28th of June, 2022.
Hitchhiking in Armenia.
I plan to buy some simple things to eat for breakfast in this supermarket by the highway, which I saw it yesterday. But when I get there, it is closed. Luckily for me, about 100 meters before that, I see some fresh bread standing outside a small room, like those security cabins they have in front of apartments sometimes. I decide to go back and simply ask them for one of those breads.
There are two middle-aged men inside, and when I ask them for one bread, they invite me to have some breakfast! There is bread, cheese, some tomatoes and cucumber, and they also give me some soda to drink. It is perfect! I cannot believe it! They also offer me coffee, but I don’t want to disturb so I kindly refuse. It seems like only one of them is actually working in there, the other one is only fixing a small stove.
In the highway, it takes only a few minutes to a tour van to stop. Arthur is the driver, but he cannot speak English, the girl is a tourist guide. They are going to fetch some tourists in Dilijon, which is written in my sign, and from there, to take them in a tour through the monasteries. The same monasteries I am taking a tour to.
The only reason why I am going there is because Hayk, the guy with whom I visit the castle ruins, the monastery, the lake and Jermuk, recommended to me. I have some extra days and no places to visit, so I took his advice to visit four monasteries around Dilijon National Park. Which is great because many people told me I should visit this National Park.
In Dilijon city, a man in a van stops. He is not going all the way to Gosh, but to the next city, Ienjan. Actually, later I would figure out that a lot of people are going there. Anyway, he drops me off in the exit to Gosh.
It is not far now, and the road is quite small, so I am counting I will get there soon.
Artic picks me up and say he can drive me to the monastery, which is up the hill after the village. I think he was checking something in one of the shops around the monastery.
Goshavank is nice mostly from the inside. Some of the buildings had the dome partially destroyed and they used glass to be restored, which even though it sounds a bit unorthodox, it looks really nice. Unfortunately, because of the time of the day, the sun is shining right against the complex, so it is not possible to take a good photograph. In the back of the building, there is a huge tree, partially cut in half, which people say that, if you crossed through the middle, all your dreams come true.
When I first arrive here, a woman comes and start talking to me in English, breaking the ice with a “Welcome to Armenia”. I don’t know why but it annoys me a bit when people say that. But she is nice, and we chat for a while. Anna is also an English teacher, and she has taken her students to visit some monasteries today. They are all quite curious about me and my travels, so I tell them a little bit about. They are actually going to the same place I am going after here, Hagartsin Monastery. I could ask for a lift, but I prefer to take my time and do not feel like I must explore that place with them once I get in there.
When I walk only a few steps out of Goshavank, a couple stop their car. The man, who is driving the car, smiles so nicely, as he is saying: “Of course I will take you”. I remember seeing them at the monastery. She is beautiful and all worked on fashion clothes, make up and jewelry. And they both like Brazilian music! They start to play some, including Gustavo Lima. It has been ages since I heard his songs, but I have good memories with some Brazilian friends from that time, so I sing along. The windows of the car are open, the sun is shining, the wind is nice, and the three of us are singing Balada out loud. They seem like a very nice and fun couple. I wish we had more time together, or even that we could be friends. But they are only going to Ienjan (as I said before, lots of people are going there), so in a few minutes they drop me off in the same road the man from the van.
10 Years Around the World 