Rugs Kond And UNESCO Sites
Tour Day 3: “After breakfast, meet a local guide for a tour of the Kond neighbourhood, one of the oldest quarters of Yerevan. Kond is often overlooked by tourists, but offers up a wealth of history and character. Explore the labyrinth of narrow alleys as your local guide shares the stories of the neighbourhood. Lunch today is extra special – be welcomed into the home of a local family, living in a 300-year-old house, making it one of the oldest in Yerevan. As you dine with the family you’ll hear how they’ve lived in Kond for three generations, and try some of Armenia’s famous lavash bread.
“After lunch, check out a handmade rug factory – the designs are beautifully intricate. The rest of the day is free for your own discoveries. You may like to pay a visit to the Khor Virap and Zvartnots religious sites.”
We took an early morning quick buzz through the market across the street from the hotel. That’s our hotel below, and I took the picture from the pedestrian bridge crossing the big street.
.
We had a very interesting visit to the Megerian rug-making facility. Rugs, it turns out, are made by knotting and carpets are made by weaving. The size is not part of the equation, only the technique of making the rug or carpet.
They had 20 looms here, and all the workers are making rugs.
Our Intrepid guide on the left and the guide for the rug facility on the right.
.
We are now entering the Kond district of Tbilisi where the oldest buildings are still in use.
Several murals are here on this street designed, according to the guide, to welcome tourists to the area. Notice on the right, that’s the most important image in Armenia, the two peaks of Mt Ararat. We’ve been chasing that view for days.
These guys wanted to know where I was from and if I liked Yerevan so after our little chat I asked for this photo and I like it.
Here kitty kitty. All the street cats seem so well-fed and friendly and more surprisingly the same is true of the dogs, they are well-fed and friendly too.
What a splendid treat. So much delicious food and you know I have to try everything. Even my 13,000 step average is not going to make a dent…
One of the relatives sang us a song in Russian, Armenian, and English.
.
Hilda found this driver to take us to two UNESCO sites in the area that I was particularly interested to see and everyone else was too.
This is Etchmiadzin Cathedral, also called the Mother See, the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It isn’t possible to see the inside because of ongoing renovations but I wanted to feel for it anyway. There are many buildings in the complex. “The cathedral, part of the monastery of the same name, is surrounded by walls which enclose a series of structures. They include the palace of the Catholicos, a seminary, museum, refectory, synod house, library, printing house, monks’ cells, and other auxiliary buildings.”
The grounds were quite lovely too.
We continued on to Zvartnots Cathedral. Both these sites, Etchmiadzin and Zvartnots have centuries long histories with both being reconstructed a number of times. The inset picture is from the internet because I didn’t get this view, Mt Ararat in the background.
.
On the way back to Yerevan finally we could see the whole shape of Ararat, almost…
Sunset from my hotel room.
