Armenia

I made two pleasant trips in Armenia, starting from my "base" in Eriwan, at my friend Albert's home (in Armenia old german names like Eduard, Arthur, Rosa, Erik are very common), who I got to know on my first visit to Armenia three years ago. Other travellers might call it "horror trips", at least the first one, but after what I've experienced so far I take it easy.

First I came to Gumry, the second largest city of Armenia. I arrived at evening, walked around and then joined a group to taste the local beer. Unfortunately one of them lured me to a dark site (I always had only good experiences with the Armenians so I trusted him) in order to rob me. Somehow he left me approx. 10 euros. It was already around 3 p.m. and I decided to spend the night at the "dark site". On the next morning I went to the next police station. There was nobody who spoke english, but in russian I was able to explain what had happened to me and that I knew that one of the group is working in a bank. We rushed to the bank and even found that guy, but he denied that he knows the robber. After that they sent me to two other police departments, where I had to tell the whole story again another 5 times. I spent the 4th night in 4 different countries in a police station and was finally released at around 1 p.m. at the next day. I lost a lot of time, (usually I would not care, but I already booked the flight to Aleppo for tomorrow), but at least I could improve my russian.

My next destination was Alaverdi, in the very north of the country, near the georgian border. The city is located in a steep gorge with very green surroundings, the soviet skyscrapers are probably less attractive,they are even to find in small villages, but somehow I like them.I arrived there at evening. On the next morning I visited Sanahin,one of the many monasteries around and came back to the city to receive the money my father sent me by western union. I already went through the whole process (3 counters) but then they refused to give me the money, because I didn't have the original passport with me. With only 2 euros in my pocket, I decided to pay the private room I shared with two tourists from Eriwan by selling my mobile phone (a second-hand I bought in Oman). In the late afternoon on the way to another monastery I met people who felt more sorry for me and invited me for a meal (due to lack of money I didn't eat except some peanuts) and supersweet berrywine. I tried to refuse but they also forced me to accept some 2 euros from them (I think a new vocabulary has to be coined to describe this action).

I finally also visited also the Odzun monastery (not very special) and then began to search for a mountain lake around Tumanian, which Albert recommended me to visit. On the way there it became dark and when a thunderstorm started I was lucky to find a unused pipe next to the road where I could spend the night. On the next day at noon I reached the small lake, surrounded by forest. Only one young fisherman was there, he was the first person I've ever met in Armenia who didn't speak russian, but he amused me with a very strange cover version of "sex bomb" (the voice sounded like rammstein) from his mobile phone.

Then I went back to Eriwan by hitch-hiking and marschrutka. If Albert wouldn't borrow me some money I really wouldn't know what to do, as I receive my passport not untill tomorrow from the Syrian embassy. But so I could start on the next day for another trip from the Noravank monastery. It was a lonely but very beautiful trek, where I didn't meet any people untill I reached a farm of peach and apple trees next to the Arpa river today morning. I took a bath there and then had only a few meters to the highway back to Eriwan.