The Long and Winding Wonderful Road - Part 4 FINAL

KAPAN and Davit-Bek
Kapan spreads for miles along valleys beneath Mt. Khustup. Some of its industrial outskirts and concrete apartment blocks have a harsh appearance, but the town center, where two rushing rivers meet, has leafy parks and squares.
The reopening of the copper mine has helped the local economy after a decade of jobless isolation. A Canadian company has taken control of the mine and more rigid environmental controls have been implemented making it safer for the people to work there.

Throughout Armenia the Apostolic Church buildings have similar architecture, but this one had a pretty pink hue.

This is a Statue of Davit-Bek.  He was a prominent Armenian military commander during the 17th Century.  The street that the Bed and Breakfast we stayed in in Goris was "Davit-Bek" street, this is a statue of "Davit-Bek". 

AND the village where we had Sacrament Meeting was named "Davit-Bek."

Some maps don’t show that the road wriggles through occupied Azerbaijan in several places.  (We weren’t aware of that while we were traveling). YIKES!  The task of removing minefields continues on this border, and there have been injuries and deaths among civilians at villages like Davit Bek as recently as 2002.  Kapan was shelled by artillery in the early 1990’s, with the border only 1 km from the eastern suburbs.

This is the home in Davit-Bek where we had church.

This is our little church group.  We had a wonderful experience meeting with these good people.

At church we had three members, Violett, who is going to the Kyiv temple in August, a grandma, Gabriela and her daughter-in-law, Nora and three of the tatik’s granddaughters,  

These three little girls sat quietly throughout the Sacrament Meeting on a wooden chest.Afterwards I tried to talk to the girls, but they were very shy, maybe even afraid.  I gave them a pencil, a ring and some candy. As we drove away I think I saw a smile.

President taught us at the church meeting, that there are two things you can do even though you are far away from the church, read the Book of Mormon everyday (two chapters a day, as the Area Authority has asked us to do) and pray. President Carter promised these sisters that someday there would be a temple in Armenia.  He also thanked the Lord that he kept his promise, "that when two people gather together he would send his Spirit."  We all felt that happen.

I am so grateful that I get to take the Sacrament every week.  These members only get to take it once or twice a year.

If you want to learn more go to http://mormon.org/

   This is the garden outside another home we visited. 

The gardens in this village were wonderful, every corner of the property was utilized as these people depend on this food to live on for the year.

 Naira's relatives with Sister C. 

 Before Church up the hill. 

After Church, down the hill.

A concrete outhouse, right next to a pig pen.  It was a hole in the ground with a basin on the floor so you had to crouch down.  But they had built a flush contraption, and when I flushed, the water came out at such a strong force that it splashed up on to my legs and feet.  I smiled! 

We were very close to the Iranian border and we saw a lot of trucks that said this: IRAN

We didn't follow it home. 

I loved this journey, the people and the places and most importantly my Savior Jesus Christ.

THE END

The Long and Winding Wonderful Road - Part 3

GORIS

Leafy Goris stands on a grid of streets in a deep valley. White volcanic pillars spear through the steep grassy slopes of Old Goris, east of town.  Goris boasts fine stone houses with arched windows and balconies on tree-lined avenues. 

We stayed at Khachik’s Bed and Breakfast.  It was built right into the side of a hill.  He actually had a small museum at the back of the dining area.  His wife cooked us a wonderful meal of dolma, a rice and lentil soup, bread cheese and a homemade raspberry compote drink.  They were the most gracious hosts.

We went for a little drive through the city in the evening and ran into a church, that this lady graciously unlocked for us.

Locals say the cave shelters and stables of Old Goris carved into the hillside on the east side of town were built and inhabited in the 5^th century.  We wandered around on these hills going into one of the caves and watched locals herd cows along the hills.

I loved Goris.  It was beautiful and quaint. 

President was doing a little missionary work with this papik.

TATEV

Tatev is built on a natural fortress of rock on the edge of the Vorotan Canyon. There is a beautiful deep gorge with a river at the bottom. About a year ago a tram was finished and is now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest tram ride in the world. It is very modern and sleek and more importantly very safe.
When we arrived to take the tram ride a helicopter had just landed. They told us it would be a long wait while the important officials traveled on the tram. So we had Ruben drive us to the other side and after touring the huge monastery we took the tram back.  .
At the bottom of the canyon are mineral springs and Satan’s Bridge. Legend tells that villagers fleeing to Tatev were blocked by the raging river. Before the invaders attacked, a bridge was magically created by a huge falling rock and the people were saved.



 The great fortified monastery’s main church of St. Paul and St Peter was built in the 9^th century. There is a 11^th century church next to it.  At the monastery’s peak some 600 monks lived and worked at Tatev.  The church is still used today.

The dining hall???

Priest 

The views were spectacular on the ground as well as from the tram. 

 

Well maybe not this view.  Me and the Outhouse.

Throughout our journies, there were gardens everywhere.  Many of these people have to live off the land.  I hope their harvest is bountiful.



The Long and Winding Wonderful Road - Part 2

This is Jermuk

This is a small resort town 2080 meters, above sea level on the upper Arpa River.
These are the good people we traveled with for three days.

In this video I am saying the most intelligent things, like, "They make water!"  I think I meant to say something about bottling water???

It was popular in the USSR as a vacation spot for mineral water treatments and hot springs. Open to the public is the “Gallery of Waters”.

Water runs into stone urns from pipes set in the wall and the temperature of the water is printed next to each pipe. Starting at 30c. and going on up to 48c. The various waters are said to have different properties, good for curing stomach and liver problems, heart disease and cancer.

 Elder Bob found a YELLOW BUS, I think he was missing those yellow bus trips through Nevada!

I have seen lots of these signs while in Armenia and didn't know what it meant.  They say the name of a town and then put a red cross through them. Well, when you come to the end of a town/city, it means you are leaving that city. (Duh)

Example: Leaving Jermuk 

Zorat Karer (Karahunge) ‘stone henge’

This is near Tatev and is 204 upright basalt stones up to 3m high set along sweeping lines and loop. Some are punctured with sight holes aligned with stars which make up the ancient site. It is situated on a rise above the river plains ringed by mountains and is dotted with tombs dated to 3000 BC (Now that is old)

For more on the "Long Winding, Wonderful Road Trip"

 See next Post.

The Long and Winding Wonderful Road

We started out early for a three day trip to Southern Armenia.  It was the 20th anniversary of the Dedication of Armenia for missionary work.  So members and missionaries gathered at the Mother of Armenia Monument for a short service.

Notice Masis in the background. He she It is looking wonderful this morning.

Then we started our journey. Destination Kapan 302 kilometers, with many side trips.

There are fruit stands everywhere. 

Apricots from Armenia are world renouned. Or at least that is what the Armenians tell me.  They do taste wonderful and are big and sweet. 

Sometimes it is a few lone boxes along the roadside.

Our first stop was Noravank.

Noravank which means New Monastery was founded by Bishop Havhannes in 1105 and was last restored in the 1990’s.

You can climb the narrow stone stairs outside of the 1339 church to get a closer look at its dome.

As President did... There is a carving of Christ with Peter and Paul above the door.

 This is the altar. 

We were able to enjoy beautiful weather, perfect temperatures, wonderful views of miles and miles of green hills, trees and acres of wild flowers.

Next stop Jermuk... See next post.