A trip to the east of Armenia, and onwards to Yerevan

I wake rather early and have time to kill before we leave. In my haste buying postcards yesterday I unintentionally bought one showing a place called Kecharis Monastery. Blast, it seems a bit phoney sending a card of place I haven’t been to. I look it up on google maps – crikey, it’s a 20 minute walk from where I’m staying. Talk about lucky. So with a bit of time to kill it’s obvious where I should go. As I walk out of the front door of the hotel there it is up on the hill on the opposite side of the valley. After about 5 minutes of walking, I realise that I’m going to be a tight for time so abandon the trip. I still manage to get some photos of it, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s okay to write and send the card. My game my rules!

Kecharis Monastery and Tsaghzador below

It’s a beautiful sunny morning as we set off to our first destination, which is a “Chairlift up Mount Teghenis”. After 5 minutes we pull over into a car park. I had no idea it would be so close. I was really looking forward to this as I expected to get high enough to be above the snowline. More immediately I notice that our two 80+ years olds were planning to go up. Jeez, surely that is not wise, especially Mrs Old who is distinctly doddery on her feet. I go in the chairlift in front of them and offer to help off when she gets up there. Once I get to the top, I’m really disappointed that we are way short of the snowline. There’s a second chairlift, but it’s not operating. I wait for the “Olds” to arrive but am told curtly by the two local men whose job it is to ensure people get off the lift safely that they’ll deal with them. Mr Old, the more mobile of the two, gets off fine. Unfortunately, the less able wife is unable to make the steps forward and to the side quickly enough and the constantly moving chairlift knocks her forward and onto the ground. It passes inches above her head as it progresses round on its journey. She’s clearly shaken, but no significant damage, and they only just manage to get her out the way before she’s wiped out by the next chair. Utterly predictable. Badly managed by the chairlift crew; but equally stupid of the “Olds” to think they could manage the chairlift. The journey back down was more enjoyable as I was at least able to see the view down below me. Pretty, but not the clearest light, and no great views of Lake Sevan or the snow-capped mountains beyond.

Minutes after leaving the site of the chairlift we pass Kecharis Monastery, and the perimeter is all boarded up whilst it’s being renovated. Just as well I didn’t bother walking all the way up there earlier! Maybe it’s my lucky day?

It was a long 2 hour drive out to Garni Temple. To be honest, I wasn’t at all fussed with today’s itinerary which was to take us within 5 miles of Yerevan and then eastwards to the Temple and then onto Geghard for the mandatory daily monastery. Perhaps that’s what this blog should be called – the “Daily Monastery”? Maybe I’ll try and mock up a Viz style advert for it? As we passed the edge of Yerevan we could see the magnificent Mount Ararat to the south-west of the city. This wonderful double-peaked mountain is sacred to Armenians, for according to the book of Genesis it is the place that Noah’s Ark came to rest. The mountain has a massive place in Armenia’s history, identity and biblical tradition. However, there is one major drawback; it is now in Turkey – lost in 1920 when the Turks invaded Armenia and committed one of the worst genocides in history. It nevertheless remains hugely important to the Armenians -appearing in numerous official documents including their Coat of Arms. There was huge controversy last year when Armenian passports were updated, and the background image of the mountain was removed – an unacceptable concession to Turkey apparently.

Garni seemed horribly crowded. The temple itself was, I’m afraid to say, distinctly average. Nevertheless, it was a change of design from the all the churches and monasteries in the region. For once 20 minutes was plenty of time.

Garni Temple

Puffed out by all the excitement of the Temple, we stopped locally for lunch at place called Sergei Mot (Sergey’s Place). It had a beautiful garden and was an idyllic place to relax and eat in the shade. Before eating we were treated to seeing how the local Lavash bread is made. It’s a very thin flat bread. Now I’m no foodie, but this was fascinating. The two women making the bread were so skilled – in particular, how they swung the dough over their arms to stretch it. Then it was stuck to the wall of an underground oven to be cooked. Hopefully the pictures will show enough to demonstrate that. They just sat there on the floor making one after the other in the ferocious heat.

As I said earlier, the garden was beautiful. For once I was happy to linger over lunch. I even broke ranks and had a beer with it. Pretty revolutionary stuff for our conservative group to comprehend! Perhaps it was the thought of going to yet another Monastery next, but frankly I could have stayed there all afternoon; drunk a couple more cold beers and had a little siesta. Muy bien!

Nevertheless, I complied and headed for Geghard. Once there, it was another 10 minute walk uphill to get to the Monastery. Again, it was a struggle for “the Olds”, and she couldn’t make it. Maybe this trip really was too much for them; her particularly. One of our group, Rita, had previously said to me that she was really frustrated by them. Whereas I had hitherto been very empathetic to their difficulties, Rita had described them as selfish and thoughtless. Initially I thought she was being pretty heartless, however as the trip continues, I’m coming around to her way of thinking. He is nice old chap who, as I’ve previously said, reminds me of my late father-in-law; stoic, determined with a quietly wicked dry sense of humour. She is just grumpy, and it’s clear that she is not really enjoying herself. Perhaps Rita was right, as here again they are impacting the group.

Street vendors on the walk up to Geghard

Geghard turned out to be quite special. It was two churches joined together in one. A fairly standard one, plus a second built at a higher level, and into the rock of the hillside. It was in the latter that we were treated to a choral performance by two singers. It was quite phenomenal. Their haunting voices sounded like it was twenty people singing. The acoustics and atmosphere in the dark church were like nothing I’d ever experienced. “Another blooming a Monastery”, I take it all back! A good way to end the day before the drive into Yerevan.

Geghard Monastery (pic courtesy of The Daily Monastery!)

As we drove back into Yerevan, I checked my Futbology App to see if there might be a game on locally at the weekend. In my quest to have seen a game in all 55 of the UEFA (European football Union) countries, I need to try and get one in here if possible. The little icon at the bottom of the app indicates there’s a game within 30 miles of my location (currently 20 miles outside Yerevan) today. I click on it – wow! It’s the Armenian Cup Final tonight at 7pm in Yerevan. But it’s now just after 4.30pm. The game is at the Republican Stadium which, having seen some photos of it, is a place of great character. Where exactly is it? How on earth can I get a ticket? Near frantic searching ensues. Boy am I glad that I bought a roaming bolt on package for my phone from my rather excellent supplier Lebara!

After 10 minutes of trawling through various sites and apps, I’ve established that the stadium is a 25 minute walk from my hotel, and that there aren’t any tickets as it’s “free entrance”. Seriously, that cannot be true? It looks like “game on”; but not just any game in any old stadium. Sad though it maybe, I’m buzzing with excitement. Of course, when we hit central Yerevan the traffic is abysmal causing us to arrive at the hotel just before 6pm. The rush is on, complete with “double airport speed” walking if necessary. First at the hotel check-in desk are Mark and Maura – the couple I have most in common with. Mark likes football, and knows what I’m planning to do, says tells the receptionist to check me in first. What a bloody star!

Ten minutes later I’m striding across Republic Square towards Vernissage Market and the stadium beyond. I still think the “free entry” is a ruse, so I’m determined to get there as quickly as possible just in case it’s full. I turn the final corner to walk up to the stadium, and it’s not that busy. Security checks are perfunctory, and I’m in! I buy an FC Noah scarf (yep Noah again!) and immediately think it was a silly impulsive purchase. The excitement had got the better of me, but then I think that I can wear to Fulham as, after all, it’s black and white.

The ground is everything I’d expected. A crass combination of Ancient Greek and Old School Russian Minimalism. It’s a beauty! I won’t bore you anymore with great details of the game, other than to say it was a cracker with FC Noah beating another Yerevan based team, FC Ayartu, 4-2.

I present to you, to give it its full name; The Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium....