Back in Yerevan

The last monastery of the trip: Geghard, partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs.
It was was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator.

 

Then we had to the Garni temple, a first century Hellenic temple. It is the only pagan temple in Armenia that survived the Christianization of the country in the early 4th century. It is also the only Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the entire former Soviet Union.
The temple collapsed in the 1679 earthquake and was reconstructed between 1969 and 1974.

Back in Yerevan, we visit the Matenadaram museum (old manuscripts). I know someone who would love to be here...

Then, to complete the week, the genocide memorial, built on the heights of the capital, a very moving place, where you can feel the presence of the 2 million people who lost their lives in a few months, and get a glimpse of the absolute madness which led to this.

After dinner, we go back to the Republic Square, in order to enjoy the musical lights

Thanks a lot to all the people who made this trip unforgettable.

For the other ones: don't hesitate to go to Armenia, it is more than worth it!

From Goris back to Yerevan

Carahunge is a prehistoric archaeological site. It is also called Zorats Karer, literally translated as Army Stones.
It was an observatory, dated to the sixth millennium BC.

Noravank is located in a narrow gorge, known for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery.

The oldest shoe in the world (5500-year-old) was found in the cave close to this place. We saw on the first day in the museum.

 

 Short stop in Areni to taste the local wines

Then in Khor Virap, close to Turkish and Azeri borders.

I missed the black storks in Troyes this year, but here are a few white and black ones, who seem to love this part of the country.

From Hermon to Goris

The day starts with a walk down to Khndzoresk, a troglodytic village, where 60 000 people used to live.

Then we take the "Wings of Tatev", officially recorded by Guinness World Records as the world's longest non-stop double track cable car.: 5.7 km.  At its highest point over the gorge, the car travels 320 m above ground level.

 

From there, you reach the Tatev monastic complex.

 

 

Usual scenery on the road (when it is not sheep, it is cows ;-)

From Dilijan to Hermon

Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world.
It is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, at the altitude of 1,900 m above sea level.

People from Yerevan come here during the summer in order to get fresh air, but the water is a bit too cold for me, no way I can dive in the lake.

 

Noraduz cemetery is a medieval cemetery with a large number of early khachkars near Lake Sevan.
It has the largest cluster of khachkars in the republic of Armenia.

The Selim caravanserai was built in 1332 and was located on the Silk Road.

In Yeghegis, we visit a church where the armies were blessed before the battle

then spend the night in the turistic complex in Harmon, that we share with Armenian families, and a number of ducks.