We turned our backs on conventional tours because we wanted to spend more than a fleeting moment at each of our visits. Lingering at one location gave us many things that we could not have had from a conventional sight-seeing tour. It gave us the time and opportunity to discover and appreciate the past (recent as well as distant) of Armenia and to learn about the varied lives of present day Armenians. As for seeing the historical, nature and religious sites, we appreciated them all the more for not cramming them together.
Travelling at our own pace meant that we could observe recent historical and social changes. We were very fortunate in having a helpful and pleasant driver, who also acted as interpreter and adviser on the value of bank notes!
Here are a few individual notes on the places we visited.
Our stay of two nights meant that we had time to go beyond viewing the spa facilities. We would recommend the following to anyone going there:
The local forest has many well maintained walkways which offer pleasant rambles in the shade. Steeper walks await the more adventurous. Scattered throughout the forest and hillside are magnificent busts carved from rocks. These honour former heroes, the fedayee, and seem to be endless.
The town itself is an interesting glimpse into Armenian life, for it is home to many local residents as well as Armenians on holiday who form the majority of the tourists. It seems that this part of the country is a secret Armenians keep to themselves. These are all things we would have missed had we done the usual tourist overnight stopover.
Our stay in farmhouse in Akner will never be forgotten because our hosts, the Muradyans, made us feel like family guests, which we were as we shared their home..
The mountainous area around Alaverdi has outstanding natural beauty. The panorama changes throughout the day and from one day to the next with shifts in light, sunshine and wind. In Yerevan, you would not have any notion that there are rural communities still working in the same way as their parents and even grandparents did, although satellite TV and internet connections are to be found. It pays to walk around the village to compare the old style cottages with the old Soviet tenements of the nearby towns. With luck, you may catch farmers at work or distilling home vodka or arak. Expect to see free ranging farm animals in the streets and around the village. There are outstanding walks in the hills and forests, with views of mountains, ravines and caves. There are eagles to spot, from above if you climb high enough.
After the first three days, we began to think that we could not stand any more but we did not, as it turned out, tire of them.
If you have a mind, you can trace the history of religious architecture and art through touring the monasteries, starting with the pre-Christian Garni temple. The human achievement of creating the old monasteries, like Gegherdavank and Norivank, are awesome, and they remain beautiful even in their faded modern forms. But the newer churches, such as Surp Mesrop in Oshagan and Surp Kevork near Aghveran, also have captivating art work. We were fortunate that in Haghpat, the priest gave us an expert and well-informed tour. This again is an opportunity that may not have arisen if we had been pressed to move on to the next site. We wish we had had more knowledge of the history of these places. Many have posters with historical notes but reading them hurriedly in burning sunshine is not conducive to learning.
Culture
We decided to spend several days in Yerevan at the end of the stay so that we could attend concerts. For us, the Surp Khach festival in Astarak was a highlight. We were enchanted by the dancing, singing and also the music. What was different about this event was the chance to see Armenia's folklore. We would strongly recommend the event. We were lucky to be there at the right time.
And… Food
The Kosrov National Park cooking experience was unpredictable and a reael adventure. Cooking lavash was fun and difficult! And our final meal beautifully prepared by Sedrak Mamulyan was above all expectations.
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