Caucasus -

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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David Gareja – the story of a certain stormy journey

Gosia — Sun, 02 May 2021 10:34:01 +0000

Everything was supposed to look completely different. I was planning to visit David Gareja on the first day just after arrival to Georgia. After visiting the monastery and we were planning to go to Ganja in Azerbaijan. The biggest problem in organizing a tour to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was the car. Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war and the border between them is closed, but that it’s not a problem because you can get to both through Georgia. The problem is finding a rental car company that allows going to these two countries. Finally we managed to find one, it had good rates and response was immediate. Before leaving, having in mind the temperament of Georgian drivers, we decided to buy full insurance. After arriving, we went straight to take a car. We received a rental agreement according to which we would cover the full repair costs and the car didn’t have any damages. As a matter of fact the car was actually dented and scratched from every side. The assistant explained that she was only responsible for printing the agreement and in order to explain this situation we should call the boss. After a long discussion, we received corrected agreement and we started reading. After a while some Georgian guy came in and started making a fuss that he needed to rent a car, the assistant started to hurry us… It didn’t make any impression on us, we guessed what’s going on and we’re reading the contract even more carefully. Obviously, it had been corrected, according to the new version, the scope of our liability was defined in the annex, but nothing like that was attached. We asked for the annex, the assistant responded that it was their law… What law? So we asked her to print “their law”. She wasn’t able to do this, but she told us we could always call the boss again. Actually, that was the end of negotiations for us. When leaving we heard that we had to pay for permission to use a car in Azerbaijan and Armenia, good joke! We laughed and left. We were left holding the bag. According to my itinerary we were to drive around 3000 kilometers in 10 days, everything was fixed up except the car. We had a slight chance to find a car to rent in the season not to mention that we needed 4WD car and permission to go to Azerbaijan and Armenia. At that moment, we had nothing else to do but save the trip and use option B, which was a ride by a night train to Baku in Azerbaijan. The station was full of people and unfortunately there was an unbelievable queue to cash desks, I knew this route is very popular in the season. We approached timidly to a ticket box; I wanted to know if there were any tickets left. I must admit that we were so tired after a flight and negotiations with the car rental company that I hoped to jump the queue. The lady in the window didn’t hide that checking the seats was a huge favor for us. There were only 6 tickets left, yeeesss we did it! We were soooo close to buy them, but then we heard THIS question: Where is your number? We didn’t have this piece of paper with number in a queue written on it. Judging by the tickets seller’s appearance there was no use asking her to sell them. We were waiting a few hours, during this time several people were shouting for joy, as they managed to buy the tickets. We were convinced that they bought OUR tickets. We didn’t have a plan C, so what else we could do but wait?Finally it’s our turn, we couldn’t believe it, there were last 2 tickets!!! Yeesss we were going to Baku!!!! In perspective, I’m glad this happened because the train journey itself was an unforgettable experience, which I wrote about here. The”emergency plan” for the rest of the trip was prepared on the way. In addition to exploring Baku and surrounding areas, we were looking for a rental in Tbilisi, which would have a 4 x4 car to rent. I had no illusions, I knew that it was almost impossible in the high season. I was so angry that only way to calm down was going to explore the capital of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Lukas did the impossible, he found a car! Two days later, we were at the starting point, we got off from the night train from Baku to Tbilisi very early. According to the new itinerary we had to rent a car and go to Armenia to Sevan, located about 240 km from the capital of Georgia. After completing the formalities, we hit the road. I had lost hope to see the Dawid Gereja complex. However, my travel companion said that since the spot was planned previously, there was no other option than to see it. I had doubts, it was already afternoon and we were a little tired after the night trip and emotions of the last few days, I realized it would take us 2 hours to drive to Gereja, including time to explore and drive to the Armenian border so another 3 hours, from there we had 150 kilometers to cover in order to get to Sewan. We didn’t know how much time it would take us to wait on the border and how the road in Armenia looked like. I must admit that the photos of David Gareja didn’t impress me much, this place wasn’t on my must-see list. However, my arguments weren’t convincing enough, Lukas told that it was only 300 km. I thought to myself… if he insisted so? We had to go there! When we passed Rustawi the asphalt on the road was gradually diminishing, until it finally ran out and we found ourselves on a dirt road. The weather gradually started to deteriorate. I thought that all the effort was for nothing before we got to Gareja there would be a huge storm. However, I didn’t realize at the time that the storm itself would make this trip unforgettable. As it was getting darker and darker, the landscape became more and more desolated. We felt like we were at the end of the world. There was an endless emptiness around us. Amazing feeling, especially when living in a civilized world, you can rarely see an empty space to the horizon. The views on this road are fabulous. The area looked like Mongolian steppes seen in the movies. A rugged terrain seemed to be painted in the shades of pink and red, that was something amazing, unbelievable. The heavy clouds on the far horizon matched perfectly to the whole picture. I can see it now as if it were yesterday. The monastery itself seemed to be just an addition in this amazing setting. Who would have thought, it was supposed the be the main point of our trip 😉 David Gareja monastery remembers the times of 6th century. At that time, the Syrian monk David decided to settle in one of the natural caves, that’s how the first monastery was created – Lavra. Over the time, hermit lifestyle attracted other monks. The complex began to expand; its biggest bloom took place between the 11th and the 13th century. The next years were unpredictable, it was invaded firstly by Mongols in the second half of the 13th century (1265), followed by Persians in the 17th century. Nevertheless, David Gareja continued to operate until 1921. During the Soviet Union, the monastery was closed and the area was used as a military range. Only in 1991 after Georgia regaining independence, it was re-opened. Currently, there are only a few monks in the monastery. During our visit, a large part of it was off limits due to ongoing renovation works. It didn’t matter when I had such views in front of me. Actually, the amazing landscape around David Gareja is located in Azerbaijan basically. Just 200 meters from Dawid Gareja is the border with Azerbaijan. The area of the complex is the source of conflict between both countries. Due to the high historical value of the complex, Georgia offers Azerbaijan other areas in exchange for Gareja. For Azerbaijan, these areas are of particular military importance. This conflict seems to have no end, especially since it’s fueled by another country – an influential player in this region. How did our farther journey look like? When we reached Rustawi, it was getting dark. We still had around 240 km to cover. It might seem that not much, but at the border we had a big delay because of the fight between the Russians and Armenian customs. On the other hand, the Armenian road from the border to Sevan village practically did not exist. We got there at 2 am. It was an exciting day and what’s more our itinerary got back on tracks. Further posts soon. Transport from Tbilisi There is no public transport to David Gareja. Besides, renting a car, there’s also a possibility to take a taxi, the cost of the rturn trip should be around 100 lari with a stop for sightseeing, when you split the bill it will cost only 25 lari. In addition, every day at 11 pm, a bus “Gareji line” leaves from Freedom Square. It’s a special sightseeing line for tourists. Private transport is often offered by hostels and guesthouses. Like this post? Check another ones!

Artykuł David Gareja – the story of a certain stormy journey pochodzi z serwisu .

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.

Artykuł Western Armenia, must – see places, part II pochodzi z serwisu .

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…

Artykuł Armenia – places you won’t forget, part I pochodzi z serwisu .

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.

Artykuł Gyumri – Vardzia – Khertvisi – Brojomi – Caucasus tour pochodzi z serwisu .

Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one!

Gosia — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:09:00 +0000

Georgia’s strategic position on the border of two continents: Europe and Asia, between two cultures: Christianity and Islam has long been the cause of numerous wars. The Romans, the Arabs, the Persians, and also in the modern history Russians, all they tried to occupy Georgia permanently, but no one actually has managed to do so. The incredible determination of the Georgian nation, cultivating tradition, including the ancient Kartuli ena language, allowed the country to preserve national identity. The history of this country is shown in many aspects, starting with the stubborn character of the Georgians and ending with the various architecture. How is the capital of this country? It’s as twisted as its history. In Tbilisi you can see futuristic architecture, contrasting with the old townhouses, Muslim influences mix here with Christian, and in addition you can find some abandoned gems, which remember socialism. Bath in hot sulphur An interesting place is the Orbeliani Bath Complex located in the Abanotubani district. Characteristic architecture with a building decorated with blue tiles reminds the Arab times. In 736 the capital of Georgia was conquered by the Arabs and for almost 400 years it was the center of the so-called Emirate of Tbilisi. Thermal baths with hot springs are underground, just under the characteristic cupolas. They are the showcase of the city, which name is derived from the Georgian word “tbili” which means warm. Admission for 2 people costs around 20€. After the bath, it’s worth visiting the surrounding restaurants. Sip delicious Georgian wine and admire the interesting architecture of Abanotubani district. The Old Town – time travel A trip to the Old Town is a kind of time travel. While the tenement houses located in the area of the Orbeliani Baths look freshly renovated, the rest of the Old Town seems to be more authentic. The lack of tourists, old ramshackle buildings, decorated metal gates, wooden decorative elements and colorful courtyards create a unique atmosphere of this place. In some places, the buildings are in a really bad condition, but progressive work of construction can be seen at every corner. An additional attraction are small art galleries and bakeries located in the cellars, where you can also buy some tetri. My advice: to get to know this place better, you just need to get lost 😉 Fabulous time tower One of the main attractions of the Old Town is the fabulous clock tower. Located in the old part of the city, it’s actually the artistic vision of the theatre director – Rezo Gabriadze, built in 2010. Interesting design and characteristic tilt makes the impression that it’s about to fall. It’s worth to come here at full hour. Then you can see an angel hitting the bell in the upper window of the clock. On the other hand, a small puppet spectacle is oragised there at noon and at 7.00 pm. Tbilisi from perspective: In order to see Tbilisi from a slightly higher perspective, you should visit two spots. One of them is Mount Mtatsminda. At the top there’s an amusemenmt park . It’s worth going there at sunset or at night. You can get there by funicular. The second interesting viewpoint is Narikala Fortress, which is located on Solaki Hill. There’s a path to the hill, but on hot days it is better to use a cable car. During the ride you can admire the characteristic architecture of the Old Town. The hill is guarded by a huge statue of Kartlis Deda – called the Mother of Georgia. In the left hand, she holds a glass of wine for friends, while in the right a sword for enemies. Near the statue you can see the ruins of the former fortress. Sanitary pad with the Presidential Palace in the background The cable car to the Narikala Fortress runs from Rike Park. Rike Park surprises with a modern architecture that completely doesn’t match the old surroundings. It’s the artistic vision of the former President of Georgia – Michail Saakashvili. The characteristic spot is the Bridge of Peace, which due to its appearance is recognised by the inhabitants as a sanitary pad. The perfect contrast for the bulwark of the Kura river is the concert hall in the shape of a tube and a Presidential Palace located just behind it. Alternative Tbilisi: The place you need to see while being in Tbilisi is Fabrika located on Egnate Ninoshvili street 8. The former textile factory has been changed to a hostel and an iconic meeting place. In the courtyard of the factory there are cafes and bars and the walls of the building are decorated with many interesting murals. During the day you can come by to drink a delicious coffee and in the evening to party. Tea only in Althaus The best place for tea or coffee is Althaus. The interior is decorated in a vintage style, while a colourful porch offers a nice view of the city. This is the perfect place for breakfast or rest during sightseeing. Best beer in Warsaw! The iconic Warsaw bar is located in the center of the city on Freedom Square. It’s a popular hangout for residents and tourists. If you miss Polish food you can eat here steak tartare,herring or meat in jelly, as well as various types of beer, wine and vodka. Menu of course in Polish 😉 Transport to Tbilisi There are a lot of regular flights to Tbilisi. However, prices are quite high, especially in the high season. I took advantage of Wizzair offer from Katowice to Kutaisi. From Kutaisi airport you can get to the capital of Georgia using Gerogian Bus. The ticket costs 15 GEL and you can receive a 10 % discount when booking online. The journey takes about 4 hours and the bus stops in the centre of Tbilisi in Freedom Square. Car rental: If you like adrenaline, renting a car will certainly be an interesting option for you. Personally, I’ve had a lot of adventures with Georgian rental cars companies, but this is a topic for a separate post. Fortunately, during my last stay in Georgia, I was with a good driver. To be honest, I can do bungee jump or skydive, but driving a car in Tbilisi is like taking a ride on a rollercoaster without fasten belts. Urban transport Public Transport is the best option to move around Tbilisi. In order to use buses and metro you need to buy a Metromoney card. It costs around 2-3 GEL it is complemented by the amount in the counters or machines. Even a few people can use one card.

Artykuł Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one! pochodzi z serwisu .

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! 😉

Artykuł Armenia – Yerevan, even more Eternal City pochodzi z serwisu .

The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) – a country that does not exist…

Gosia — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 18:42:51 +0000

The Southern Caucasus is famous for its beautiful views, excellent food, incredible hospitality, but it also has its dark side. The strategic position linking Asia to Europe has always been the cause of clashes among world players like Russia, Iran and Turkey. This area consists of three countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Before the trip, I did not expect that countries with such a small area, could be so different in every way: religion, culture and even origin. The Southern Caucasus is an area of very turbulent history, which is even now visible. Many conflicts remain unexplained, resulting in the existence of three self – appointed counries: Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The issue of Abkhazia and South Ossetia concerns Georgia, while Nagorno Karabakh is a disputed area between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh has many names, in the Russian language is Nagorno /y Karabakh, in Azerbaijan Qarabağ, while in Armenian Artsakh – the current name of the Republic. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have created a historical right to this territory. It’s no use searching for Nagorno-Karabakh on the South Caucasus map. It’s an Armenian enclave, located in around 15 % of the Azerbaijan territory. It has not been internationally recognised, only self – appointed states like: Abkhazia, Transnistria and South Ossetia recognised its independence. More importantly, it hasn’t been officially recognised even by supporting it Aremenia. In the 20th century, as a result of the Soviet Union’s policy, Karabakh was repeatedly incorporated once to Azerbaijan, once to Armenia. On 4th July 1921 USRR decided to join it to Armenia, but in order to improve relations with Turkey (the Armenian enemy), a day later, they decided to include it in Azerbaijan, on the rights of the autonomous territory. The fact that the territory was inhabited mostly by Armenians did not matter. Karabakh had remained within Azerbaijan borders until 1987, when it came out with a proposal to join with Armenia. The refusal of the USSR has become the beginning of an armed conflict present today. The typical ‘divide and rule’ policy of the Soviet Union was suppressing the independent aspirations of the Southern Caucasus, but with its collapse, the situation in this area has become very complicated. After the collapse of the USSR, Russia began to support the Armenians in joinig Nagorno-Karabakh. The main reason for reversed Russia’s policy to Nagorno-Karabakh was that the Azerbaijanis, as a nation related to the Turks, was always supported by Turkey, an ally of the United States. Declaration of independence proclaimed by Karabakh in 1991, started a bloody war between Azerbaijan and Armenia which lasted until 1994. At present, the situation between these countries is tense, but there are no open hostilities. Before the trip, I thought that Nagorno Karabakh is a country destroyed by war, but it turned out to be a beautiful area surrounded by high mountains, picturesque valleys and canyons. The name itself gives a perfect image of this place. Nagorno Karabkah means “Mountainous Black Garden”, Nagorno – means mountainous in Russian, Kara – it’s black in Turkish and bakh – means gardens in farsi. In addition to beautiful nature you can see there old churches, monasteries and fortresses. The Capital of Artsakh – Xankendi, commonly known as Stepanakert, surprised me with its order, new buildings and good roads. Karbakh/Artsakh is supported financially by Armenia, so it was even more surprising to me that its economic situation seems much better than on the Armenian side. The mandatory point of each trip is the capital – Stepanakert, where the visa should be obtained. On a hill close Stepanakert, you can see the monument “We are our mountains”, built in 1967. I presents two old men – mountainous people, called Tatik and Papik,in translation grandma and grandpa. During the tour, there was a demonstration at the monument with one of the Nagorno-Karabakh ministers. Standing in a crowd of children waving flags, we became the stars of Karbakh TV. The historical capital of Nagorno-Karabakh was located in Shushi, near Stepanakert. It was heavily destroyed during war. There are no signs of war right now. You can see there a beautiful cathedral, as well as the tank left after the war in its suburbs. Close to Stepanakart is the true jewel of Nagorno-Karabakh, Hunot Canyon. The canyon path leads along the Karkar river surrounded by high rocks and lush vegetation. Around 40 kilometers form Stepanakert is very interesting buildng – Hotel Eclectic located in the small town of Vank. High on the hill, above the village of Vank, you can visit the historic Armenian monastery – Gandzasar. A lot of pilgrims come here every year, due to the relics of Zachariah – John The Baptist’s father. The interior of the monastery is raw, and only the glow of the candles made it warmer. From the top of the hill there’s also a beautiful panorama of Karabakh. We also wanted to visit Agdam – the ghost town. Once city with a population of 50 thousand residents, now completely desolated after the war. Unfortunately, it turns out that the visa does not allow to visit this place. In addition, it is a buffer zone with Azerbaijan, where situation sometimes gets tense, as it was during our stay. Safety: Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are still at the border of armed conflict. At present, it’s safe to move around Armenia and Azerbaijan, but it is important to avoid areas close to the border, as there is sometimes an exchange of fire. On the site of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs you can find following infromation: In the territory of Armenia, as a rule, it is possible to move without restrictions, but it’s advisable to avoid travelling in areas near the border with Azerbaijan (especially in the province of Tawusz), as there are armed incidents associated with Karbakh conflict. The Embassy warns against travelling on the road of Voskepar-Baghanis (part of the international tour of Yerevan-Tbilisi). We suggest using the Armenian side of the M5 and M3 route (by Vanadzor and Aparan). If you need to pass the M16 route, you shall be forced to move to a detour designated by the road H26. However, in the case of Nagorno-Karabakh on the same site you can find the following information: It is strongly advised not to travel across the Nagorno-Karabakh territory because of its unknown international status and the armed incidents on the border. The consul in Yerevan does not have the possibility to take care of Polish citizens in that territory. It is also necessary to be aware that the entry into the Karbakh territory is regarded as an illegal crossing of the border from the point of view of the Azerbaijani authorities and may result in consequences defined in its law. When deciding to go to Nagorno Karabakh, a possible threat should be considered. One must also bear in mind that travel insurance will probably not cover emergencies resulted from armed or terrorist activities. There are no armed incidents currently in Nagorno Karabakh territory, but before going there, it is best to obtain up-to-date information on the situation, from Armenians living in border areas or to use local guides. In addition, when planning a journey across the Southern Caucasus, first go to Azerbaijan and then visit Armenia not to mention Nagorno Karabakh. The stamps form these places in the passport makes it impossible to obtain a visa to Azerbaijan and at the border it is necessary to hide all items related to Armenia (what I’ve written here) Transportation and visa: You can only get to Nagorno Karabakh through Armenian border. Border crossing is located next to the village of Berdzor, although it’s possible to cross the border next to the village of Karvajar during the summer. From Yerevan to Stepanakert you can get by bus, which runs every day, ticket costs 45000 drams. I have to admit that the border crossing between Armenia and Norgorno Karbakh is quite bizarre. There are two flags: Armenian and Karbakh, which practically look the same. Tourists wishing to visit Karabkh must obtain a visa, but the most surprising thing is that it can’t be arranged before coming or at the border. At the border you receive a note with an address where you can get a visa. Furthermore, a visa can be obtained in the capital – Xankendi (common known as Stepanakert) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located at Azatamartikneri 28, about 70 km from the border!!! The customs officer gave us the address and instructed to keep in mind that at 1 pm, ministry officials have lunch. It was valuable information, because what would we have done if a hungry official hadn’t given us a visa? Then would be the only one solution… We would have stayed in Artsakh for much, much longer 😉 Lack of visa makes it impossible to return to Armenia. The ministry is open from Monday to Saturday between 9 and 17. If the ministry it’s closed, the visa should be obtained on the following working day. Visa costs 3 000 drams, which is calculated. It’s said that it can be made in Yerevan, but in this case, a photograph should be included. The visa is not stuck to the passport, so in future it can be used to cover unwanted stamps e.g. from Kosovo when we want to visit Serbia. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

Artykuł The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) – a country that does not exist… pochodzi z serwisu .

Azerbaijan – The Land of fire and mud volcanos

Gosia — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:20:15 +0000

Azerbaijan is also called The Land of Fire. The Absheron Peninsula has been famous for centuries of so called “burning ground”. This phenomenon can be seen 5 km from Baku in Yanar Dag. A unique attraction, located near Baku are mud volcanoes. It’s estimated that half of the all mud volcanoes in the world are located in Azerbaijan . In Qobustan National Park you can see numerous mud volcanoes. What’s more interesting, gurgling mud is cooler than the air temperature – checked by Lukas himsef! 😀 The volcanoes are located on slopes, from which you can admire a beautiful view of the Caspian Sea on one side, and on the other mountains and steppe. The road to Qobustan itself is very interesting albeit a little complicated. You can use local taxis or guides, but it’s possible to get there by car. map below: Unfortunately, the initial complications with the car rental company in Tbilisi, prevented us from visiting other interesting places in Azerbaijan, such as the Candy cane Mountains – characteristic white and pink mountains, the town of Quba – known from the production of excellent apples and carpets, Ganja – the second largest city in Azerbaijan or Naftalan Spa where we wanted to bathe in crude oil. What to eat: Unfortunately, due to the problems with car rental company, we didn’t have so much time, so breakfasts looked like this: The most popular fruit in Azerbaijan is watermelon, served in different ways, but mostly with bread and cheese. Yes, that’s right, bread and cheese! The traditional drink is strong tea, given in the known from Turkey, tulip-shaped glasses. It’s served with a cube of sugar through which a drink is poured. Instead of sugar cubes, Azerbaijanis often serve jam. Traditional food are kutabi – pancakes stuffed with: pumpkin, vegetables, chestnuts or meat. Azerbaijani cuisine is very aromatic and full of oriental flavours. It’s mainly based on beef and lamb and also uses intense spices and herbs. Many dishes are similar to those known from Turkey like: dolma – wine leaves stuffed with meat or pilav – a very aromatic dish with meat, rice and vegetables, and sometimes with fruit and nuts. Pilav is the staple dish in Azerbaijan and throughout the country you can try over 350 types of it! Meat is often served with traditional bread baked in the tandoor oven. I was captivated by the unique taste of Azerbaijani food. The Azerbaijanis can easily combine various ingredients. One of the most popular dish is qovurma/kovurma which consist of mutton meat with pomegranate juice, onion and nuts. Believe me after coming back home, you’ll be dreaming about this taste. Not only the taste matters, Azerbaijanis pay attention also to the preparation and the way of serving the dishes. Unforgettable taste and appearance had a dish of mutton with vegetables, potatoes, prepared in Saj/Sac. Traditional and cheap Azeri dishes you can eat in Dolma restaurant, located in Baku. Sample prices: – cost (per night) for double room in hostel located in the centre of Baku – 5 € – liter of fuel – about 0,5 € – dinner in Dolma – around 7€ per person – admission tickets from 5€ to £ 7€ (prices are higher for foreign turists) How to get there: The best is to get a train from Tbilisi to Baku.Night train no 37 leaves daily at 8.30 pm and comes to Baku at 9.00 am pm, tickets can be bought here. During the holiday it’s better to book the tickets in advance. The cost of couches in the second class, (4 berths in a compartment) is about 20 €. The train is well signed, and information about the platform is visible on the information boards. The train is clean, and fresh sheets are given. There’s no dining car on the train, so it’s good to buy something to drink and eat. There’s a possibility to buy cold drinks during a long break at the border. A return train to Tbilisi departs daily from Baku at 9.50 pm and arrives at 10.30 am. Tickets can be bought here. Necessary documents: – passport, – visa that can be arranged online here, – it’s good to have confirmation of booked accommodation in Azerbaijan.

Artykuł Azerbaijan – The Land of fire and mud volcanos pochodzi z serwisu .