Armenia -

Armenian cuisine – lavash, apricots and the best breakfast ever!

Gosia — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:10:30 +0000

Armenian cuisine due to Armenia’s location combines the influence of neighbouring countries. Turkish and Iranian flavours dominate the west side, while the cuisine in the east of the country combines Georgian and Russian influences. Armenia is not a popular tourist destination, so in most places ordering food can be quite challenging. Besides Yerevan, English is practically not used, and the only option to determine what will land on our plate is Russian, unless someone speaks Armenian ? In fact, to be honest, when I think about Armenian cuisine I get back to a certain morning in the village of Tatev, in the south of Armenia, near the ′′ border ′′ with Nagorno Karabakh. It was the best breakfast in my life, prepared by the family we stayed at. All products starting with butter, cheese and ending with scones were made by the owners. Each product had an amazing, intense, natural taste and smell, unknown to me so far. It is only at such moments, that you can realize how much artificial and processed food we eat on a daily basis. Armenian food generally, is much more natural than this available in western Europe. You just need to take a walk to the local market to see the difference right away. Also, traditional bread is completely different. In fact, Armenian lavash has been listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014. Lavashes are baked in special clay ovens – tonirs, placed deep in the floor. Bread is baked by sticking dough to the walls of the oven. The lavash baked in this way can be stored for up to six months. Borek, especially known from Turkey, is also a popular snack. It’s filo cake, stuffed with cheese, spinach or minced beef. Lunch specials The north-eastern part of Armenia, or more specifically, the Shirak region is famous for its dish called Kash. It’s stew made of mildly speaking not so popular pieces of meat that I personally did not like. On Armenian tables you can often find, chinkali – famous meat dumplings in the shape of purses with delicious broth inside, known especially from Georgia. The best chinkali can be tried at Lavash Restaurant (21 Tumanyan St) in Yerevan. In addition to chinkali, it’s also worth ordering kupati in blackberry sauce, for example pork sausage with spices, also popular in Georgia. Ishli Kufta, which resembles Lebanese kibbeh, is an interesting item in the Lavash Restaurant menu. These are meatballs made of minced beef tenderloin with walnuts and spices with bulgur groats. A very popular dish in Armenia, also well known in Turkey is dolma – grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice. Armenian cuisine is also largely based on barbecue dishes called khorovats. Different types of meat: lamb, chicken or beef, seasoned with local spices are used. Grilled meat is often wrapped in lavash and then called Gharso khorovats. Although Armenian cuisine is mainly based on meat dishes, they are often accompanied by various types of salads. A popular vegetarian dish is Armenian vegetable stew – tourlou, which usually consists of: eggplant, onion, tomatoes and zucchini with added spices. Desserts The most popular fruit in Armenia is apricot, even the Armenian flag refers to the colour of it. Especially in Armenian markets you can see a lot of apricot products. There are numerous jams, wines, juices and special compositions made of dried fruit. Liquors The most popular alcohol in Armenia is cognac – Ararat. Apparently it was one of Winston Churchill’s favourite liquor, and Stalin regularly provided him with boxes of this alcohol. Armenia is also famous for its interesting types of vodka e.g. vodka from mulberry – tutti oghi, or apricot vodka-tsirani oghi. On the other hand, the best Armenian wines include Malishka, Noravank, Bagratuni and Karas. Among the beers, you can distinguish Gyumri, Dilijan and Ararat. Like this post? Check out the other ones! 🙂

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Western Armenia, must – see places, part II

Gosia — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 11:03:48 +0000

The next destination in Armenia, just after the Armenian Stonhenge (which I wrote about in the first part) was Monastyr Tatev. As we’re getting closer and closer, the road became more and more winding and mountainous. On the other hand, visibility decreased with every meter covered, actually directly proportional to the disappearing asphalt on the road. Aside from the fact that we were heading to the most popular monastery in Armenia, it looked like it was one of those places in the middle of nowhere. Tatev Monastery is mainly famous for its spectacular location in the Vorotan Canyon. The initial plan included a ride to the site by one of the longest ropeway (Wings of Tatev), reaching almost 6 kilometers, unfortunately without any visibility, it didn’t make any sense. Personally, I hoped to see even Gavazan’s Column on the spot. The column had been created almost a thousand years before the modern seismograph was developed. It’s made of a pillar placed on a rotary basis. In case of earthquake, it tilts. Unfortunately, the fog in place distorted my perception so that I wouldn’t even notice the earthquake. ? Undaunted, we decided to continue our route to Monastyr Noravank. As the height decreased, so did the fog. Even though we were away from any civilization, more cars could be seen on the road. Amazing landscapes accompanied us to Noravank Monastery. I have to admit, the monastery itself is quite impressive. Not to mention its sacred value, I must say that its camouflage impressed me the most ?. Monastery is located on a hill, and its bright color merges with the colors of the surrounding rocks. Meanwhile, the viewing terrace adjacent to the monastery offers a beautiful view of the Egheknadzor Plain. The next point of the trip was the most important sacral point in Armenia, at the same time the main destination of the pilgrimage – Khor Virap Monastery. The very name of the monastery in Armenian means ′′ deep dungeon′′ and it’s not a coincidence. Khor Virap was the place of the incarceration of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who converted Armenia to Christianity. The interior of the monastery makes an incredible impression, mainly because of its raw decor, dark color of walls, a small amount of light and numerous motive candles lit by faithfuls. Khor Virap, is a symbol of Armenia and can be seen on many tourism advertising materials. However, its fame does’s regard just a place of worship. Khor Virap guarantees the best view of the Armenians’ holy mountain – Ararat. It’s widely believed that Noah’s Ark after the Flood settled at the Ararat summit, that’s why this mountain is an extremely important element of Armenian national identity. It’s shown on the emblem of Armenia and is ubiquitous in the everyday life of the country. It’s presented not only in art or literature, but also in Armenian stores you can find many everyday products with this name. Although Ararat is situated in historical Armenian areas, it is currently within the territory of Armenia’s biggest enemy – Turkey. This fact is the reason for a sense of historical injustice, which is omnipresent in Armenian consciousness. After a visit to Khor Virap, I must say, I didn’t expect Armenia to surprise me with anything else. We had only a 50 km way to Garni Temple, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful in Armenia. I won’t hide that the driving was a bit longer, as we were initially stuck in the middle of the field hanging on a concrete water drain, and then due to some pretty specific terrain conditions we were forced to reduce the speed. On the other hand, I didn’t complain, it was even an advantage, as I could slowly contemplate the interestingly shaped terrain both of the road and its surroundings 😀 Meanwhile, a bit further, after the steppe landscape, the Garni Temple area surprised us with the amount of greenery. The Garni temple dates back to the first century and is the only sacral building unrelated to Christian religion that survived during Armenia’s adoption of Christianity. Right next to the temple is Geghard Monastery. The monastery attracts attention with its interesting location. Supposedly, in the 13th century, the remains of St. Andrew and St. John as well as the relics of the so-called The Spear of Destiny that hurt Christ on the cross, were stored there. The monastery makes an incredible impression not only because of its amazing location, but also its atmospheric interior. It’s also of great sacred value, because it was founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator. In the monastery you can see numerous khachkars, which are stone slabs, commemorating important people or events. In addition to the rich decorations, they also present a characteristic Armenian cross. Most often they can be found in the area of sacred facilities and cemeteries. The last stop was the monument to the Armenian alphabet, founded in 2005 on the occasion of the 1600th anniversary of its existence. The Armenian alphabet was created between 405-406 by a scholar and monk – Mesrop Mashtots and reportedly ranks among the most advanced in the world. Check out the first part here.

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Armenia – places you won’t forget, part I

Gosia — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:28:21 +0000

Armenia, a country in the shadow of Georgia is still sort of being skipped by mass tourism. Actually, it was one of the many reasons why I wanted to see it so much. I’ve been to Georgia twice and I like this country in my own perverse way, although the last visit left no illusions. Tourism in Georgia is becoming a money-making machine and it would be nothing wrong if this country was also betting on the quality of the services offered. Meanwhile, Armenia is an excellent alternative to commercial Georgia. Why is that? Firstly, I won’t hide, it’s cheap, secondly it’s close to us in a cultural way, thirdly it’s authentic, but most of all it’s beautiful! ? As a tourist destination, Armenia is mostly famous for its many old monasteries. Anyway, there’s no surprise because it was the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion, around 301 AD. For this reason, it is mainly identified with churches and monasteries, which is a bit unfair. Beyond interesting sacred buildings, this country is famous for its wonderful landscapes and other surprising monuments. First stop – emerald Lake Sevan, also known as the Armenian sea, as Armenia does not have access to any bigger water reservoir. It’s situated at an altitude of over 1900 m above sea level and is among the highest located lakes in the world. Lake Sevan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Armenia, because it is just over 60 km from the capital – Yerevan. The color of the water has an amazing blue color, and the lake is famous for the so-called Sevan trout, here called ′′ ishxan”. The best spot to see Lake Sevan is a city of the same name. Although there are many catering points and hotels, not everyone can enjoy this place. At first glance you can see that the city is very poor and the residents live here mainly on tourism, which blooms during the summer. On the other hand, I must admit that Sevan captivated me due to many abandoned buildings and its industrial character ? There’s also a true gem near Sevan, an abandoned wagon, located just next to the road along the lake. On the other hand, the main spot that attracts tourists to Sevan is located right next to the Sevanavank Peninsula, which owes its name to the historic monastery, dating back to the 9th century. It is made of dark volcanic rock, which is why it’s also called the Black Monastery in Armenian. Its interior is typical of all Armenian sacral buildings. Small windows and dark walls create an interesting atmosphere of this place. Near the monastery there’s an interesting building, unknown to mass tourism – the Sevan Writer s’ Resort. The building makes an incredible impression, because of its interesting, cosmic look. At first glance, it looks as if it were an abandoned, unfinished, modern construction. Meanwhile, the beginnings of the House of Writers date back to the 30’s in 20th century. At the time, two outstanding architects of soviet avant-garde: Mikael Mazmanyan and Gevorg Kochar, built the first part of the building. The appearance of the house was so capitalistically awfull that Stalin decided to send them to Siberia. However, the architects did not give up, after returning from the gulag, after Stalin’s death, they finished the construction in 1965. This time, they designed an even more futuristic project – a flying saucer hung over the lake. The building doesn’t look like futuristic anymore, it reminds more socialism times. On the other hand, it’s worth to look there, because the saucer houses a restaurant, which is maybe not so much famous for its great food, but amazing views ? Driving south of Sevan Lake, the road is getting windier, and the countryside is becoming increasingly mountainous. The scenery of the Vardenis mountains in the distance and the space are impressive. The route leads through the Selim Pass, which is considered one of the most spectacular car routes in Armenia. However, amazing views are not the only reason why you should go there. Slightly below the highest point of the pass – Vayots Dzor, you can visit Orbelian’s Caravanserai, also known as Selim Caravanserai, built in 1332. Caravanserais are buildings known especially from Arab countries and former Persia. In Persian, the word caravanserai means a caravan inn. In the old times they were some kind of caravan shelters located on commercial routes. Currently, the caravanserai is an abandoned building. While entering there I felt the thrill, primarily because the entrance resembled me an old catacomb. However, this was just a good introduction of what I could see inside. Desolate, dark, raw interior with excellent acoustics, creates a rather psychedelic vibe. Heading further south towards Nagorno Karabakh, which I wrote about here, it’s worth taking a look at Karahunj, also known as the Armenian Stonehenge. I remember this road to this day, amazing mountain landscapes, small lakes and interesting compositions of clouds, it was something incredible. Karahunj is located near the city of Sisjan, right next to the M2 route. However, Armenian Stonehenge is not a popular tourist attraction at all. There is no tourist infrastructure on the spot, like parking, ticket box or gift shop, anyway, for sure you won’t see there a living soul as far as the eye can see. Karahundj is also known as Zorac (Zorats) Karer, which means ′′ stones full of power “. It consists of a dozen decorated rock blocks. The mystery of this place has not been discovered yet. However, some researchers say that it may have been used as an astronomical observatory or an ancient necropolis. Whatever the purpose of this place was, it’s still impressive. To be continued…

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Gyumri – Vardzia – Khertvisi – Brojomi – Caucasus tour

Gosia — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:12:23 +0000

Last stop in Armenia, during our Caucasus tour – Gyumri City. It’s the second largest city in Armenia, right after the capital of Yerevan. Although it’s the second largest, it has only 120 thousand inhabitants. This city used to be full of life and the cultural capital of the region. However, on December 7, 1988, it was hit by the largest earthquake in the history of Armenia, which almost razed it to the ground. Thousands of people lost their lives then, not to mention those who lost the roof over their heads. The cause of such huge loss was the poor quality of the buildings. Gyumri’s fate was sealed due to high apartment buildings which were made of the cheapest materials in the seismically active area. I don’t know what was the reason that I wanted to visit this town, because it’s certainly not a tourist place. I think it was my curiosity. I was wondering how it looked like after more than 30 years from this disaster. Unfortunately, Gyumri still hasn’t recovered yet, many buildings are still destroyed, however there’re some ongoing construction works. Gyumri is located right next to the Georgia border. I honestly admit that I felt sorry to leave Armenia, but on the other hand, I was glad that we would finally be able to drive on normal roads. The roads in Armenia were a nightmare, not to mention drivers.When planning a trip, I always take into account a time margin for unplanned events. I admit that in the case of Armenia, I underestimated the necessary time to cover particular distances. I realised that Armenian roads are far from German highways, but let me put it this way, driving a 200 km section of the route a day was a big challenge. On the other hand, the better sections on which we could make up for lost time were full, literally full of road cameras. I knew Georgian roads from the previous trip, which is why I was convinced that further journey would be much less exhausting. Everything was going to be wonderful, outside the window an amazing, idyllic landscape, the sun was slowly setting. We drove through a small border crossing in the village of Բավրայի մաքսային կետ, ok, I’m just kidding in the village of Bavra and suddenly the road turned into the Moon landscape. The asphalt looked like the Moon’s surface or Swiss cheese. To top it all off, there was 60 km per hour speed limit, I have to admit that it was a really good joke. Actually, at 20 km per hour, the image stabilization in my phone failed 😉 However to my mind, the best was the bridge on the river 😉 At the end of an exciting day, we arrived at the hotel where the prize was waiting for us – an amazing sunset. The next morning, we continued the journey. First stop – Khertvisi Fortress. Its amazing location on the slope of the rocky hill right next to the Kura River makes an amazing impression. On the other hand, its interior makes even bigger impression. Khertvisi Fortress was destroyed many times in its long history, by Mongols, then the Turks, but now it’s being destroyed by the passage of time. Most people who visit this place are disappointed because inside you can only see the ruins of walls and fortified towers. I totally agree that it’s a pity that such a magnificent building has fallen into ruin, but in such a stark form it has even more charm for me. Less than 20 minutes of drive from Chertwisi Fortress is Vardzia. From far away you can see the scale of this extraordinary rock city. The rock city was created in the 12th century. Thanks to Queen Tamara, in the times of its greatness, there were more than 3 thousand caves located on 13 floors, combined with tunnels. The city could accommodate up to 60 thousand inhabitants which seems unbelievable. Vardzia served mainly as a shelter from the Mongols invasion. You could only get into the city with hidden passages. There were supposedly 25 wine cellars, as well as various residential and utility rooms, stables or granaries. At the central point of the rock city was the Church of Assumption, which we can also admire today. In addition to the church, there were also several other temples. Unfortunately in 1283 Vardzia, like Gyumri was largely destroyed by an earthquake. The unveiled city was an easy target to attack. This was used by the Persians who completely ransacked Vardzia in the middle of the 16th century. Currently, around 300 chambers and monastery are available for sightseeing. Admission costs 7 lari or around 10 PLN (data from 2018). It is important to remember that this is still a place of worship, so modest dress is obligatory: long pants or skirts and headscarves. The last place on our route to Tbilisi was the famous Borjomi spa. Borjomi mineral water is probably the world’s most recognised Georgian product. It is healing water used for digestive system diseases and also recommended for hangover. This spa blossomed in the times of the USSR, then it was a fashionable healing resort. Currently, the times of greatness are over, but it’s still an interesting place to visit while being on the way. In my opinion, it is very similar to our Polish spas, even the buildings look familiar.

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Armenia – Yerevan, even more Eternal City

Gosia — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 08:22:14 +0000

A very long time ago, the moment I saw on TV the culinary program about Armenia, I knew that one time I would go there. Actually, it’s hard to tell what made me interested in Armenia. Perhaps the traditional cuisine I saw in the show, maybe beautiful views with the mountain Ararat in the background, or maybe information about the difficult political situation was the result that Armenia was added to my bucket list. However, it took me quite some time to decide finally to go there. Armenia once again reminded me of herself in Lviv, in the wonderful Cafe Virmenka. The taste and smell of coffee brewed on the sand I remember like it was yesterday. However, the final decision to purchase tickets was made after reading the horrifying reportage “Caravans of death”. I wanted to see with my own eyes the country so horribly affected by conflicts and disasters, located between two hostile countries: Turkey and Azerbaijan, broken by inadequate management, however, on the other hand, having unbelievable views, great culture, excellent cuisine and above all famous for amazing hospitality. It was a hot summer afternoon, when we arrived to the capital of Armenia – Yerevan. We saw a spectacular sunset view of the pink city with the mountain Ararat in the background. Yerevan is often called the pink city, due to the color of the stone used to build it. Mount Ararat is the national symbol of Armenia. It is believed that Noah’s ark landed on its top. We can say that Ararat has become almost a trade mark. Its name can be found on many products, including the main Armenian export goods – like brandy. Armenian brandy was adored by Winston Churchill, who regularly received it from Stalin. The brandy factory is located in the suburbs of Yerevan and it’s open for visitors. More you can find here. Armenians cannot accept the fact that their holy mountain rises in the territory of their greatest enemy – Turkey, and it’s almost for the taking from Yerevan. You can see it from many points of the city. Definitely the most beautiful view of the Yerevan panorama can be seen from the terrace in the Victory Park. Another important viewpoint, with an amazing cityscape of the capital of Armenia, with the mountain of Ararat in the background, is the hill where Armenian Genocide Mamorial and Museum is located. This place commemorates the genocide of over 1,5 million Armenians. The slaughter was made by Turkey between 1915 and 1923. So far Turkey has not admitted to this mass extermination. Despite difficult history Armenia delights by the wealth of its culture and wonderful monuments. Like Iran, China, Greece, Egypt and Japan is one of the oldest countries in the world. Armenians also adopted Christianity as the first. It is worth adding that Yerevan was established 29 years earlier than Rome, which is knownm as an Eternal City. To see the old face of Yerevan, it’s well worth visiting its oldest neighborhood – Kond. Despite the fact that it’s located in the strict centre, it completely does not resemble the rest parts of the city. Narrow alleys, children playing on backyards, drying laundry, common water wells – all of these you’ll find in Cond. Despite many economic problems which affict Armenia, Yerevan is a very clean and neat city. In the time of the USRR, a special plan for the city led to change Yerevan into modern metropolis. You can just go to the Republic Square where monumental buildings remind of old times. Right next to the square, there’s an unknown monument of a certain person, who seems to be …., The city is full of interesting sculptures and artistic structures. In front of the Moscow Cinema you can see the big bear and the spider, which reminds me the installation from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Many interesting artistic installations can be seen right next to the so called – Yerevan Cascade, high stairs leading to the top of the hill, with a beautiful view of the city. This is the main meeting place, where you can find numerous cafes and restaurants. A place that is worth visiting in order to see the daily life of the residents is gum shuka – bazaar in the suburbs of Yerevan. There are plenty of stalls with vegetables and fruit. Among fruit reign apricots – Armenian flagship fruit. There are also numerous stalls with meat, local cheeses and national bread – lavash, which is the staple here. Lavashes are baked in a special stove called tonir, buried in the ground. They are paper thin and very large in size. What’s more interesting lavash prepared according to Armenian recipe is suitable to eat even for a year. This national Armenian bread has been even added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. At weekends, next to the Republic Square is Vernisage Crafts and Flea Market. There you can purchase carpets, paintings, old porcelain, coffe pots, silk shawls, books and all kinds of souvenirs, all at affordable prices. Another interesting place is the Abovyan Children’s Park – amusement park with the old train station. To get there plan your way through long, mysterious tunnel. The biggest surprise among the Armenian friends has caused my idea to visit B1 districts popularly called Bangladesh. At first glance, the place seems uninteresting. Huge block of flats built during the times of Soviet Union. However, for me, a trip to this place was a good opportunity to see another side of Yerevan and everyday life here. After sightseeing is the best to go to Lavash Restaurant, where you can try delicious local food. I also recommend a wonderful Alex Hotel, situated conveniently, close to the Yerevan centre and Brandy Factory. The Hotel is a new building on the Yerevan map, the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, fast WiFi and are perfectly clean. However, the place is special to me not so much because of the facilities but open, hospitable owners: Anna and Manuel, they are the ones who make this place so exceptionall! If you want to learn more about Armenia, get to know the closer its residents and know the true face of city, visit Alex Hotel! 😉

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