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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Oct 30, 2006 07:00 PM Best monasteries of Armenia
In the Northern Armenia there are two old monasteries placed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List: Haghpat and Sanahin - both located on the rim of the picturesque Debed Canyon in the north of country. It is possible to go there on your own - it is more then 2 hours drive by minibus from Yerevan to the town of Alaverdi and then you must rent a taxi (I think - 25 USD) to get you to both monasteries and back.
Anahit - my charming host in Yerevan convinced me to go there on a day tour organized by Sati Tour Agency. They charge 13000 drams per person and lunch, guide and entry fees are included. I got off-season discount - 10%.
It was a good choice - there were only 7 people in the group and the cost was even lower then individual visit.
On the route we enjoyed the views of snowy Mt Aragats (4090m) - the highest mountain in Armenia.
Both monasteries are old (10th century) and very interesting. We saw various churches and chapels, annexes, sepulchers, bell-towers and libraries... Haghpat is more photogenic I think... The only unpleasant surprise of this day was the landscape of the beautiful canyon damaged by the industrial buildings and smoky chimneys of Alaverdi town... Shame...
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Oct 29, 2006 07:00 PM Windy but lovely Sevan Lake
Sevan Lake - located in the mountain on the level 1900 m above the sea is a must if you are visiting Armenia. Tour agencies in Yerevan offer day tours to Sevan but for the budget travellers it is much better just to take the local transport - minibus to the Sevan township cost just 600 drams and the microbus from the town to the lakeside another 100 darms - you will save a lot of money! 1 USD is worth 377 drams.
It was cold and windy when I reached a little, hilly peninsula on the lake - take your warm clothes with you! On the top on the hill there are two little, picturesque churches. The view of the lake, changing colors from turquoise to blue is just outstanding... The mountains form the horizon far away... The lake is 80 km long. At the end of the peninsula there is fenced dacha of the president of Armenia - it is hard to find better location... At the bottom of the hill I found a restaurant serving baked fish from Sevan Lake - it is inexpensive - just 1000 drams per plate - delicious and recommended!
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Oct 28, 2006 02:00 PM Sunday mass in Echmiandzin...
Do you know that Armenia was the first country who accepted christianity as tha state religion? it was 1700 years ago... Some 21 km west of Yerevan lies Echmiandzin - small but very important city called "The Vatican of Armenia". The head of Armenian Church has a residence there and of course there are interesting old churches to visit but the best time for the visit is Sunday - when they have the mass at 11.00 am.
Yes, I took the minibus (they still call it here in Russian "marshrutka") from Yerevan to Echmiandzin - it cost 250 dram. Few minutes before 11 am I entered the main church. The mass began on time. It is hard to describe all this beutiful choirs, processions, the lights of candels... I spend there 1,5 hour and then went out before there is no place to seat inside, it is getting hot and I was tired... But the mass was not over... It took more then 2 hours... Yes, this is the place to be! At the entrance there is a sign "video recording and the photography forbidden" but it seems that they are not very strict, so I took some interesting pictures during the mass - I hope I will publish them on the net after return. Unforgettable!
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Oct 27, 2006 02:00 PM Armenia - Monasteries in the mountains...
Armenia has a lot of mountains. East of Yerevan in the mountains there is old monastery of Geghard. In the morning I took a junk bus no.284 to get to Gosht (250 drams), then I was walking onward few kilometers to the monastery located at the end of the valley enjoying the views. People are selling apples on the roadside... I wanted tp buy one for breakfast. I got it but they refused to take the money - the Armenians are very hospitable! The entry to the working monasteries is free... Geghard Monastery is partly cut-off in the rock. Built in 10th century... There are very few places in the world you can see such a architecture!
On the way back I hitchhiked (easy if there is a thaffic) to get to Garni - a small village with the ruins of nicely restored Helios Temple. It is beutifully located on the high cliff, overlooking the valley. Here they charge 250 drams entry fee but it is not much - less then 1 USD. The postcards are expensive - like 1 USD per piece - so it is better to rely on your pictures!
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Oct 26, 2006 02:00 PM Yerevan, Yerevan...
Minibus from Goris to Yerevan cost just 1500 drams... On the way there are beautiful mountain panoramas, but when we reached the wide valley of Arax Mt Ararat was in clouds...
In the capital of Armenia I found a nice family mini-hostel located in the centre of the city - close to the opera house: Anahit Stepanyan Homestay - mentioned in Lonely Planet guide book. The lady host and her son speak fluent English. It is clean and quite place... The night in little dorm costs me 10 USD. Highly recommended! In the same house you will fing Gayane homestay - it is run-down and more expensive - I do not recommend this place...
Yerevan has many parks and a lot of cafes, bars fancy shops and charming girls walking the streets. The central Republic Square has fountains and in the evenings is beautifully illuminated. It is safest than many western European capitals. Take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere...
Here is plenty internet cafes, they charge 350-400 drams per hour of quite fast connection.
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Oct 25, 2006 02:00 PM Crossing the border to Armenia
I am lucky... Going north from Tabriz it is best to hitch at the airport gate on the outskirts of the town. First car took me as far as Jolfa. Then I took a junk share taxi to the border check point in Nordooz. Beautiful mountain scenery of the Araks river valley around... On the Iranian side formalities took me 10 minutes, then I crossed the border bridge walking with my backpack in the light rain (first rain since few weeks of my voyage...) On the Armenian side it is possible to get 21-days tourist visa on a spot, but you must wait about half an hour while they will check via the net if you are not on the black list... Then you pay for the visa 30 USD official price and 5 USD officially requested bribe... Welcome to Armenia! Speak your Russian again! Agarak - little village with basic acommodations (2000 dram in a dorm) is just 800 m away.
Then I took a share taxi to Goris - it was 4 hours of breathtaking drive through the mountains - 2500 drams (they pay only 376 drams for 1 USD). From Goris it is worth to visit beautifully located on the cliff Tatev Monastery - I was the only tourist there!
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Oct 24, 2006 02:00 PM Tabriz - last day in Iran?
I found nice and centrally located accommodation in Tabriz - Mahmoodi Hotel - just near the city hall and the fountain on Immam Khomeini street. They charge 50000 per single room. The hotel is very quite and the friendly staff speaks some English. In the morning I was wondering through the interesting bazaar - they say it has 25 kms of lanes and corridors! People are nice - they invited me for the tea and non (bread) without any obligations. I saw also the Blue Mosque with its giant dome and the hidden over the walls remains of the Ark citadell. Here is nothing else to see - in the afternoon I'll try to find transport to the border crossing with Armenia. They say I must hitch to Jolfa first and the to Nordooz. I'll try to cross the border in the late afternoon - hoping that the border will be open regardless the holiday. Just keep your fingers crossed please!
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Oct 23, 2006 02:00 PM Hallelujah! The Ramadan is over!
Can you imagine? In Arab countries the end of Ramadan (Ramazan if you prefere) was over already yesterday, but in Iran... The holy Ajatollahs decided that they know better and the nation will fast one day more! But yesterday in the late evening they announced on TV that it is over. In the morning crowds of the people are going to the mosques to pray (it is obligatory to pray before 11.59 am!
I had real problem to get to the bus station and then to go by bus out of Teheran... I spent 10 hours on the comfortable bus going to Tabriz. The cost of the ticket is reasonable - 50000 rials and they serve some refreshment on board - everybody can eat - the Ramadan is over!. The weather is changing - thanks God it is cooler now... But Tabriz taxi drivers try to charge from the foreigner twice more then from the locals... Just let you know - it is 5000 rials from the bus terminal to the centre of the town...
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Oct 22, 2006 02:00 PM The jewels of the shahs - Teheran
Teheran can compete with Mexico City regarding pollution and crazy street traffic... Drivers do not care about you at all. If you want to cross the street yau must desperately jump into the stream of the cars add crawl between them hoping they will see you... Teheran is more expensive than the rest of Iran.
Dear Lonely Planet - the prices in your guide book increased by 150%! I found the cheapest room in Hotel Markazi - they charge 90000 rials.
There is something no to be missed if you are in Teheran; the collection of the shah's crown jewels. There are very few places in the world where you can see sut amount of precious stones, crowns, swords etc. And it is easy available: the entry costs like 3 USD, just let you know it is open in the afternoons - weekdays only. I was there for the second time - still exciting!
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Oct 21, 2006 02:00 PM The holy city of Qom
Minibus (4800 rials - like 0,50 USD) took me from Kashan to the second-holiest city in Iran. It is one of the most conservative places in Iran - the place wrere the islamic revolution of 1979 was born. On the streets you will see more priests then in the other places. You must be discret amd careful with pictures. The highlight of Qom is the Hazrat e Masumeh - a shrine where sister of Imam Reza was buried. The only lady-saint in islam... A lot of pilgrims are vistiting this huge, gold-domed complex. Sorry - foreigners ale not allowed to go into the courtyard. I tried to take some photos from the gate...
There is no reason to stay here longer - I plan to go to Teheran in the evening.
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