Ejmiatsin was really quite a special experience as it was Sunday morning mass in the oldest state-sanctioned cathedral in the world (built in the year 301!) and to top it off, the head patriarch of the Armenian orthodox church was in attendance and personally blessed my wife.
Gyumri was an old cultural centre of Armenia, home to actors, poets, and philosophers, and the second largest city in Armenia. It had suffered as of late due to several factors including a massive earthquake in 1988 - many think it's on the rise again. It's also home to the best fish I've ever eaten in my life - BBQ'd sturgeon, farmed nearby in cold mountain spring water, as well as a bar, located across the street from a brewery, with a tap that connects directly to the brewery's beer tanks.
Dilijian is referred to as the Switzerland of Armenia, in its idyllic mountain setting, and Lake Sevan is the highest lake in the Caucasus at ~1,900 m.
All in all, a really wonderful trip. I know I've left out a lot of details, and could have posted many more photos - hopefully it's enough of a taste to make you want to visit as well as learn more about this culturally rich and ancient place off the beaten path. We'll definitely return again one day.
Zvartnots / Զուարթնոց and Ejmiatsin / Էջմիածին
Amberd Fortress / Ամբերդ and Gyumri / Գյումրի
Lori / Լոռի
Dilijian / Դիլիջան and Lake Sevan / Սևանա լիճ
Lastly, a small selection of the great music we heard during our trip
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