In the excellent Cherkezi Dzor Restaurant in Gyumri
Armenian Ladies in the Cherkezi Dzor Fish Restaurant
Cherkezi Dzor has its own fish farm - fresh sturgeon
Cherkezi Dzor also has its own brewery
Fabulous grilled sturgeon - the first and perhaps only in our lives
Live music with sturgeon
Cherkezi Dzor also has its own bakery - delicious Armenian bread
Late evening in the Cherkezi Dzor Restaurant
Mother Armenia Monument seen from the Black Fortress
Entrance door of the Black Fortress
Lamp in the Black Fortress
Monument of Vardan Mamikonyan in the center of Gyumri
Holy Saviour's Church, completed in 1872
Dome in the Holy Saviour's Church
City Hall of Gyumri
In the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God
Wedding in the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God
Statue offering Khinkali dumplings in Gyumri, a delicious Georgian speciality
Green piano in the pedestrian zone of Gyumri
Red doll watching the pedestrian zone
Family in the pedestrian zone
Colorful birdhouses in Gyumri
Nomades on the street to the Kari Lake with huge volcano Aragats in the back
Arid landscape with Aragats West and South Peak
Flowers on the way to Aragats South Peak
Summit of 3879 meters high Aragats South with the Armenian flag
View to the Aragats North Peak which is with 4090 meters above sea-level the tallest mountain in Armenia
The steep and sometimes awkward descent from the Aragats South Peak in the saddle between West and South Peak
Rocky Aragats West Peak seen from the saddle
Alfred on top of 4001 meters high Aragats West Peak
View to colorful North and East Aragats Peaks
Plaque on Aragats West showing the bond between Armenian and German mountaineers
Ruins of a Soviet observatory at Kari Lake
In the observatory
Summit of 3270 meters high Kari Lake Mountain with Kari Lake
Aragats West and South Peaks seen from Kari Lake Mountain
Our marvelous campsite at 3148 meters sea-level below Kari Lake
Fiesta with Anna from Berlin and her Armenian family at 3148 meters above sea-level
More Nomades on the street to the Kari Lake
Vahramashen Church on the southern slopes of Aragats, completed in 1026
Ancient Amberd Fortress with Vahramashen Church on the very left
Again marvelous Vahramashen Church
Fancy joist near Vahramashen Church from the 11th century!
Armenian Alphabet on the southeastern slope of Aragats with its four peaks - South, West, East and North
Monument nearby the Armenian Alphabet
Cross with needles above the Armenian Alphabet - people told us that every year a needle is added
Mashtots Hayrapet Church of Garni, built in the 12th century
In the Mashtots Hayrapet Church
Relicts in front of the Mashtots Hayrapet Church - Note: The bird has a wheel on its foot!
In the medieval Geghard Monastery which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site
In the Geghard Monastery
Animals in the Geghard Monastery
Ancient cross above a gate in the Geghard Monastery
Cliffs surrounding the Geghard Monastery
Women baking Lavash - traditional Armenian thin flatbread
The Temple of Garni, built in the Ionic style, is the most famous building and symbol of the pre-Christian Armenia
Again the Garni Temple, which collapsed in the earthquake of 1679 and was rebuilt 1969-75
Ancient bath nearby the Garni Temple
Landscape seen from the Garni Temple
By coincidence we met Anna's brother and his family in the Garni Temple
Symphony of Stones - Basalt columns in the valley below the Garni Temple
Basalt columns in the sun
Incredible many basalt columns in this valley
Basalt columns from below - the hexagonal shape is clearly visible
Nests in the basalt columns
Kitschy garden in the Garni Village
The kitschy garden also has snowy Ararat with Noah's Ark
Noravank Monastery in the Amaghu gorge with awesome red rock walls
Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church in the Noravank Monastery
Again the Surb Astvatsatsin Church at sunset
Facade of Surb Astvatsatsin Church
Noravank horseman hunting a lion, late 13th to early 14th century in the Surb Grigor Chapel
Tomb slab with lion
In the little St. Pokas Church about 500 meters southeast of the Noravank Monastery
Cross in the St. Pokas Church
In the Magellan Cave with our friends from Saxonia
Illuminated sinter
Purple sinter
Stalagmites in the Magellan Cave
The end for normal visitors
Volcan Argmaghan seen from the descent of 2602 meters high Yanak
Red petroglyphs approx. 900 meters east of Yanak
More petroglyphs near the red
Start with our bicycles to the extinct volcano Argmaghan
Crossing the river Argichi
Marion without her ebike
On top of 2829 meters high volcano Argmaghan
Majestic Ararat in the far distance with Armaghan Church
Lake Sevan seen from the summit of the volcano Armaghan
Hay works in Madina on the eastern foot of Armaghan
Old tractor in Madina
Sevanavank with huge Sevan Lake
Colorful dome of Sevanavank
Horseman close to Sevanavank
Marion with Sevan Lake close to the small Sevanavank Peak
Armenian Riviera on Sevan Lake
Bridges over the river Debed in northern Armenia
Old mining town Alaverdi - mainly copper
In the Sanahin Monastary 2 kilometers east of Alaverdi
Capital in the Sanahin Monastary
Big party on our hike from the Sanahin Monastary to the Haghpat Monastery
Blue flowers on the way
Haghpat Monastery built between the 10th and 13th centuries is an UNESCO World Heritage site
In the Church of the Holy Sign of the Haghpat Monastery