Wait--are we in Utah?

The road west from Tatev monastery at this time of year brings the American west to mind. Mostly browned over and treeless, very rocky soils and hills seem endless. You climb up to the Vorotan Pass, once a stop on the Silk Road but now only a monument to those days. Then down to more of the same. Sheep with their shepherds (complete with a crook) and dogs and cattle herds with men on horses may be seen in the fields. This is potato harvest time as well, so we saw big white bags stacked in the harvested fields waiting for pick up.

Those of us who are old enough might be forgiven for hearing the theme to Bonanza and thinking we have seen this mountain before in other movies involving stagecoaches or cattle drives.This is especially true on the road to Noravank, which translates either as "New Monastery" or "Monastery of Fire," depending on which story you buy. One story has to do with a replacement building centuries ago. The other has to do with another Mongol invasion story in which the invaders saved the site because of the beauty of the fiery red canyon walls.

Leaving the main road and turning southwest, you enter a deep canyon when the sun appears ahead in the break between the walls. It is a very dramatic introduction to a beautiful monastery site. Along the way we passed a birding and bat site in the canyon with its own set of aficionados.

Wood door details

Door detail in form of khachkar

Noravank is younger in age than Hayrivank or Tatev and it was blessed with the presence of a stone artist now named "Momic" who created beautiful art out of stone there. Two church-like structures have been rehabilitated and one roof was replaced through the generosity of a Canadian-Armenian family. Once again we see khachkars in the walls and on the grounds. The central domes of both churches are full of carvings and brilliant stone construction work. In one, a priest is chanting and candles are being lit.

In some ways Noravank seems more remote than Tatev even though we can easily drive to it. There is no wall around the compound now and it is surrounded not with arable land and orchards but with steep and firey rock canyons. How the monks ever found this spot is a mystery. How they maintained themselves there is an even bigger mystery.

Wedding car with flowers and pink tulle

But its proximity to Yerevan means that Noravank gets many visitors, in fact busloads of them. The day we were there a bridal party we had passed on the road (procession of several cars with flowers and tulle decorations) arrived for a blessing from the priest. This is also a site where weddings take place, visitors or no. 

And that day the place was crawling with young teens with all the ebullience of spring lambs. They were climbing on anything climbable and thoroughly enjoying themselves. 

We were taken  aback because so far we had been alone at Hayrivank and among a few at Tatev. This felt like DisneyWorld by comparison. It brought to mind the likely eventual need to restrict access to at least some parts of these historic sites to ensure their conservation. Right now there is no entry fee to the monasteries. Donations are always welcome and there is inevitably something to buy, if only candles.

As beautiful as I found Tatev, especially for its isolation, I have to admit that Noravank is even more beautiful architecturally. That leaves our 4th and final monastery for this trip, Khor Virap.

View from the winery

The road to Khor Virap goes through a region of vineyards and wine production, centered in the town of Areni. On the day of our visit the Areni Wine Festival was in full bloom and the president of the republic was there to open every tasting stall. 

This looked like the Michigan vs. Michigan  State football game in early October, with cars out on the road miles from the event site. In other words, we could not get close to the action. Happily for us the Areni Wine company has a tasting room and sample cellars right on the road. We stopped there to taste their wines before going on to Khor Virap.

Our sommelier

Tasting the dry reds

In Armenia, there is generally a preference for semi-sweet wines, but dry red and white wines are also made. We chose a special collection dry red wine from 2005 for a souvenir before a group of German tourists with a very assertive tour leader literally swooped down on us and completely distracted the poor guy who was trying to give us tastes. We actually liked the taste of the semi-sweet red, but I could not imagine drinking it with hot food--more with cheese and fruit or nuts. The pomegranate wine was regrettably not as tasty as I had hoped--too close to cough syrup for me.

Khor Virap's doves

So off to Khor Virap. Based on our tour book's descriptions we had low expectations. This is the place you go to get close to Mount Ararat, which is only about 12 km away but a world away since it is physically located in what is now Turkey. This is the mountain where Noah's ark landed as the waters of the great flood receded and doves appeared bearing green branches. Not surprisingly, in Yerevan there are many Noah's Ark themed items available. We did not see the promised dove sellers who for a fee will give you a "dove" (homing pigeon) to send off to the mountain. But there was a lovely little fountains bedecked with white carved doves in the courtyard.

It's hard to describe the looming nature of Mt. A. in Yerevan--where the best views are from a pedestrian bridge over a nearby street (clear day required). It is a constant presence and in some ways a needling reminder of the loss Armenians feel as a result of political boundary line-drawing by more powerful nations during the 20th C. Ararat remains snow-capped throughout the year and so looks very picturesque at any time you can see it.

We arrived late in the day thanks to the  modern caravanseri where we had the made-to-order lunch. In fact the gate was closed. But our driver/guide Gor paid the gatekeeper some coins and he let us in. There were still several dozen people up at the site, mostly young teens. The girls were posing in glamor shots with the mountain in the background. The boys were intrigued by the pit in which St. Gregory the Illuminator was held captive for 13 years. The most I could do was take a peek down into it--no way was I getting close to Gregory's experience. Besides a half a dozen boys had already gone down there, impressing each other and the girls who were not posing for each other.

Khor Virap

The courtyard of the compound is lovely,with healthy and well-cared for shrubs and trees. It is surrounded outside by orchards and commercial vineyards that extend for many acres. This is one of those sites where one church is sited east-west and another is north-south, suggesting one was built on a pre-Christian worship site. Imagine the energy there must be in that place. 

Peter and Gor made a little film message in Armenian for Klaus while I walked the ramparts and tried to get a decent photo of Ararat at sunset. It's a small consolation, I know, but the Armenians did get the sunset view of the mountain out of the line-drawing and it is stunning.

Thirty minutes later, it was dark and we were immersed in Yerevan traffic and then quickly back home after two days away. We are still trying to absorb it all.

Tatev

The monastery at Tatev became a travel objective as soon as I read it was accessible mainly by the world's longest cable car ride. I figured this had to be REMOTE, which seemed appealing. I was not disappointed.

View from the cable car

You can get to Tatev by car, but the road is in very poor condition and takes quite awhile to drive down the gorge and then back up the gorge on innumerable switchbacks. A few years ago a wealthy Armenian businessman financed the construction of a cable car as an alternative. The car travels 5.7 km  for about 12 minutes, giving a very smooth ride in an enclosed glass car holding perhaps as many as 15 people. Built by a Swiss company (lots of reassurance from that!), it can operate in winds up to 80 km/hour. Happily the day we visited the winds were only 12 km/h. And best of all, we were in the first cable car to arrive that day, meaning we and 13 of our closest friends (Australians on a 45-day silk road tour from Beijing to Istanbul) were alone there for at least 30 minutes.

Happy cable car users!

When you board the cable car, Tatev is not within sight. You pay about $10 for a round trip ticket going on faith that something interesting is out there. Turns out Tatev is two or three valleys away and only comes into view on the last leg of the cable car trip. Then you gasp at the view of this enclave perched on the edge of a gorge.

Some say Tatev is best seen like this--from afar--but I loved being on the ground within the walls just as much. It seemed to me, as I wandered in and out of the Father Superior's Quarters and other buildings that make up the compound, that new windows on the world presented themselves in every room. Views of the outside world change from a mountain stream far below to distant farmland, to mountains-- your perspective changes, depending on where you are...sort of like life.

View through a small arch near the gate.

View southeast from monks' quarters

The mountain stream as seen from the Father Superior's quarters

"Need bread and milk soon!"

Built starting in the mid-9th century, Tatev's purpose was originally to house the treasures of the church in the region. Along the way it served also as a university. There were years on end when the inhabitants had no direct contact with the world outside the surrounding walls. When they felt the need to communicate they dropped a message on a rope through an opening in the tower near the entrance and  then prayed someone would notice. 

Sts Peter and Paul Church

 

Gavasan gave early warnings of  earthquakes

Within the walls an octagonal tower-like structure called a gavasan (pastoral staff or shepherd's crook)) was built in 904 to serve as an early warning system for earthquakes. The tower would rock on its base when it detected tremors. And earthquakes have hit this region and damaged Tatev structures over the centuries. The bell tower has been replaced more than once for this reason!

Tomb of Grigor Tatevetsi

Architecturally Tatev follows the basic pattern for monastic churches with a high dome at the center of the worship space and the altar on one end. This is clearly a grander site than Hayrivank but not a lot more elaborate in its details. In the 10th C. its walls were covered with frescoes but these have long been gone due to moisture and earthquakes. Khachkars sit along and in the walls of the church. The very highly decorated, carved stone mausoleum of Grigor Tatevetsi sits just outside.

Land surrounding the compound

Ancient oil press produced walnut oil.

The land on the "high" side of Tatev includes some arable acres, walnut groves, and grazing land. It's clear the monks could feed themselves. They may have also created a small cash crop with their oil mill, where walnuts were crushed into their oil. The mechanism of the oil mill is still in place, the most amazing part being the all-wood screw that turns to move the grinding stone with the aid of oxen.
 
In the sanctuary of the Church of Sts Peter and Paul, in the center of the walled enclave, we happened upon a religious observance. Two priests were chanting, ringing bells, and swinging a thurible filled with smoking incense. Sunlight was streaming in from the southeast windows, lighting up the dust motes and incense smoke in the air. Only a few people were in the building, some lighting candles, others simply standing and listening to the ancient rituals. When they left, most walked backwards away from where the priests were carrying out the liturgy. Out of tradition from the time my brother was undergoing a stem cell transplant in 2006, I lit a candle for Bill and prayed for peace.

All of Tatev inspires respect of this sort. Seen in the bright sun of late morning, with few others around, it was not impossible to imagine the contemplative life lived for centuries in this place, so far and so difficult to reach by either friend or foe. It is no wonder that until recently this beautiful place was rarely visited.


In the past two years since the cable car operation began, the number of visitors to Tatev has increased exponentially. It is now becoming a destination wedding site, with a huge semi-permanent white structure (think fancy wedding ten but more substantial-looking) close to the parking lot and cable car platform and overlooking the steep mountains and long valleys. The day we visited the builder of the cable car was expected to arrive by helicopter for a visit so the whole upper parking lot had to be cleared for use as the heliport. Word has it he is thinking of building a second cable car which would link to some remote second homes nearby. Things are definitely substantially changing at Tatev after a millenium of quiet witness.

Seen One, Seen 'Em All?

When I began to plan a two-day trip in Armenia, I was prepared to hit one monastery on the itinerary, thinking I could then say I'd been to one, that they would all offer about the same charms. Au contraire.

First, visiting the monasteries along a route is just something people do here. It is awkward to tell the tour guide you are not interested in these treasures. Second, each monastery has its own history and charms. They are not all alike. Duh. So, get ready to hear about four unique monasteries dating from the 9th to the 12th C. This post will cover the first one we visited as well as another well-known site called the Field of Khashkars. Tune in to later posts to see how they differ.

Hairavank on Lake Sevan

The first and most simple site we visited was Hayrivank on the western shore of Lake Sevan. It is thought this was a parish church built during the 9th C. At one time it sat literally on the shore of the lake. Water levels have dropped by about 40 feet over the centuries.

Water levels were as high as the top of the white rocks at one time.

Exit to the lakeside.

Simple front door

At this first site we observed two aspects that became recognizable in others. First,the basic structure of the buildings vary little. Most Armenian churches are not large and the center is square with a domed ceiling. There are no seats or pews. Generally they are positioned east-west. In places where churches are positioned north-south, it is thought that these churches were built on top of existing sites of pagan worship used in the pre-Christian era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Khashkar in side of building

The second aspect we saw again and again were khashkars or highly carved memorial stones. The stones were embedded in the walls or placed on the ground, often in cemeteries.

Ceiling of main worship room

Starting the monastery visits with Hayrivank turned out to be a good thing since it is small, relatively plain in appearance and we were the only people there at the time--which made it feel very special, something we did not fully appreciate until later.

Not far from Hayrivank is another national site called the Field of Khaskars, pronounced something like but not exactly, "hahsh-cars." If you can get a good gutteral sound into the first two letters, you will be close. This large cemetery at Noratus has been partially restored with the support of the US and Italian governments and private companies in Armenia. 

There we saw the first of several places with an unusual accommodation to people who have visual impairments. A panel of explanations in Braille in five languages sits at the entrance. This seemed especially remarkable because accessibility for people with mobility handicaps or who use wheelchairs is quite limited here (except all the corner curbs have ramps) and I have never seen this in the US that I recall.

Gor with his distant cousin among the khachkars

The guidebook warns that visitors will be approached by local women selling their hand-made wares at the Field of Khachkars. And indeed when we entered, it was as if some little bell went off and four or five women started to head our way. Our tour guide/driver, Gor, had actually met one of the women on a previous trip and established that they were probably related in some way from a century ago when one of his great uncles settled there. Here she is showing us how she spins yarn by hand. A pair of thick wool socks later, we bought hot pads tied together with yarn (like strings on kids' mittens) from each of two more women. Gor called a halt at that point, or I would probably still be there buying things.

One of the most interesting khachkars we saw told a very tragic story. A wedding party was attacked by Mongol invaders and everyone was killed. The stone pictured below shows the attackers on horses, the bride and groom, the bride's parents, a wine jug, lavash, and the table set for the party. Tragic in its own right, I felt saddened that still today we hear stories like this, though now they are often bombings of whole families celebrating a wonderful event.

Can you find all the elements?

Among the ancient stones we saw much newer ones as well, including one that had had a visitor within the past year. Pictures of the buried families members are etched in the granite stone of some newer memorial.

 

Next monastery and related sights:  Tatev, deep in southeastern Armenia and accessible by the world's longest cable car.

 

The Silk Road 2012

I am a total sucker for anything with Silk Road on it. Maybe it is the exotic adventure. Maybe it is just--let's face it, I have a problem--the FABRIC.

About ten years ago the Smithsonian's Summer Festival was The Silk Road and I ate it up. The food, the music, the fabrics, the crafts. Never thought I would get close. But this week, I actually was on part of the Silk Road that went through Armenia. It took extra dram, but I was not going to miss the only surviving caravanseri in Armenia if I could help it. In my mind's eye I see silks and beads and spices making their way from east to west.

The caravanseri were places where travelers on the road would stop to rest and feed their animals and make trades. Sort of camel truck stops. Not everyone went the whole road from China to the Mediterranean. Some people just worked part of the road or were distributors for others.

Lavash rolled around Lori cheese--delish!

The caravanseri were built in mountain passes. This means regardless of the direction you were heading, to reach one you had to travel endless switchbacks to get there. The  one we saw and where we ate a nice Armenian lunch of very fresh lavash and Lori cheese, was in the Selim pass. We were heading south from Lake Sevan. On that part of the road we also saw two of the five or six remaining original bridges from the Silk Road era. They are arched stone bridges that span mountain streams. And they are still looking good after about 900 years.

12th C camel truck stop

The caravanseri at Selim Pass dates from the 12th C. Made of stone blocks, it consists of two rooms. The only light is admitted from the sky through open holes in the roof or from the only door. Animals were housed along the sides (they had their own skylights) and the animal quarters were separated from the other travelers by the feeding tanks and troughs.

Imagine bedding down here

Traders and their goods would rest in the center. Fires could be built to cook food and create heat, with the skylights providing an escape for the inevitable effluents of all kinds. No bath or toilet facilities. Lucky to have water and food and enough warmth to keep warm overnight.

Looking south - the day ahead from Selim Pass

It is hard to imagine they would stay only one night. This travel was rough and very slow. My experience involved paved roads and well-engineered switchbacks. Imagine trying to coax your tired oxen or donkeys or camels around one more ess curve before dinner.

Bottled gas pump along the road

Today, the roads of Armenia are not completely unlike the old days. Travelers stop along the way, to spend the night, get refreshment before the next leg of the journey, or refuel. 

Refueling takes time because the automatic propane gas (used in most cars along with gasoline) is limited to 250 pounds of pressure. So it takes several minutes to fill up. I found it necessary to get to the edge of the "gas station" once I  noticed that no one put out their cigarettes during this process. Maybe the problem is not the same as it would be with gasoline, but I wasn't taking chances.

Caravanseri 2012

Today our very own caravanseri provided a lovely late lunch on short notice--barbecued lamb, potatoes, fresh trout grilled, the ubiquitous and delicious "spring salad" (tomatoes, cukes, herbs, and lemon and olive oil), lavash, and two kinds of homemade cheese. For three people, about $25. Cooked to order. And then on to the next stop.

Ancient Manuscripts? Srsly?

The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, commonly referred to as the Matenadaran, is an ancient manuscript repository here in Yerevan. Built by the Soviets, like many other buildings of the same era, it is unquestionably grand and important in appearance. This one sits high on a hill at the northern end of the city--at the top of the street named for Mesrop Mashtots, who is credited with being the first to create alphabets for both Armenian and Georgian.

Close-up of bird motif in the alphabet

Armenian alphabet using in a bird motif

But seriously, would this kind of thing be on your list of the Top Ten things you want to do when you go somewhere? Me either. But then I learned more about it from Americans and others who had been there. I was assured it is a must-see. I will now take over that role and tell you it is a must-see and I am so glad I went. When you come to Yerevan, do not miss the Matenadaran! And be sure to pay a little extra for an English-speaking guide.

The holdings on display are a fraction of the total holdings but they included three large rooms of cases holding such treasures as 5th century gospels, psalters, and homilies. Two of the rooms were reopened after extensive restoration just last week by the President. Talk about excellent timing on our part!

Every book had a Scribe and an Artist

Each of the illustrated manuscripts was the product of two individuals--the artist and the scribe. Never the twain shall meet in one person, apparently, though a very steady hand was required of both.

There was a very interesting display of a petrified document next to a similar one in parchment (goat skin). The restoration program focuses on bindings and on principle does not alter or renew the actual art work or writing in any piece.

An 18th C herbalist's compendium of cures found in the Ararat Valley

In addition to religious texts produced in monasteries, there were many texts on early medicine, including dissection and the use of herbs in treating common maladies. Maps were also displayed. One book of a 5th C mathematician apparently asserts that the world is round, not flat, but he was frustrated by being unable to prove it.

Many of the documents survived or are copies of originals from the 5th C, considered a golden era for Armenia. King Tigran Mets was powerful and respected and the Armenian kingdom stretched between two seas--The Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Christian monasteries dotted the landscape. Now the Republic of Armenia is landlocked between the two bodies of water, but surrounded by Turkey, Georgia, Azeribaijan, and Iran.

Although much of the work on display was produced before the invention of the printing press, there are early examples of Bibles printed in Armenian in places like Madras (now Chennai), India, in the 16th C. In addition there are donations of ancient manuscripts from virtually every country in the world--from Russia on birch bark, old Korans from Iran on parchment, Indian texts on palm leaves.

For me the  most interesting aspect dealt with the colors the artists used and how they got them. The blues were made with lapis lazuli, greens from copper oxide. In wealthier communities the yellow was real gold. Red was created from the bodies of a red beetle-like insect that is found  in the weeds of grass.

In addition, other plants were used to create ranges of hues for each color. Here is a whole case of examples with closeups of myrtle and lavender leaves. This goes way beyond your basic metal water colors tin.

Time well spent? Srsly.

A New Discovery

During my childhood my great-aunt Martha sent us a case of pomegranates from southern California every year at Christmastime. Imagine--a whole case of this exotic, wine-y tasting fruit. We had so many we ate them as snacks. The dark red juice stained anything within three feet, including our hands.

Pomegranates seem an unlikely taste treat at first sight. But thanks to some brave adventurer, we know the almost leathery exterior hides a brain-like structure of juicy seeds. Just this year (thanks to Eating Well Magazine) I learned how to get the juicy seeds out without staining my hands (the secret is to do it under cold water). In Vermont we see fresh pomegranates at the time of year Aunty sent them to us--December and January. I have learned that at some point they disappear, so I always buy many and proceed to freeze the seeds for future use.

Today Peter and I visited the big market near us and bought enough fruit to start our own fruit stand (it is easy to get carried away). Among our finds were YELLOW pomegranates. I was curious as to how they might compare with the luscious dark red ones I have learned to use liberally in salads and desserts and even an entree or two.

The fact is, they are structured the same way--lobes of  berries hide inside an unappetizing shell. Although the berries are juicy, their flavor pales in comparison to the very rich flavor of a perfect ripe red pomegranate. On the other hand, they don't stain your hands or clothes and they do have enough flavor and texture to make a salad interesting.

Pomegranates figure pretty centrally in folk art here. There are many pomegranate tschotkes for sale--everything from refrigerator magnets to votives to hand-painted scarves (okay, I fell for a scarf). The fruit and the juice and even syrup made from both are all very popular here and in neighboring Turkey and Iran.

If you are among the many who are puzzled about how to pick a ripe pomegranate, look for even coloring. Avoid brown spots and obviously soft spots. If you see even a smidgen of mold in the stem, pass it by. If you have too many and don't want to seed them and freeze the seeds,  pour a little melted wax in the stem to prevent mold and keep them in a cool dry place. Unfortunately this is one fruit you can't smell to verify its readiness to delight you.

On the other hand, those ripe figs are calling my name again. We enjoyed them for dessert tonight broiled and then drizzled with honey and topped with chopped walnuts. It's a treat to be here during fig season! I even learned the Armenian word for fig today--it is թուզ or "t'uz."