They are eating our butter over here

Fonterra must be doing a good job as my small local supermarket stocks New Zealand butter, though it comes wrapped up in Russian packaging.

Homemade is not always best

Wine making in Armenia dates back 6000 years (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12158341).

Unfortunately this long experience has not universally resulted in good wine. There are excellent Armenian wines and if you come across the Norovank and Karas labels, they are certainly worth buying. Even though these good wines cost less than $10, this is far too expensive for most cash strapped locals.

Popular wine is a good deal more basic and cheaper. Everywhere along the roadsides stalls sell homemade wine. Some is pretty drinkable and some is not. The frugal nature of Armenians means that any useful container is used for wine. Those two litre Coke bottles are particularly popular and these sell for about $3.00.

While the homemade wine is worth a try, the locally made vodka is a good deal more questionable, though very popular with the locals. You can have plain vodka or vodkas in a variety of flavours. Good luck to you drinking that!!

Tatev

Tatev stones

Tatev is a monastery complex in the south of Armenia near the Iranian border. A Christian church was built here in the fourth century replacing a pagan temple (Despicable as it is, the ISIS destruction of 'pre-Islamic' religions is nothing new).  The oldest building still standing dates back to the 9th century and over the centuries the monastery has been looted many times despite its isolation and formidable position. The greatest damage, however, was caused by an earthquake in 1931.

The site is spectacular. Surrounded by rugged mountains and deep rocky gorges, the monastery itself is built on outcrop protected on three sides by sheer cliffs.

Armenian churches are very plain, more Protestant than Orthodox, the explanation being that rich decoration, icons and precious religious vessels only serves to attract baddies.



The Tatev tower and stone piles are apparently unique constructions designed to detect the heavy footfall of approaching enemies. When the stone shake, the inhabitants are warned to close the gates and prepare for battle.

Goat country

Armenia is seriously mountainous and rugged. The lowest elevation is 350m on the Georgian border and the highest point is Mt Aragats at 4090m - average elevation is 1800m. In addition it is a country of deep gorges, steep valleys and sheer cliffs. While is makes for death dying roads, it also has fantastic tramping and spectacular vistas.

Wild rivers, snowy mountains and waterfalls create an amazing backdrop to small villages located in places almost impossible to reach. Like everywhere in the world these small isolated villages are half empty with young people preferring the bright lights of Yerevan to alpine quiet.

Within Yerevan city elevation varies between 700 and 1300 metres, though the city centre is mercifully flat.

A common sight in the mountains are old but incredibly rugged Russian trucks that slowly grind up the narrow mountain roads.

Am I Blue

One of the strangest sculpture in the Cascades Park is the Blue Kiwi. Surprisingly it is not by a New Zealander but an American Peter Woytuk. It is difficult to tell what exactly the kiwi is doing but it certainly seems happy.

Art in the heart

On the edge of downtown Yerevan is the extraordinary Cascades, a series of stairs climbing up a hillside and linking a number of terraces. The external staircase is mirrored by a similar set of stairs and escalators underneath.  While stylish in their own right, what makes the Cascades exceptional is the modern art that adorns the complex. In 2002, the complex was handed over to American-Armenian multimillionair Gerard Cafesijan. He then added a collection of contemporary sculpture from the best international artists. Each of the outside terraces are adorned by sculpture, with the more delicate works of art are located inside. In addition the small park at the bottom of the Cascades is packed full of fantastic artwork.

Unfortunately in 2009 Cafesijan's money ran out - the top part of the staircase has yet to be completed, no new art work has been added and the complex needs maintenance.

In Yerevan

Settled into a small flat in Tumanian Street downtown Yerevan - just a short walk to the swanky cafes around the Opera, chic Northern Avenue and Republican Square, the heart of the city. The entrance to the block of flats is typical of the stylish Soviet Art Deco buildings of the 1930s constructed from the distinctive pink stone.

Tumanian Street looking towards Opera 

The flat is generally modern and comfortable, the furniture though is something else.  This heavy, overly ornate furniture is very popular here and is an odd combination of the very tradition furniture common in the Middle East and Eastern European furniture twenty years ago. Curiously enough it seems to suit the place and while I am certainly not incline to drag the stuff back to New Zealand, I quite like it here. And it is more comfortable than it looks.