| Armenia |
| Armenia is a clean and very safe country with its capital being even safer than several major western cities. The only no-go part of Armenia is the on the Azerbaijan border, because the two countries have had wars over territory in this area. In the capital, people are very polite and almost every one speaks English so it's very easy to get around. In the day time people go jogging down the streets, some walk their dogs, couples are out enjoying the evening etc; everyone seemed to be happy! Armenia is also very rich in history, and it was the first country to officially adopt Christianity . |
| Armenia has some amazing natural beauty. My favorite was the Vorotan canyon, where there is a natural bridge that crosses over a river. On the left is a picture of the entire canyon, to the right of that is a picture looking down into the river from the natural bridge. It doesn't seem that far from the photo but it is a long ways down. I couldn't see anyone down there but you can hear kid's voices echoing back up as they played in the water below. |
| Here are three more pictures of Armenia's natural beauty. Armenia has many amazing rock formations throughout the country like in the two photos above. During one part of my trip we drove through a steep valley that had orangish rocks with very dark green plants growing off of them. For some reason it all looked prehistoric to me, like something you would see from the dinosaur ages. On the left side is a famous waterfall named Shaki in southern Armenia. The waterfall was pretty dry when I visited but just as beautiful. Normally after it rains the rocks are completely covered by a wall of rushing water. |
| The two photos you see are pictures from the complex of Tatev along Vorotan canyon that was completed in 895. Above is a hallway found in the Tatev complex. The structure on the left is called 'Gavazan' the swinging column. It is unique because it actually tilts if someone leans on it then goes back to it's original position. This has allowed it to absorb shocks and survive dozens of earthquakes that have occurred in Armenia. |
| Above is the church complex Khor Virap, with Mt. Ararat in Turkey behind it. Click here for more on Khor Virap and the story of how Armenia came to be the first Christian Country. |
| Here are some more ancient churches in Armenia, many are found throughout the country. Almost all of these churches are still used today and but still make popular tourist attractions. |
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| Above on the left is a picture of the downtown area of Armenia's capital Yerevan. To the right is Armenia's history museum which is located in republic square. Yerevan's history dates back to the 8th century and most of it is documented in the museum. Today the city has grown to a population of over one million. |
| These two pictures are from a church complex located near the border of Iran that is called Noravank. You can see how the stones that are used are different in color from other churches in Armenia. The area around the church complex is made up of a gorge that has redish cliffs and is very scenic. |
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| Another place in Armenia where you'll never run out of water is called Lake Sevan. Since Armenia is a landlocked country Lake Sevan is also their beach, and is between Armenia and the country Azerbaijan. On the left is a shot looking over the lake from a good viewpoint. On the other side are a bunch of Armenian's swimming along the shores of Lake Sevan. Many people also take both power and paddle boats out into the lake for fun. |
| While Stone Hedge in England is famous around the world for being one of the first megalithic astronomy devices, another similar site called Karahunj is estimated to be even older. Karahunj doesn't get the same popularity because the ruins don't match the huge boulders and impressive height its Stone Hedge counterpart. Above you can see two photos I took of Karahunj, the first shows the entire ruins while on the right are some smaller stone circles outside the main area. Karahunj was believed to be used for astronomy as well, and even has holes in the stones that line up with stars at the right time of the year. |
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| One of Armenia's greatest tragedies was the Armenian Genocide which took place in 1915. Just after World War I, the Ottoman empire at the time controlled the area and was responsible for killing over a million Armenians. On the left is the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan, close by is the actual Genocide Museum. The photo on the upper right is unrelated to the genocide, but I found it interesting how Armenia's put drawings of their dead on tombstones. I think that actually makes more sense! |
| The above photos are from the ancient Erebuni fortress found in the capital. The fortress was built as a military base for King Argišti in 786BC. Back then the area was part of the country Urartu, over a thousand years before Yerevan was founded. Well over 2,500 years later, Erebuni fortress is still standing today, though in need of some work! |
| A good place in the summer to go hiking is the Valley of Fires, or Tsakhkadzor in Armenian. The upper right photo shows the lift going to the top of the mountain where you can do hiking and enjoy some scenery. In the winter Tsakhkadzor is actually a small ski resort. On the left is an old fashioned way to travel in Armenia. |
| Here are some more pictures of people having fun in Lake Sevan. Boats are available for rent, many places to eat are lined up along the shore. On the right is my driver, Samyev! |
| Inside Khor Virap, is the story of Gregory the Illuminator, a saint who helped convert Armenia from Pagan to Christianity. The story goes that Gregory the Illuminator was ordered to be dropped into a pit by Tiridates III, the son of a King. The reasons where mostly that the father of Gregory the Illuminator was enemies with Tiridates III. After over a decade, Gregory the Illuminator was pulled from the pit to help cure Tiridates III who was have said to go insane. After helping Tiridates III recover and baptize him, Tiridates III asked Gregory the Illuminator convert the entire country, making Armenia the first official Christian nation. |