Heaven on Earth

I had an amazing day yesterday with Tilo, a Consultant with Syunik NGO (his wife Anna also works for the NGO), who drove me to isolated, beautiful and amazing spots not too far from town, high among the mountains. It was great to drive along the countryside and take in the breathtaking views, and speaking to Tilo about Armenia's past, current and future political and social situation (in English) was perfect. Tilo was born in Dresden, East Germany, has worked and studied in the UK and Romania among other places, and settled in Armenia 6 years ago. His perspective was most welcome, and since we spoke in English, I could understand most of the conversation without concentrating too much, as I have while listening to and speaking in Eastern Armenian.

Tilo had a good enough car to drive along fairly sloped, snowy and high mountaintops, right near the border with Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan). We made it not too far from but high above Noravank, a 13th century monastery restored in the early 2000s with funds provided by Dickran and Diana Hadjetian (from Montreal), which I will get to visit again (I had visited it in 2001 as well) sometime this week. Tilo pointed out several spots where Armenian soldiers were likely dug in and protecting the border from possible attack. He told me that a clear demarcation didn't exist between Armenia and Nakhichevan, so soldiers are likely posted on either side of the high mountains. With an Armenian soldier killed in 2004 in Budapest by an Azerbaijani soldier, a 4 day war with Azerbaijan in 2016, and of course the recent war, taking into account recently dead and wounded soldiers, and the effect all of this has had on people's psyche, the threat is perceived as very real by the people I have thus far met. People are on high alert. Tilo told me that border towns are paid extra and given radios to call in suspicious activity. Moreover, I can't imagine that hatred of the other, from both sides, will end anytime soon, and that is a very scary prospect.

As a Canadian, I can't imagine what it feels like to feel constantly under attack, to feel like your security is threatened. Moreover, given the economic situation and the security threat, I can imagine how staying safe from Covid is not considered a high priority, at all. I just can't imagine what it must be like to live without the security I enjoy every day. I feel spoiled by the luck of the draw that meant that I was born where I was. Granted, the reason for that is because my ancestors survived a genocide... but still. So did many people who live in Armenia (half a million genocide surviving refugees were in Armenia in 1918 I believe), over and above the difficulties of day to day life here.

The view though, or should I say, the views, were spectacular. Here is a taste of what I experienced:

"Hot" springs in a beautiful gorge just past the town of Agarakadzor

Tilo took me on a small hike past a bunch of BBQ shelters

There were isolated pockets of ice and snow here and there
which had been sheltered from the sun along the pretty rivulet

On our way back from our little hike, a group of five friends were preparing khorovadz (kebab) in the tonirs (oven) provided at the shelters, and of course, they had lots and lots of oghi (homemade spirits, moonshine) with them (in this case, khntsori oghi (apple)). As is customary, they insisted we join them, and after several minutes of saying no thank you, we relented and joined them for 2 minutes (45 minutes). Tilo speaks some Russian, I speak Western Armenian, so we all ended up understanding each other, more or less. It was nice to just sit and chat about a variety of topics together. One of them served at the front, and when we spoke of this the mood got sombre for a while. Another's father was a security guard at Syunik NGO (yes, it is a small world among Armenians, within the country but even internationally, as I found out on several occasions). Our glasses were refilled several times without asking and despite protests, of course (Tilo was more successful at warding off the refills because he was driving, but just barely). 

When we were able to finally extricate ourselves, Tilo started driving up. And up. And up... until we were as high as the tops of the mountains I have been seeing around me since I arrived here. The views were spectacular.

My driver (and conversationalist) for the day, Tilo Krausse,
with a small shrine behind him

Khatchkars inside the shrine

Amazing view on the road to Gnishik

Arbitrary road on the way to Gnishik

Inside a chapel on the way to Gnishik

Mts. Ararat and Masis (in the far distance),
from atop a mountain near the Nakhichevan border

 

These are two videos: the first is an arbitrary stop on the way, with a 360° view

And the view of a mountainside, with beautiful and appropriate Armenian church music playing

Later that evening I was invited to join Tilo and Anna to a recently engaged family friend's house for supper, which was lovely (and the food and oghi refills aplenty, of course). I definitely felt less lonely after this spectacular day, and am glad I was able to enjoy myself and see a bit of the country, before what I expect is going to be a long week ahead for me.