Ozdun churchAlthough Yerevan is not yet one week old to me, I desperately needed to escape from the toils of post-communist urban life. My first taste of Armeniaís natural beauty came in the form of a day trip up to the Lori region of the country, where several ancient monastery complexes can be found aging on rocky mountaintops.
Climbing steep, winding and pothole laden roads that no American would dare traverse without a trusty SUV and a hit or two of Gravol, our local river made the trip with ease. His experience navigating Armeniaís mountainous terrain became obvious as he swerved effortlessly to avoid the livestock that is all too often found carelessly loitering on the roadway.
We traveled to Hagbat monastery, nearby rival monastery Sanahin, and the 6th century Ozdun church where we were greeted by local boys enjoying a soccer match on the gravestone littered grounds of the church. These northern monasteries are tranquil, beautiful windows into Armeniaís historical legacy as the worldís first Christian state. And thanks to a combination of respect, local pride, and UNESCO protection, they have withstood the rigors of time.
Another feature of northern Armenia worth noting, and one that our driver was particularly fond of, is the abundance of pot plants that grow naturally by the side of the road. As we were returning to our car after taking a few snapshots of some rusting Soviet warplanes, he was eagerly harvesting a large fistful of the herb, which he then, with a hearty laugh, stuffed into a compartment located in the center of his carís steering wheel. The value of the pot likely exceeded the wages he would receive for the daylong excursion, and thus his announcement that Lori was his favourite travel location was hardly surprising!