After a leisurely breakfast, we wandered around the gardens of the Vardzia Resort and progressively worked our way up to the highest point of the extensive property.
View of Cave City from our room, Vardzia Resort
Garden, Vardzia Resort
Wagtail at Vardzia Resort
Sparrow near Vardzia Resort
The pathway up through the gardens and orchards took us past small caves, tiny waterfalls and even a little church tucked in against a rocky cliff-face.
St Marion's Chapel above Vardzia Resort
Inside St Marion's Chapel above Vardzia Resort
From the top of the property we were able get a fantastic panoramic view out across the Mtkvari River and over to the Vardzia Cave City, now bathed in mid-morning sunshine.
View from St Marion's Chapel above Vardzia Resort
View from garden above Vardzia Resort
View from garden above Vardzia Resort
On returning to the resort, we packed our bags and checked out. We then spent the next hour or so, sitting in the sunshine outside the hotel chatting, making phone calls to home and relaxing.
Natia then organised for us to visit an ‘older’ Georgian couple who lived next door to the resort.
The husband was an apiarist and had about twenty bee-hives in his garden. We tasted his honey with fresh home-made bread; the verdict, delicious. The wife was not only a bread maker of considerable skill, but also a cheese maker. They possess only one cow and make cheese each day from their cow’s milk. We tasted cheeses at two stages of preparation and decided that it was quite bland and a bit rubbery.
Tony tasting honey at house near Vardzia Resort
Lady making cheese at house near Vardzia Resort
Honey at house near Vardzia Resort
At around 13:00 we boarded our bus and headed towards the Armenian border by firstly going north to Chertvisi and then following the highway south to the border crossing at Ninotsminda - Bavra.
The initial part of our journey followed the Mtkvari River gorge for about 20km. This steep mountainous region had numerous smaller rivers several of which were dammed for hydro-electric power generation.
Road from Vardzia to Armenia - Georgia border
This road then reached a plateau and generally followed a broad valley with snow-capped mountains in the far distance on either side. Green pasture lands extended across this plane and it appeared to be a productive agricultural region. In local villages we passed through, it was not uncommon to see the very large and singularly untidy nests of storks perched atop of power poles.
Road from Vardzia to Armenia - Georgia border
At the border crossing we said farewell to Natia and Gela and then proceeded across to the Armenian Border Control point. The people involved were cheerful and cooperative and we managed to complete the formalities quite promptly.
Now in Armenia, we met our new guide Anna, and driver Hovig both of whom were welcoming and very friendly. The Mercedes bus we are to use in Armenia is spacious and comparatively new.
We then drove about 60km south to the city of Gyumri and booked into our hotel (Villa Kars) in which the facilities are austere and basic but certainly adequate considering we’re staying for only one night.
Villa Kars hotel, Gyumri, Armenia
We had the remainder of the afternoon to join Anna on a walking tour of Gyumri.
Gyumri has a population of about 114 000 and is the second largest city in Armenia being also the capital of Shiraz Province in Northern Armenia. It’s at an altitude of 1550m above sea-level.
The city was devastated by the Spitak earthquake in 1988 that killed an estimated 50 000 people and destroyed many of the city’s buildings.
The extensive damage to the city is still very much apparent as many structures are yet to be rebuilt or repaired. About 2000 people still live in shipping containers, a ‘temporary’ post earthquake plan that persists.
Despite this terrible occurrence, the city still has much to offer in the way of architecture and interesting sites.
We walked down Abovyan Street to the pedestrian mall where buildings are mostly stone, with black and orange coloured stone being common.
The historic Kumayri region of Gyumri with its cobblestoned streets leads down to Vardanants Square with its fountain and huge bronze statue celebrating Armenia’s pyrrhic victory over Persian forces at the Battle of Avarayr in June 451 AD. The battle is considered one of the first battles over the defense of the Christian faith.
Statue in square, Gyumri
We visited the Amenaprkich Church which is still undergoing reconstruction after being practically destroyed in the earthquake. Part of the church’s pre-earthquake dome lies in disarray nearby.
St All Saviors Church, Gyumri,
We walked for another hour through the central city streets observing the various architectural styles of Soviet and more recent buildings. The damage to many buildings and obvious financial limitations in reparations were ever apparent.
Russian barber shop built in 1947 and still functioning, Gyumri
Street, Gyumri
Street, Gyumri
Having visited an ATM we now had a supply of Armenian drams ($1 Australian is about 250 drams). We enjoyed a pleasant evening meal in a local restaurant and then walked back to our hotel for rest and recuperation.
Gyumri beer, Gyumri,
Tomorrow we’ll spend some more time in Gyumri before moving on.