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Our destination this morning is Gyumri, Armenia’ second largest city. It is renowned for its art, theatrical and comedic culture. It is considered the capital of laughter and humour. As we arrived we saw couples walking around in fancy dress with large heads or someone dressed as a cute bear. They pose for photos, for money of course, but it added a theatrical flavour to the streets.

Gyumri has been able to maintain its authentic Armenian urban architecture so the streets were quite charming.

Before we took a stroll we joined Holy Mass at the church of the YotVerk ( seven wounds of Mary) church. Observing a traditional service was confronting in some ways. The priest comes in and then after a few words/ prayers he makes a procession right around the church with incense burner swaying, a banner which was touched like a talisman by many parishioners, a couple of attendants carrying silver plates on poles with engraved angels and bells attached. All these elements were touched prayerfully. Others in the congregation gave the priest incense pieces as he worked his way back to the altar. The church was packed with lots of young people, men and women. At times the congregation touched the floor in responses. There were some men who were kneeling in prayer like Muslims as there are no pews except around the edges for the older congregation. At the back throughout the service ( which goes for two hours) people were coming and going and chatting! What is very different is that the altar is like a stage. It has a curtain that is closed when the priest is preparing the host for communion and then drawn for the other parts of the service.

Many large factories from the soviet era that operated as cooperatives are derelict and these buildings are everywhere as eyesores.

Now about to cross to Georgia we cross treeless rocky plains , not many animals and no fencing. .The farmers use communal shepherding and rotate through the villages who shepherds.

Many damaged cars both in towns and around the country. Mechanics have a thriving business as they are everywhere.

We crossed the border at Bavra. A windswept barren looking place but a major crossing point for trucks etc. We said goodbye to Ani our wonderful guide in Armenia. We met our new guide Nino (woman) and entered Georgia passing through very poor hamlets of farms with houses that had grass for roofs. A Soviet thing apparently.

Hello Georgia!

This morning we set off for one of the oldest cathedrals in Christianity dating from 301 when Armenia declared Christianity a state religion. The cathedral is the religious centre of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Armenian Apostolic Church.( think their Vatican). It is the Mother See of the Holy Etchmiadzin. They had beautiful grounds and a seminary as well as an open area where mass is conducted. The thing that strikes me continually is the lack of ostentation in there churches.

They are not huge like the Western European churches and cathedrals with lots of silver and gold( Spanish) decorations. They have beautiful frescos and vigil lamps. In general I have the impression that the Armenian Apostolic church has been a great advocate for the people both politically and practically. Particularly through Soviet era times when religion was banned and scientific atheism was promoted. Stalin destroyed most religious buildings during his reign of terror. The church advocated for language and customs and kept schools open despite Soviet pressure. They had provided hospitals before Soviet takeover.

Once the USSR collapsed the people were so glad to be able to practice their faith without restriction and it is the young who have been teaching the parents. This is what is so different here. The churches are full of young people and men.

The Priests can marry or choose celibacy. Those who are celibate wear a triangular hood to signify their status.

They also have a museum of relics that we visited. I was intrigued by a map that put Armenia as the garden of eden. The most significant relic was the spear that allegedly had pierced the side of Jesus at his crucifixion. There were also pieces of wood from the cross and a larger bit of wood that was from the Ark and found in Mt Ararat. Local belief is that Saint Thaddeus brought the spear to Armenia and a monastery we have already visited ( Geghard) was dedicated in its name.

While visiting the Cathedral a group of school children came and sang in the church, ( on Saturday!). So sweet their sound. The faith demonstrated doesn’t seem forced but happy and grateful. We have wondered whether it is a reaction to the banning for nearly 50 years.

Finally I was rewarded with a fantastic view of Mt Ararat without cranes or poles etc. It has a majesty that captured my imagination or soul and I have been desperate to get a clear photo. There is a saying here that Mt Ararat chooses who sees it as it is often shrouded in cloud and a Russian Prince came for a week to see it but the mountain never cleared!

We had some fun buying food at a food court where you fill your plates then put them on a green square that weighs them and you pay on weight. Needless to say they load up your plates when you really don’t want too much. Lots of good food with plenty of salads and shaslicks cooked as wanted. But we were not across the process and completely confused about how it worked.

This was followed by a quick visit to a market where the dried fruits were a superb display and we bought two delicious big dried figs( to the disgust of the seller!) but the clothes were horrible. I did get some pomegranate wine in a pomegranate bottle as a souvenir. The food looked interesting with rabbit, chickens, pigeons, as well.

Tonight we are going to the Opera to see Othello. It is a really big thing here and the place was full of young people. As they formally study music at school it has engendered a love and understanding of classical music and Opera. I have to admit the sets were fantastic, Desdémona was brilliant, Othello and Iago were also great but as soon as the lights went down so did my eyelids! I snoozed intermittently through the first half and then saw the last acts. The others loved it but it really isn’t my thing. Still I wanted to see the Opera house and it is large and acoustically sound but like most of the Soviet era buildings very plain.

Outside in the square there was a young guy doing hip hop, electric cars for kids and a group of young people playing a sort of circular volley ball.

Anne and I walked home while the others got taxis. Yerevan was going off! It was great to see so much life at 10.30pm!

Tomorrow we leave for Georgia

We left Yerevan for the region of the Ararat plain and the fortress monastery of Khor Virap. On the way we were tantalised by views of Mt Ararat major and minor. This mountain that is so significant to the Armenians has captured my heart. The slopes are snowy and glisten in the sunlight but are often shrouded with cloud. There is a saying in Armenia, that the mountain chooses who it shows itself to. This became a saying after a prince from the Russian Empire spent a week in the vicinity and did not ever see it clearly.

The area at the foot of the mountain Artashat was a famous centre for trade with surrounding regions such as Iran, Mesopotamia, Eastern Mediterranean cities as well as Asia Minor, Greek cities on the Black Sea and other trade centres of the ancient world. Excavations have found coins with Greek letters and ‘Artashat the Capital’. Also seals dating back to 180 BC-59 CE.

All these ancient civilisations are so confusing I need a time line to understand who, what , when and where! What it illustrates is that this region has been the centre of empires growing and dying and in constant conflict. It makes our island home of Australia seem very safe and stable in comparison! It also makes my admiration for the Armenian people grow. They are so resilient to have maintained such a strong identity over the centuries.

When Lenin traded the Mountain for a patch of Black Sea coastline he brought the Turkish border very close. Some of the ancient capitals of Armenia such as Ani, were now on the border.

Next up was Khor Virap Monastery originally a prison and is renowned for the fact that Gregory the Illuminator was initially imprisoned here for 13 years by pagan King Tiradates lll. When the King became ill it was the king’s sister who suggested that Gregory could cure him. When he cured the king he was released from the prison dungeon and became the king’s mentor such that Tiradates converted to christianity and declared Armenia a Christian nation in 301. A chapel was built in 642 as a mark of veneration to Saint Gregory and it expanded to house a seminary and another chapel

Surrounding countryside magnificent grandeur.

The entrance to the dungeon was at the side of the altar and there was a queue waiting to enter. The dungeon could only take about 20 people and there was already a tour group down there. We were at the front when a few people thought they would push past. We just said the line was behind us and we had to wait for the others to come up. There was no way we were going to get pushed aside! A few people were surprised but they couldn’t go down because the other group was coming up and it was very steep and tight.

I cannot imagine how a person could remain sane after 13 years in that hole, or survive. It would have been brutal.

From here we went to the bat cave where excavations had revealed the oldest leather shoe on earth at 5500 years old. This cave is still being excavated but remnants of wine making indicate it as at least 6000 years old. It was also theorised as a ceremonial place because of human remains dating back to the 5 th and 4 th Millenium.

After a huge day we headed back to Yerevan for dinner at a favourite haunt of locals with folk singing and dancing. It was charming but loud and the food was very good and plentiful again. I will be rolling off the plane by the time this holiday ends. I kid myself that all the salads are not fattening. It has been a pleasant surprise that we have had an abundance of fresh and cooked vegetables to accompany the bread and meat.

As we walked into Republic square the place was buzzing with music and fountains dancing. We stayed for awhile then walked home.

The drive out to Garni and the monastery of Gerghard (Gregory the Illuminator) was through mountainous roads and dishevelled villages. Anni our guide told us that many of the homes were started after the collapse of the Soviet regime and people excitedly embarked on buying property and building but ran out of money to finish. This explained the state of these ramshackle homes and businesses. It is such a shame because the country side is quite magnificent. However unemployment is about 15% so that continues to impact the situation.

The road was subject to landslides too so it is always under repair. This made for a quite bumpy and slow trip. I resorted to my ginger lollies to quell my travel sickness! The driver is excellent and we feel very safe.

Arriving at the Gerghad monastery in such overcast weather gave us a feel for how bleak and tough it must have been to carve a church out of a mountain! The Saint lived as a hermit in the caves for much of his life after converting the King to Christianity and initially focusing on building churches and monasteries throughout Armenia. This monastery was dedicated to the holy spear that lanced Jesus on the cross. They don’t dedicate churches to the Virgin Mary here but to Mother Of God. I rather like that. The church is small with a huge hall outside the alter area where people sit. It had a ceiling that was influenced by the ceilings in mosques. Also there were rooms off the sides that had been carved out of the mountain with just one little window in the roof. One of the rooms was a baptismal room where a stream flowed off the mountain. The water is supposed to be healing. A group of Koreans were filling bottles and washing faces and arms in the stream very purposefully.

Outside we walked up some stairs to where Saint Gregory was supposed to have lived.

It must have been freezing in winter and so bitter. I guess a man who survived 13 years in a dark pit with scorpions and snakes would have the mental strength and belief to sustain himself in this harsh place.

While here we heard a choir sing in one of the cavern chambers. The acoustics were amazing and their voices angelic. Made me feel very self conscious about our early morning hymns on the bus! I realised that I just don’t sing much anymore (a good thing I think my kids might say), so my vocal cords feel rusty.

The area surrounding the monastery is so mountainous and green yet silver crosses have been placed on the opposite hill all the way to the top.

After this quite sobering visit we returned to the village of Garni where the 1st century Temple of Garni stands. An Ionic pagan temple it was built in the Greco- Roman style. It was originally a fortress but became a simmer palace which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 17 th century. Three centuries later it was resconstructed.

While here we were treated to a Duduk performance. It is a traditional instrument like a recorder but with more mellow notes. It was very haunting music.

As we wandered the rain started and soon we were making a dash for the bus and a decision was made to return to Yerevan for lunch/ early dinner. The food was delicious and the restaurant very charming with large paintings depicting the making of Lavash which is only made by women as it is likened to women giving birth! This is because they make the bread underground. Bread here is the stuff if life and comes in all sorts of shapes and flavours. Pity I am gluten sensitive because it all looks amazing and the LITTLE pieces I have tasted have been delicious.

There are lots of very attractive street dogs here. The government capture, chip and desex them and release them back to the streets where the communities then feed them. Their ear tags are graded to show the friendliness though I haven’t noticed that. They seem pretty friendly and are not nuisances. Cats also seem to be at the monasteries and all animals seem healthy.

We ended the day with a walk down the avenue of fountains back to the hotel.

We all had the best breakfast today. What a spread. They cater for all tastes and so it is very tempting to keep trying a little bit of this and that!

Our first stop today was the Victory Park Memorial overlooking the city on the top of the hill facing towards Mt Ararat. Unfortunately it was overcast so the mountain was obscured but the park was quite impressive. The statue on the top of the museum in the centre of the square was originally Stalin but once Khrushchev came to power all statues of Stalin were removed and in Armenia they replaced him with a Mother victory based on a young woman the sculpture saw in the market buying tomatoes! It took him some time to convince her to be his model but she relented and now she is in her 80’s! Imagine having a grandmother who was the model for the towns signature sculpture.

Though the park is dedicated to victory in WW2 where Armenia lost 400,000 men, nearly a third of its population at the time, it is now also home to a fun park. From here we visited the Cascades, originally meant to be real cascades to cool the city in Summer when it can get to 40C. , but due to an earthquake of massive proportions that decimated the country at the same time, the money was diverted to emergency relief so it was never fully realised. Now it is an amazing modern art museum where the water runs infrequently.

Many of the grand plans for Yerevan were undermined by budget cuts from Moscow during the Soviet era. This country’s ability to survive and thrive is amazing. Yerevan is the 13 th capital in the history of Armenia and was chosen because it was in the centre of the country and supposedly the safest place, that is until Lenin did a swap for coastal territory on the Black Sea and gave the area around Mt Ararat to Türkiye (Turkey). Mt Ararat is the most important symbol for Armenia. It is on the coat of arms. Its importance dates to the resting place of Noah’s ark and the direct line from Noah’s son Ham. Armenians call the country Hayastan. Yerevan is now close to the Turkish border. It has been continuously inhabited for more than 2800 years.

When Turkey insisted that Armenia remove the image of Mt Ararat from their coat of arms the Armenian minister for foreign affairs replied that the Moon on the flag of Turkey wasn’t theirs alone. As a result the request was dropped.

Our guide is so knowledgeable and this country has so much history I can’t begin to share it all. Despite the trials and invasions they have maintained a strong culture focused on education and preserving their history and language. The alphabet is unique and rather beautiful when written as you can see on the door of the arts centre. There are sculptures in most of the gardens and music such as Opera and folk are very popular. They even have a Chess Academy and chess is taught as part of the educational curriculum from kindergarten! Music and arts and crafts are also mandatory subjects.

The making of brandy and wine has a long 6000 year history but under the soviets they were only allowed to produce brandy and fortified wines. Now they are producing excellent wine with 400 endemic varieties of grapes.

However they have developed a reputation for quality brandy and we visited the Ararat Brandy Factory for tasting. That was fun and the pride evident in the product was conveyed by our guide. We got a tasting lesson and tasted a 3 yo and a 7 yo brandy. They had some that were 70 years barrelled. The brandy is matured in ‘ toasted’ Armenian oak which gives unique flavours of fruit and spices and even chocolate!

Our last stop today was the Matenadaran, museum of ancient illustrated manuscripts. Repositories of manuscripts in Armenia were recorded as early as the fifth century. They were so beautiful and the writing so amazingly elegant and straight. The knowledge contained in these manuscripts is sometimes unique and are dated from before medieval times and some from the libraries in Alexandria (Egypt). This is a place of treasured and rare resources that were lost or hidden in caves to avoid destruction by foreign invaders such as the Turkic and Mongols. During the Soviet time trust grew and as the country gained its independence many have been brought out of hiding or discovered in excavations and are now housed here. There was a large manuscript that weighed 28 kilograms and during the genocide period two women rescued the book by tearing it in two and carrying the halves away. . However only one half arrived safely. One of the women was killed but managed to bury her half before she died. It remained lost for nearly 20 years when it was discovered by a Russian soldier who was crossing the border between Turkey and Armenia. Initially it was believed to be Georgian and sent to Tbilisi where it was recognised as Armenian and the two halves of the manuscript were eventually reunited.

While we were absorbed in the history of the manuscripts the weather outside had taken a dramatic turn. Rain had been forecast but it had stayed warm all day and we had become complacent and left our coats and umbrellas in the bus. Alas as we were leaving a thunderstorm burst overhead and we had to scamper down to the bus. It was far enough away for us all to arrive wet through and bedraggled! Anne and I promptly whipped off our wet shirts and put on our dry jumpers before everyone else arrived. We all looked like drowned rats. What a dramatic end to our day.

The night before we had ordered the Ararat cocktail, which was really delicious but required the blender for mixing. The use of that caused the power to fail and we were plunged into semi darkness for a minute or two. It is obviously a regular thing because the staff weren’t fazed. The power was restored without delay or drama. However we learned today that a couple of people in our tour group had been caught in the lift when the power went out!

We had had a generous lunch at a food court so we just had soup and grilled vegetables for dinner and fell into bed sated and full of all the information about Armenia. It is an intriguing place.

Whenever I tell people I am going on a trip to the Caucasus they usually respond with, Where? Then when I tell them it is a tour by Christian Pilgrimages they are hesitant. “Oh” they say, a bit nonplussed. “I didn’t know you were religious”, is the next comment.

This is an interesting region of the world, extremely rich in ancient history and the beginnings of human civilisation, which inevitably involves religions. Anne and I have been on a previous tour with the company and found it to be extremely well organised, with great guides and generally good fun.

Today looks no different. There was champagne at the breakfast buffet and our travelling companions were ready to imbibe. Anne and I had gone for the healthy detox water! Who are the fuddy duddies?

Our trip over was pretty smooth, full plane but uneventful until just a couple of hours out of Dubai when there was a call for a doctor and we had delayed disembarking while they waited for paramedics. All done very professionally. The transition to a smaller plane was like a trip in itself. F terminal was miles away by bus and I felt like they were driving us to Armenia. Dubai airport is HUGE.

We met the rest of the tour group in Dubai at the departure gate for Yerevan. All went well and we arrived about lunch time. Everyone was tired but after a refresh Anne and I went for a walk with Randa(tour organiser) and Nancy from Perth. Nancy is a retired lecturer in Theology and leadership and has a pink and purple streak in her hair. She is a widow too. Her husband was a fly in fly out paramedic. She retired when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She is a very positive person.

We went up to the sculpture gardens. They could have been lovely with there mature trees and little paths and seats but the grass isn’t mown and there were some unused buildings which might become summer cafes perhaps. It looks very Eastern block, drab and neglected. A contrast to the monument on the main road which had mown grass and spring flowers.

After the Park Anne and I went for a walk in the opposite direction and stumbled upon a fantastic food court. Everything looked delicious.

We have been so impressed with the roses. The bushes are laden with blooms and look so healthy, even at the petrol station! The round building in the background of the roses outside our hotel is a new permanent circus! Circuses are a tradition here and our guide used to go regularly – like the Mexicans go to the wrestling.

We had dinner in the hotel as everyone was so tired and the meal was very good. They are big on salads as well as grilled meats. Pretty healthy and the local wine is excellent.

We had to call the hotel maintenance as Anne couldn’t release the plug in the bidet where she had washed her clothes. Finally we collapsed into bed, dizzy with fatigue.

This morning started with a visit to the St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery to pay respects to the Grandfather and aunty Sophie as well as the boys’ uncle Hugh.

We have become fairly proficient with HongKong Buses and MTR but we were running a little late so we got a couple of taxis. Horror of horrors the graves were on the last row UP the hill which was a decent climb in the heat. The Lim cousins being conveniently located close by had visited earlier in the morning!

Gary hired a bike for a ride fix we all went different ways. Sheila and I took a taxi back to Pacific Place to look for a camera she wanted to buy. By sheer luck she found a place that said they could get it for her by this afternoon. The Osmo Pocket 3 is a one hand type of camera and apparently sold out everywhere. He was adamant that he could source it so Sheila paid him and we said we would be back at three.

On the way to the dinner we stopped off and he had the camera for her. He was good to his word. Sheila was very relieved!

We arrived at the Craigengower Cricket Club by 4.30 as expected and soon everybody arrived. It was so heartwarming to see the enthusiasm for the event from everyone. Mr Andrew Lee a family friend now in his nineties and still running his architecture firm was there with his 95 year old brother. I thought the carers were grand children!

Sophie gave her presentation at the Consulate as well outlining the importance of family histories to trade and business entrepreneurship.

Michael opened the evening and Gary outlined why the project started.

We all arrived back at the Pier from China but we had some dissension over how to return to HongKong side so the group split, with Roger, Gary, Michael and myself taking one way and Robert, David, Danny, Angela and Elizabeth taking a different way. The lads took a ferry to Wanchai and I took one to Central. The other group took the MTR. A quicker alternative. I disembarked and was so surprised to see so many of the HK maids having a market, essentially all the way up to St John’s Cathedral. It is almost an invasion of women!

I was so hot when I finally got back to the Helena May. Sheila was out at Lantau Island visiting the Big Buddha so I jumped in the shower to cool off. Soon we were thinking of food again! We decided to try a famous Noodle place in mid-levels,

Tsim Chai Kee in Wellington street was a Michelin starred restaurant a few years in a row. What we hadn’t realised was it was very small! A table for 7 was almost impossible to get but we waited for about 15 mins ( time enough for Roger and Sheila to join us) and we were in. It is really an eat and run place but the noodles were great!

In true HongKong tradition we then found a hole in the wall Dao Fu Fah dessert place. It took us so long to decide on what to eat the seven seats available were emptied and we moved in. Deeelicious! Sheila had a cigarette while we ate.

By now we were all tired but we still hadn’t had a cocktail at a rooftop bar with a view so Sheila, Roger and I decided to find a place nearby. The Fay on the 50 th floor had a pretty cool vibe and a great view (if you could see over the little hedge!).

As we walked in, the very glamorous and a bit haughty staff looked at us askance but we would be gone before any cool people arrived so we ignored them.

Tomorrow is the whole point of the trip so need to get to bed!

Up early for breakfast at the hotel. Small problem, I have no Chinese Yuan Rinnimibi(?). Actually none of us do. Here they use a Chinese apple pay like app system you download which can be tapped and go like we do, but you have to have a Chinese bank account!

We did manage to pay using credit cards for small amounts and then we payed the person charged, with HK dollars. So glad it is family with whom we are travelling!

Breakfast had fabulous fruit and a huge variety of western and Chinese cuisine. A good reprieve for Eliza, Angela’s daughter who is a vegetarian. Lunches have been focused on fowl and fish and pork!!

We left for the commerce museum. Zhongshan was described as the beginning of the maritime Silk Road. A centre of commerce with the world due to the huge rivers and waterways of the Pearl delta.

The museum was very interesting. Could have stayed longer to take it all in. Sophie, our family history writer explained how the grandfathers were inspired by the famous merchants that came from this area who founded large department stores and import export businesses. The Leong Lim’s were not at the same level but amongst those surrounding the influential business men.

We left for the Leong Village soon after. It was a bit of a surprise to find the village has become an historic tourist place. Much more prosperous and larger than the Lim village. It is closer to Zhongshan so that has contributed to its prosperity. Many places were marked with brass plaques and had boards describing their purpose and significance. The village mayor came to meet us and was very impressed with our family book.

We found the grandfather’s house and had a look inside. It was quite large and still has the remnants of decorations.

An elderly neighbour invited us in to look at her home. It gave an idea of what it might have looked like.

Everybody was so thrilled we were coming back to the family village and couldn’t do enough to help us. It was fun; especially when Gary borrowed the distant cousin’s bike to ride back to the tour bus.

And then it was over. A lunch which we had to rush that was really delicious- pigeon and other specialties.

We were all up and ready for our early departure to China as required. Overnight only, so day pack was all that we carried. We arrived at the ferry to meet cousin Francis who had organised this part. Roger and Gary were coming to meet us at the departure point on Kowloon. This caused a few anxious moments until we discovered them waiting for us at Starbucks! All went well until immigration where we discovered Sheila had the incorrect visa and was denied entry and had to return!

We were a bit concerned but she returned to HK side then went off to Macao instead!

The Leong men were required to fingerprint and were quizzed on their Chinese names because they were born in HK. Roger and Robert can’t write theirs in Chinese and can barely say it properly, which confused the officers no end!

I was waved through no problems no fingerprints either!

We met our tour guides after disembarking from the ferry. Our guide was Ricky and he introduced our Chinese guide as Jun but that was his accent. She was Joan! Away we went, a large bus so a window each and aircon! Yeah! It is delightfully hot but pollution and hayfever have given me a drippy nose and lots of sneezing. Here many people still wear masks so I feel quite embarrassed when I sneezed.

Our first stop was the Lim Flying dragon village. Driving the highways we passed through numerous tall buildings all the same design but surrounded by lots of trees. The highway likewise was planted with gardens and trees. It was an impressive site to see so much development.

Also there were hundreds of fish farms and many banana plantations. Under construction was a new monorail. The energy and modernity expressed by this growth makes Australia look slow and backward.

Eventually we arrived at the village. It was a shock to see how it had deteriorated. The village only had about 17 families in residence now and they are mainly older people. The land has been bought by a rich northern chinese (judging by the fancy cars and large modern home built on the outskirts) according to the villagers. The school has collapsed and he is restoring the roof and will use it as a drying room for orange/mandarin peel from the orchard that has been planted. The hen houses were still there and the fertilizer from the chickens is used on the orchard. We saw the women carrying it in pails strung on bamboo poles over their shoulders. An age old traditional image of Chinese farmers.

Gary spoke to some of the residents explaining who we were and why we had come. They were happy to have photos and chat. There lives are very basic nothing too modern here.

Soon we were off to lunch and then our hotel in Zhongshan.