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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 04, 2019 08:00 PM 5 kilometers up to Geghard Monastery
Of course, you can take a taxi... But I am the budget traveller. So first I took no 5 City bus (100 AMD) to GAI street Yerevan (asking the people where is the Goght marshrutka stop. Then a bumpy 40 min ride on the old soviet bus cost me 250. And then I was walking uphill to Geghard monastery 5 kms. Tiring in the 28 deg Celsius? Not at all! I was rewarded by great panoramic views of the mountains, I was meeting the local people selling fruits and walnuts in the roadside stalls and has an interesting spectacle - how do they make lavash.
Geghard is located at the end of the nice valley. A lot of cars here because on Saturdays there are many wedding ceremonies going one by one. I loved it! This monastery is very different they cut is partly in thd rock around the holy source of water (still active there - believers wash their faces...) 4th century, placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list... Many precious khachkars... Tombs of the saints.... Unforgettable!
And this wonderful colors of the early autumn on the slopes... People are lovely here - old ladies gave me big walnust when I was waiting for the return marshrutka...
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Oct 03, 2019 08:00 PM No better deal in Yerevan!
Around the Republic Square you will find cars with posters offering day tours around Armenia. Taxi drivers offer privare half day tour for 20000 dram. But the best deal is to join Arbat Tours group. Among others they will take you in gheir comfy minibus for whole day (7am till 9pm) to Khor Virap, Areni winery, Noravank Monastery, Tatev Monastery and waterfall. Yes, I visited Tatev 2 days ago, but the rest of the route and low price (7000 dram) was so attractive, that I decided to sign anyway.
Khor Virap at the begining was lovely place - imagine Monastery on the little hill with snowy Mt Ararat in the background! I loved also Noravank Monastery approached by the narrow canyon. Churches of Noravank has very spectacular location on the pink/orange slope. When ee arrived at 3 pm to Tatev it was foggy and no sun there. Lucky me! Two days ago I had great weather on the same place! :)
The Shaki Waterfall was not so impressive (around 20m high only and not so mych water in).... We returned to Yerevan at 23.30. Tiring day but so much to see!
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Oct 02, 2019 08:00 PM Marshrutka to Yerevan
My ticket for marshrutka (minibus) from Goris to Yerevan cost me 2500 dram . We departed at 9 am sharp. On the way there were two passes to climb - 2450 m and 1800 m . Imagine beautiful views of the mountains... Sometimes the road was blocked by the roadworks or.. the herds of sheep and cattle.
Nobody told me that the minibus will go not to the central bus station but to the soviet-style railway station. Wow! I disembarked at 1.30 pm. It was nesessary to walk through the long underground passage ant to take another city marshrutka no. 23 to get to CBS, where I stay in the hostel...
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Oct 01, 2019 08:00 PM Tatev - the nicest monastery in Armenia?
This monastery is located only some 40 kms from Goris but the access of season is not easy. They told me that there is once a day marshrutka going there but when I arrived at 8.30 am to the stop nobody appeared. Maybe in the season... You have to bargain if you want to use taxi. Finally the driver of the old lada soviet car took me to Halidzor for 3000.
Why to Halidzor - some 10 oms before Tatev? Because there is a chance to "fly" to the monastery by world's longest cable car. The lenght of the non- stop journey is 5752 m! They open at 10.00 am, I bought the OW ticket for 5500 drams (RT costs 7000) and I started 12 minutes journey. Great views! In the highest point you are more then 300 m above the canyon. Goldenhead eagles are flying around....
The upper station is just 100 m from the monastery. Tatev , founded in 4th century is a big place with 3 churches, Bishop's quarters, oil mill. I had a chance to see blessing ceremonies in the big church, where a great music goes all the time.
It is worth to walk some 2 kms by gravel road to the opposite slope for the best picture-postcard view of the complex. Then, happy due to the excellent weather I started to walk back to Halidzor. There are attractions on the way. Devil's Bridge is run down and not worth to see. Then there is pavilion view point overlookind the canyon and that is nice. I has hitchhiking back to Goris. 3 cars one by one took me home - thank you dear Armenian and Russian drivers!
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Sep 30, 2019 08:00 PM Goris in the beautiful valley
At the bus station you will not see timetable on display. It is better to check twice. At the beginning they told me that there only one bus from Stepanakert to Goris in Armenia - at 2.30 pm. Later other person told me that there is also one at 10 am. The cost of 2 h journey is 2000 dram payable to the driver. Once again I was enjoying in full sun the only road Armenia - Karabakh. We were going through the high mountains, descending only to the border crossing. On exit the Karabakh officers are only collecting registration paper issued on arrival.
Than we passed the mountains again, but landscape changed to the green hills. Between such a hills lies provincial town of Goris. They left me on the highway bypassing the town so it was necessary to do down to the centre, looking for acommodation. I found it soon. At the Mahshot's 30 I found the private house with a room for rent. They charge 5 USD = 2000 AMD per night for the single with outside toilet. In the afternoon I took the walk around the town. The best view of the rock formations is from the terrace of the cafe located on the cliff above the river. Goris has also nice central square. Tomorrow I plan to go to Tatev monastery by.... cable car...
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Sep 29, 2019 08:00 PM Climbing to the main Monastery
Gandzasar is the main monastery of Karabakh, built in 13th century. There is onlyone marshrutka per day going from Stepanakert to the village of Vank at the bottom of the monastery. Departure time is 9 am but be there well in advance and go to the ticket window at avtovokzal to buy the ticket for 800 drams.
I did not have enough space for the legs. Fortunately it is only 1 h 15 min ride and the road is paved and not so bad.
Once in the village you will see the monastery up on the mountain. Paved road will lead you there wit many bends and zig-zags. The mountain views from this road are great. The summits are surrounded by clouds. It took me about 1,5 hours to reach the monastery on the level of 1280 m. It is nicely restored with the monks quarters and library on the side. All the slopes around the monastery are covered by cemeteries - it is holy place and Armenians want to be burried here.
Interesting place! Back in the village I was waiting for the only minibus returning to Stepanakert at 3 pm. See where I am - 40°3.4410'N 46°31.8550'E http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.05736%2C46.53092
Gandzansar Monastery, Artsakh Republic
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Sep 28, 2019 08:00 PM The lovely nature of Karabakh
In the morning I met a group of tourists from Portugal and I have been invited to join them on the car tour - I was lucky, because I avoided to pay for taxi to the trailhead... But first we went to the city market to see how thd produce a local bread with fresh greens inside and lavash - the paper bread... I had a lot of fun talking with local people - everybody knows Russian here... Then we visited interesting museum dedicated to Karabakh conflict -the real tragedy of the nation. We have been also to see Mamik-Papik monument on the little hill on the ousskirts of the city.
This funny monument (see photo) became the symbol of Artsakh = Karabakh .
In the afternoon their bus took us to the trailhead in Hunot Canyon. We were climbing there upstream the mountain river enjoying the views anc the lush nature. Finally the bus took us to the town of Sushi, where in the restored cathedral I had a chance to see Armenian wedding ceremony. What a day! But it was raining late in the afternoon. Let's hope that tomorrow the sun will appear again!
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Sep 27, 2019 08:00 PM To the Karabakh!
In the morning marshrutka no.75 took me to the central avtovokzal (bus station) for 100 dram. YOU pay to the driver when you leave the bus. I recognized earlier that they do not offer any big bus travel to Stepanakert - the capital of Nagorno Karabakh or ARTSAKH - as they call their country. But there are 3 minibuses departing every day between 7.30 and 10.00 am. They depart when full. My was full at 10.00. I paid 5000 AMD to the driver and took a seat in the back (the only one suitable for the long leg people). First hour we were driving on a flat valley with a hazy view of Mt Ararat and Little Ararat on the right. Then we started to climb the mountains. Road is bumpy. My backbone was very poor.... Up and down, zig-zags, bends.... Up from the town of Goris (once I was here coming from Iran) the road became better and we reached the border post of Karabakh at the bottom of the valley about 3 pm. No Armenian exit post, only Karabakh police in action. No problem with the visa. You fill the form on the spot, no photo is required and after 15 min you will get two documents with your name. You can go into this strange country. It is still more than 50 kms of bends climbing and descending to the capital city. Great green mountains around! After 6,5 hours on the road I saw down in the valley Stepanakert. Local lady from the bus was so kind to guide me to the Anush private rooms - a kind of primitive hostel, where I got a room for 4000 armenian drams (she requested 5000). They are Armenians, no wonder they use Armenian currency. Uffff.... I am very tired but happy to be in such a unusual place... Good night from montainous Karabakh!
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Sep 26, 2019 08:00 PM The capital of Armenia
Yerevan, sunny, 27 deg Celsius, hazy. Everybody speaks Russian. I cannot see any new skyscrapers like in Tbilisi, just grey blocks from soviet era. Revolution Square is now Republic Square with the same fountains. A group of the people stays here escorted by 2 policemen keeping EU flag and the poster "Armenia is Europe". Pretty black-hair ladies are walking the streets. A lot of shops and cafes with European names. Drivers are more polite than in Tbilisi. Gray opera building stays in the centre, no operas performed , just concerts. In the banks they pay 474 drams per USD.. A loaf of bread costs 200. A ride on the city bus - 100.
I was feeling absolutely safe an the streets.
It is worth to climb the stairs of the Cascade - the complex od modern art for the view of the city. I stay in tbe ,little hostel close to the Armenian cathedral - it is new construction. To see old monuments You must go out of the capital...
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Sep 25, 2019 08:00 PM Tbilisi to Yerevan, Armenia
To take the minibus to Yerevan you have to go to Ortachala bus station. Metro took me to Isani station for 0,5 lari then bus 101 to Ortachala, also 0,5 lari. Then I bought in the window ticket for 40 lari (passport is required) and... I was waiting more than an hour.
There is something like a timetable, but practically the bus departs when full - like in Africa...
It was one hour drive to the Armenia border. Then smooth formalities on the Georgian side. On Armenia side they check in their computer that I have been in Armenia 13 years ago and there is no evidence that I went out from Armenia. They took me away from the line. Stressing situation... How can I proof that I am not a camel? Finally they put the stamp and let me go....
I am in the different country. The road in the Armenia became dirty, bumpy but with the great views of the mountains. Old, junk soviet trucks still operate here. Our driver made a side trip to the small mountain village to have a drink of ayran :)
It was almost dark when after 6 hours we reached central bus station in Yerevan in Kilikia quarter. An hour later I was in my hostel. In Tbilisi money changers are on every corner - here I cannot see them at all! Tiring day, lets have a rest!
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