29th of June, 2022.
Hitchhiking in Armenia.
It is a short walk uphill towards Jukhtakvank but you should take a look in the tracks before heading there because there are two or three secondary trails before you get to a sign which tells you about possible hiking. Even at this sign, you might get confused which way to take. There are three: 1) when you are facing the sign, to your left there is one small road going up the hill; 2) one going kind of straight (which only leads to a water company); 3) and the third is going down, and you can see the river down there (this is your way back in case you start through the first road, otherwise you can start here, to visit Motsavank first, then Jukhtakvank and coming back from the first trail).
I was first planning just go to Jukhtakvank and going back the same road to go visit Motsavank. But because in the sign they talk about this circle marked trail, going from Jukhtak to Motsa, I am considering. And I consider a lot because what if I get lost or cannot find the marks? But then I think… why come all the way here, with time and good weather, just to quickly go from one place to another? And then simply leave without really explore Dilijan National Park? I decide to take the circle trail.
I go to Jukhtak first. What can I say… there are two buildings very close together and they are kind of in the middle of the forest, so no chance of a good photo. They look very mystical thought, from both inside and outside. I think that is the best part of these places: you must consider its history.
While I am there, I meet a tourist (I can’t remember from where he was), who seems a bit weird. We chat a bit and I ask him about the trail, explaining that I don’t have a phone. He shows me on his phone how it supposed to go and look like. I try to memorize more or less the shape of it, and later on this actually helps me a lot! I leave before him and start the trail.
Even though there is a lot of mud at the beginning, it is quite beautiful! It is so green right now and there are so many trees. A real forest! And I can see the marks very well. Well, at least in most parts.
An important note: a bit after you cross the first bridge, you get to a sign which says something like “be careful, slippery surface”, and there is a mark to your left side, which is going downhill, towards a small stream. So, because of the warn of “slippery surface” and the sign to the left side, you assume you should go down to your left, right? But then when I get to the stream, I cannot see marks anywhere. I look all over the place and nothing. Crap!
Because there is lots of mud alongside the stream, I can see many footprints on it. So, I assume people could be crossing here. Across the stream, about 3 metres wide, I can see a small track. I find myself a walking stick, because there are only a few rocks in the stream which I can use to cross, and I don’t want to get my feet soaked, and I take that track. Soon enough I start to see the marks again. Yay!
The rest of the path to Motsavank is really easy and visible. Plus, it is quite beautiful and peaceful.
Motsavank it is a pearl! The true beauty lies inside. For some reason I don’t know (which could be the fact that the outside is almost entirely covered by plants now), it got all covered in lichens, so it is almost entirely green, and the way the light strikes the place it looks magical! A bit creepy, but cool! The shapes of the rooms, its doors and frames, the cross rocks, everything it seems coming out of a horror film. Or The Lord of the Rings. In a small version though.
Now, this part is also very important: from the monastery, there are no sings at all about how you should continue, to get back to where the trail starts. You might be able to find with your phone but, I am not entirely sure because even the weird tourist I met earlier was having some trouble to find the right track. There are some fake trails, going towards the back of the monastery, the opposite way where you came from, and the front door. But I followed them, and they die pretty soon. The way to carry on is turning back from the same way you came. Yeah, that’s right. When you are getting close to Motsavank, you will cross a small road, out of nowhere, but you will keep straight because you can see the marks ahead of you. So, after visiting Motsavank, you must come back to that road and take right, going downhill. Soon enough you will see the marks again and will arrive to the river. Then here another thing: you will see that you can cross the river to the path / end of the trail but not without getting water to your ankles. That’s because the bridge is hidden behind the trees. A small and cute wooden bridge. If you are at the edge of the river, staring at and wondering how the hell will you cross it, you just need to look left and there is the bridge.
When I am coming down the road, a lovely couple, she from England and him from Italy, offer to drive me down. Yay! She has also travelled a lot when she was younger but is still surprised with my trips. They drop me off right in front Stephan’s house.
10 Years Around the World 