel!
Tuesday 11th October
I should have saved my exclamation marks for today. We set off for Armenia bright and early for a jour and a half's journey. Busy chatting and socialising we didn't notice anything was wrong for a couple of hours, but when questioned, our driver said we would be another half an hour. This went on for some time but began to be seriously worried when the driver kept stopping to ask the way. A few calls to the agency later and we were told we were on the right road and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw the sign saying border. This was short lived as we then realised it said Azerbaijan border! To cut a long story short we had to go all the way back to Tbilisi (it's in the mountains so only one pass) and start again to the Armenian border. Having spent all of our money in Georgia we were forced to use cards to buy sweets and ice cream from a local garage to substitute for lunch. Our visit to the winery, with lunch, was cancelled but when we did eventually get to Armenia a good dinner was waiting for us at a hotel near the border. (Arranged by the agents.) So, a long day, but we didn't lose spirits and managed to see the funny side of it.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Sunday October 9th
Today we left Tbilisi for the old capital and spiritual centre of Georgia, Mtskheta .It had been the capital of most of eastern Georgia from about the third century BC and has a beautiful setting where the Mtkvari (which runs through Tbilisi) and Aragvi rivers meet.
Across the courtyard from the museum was the home where Stalin was born
In one of the gardens were the pots called qvevri made from Georgian clay and buried in the ground and used for storing wine. Wine has been made in Georgia for at least 8000 years, and is drunk on all celebratory occasions.
Today we left Tbilisi for the old capital and spiritual centre of Georgia, Mtskheta .It had been the capital of most of eastern Georgia from about the third century BC and has a beautiful setting where the Mtkvari (which runs through Tbilisi) and Aragvi rivers meet.
First we called at the beautiful Jvari Church, visible for miles around on its hill top position overlooking the two rivers. To many Georgians it is the most holy of holy places and stands where King Miriam erected a cross soon after his conversion by St Nino in the 4th century.
As it was Sunday we were able to observe an Orthodox Mass and enjoy the singing and later to hear Katy's explanation of some of the rituals and customs. From here we went back down to the city and visited Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a grand and enormous building dating from the 11th century. Its story goes that a Mtskheta Jew was in Jerusalem at the time of The Crucifixion and returned with the robe. He gave it to his sister who died in a passion of faith. The robe was buried with her and, over time, people forgot its exact site. When King Miriam first built the church in the 4th century the wooden column could not be raised from the ground but after an all night prayer vigil by St Nino the column moved on its own to the robe's burial site.
At the time of our visit the church was packed with both worshippers and sightseers; it didn't seem to matter that a service was in progress and both congregation and tourists intermingled. In Georgian churches the congregation stands. After sampling the sweetmeats at the local stalls (interesting!) we went back to the coach for our next stop, Gori, the birthplace of Stalin. We lunched next to the museum on typical Georgian fare, the most popular of which is spicy meat dumplings ;a delicious meal which was followed by our visit to the Stalin Museum.
It is rather odd when the celebrated son of a town is a man who was responsible for the deaths of millions, but I was impressed with the way of dealing with it. All the old memorabilia, the official propaganda, and other artefacts were presented without comment but the guide who showed us round gave us the truth behind all the propaganda as well as a really informative lecture on Stalin's life. Stalin, incidentally, was his nickname and means man of steel.
Across the courtyard from the museum was the home where Stalin was born
and round the corner his personal train carriage. He was afraid of flying and took over the Tsar's railway carriage, which was, in fact, quite modest. The general opinion of the group at the end of the visit was that they would like to read more; surely the best compliment for a guide!
We then returned to Tbilisi to the Ethnological Museum which were unable to visit yesterday. It is a collection of houses from all the different regions of Georgia, illustrating the different customs and architecture of the country.
In one of the gardens were the pots called qvevri made from Georgian clay and buried in the ground and used for storing wine. Wine has been made in Georgia for at least 8000 years, and is drunk on all celebratory occasions.
GEORGIA and ARMENIA
Saturday October 8th 2016
Leaving our hotel in one of the newest districts of Tbilisi
we met our guide, Katy (the nearest I can get to her Georgian name!) and boarded the bus for the Ethnological Museum. Unfortunately today was election day and they had decided to close all public buildings, so not a very auspicious start! After this , however, all went smoothly and we were taken to a nearby lake where we had superb views of the city, and a stroll around before boarding the minibus for our tour of the old Soviet area.
Katy kept us well informed about the history of Tbilisi as we drove past the ranks of uninspiring concrete apartment blocks and the rather more interesting ministries, university and other public buildings on our way to Freedom Square and thence to the Old Town .
The main road through the Old Town is Kota Abkhazi which winds down from Freedom Square. Leading from this is a string of narrow, traffic free streets which formed the hub of the Old Town in mediaeval times. One of the most well known structures in the old town is the clock tower built by puppeteer Reza Gabriadze during the renovation of his theatre in 2011.
Around the base are tiles made by Gabriadze, and at the top twice a day a door opens on a scene depicting the continuity of life. On the hour an angel pops out of a door and strikes the bell outside with a hammer.
From here we wandered through the streets admiring the lovely old houses with their ornate balconies and the oldest church in Tbilisi, the Anchiskhati Basilica, built in the 6th century. We were lucky enough to witness a wedding in the church, one of the many brides we were to see in various beauty spots throughout the day.
We then we crossed the Peace Bridge
to the cable car up to the Narikala Fortress which dominates this part of the city. From here we had a fantastic view of the city
and we learned more about its history before following the path down the hill to the Abanotubani, Tbilisi's famous sulphur baths. The domes, which are the roofs of underground bathhouses, rise from the ground behind a small park. On the way to the Botanical Gardens this waterfall is just seconds away from the bustle of the city.
After a break for refreshments we made our way back to the hotel and dinner in the newest part of the city.
It was a brilliant start to our trip and our guide was amazing, full of interesting information and showing us forgotten corners of the city.
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