Armenia: Ayo, Hadjiss

Well, the days just seem to be getting away from me more and more recently.  I have been keeping very busy with my assorted jobs, plus social life and even a few minutes of alone time here and there.

Big News:  Last week I formally requested a contract extension with TLG, and was approved.  So I will be coming back to Georgia this September, after a very much-needed ~3 month stateside sabbatical with all of my most important people.

Speaking of awesome people, my dear friend Chris flew into Tbilisi two Thursdays ago.  It was so incredible to see her again after a year of communicating mainly through Facebook. :)  She will be here until May 16, and there are many adventures in the works.  On her first night in Georgia, we got off to an aptly amazing start with a supra my host family threw for her in the apartment's courtyard.

The spread, my host Dad, Chris, and me

The Georgian "Drinking Pitcher"

The supra was fantastic as always -- tons of mtsvadi, khachapuri, fresh veggies, and fish my host Dad had caught the day before.  Despite appearances to the contrary, Chris and I tried very hard to take things easy amidst all the wine and toasting, because we had to get ourselves up at 6:30 the next morning, out the door, and on a marshutka to Yerevan.

Armenia Bound!

The bus to Yerevan leaves from the Ortachala station, and with a little help from our taxi driver and my Georgian (which suddenly seems to be ramping up to the next [still embarrassingly bad] level), we got our tickets and seats on the rattly little deathbox without incident.  It was Chris's first time riding in such a contraption, and she handled it like a pro. :)  I remember how unenthused I was at the idea of a marshutka ride from Tbilisi to Poti back when I first arrived!

At the Georgia/Armenia border, there was some minor bureaucracy to deal with -- some paperwork for the visa, and the fact that the Armenians only accept dram to pay for said visa.  Luckily I had managed to find a bank in Tbilisi a few days before that actually exchanged for Armenian currency (this was not easy), so I had some on me.  But within the hour, we were both legit and bumping and jouncing our way through the Armenian countryside.

View during a potty stop

The trip, including the hour or so at the border, took a little less than six hours.  Not bad.  I had booked us rooms at the well-recommended and very excellent Center Hostel.  This hostel is not easy to find -- there are NO signs... not on the main road where its street address is, nor around the back alley where you actually get in.  Not sure as to the business model on that one.  But, once again through the help of new friends and kind strangers, we eventually were unpacking in our quite basic but clean private double room (5th floor walk-up!)

And then it was time to explore!

Center Hostel is aptly named, it is smack-dab in the center of the main district, and is within easy walking distance of almost everything there is to do in Yerevan -- tons of shops, restaurants, museums, parks, churches, and cute outdoor cafes.  For our first meal in Armenia, Chris and I found a lovely place nearby and shared a spread of salad, hummus, Armenian bread, roast chicken, and a delicious plate of assorted cheeses from the region.  Not bad at all!  I would recommend this place to anyone, except I forgot to get the name!

After lunch/dinner, we met up with two acquaintances of mine I had originally met with Julie on our way back from Trabzon.  They took us to the Wild West Pub, which was basically Armenia's hilarious interpretation of what the Wild West actually looked like.  The decor featured a gigantic Confederate Flag.  Chris and I had fun attempting to explain the similarities and differences between the Old South, the Wild West, and racism.  Good times. :)

International Relations, and beer!!

Also, the bathroom in this place was a freaking riot.

I guess they don't call it the Porcelain Throne for nothing

After being introduced to a variety of Armenian beers (and bar food -- they like bowls of salted chickpeas), we called it a night and wandered back to Center Hostel to get our beauty sleep for a busy day ahead.  Stay tuned!  Four more days of Armenian Awesomeness followed by no shortage of Tbilisi shenanigans to come.