A Day With the Family, Jerusalem

On the day of the Fast of Av, we helped with the household shopping and preparations.

At the supermarket.

At the pizza parlor.

Lounging before dinner.

Eating egg and ash: a pre-fast custom eaten at the end of dinner, preferably while sitting on the floor. We cheated...

TLV Clean-up

A much needed haircut.

Intermission

Due to bureaucratic complications and an extreme need for a good mani-pedi, we have returned home for a brief two week hiatus in TLV. During this time we will continue to update our whereabouts, so don't go away! Coming soon... the Royals do Central Asia.
END OF PART I.

The Market at Telavi, Kakheti

Kakheti Villagers

Gardners at the Villa.



Unemployment at the side of the road.



Braiding onions.

Wine Tasting Tour, Kakheti

We returned to Georgia, to the picturesque region of Kakheti, where wine was invented. We took a day trip and explored some of the local wineries. By noon we were trashed.


Shumi Winery



G&G Winery



Tsinandali Villa

What They Wore... Yerevan Beggar

Cooking in Goris

With the help of Lyova and Karina, our host family, we learned how to cook an Armenian dinner.

The Rest of Our Day, Sisian

We continued on to Karahundj, the local "Stonehenge"...

And found ourselves invited to beer by Ashot, a local artist and the director of the art school.

Some More Petroglyphs, Sisian

A Goat.



Hunting.

Petroglyphs at Ughtasar, Sisian

Sasson and his Villis (an old military Russian jeep straight from the Karabakh War) picked us up at 09:30 sharp and we headed up the mountain trail towards Ughtasar.

Ughtasar is an ancient site dating back 7000 years with an abundance of petroglyphs engraved on volcanic rock.



The site is 3300 meters above sea level so it was quite chilly, but Sasson was kind enough to lend Rena his jacket.

He was also very knowledgeable about the engravings and we speculated as to their possible meanings.

Children at Khor Virap

We Took a Tour Church Hopping, Yerevan

Our fellow tour comrades.


Enjoying the beautiful surroundings.




Ready to retire after a long day!

What They Wore... Old Fashioned at Noravank

People Watching at Echmiadzin (the Armenian Vatican)

Iranian tourists.


Russian tourists (and their many fans!).

Apricot Picking at the Monestary

At the Matenadaran Library, Yerevan

What They Wore... Accessories II

Zeena (her teeth) and Rena

What They Wore... Accessories I

Artur. A self proclaimed poet and philosopher (and our guide).

Another Hike, Goshavank

We bravely went on another hike from Lake Parz to Goshavank Monastery. We met another group and followed their guide off the trail... embracing the mud!

Soviet Structures, Armenia

The Bus Station, Vanadzor

The Shuka (Market), Yerevan

The Cascade, a monument celebrating 50 years of Soviet Armenia, Yerevan

Our Day With the Bishop and Father Asbed, Lori Region

We crossed the border smoothly and ventured to Vanadzor. The next morning we hired a taxi to take us to the three major medieval churches in the Debed Canyon. We had a most exciting adventure. As soon as we entered Haghpat Monastary we were invited by Father Asbed to tea with the Bishop. They had both formerly served in Jerusalem and Las Vegas and we had many funny conversations in English and Hebrew about dieting.

The Bishop, Tom, Father Asbed, and someone.

Father Asbed gave us a three hour tour of the monastery.

Where's Waldo?

Our friendly taxi driver who surprised us with a picnic. We love Armenia!