A traveller's reflection: Caucasus 2018: 06 Yerevan/Ararat Plain, Armenia

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Monday 30 April 2018

Caucasus 2018: 06 Yerevan/Ararat Plain, Armenia

"People who want to get everything all at once, usually end up getting nothing in life..."

(Khor Virap Monastery)

Day 06: 20 April 2018 (Friday)
Route: Khor Virap/ Yerevan City tour
Hotel: Olympia Hotel Yerevan, Armenia

(Olympia Hotel terrace)

(A morning stroll in the garden)

At 9.00 am we started our trip and travelled about 42 km to Khor Virap.

Khor Virap is an Armenian monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near the closed border with Turkey, about 8 km south of Artashat. The monastery was host to a theological seminary and was the residence of Armenian Catholicos.

(Khor Virap Monastery Complex on the hill)

(A steep climb to the top)

(A good view of the Ararat Plain)

Khor Virap's notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact that Gregory the Illuminator was initially imprisoned here for 14 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. Saint Gregory subsequently became the king's religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing activity in the country.

(A red Armenian Cross-stone)

(Khor Virap Monastery Complex)

(A fortified Monastery)

(Most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia)

(Armenian Apostolic Church)

(One of the main chambers)

(Tourists take turn to enter the dungeon)

(Descending the vertical ladder)

(Inside St Gregory's dungeon)

In the year 301, Armenia was the first country in the world to be declared a Christian nation. The larger chapel known as the St. Astvatsatsin or Holy Mother of God was built around the ruins of the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Armenia. We could see the breathtaking view of snow capped Mt Ararat from the Monastery Complex but this morning it was partially covered with clouds.

(Mt Ararat is covered by clouds)

(A closer view of Mt Ararat)

(The vast Ararat Plain)

We completed visiting Khor Virap around 11.00 am then headed back to Yerevan and started the city tour by first visiting the Erebuni Museum. The museum was established in 1968 to coincide with the 2750th anniversary of Yerevan. The Museum stands at the foot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebuni has stood since 782 BCE. The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of the structure were reinforced and restored, and the fortress was turned into an outdoor Museum.

(A stone chariot carving at the Museum)

(Erebuni Museum in Yerevan)

(No photography is allowed in the museum)

(A cultural dance in the museum)

Erebuni Fortress also known as Arin Berd is an Urartian fortified city, 1,017 m above sea level. It was one of several fortresses built along the northern Urartian border and was one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers of the vast kingdom. The name Yerevan itself is derived from Erebuni.

(Beautiful wild poppy flowers)

(The entrance of the Erebuni Fortress

(Ancient drawings on the wall)

(A view of Yerevan from the fortress)

(The remnants of a once magnificent fort)

(Some parts of the wall is still standing strong)

After visiting the fortress, we visited the Republic Square at town centre staying away from the demonstrators gathering peacefully at the square. Tens of thousands gathered in the center of the Armenian capital after lawmakers elected a longtime former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian as the Prime Minister. Protests were under way in other cities including Gyumri and Vanadzor, according to local media.

(The Republic Square of Yerevan)

(A pool with musical fountain)

(A neoclassical style building)

The Republic Square consists of two sections: an oval roundabout and a trapezoid-shaped section which contains a pool with musical fountains. The square is surrounded by five major buildings built in pink and yellow tuff in the neoclassical style with extensive use of Armenian motifs. This architectural ensemble includes the Government House, the History Museum and the National Gallery, Armenia Marriott Hotel and the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport and Communications.

(A government building at the square)

(Joining the demonstrators in the rain)

We went to look for a halal restaurant all over town in the heavy rain and ended up having lunch at Karma Indian and Asian Halal Restaurant. We ordered Shrimp and Lamb bryani with manggo lassi.

(Walking in the rain in Yerevan city)

(A posh restaurant but only on invitation)

(A halal Indian Restaurant in town)

(Prawn and Lamb bryani with mango lassi)

After lunch we performed our prayers at the Blue Mosque Yerevan also known as Parsi Abbas Mirza Mosque. The Blue Mosque is an 18th-century Shia mosque. During the Soviet era, the mosque stopped its services and housed the History Museum of Yerevan. Following Armenia's independence the mosque was renovated with the support from the Iranian government and again function as a mosque, mostly for Iranians residing in the country. It is currently the only active mosque in Armenia. We met with a few Iranians having a celebration of sort.

(The main entrance of the Jame Mosque)

(Parsi Abbas Mirza Mosque)

(Also known as the Blue Mosque)

(The entrance to the main prayer hall)

(The mihrab in the prayer hall)

(The stones from karbala, Iraq)

(Class rooms and dormitories)

(One of the lecture halls)

(Beautiful decorative tiles)

(The Iranians were celebrating Shiraz Day)

Before we went back to the hotel, we visited The Armenian Genocide memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. It was, built in 1967 on the hill of Tsitsernakaberd. Every year on April 24 - the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day - thousands of Armenians gather at the memorial to commemorate the victims of the genocide. We had the opportunity to watch the recording of a documentary for the Remembrance Day.

(Genocide Memorial and Museum)

(A memorial to commemorate victims of genocide)

(A shooting of the Remembrance Day documentary)

(A glimpse of the eternal flame)

(Flowers being placed around the flame)

(Photo opportunity with the pretty TV broadcaster)

It was a very long tiring day full of activities. We had rice and fish for dinner at the hotel restaurant and stayed another night in Hotel Olympia Yerevan.