DAY 6: "The pre-war Georgia." Hopa - Batumi (GEORGIA) - Gyumri (Armenia) - Yerevan. 500 kms.
got up not too early because I knew the Turkish border is not an early bird to open its doors (these horny close at night). Approaching her an endless string of trucks had collapsed access. There is an unwritten rule that the tails of the border said that light vehicles are preferred, or actually on the bike all let you go and tell you where you can. Took a while to get to the door and was still closed and many cars, buses, vans, etc., Were scattered without any order or specific row.
When they opened the border passport control process was quite cumbersome since it joined several bus passengers, and also first experienced what would be a nasty constant in the whole trip: people can not do queues orderly, just throw all elbowing against the glass of the window and put his hand to deliver his passport to the official. 8 people can be quiet first, and some of them may carry the passports of 5 or 6 passengers in a vehicle. All brandishing a passport to your face and many need a good dose of deodorant ... And worst of all, the staff does nothing to avoid this situation, as it picks up passport to one or another as it comes in wins.
While in the queue at once someone shouts that have opened another window (guess who shouted that ...) and begins an obstacle course with men, women, children and even elderly surprisingly, jumping fences to get quickly to the new queue . When you arrive in vantage point someone says that is a queue only for Turks, look back and your place in the second row and 20 other people have taken, or whether they choose to stay in it and that whatever has to happen. I finally got to leave Turkey and come to the Georgian border, which despite the shock of seeing a motorcycle come from Spain, I must say I was much more organized, computerized and impeccably dressed functionaries and identified by their accreditation. He had returned to Europe in geographical reality and it showed right away, at least for now.
In Georgia I was very scared to police checks road, as it provided many arbitrary stops and many bribes, as is usual in countries where their day in the Soviet orbit. Besides the political situation in Georgia is unstable as demonstrated unfortunately only a few weeks after the war started. So I decided to take the quickest route to take me to Armenia even though there was a very busy road internationally. I went into Georgia for a little distressed, and went to its main port Batumi.
Batumi port.
Statue of Ilya Chavchavadze
State Drama Theatre
Catholic Church
Mariana
Georgian cities are different from Turkish, are clearly more parsimonious, not supermarkets, with few services Few gas stations, few restaurants, large apartment blocks, and written in illegible script, all speaking Russian and almost nobody understands English.
Statue of Ilya Chavchavadze
State Drama Theatre
Catholic Church
Mariana
Georgian cities are different from Turkish, are clearly more parsimonious, not supermarkets, with few services Few gas stations, few restaurants, large apartment blocks, and written in illegible script, all speaking Russian and almost nobody understands English.
After asking a bit I found a currency exchange office because from this moment was over the use of credit card for several weeks.
Indeed, in the gas station and I had a setback. The refueling issue is always a problem to which one goes beyond Western Europe. In some countries you can acknowledge that there are other suppliers of diesel and gasoline, and between the leaded and unleaded petrol and octane number (98 in a few countries, 95, 93 and even 86 in some cases). It goes without saying that my bike needs fuel (diesel by mistake if you put the journey ends there), and unleaded gasoline is (if not the exhaust catalyst is damaged) and a minimum octane to function properly. In Turkey there is no problem. In Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova for example sometimes you have to ask gas station but then things are clearer, but in other countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, mainly because they use other alphabets, including numbers, it is very difficult to find out what kind of fuel you're putting, for not knowing, or do not know which supplier to do the queue.
So in Batumi asked the gas station if diesel or benzin "and then as unleaded or lead was almost impossible to ask, just tell me to get the best he had, which take the best cars. The guy begins to take and I realize that the hose is red (the unleaded in Western Europe is green), and I tell him to stop. Him not to and I that I take the hose to force, and any pressure hose splashing all that gasoline drenched a couple of gas stations that lay ahead. All pissed me, and I'm saying that diesel, and they say it is not diesel, which is 95. And I apologize and I from that moment I stopped worrying and the color of the hose, as in all countries I have gasoline hoses green, black, red, blue, white and transparent ... And for more despair, it appears that in some Islamic countries in the same petrol pump is different, depends on the button to tighten on the machine (for flip ...). Visited
finally the center of Batumi and now with a full tank, I walked by the shortest route Ninotsminda direction towards the border with Armenia over roads, according to the map, which had to be yellow (district), and red (national).
you begin to go through rural villages the landscape of Georgia began to marvel, much fresher and greener than the Turkish Black Sea, with plenty of cows grazing or resting quietly in the middle of the road and horses in the margins.
Between stop and stop to take photos the road began to enter in a valley, and then began to rise and climb up the mountainside.
any protection in the corners ...
The state of the road began to become disturbing, with multiple chips, bumps, holes, etc. As they passed some small villages began to be common unpaved sections and large puddles and mud, and after a little while what was once the road had disappeared and had become definitely first forest track and then in high mountain road as they went up and up. The Black Panther has shown me many times to hold surprisingly well off road use without excess, but only get you to do enduro, 5,000 miles from home, with nearly 400 kgs on the bike with 17,000 kms and still missing travel was certainly not an idea that seduced me, and I had pretty bad in the more than 100 kms I had to go without asphalt.
height
The more we won the landscapes of the Lower Caucasus Mountains began to be beautiful, absolutely non-existent traffic and ended up topping a mountain pass of 2025 meters you can see in the picture.
But what goes down, or whether the decrease of the tracks was also quite entertaining, crossing a few streams that invaded the pitch and away many cows they had no intention of leaving happy path came.
Upon arrival to the plane under the road map linking with another coming from the North and must become national and in order to go to Armenia. And indeed for a while the asphalt path again, but nothing good lasts forever ...
Inexplicably as we approach Ninotsminda the track was in worse shape, full of holes, quite bored with no alternative, much worse as a track bike for the poor and their suspensions burdened by excess weight. I thought the international border between the two countries would be frequented by trucks and transports in general, but I completely wrong in this pseudo-international road had no traffic, zero trucks, vans zero, some vehicles and some clueless old road also avoiding the holes as I could.
At one point the alleged road map red as also disappeared and became a track, maybe not as demanding as the goat track in the morning, but track with mud and finally, after all, also the sky threatened rain finally fulfilled his threat, albeit initially unbearable.
landscapes, that if they were precious, high mountain. It turned out that Ninotsminda was a rural town of isolated houses and animals everywhere.
I almost spend my long border, and that there were no signs or anything, and these slopes were several clues to go on without anything to indicate which was the "official" and no one to follow and that there was absolutely no other vehicle than mine there.
The bulk of the storm just passed over me while trying to get along with the two police officers who lived in muddy boots that Georgian border barracks (the bed was disgusting the dirty side of the table), and without any IT support just scored my passport and registration number of outputs in his book (this is why I lead a management problem a few days later on the border with Azerbaijan), and that came in the rain to watch the crazy English motorbike had come to instead of going there in Armenia where it seems that everyone does, the road to Tbilisi. The rain stopped a while and walked some more. After passing through another hut just like with the same procedure a few hundred yards away and dodging two dogs barking out of my way, I finally got it to the border of Armenia.
Armenia was the only country that I still had no visa (no embassy in Spain), and the possibility that it was unable get depressed just thinking I had to back track Nosecuantos miles just hellish move using 6 or 7 hours for this grueling. But Things began to change for the better. In the border section between the asphalt resurfaced and almost no rain. The border was modest but well organized, with external guard, barrier, passport control window and several smaller buildings, but of course much more dignified than the mud huts and isolated Georgians. When I said I wanted to get a visa I went to another building where a very nice old officer turned on his computer, scanned my passport and held at a time when a sticker visa stamped and hit my passport on payment of 30 euros, plus 5 that is fucked if he brazenly putting his hand in my portfolio devoted the best their smiles (absolutely true!) But it did so nicely and I was so happy to come to Armenia and Georgia leaving behind roads and rain, which did not bother me at all that tip, and less when they made me pay no other entry fee, even an insurance for the bike as they do in other countries. Total
that after a while I'm running through the roads of Armenia, down from the top of the mountain (where these fools have the border where it looks to be permanently cloudy) to a valley in the distance where I saw again the sun shone.
and I stopped in Gyumri happy to see that the Armenian cities, but with its own alphabet which again make it difficult to read anything, they are quite western, well paved streets, squares, grandiose, stately buildings, or at least that's what seemed to me.
Arco.
Gyumry Tower in Sayat Nova street and square
evening and decided I was going to (even if driving at night), get to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia where he knew the direction of a good hostel.
capital Yerevan is not very big, and it was not too difficult to get to the hostel (Hostel Envoy). The moto slept on the sidewalk next to the door of the hostel is very nice and exemplary, and the guys in charge (he and Arpino Gevorg it) especially kind.
DAY 7: "Armenia, a country unknown." Yerevan - ETCHMIALDSIN - Zvartnotz - Sardarapat - SEVAN - Tbilisi (GEORGIA). 350 Kms.
I started to visit Yerevan in the morning, but to take the bike and talking to the guy from the hostel as I did, I forgot that I had placed the string to the front wheel. Result: falling fool in front of the hostel without consequences. And go two.
I found a currency exchange office and started the visit. Yerevan is a very nice city and western urbanistically speaking, and at its center is easy to navigate. Here some photos of the city:
Republic square (formerly Lenin Square). Part of the National Art Gallery
Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator
I then went to "The Cascade" (now dry waterfall) a show started on time architectural Soviet and still is ending. In his day had multiple water sources falling steadily, but the Armenian government for lack of funds for maintenance decided to dispense water. It is opposite the Opera House (Spendiarov Theatre) and also serves as a museum of art, and sculptures, including a cat by Botero, Armenian show a refined taste for art.
Opera House.
"The Cascade"
Memorial architect Yerevan designer.
In several ex-soviet countries I have visited these monuments are the mother country that gives their children and their strength to the national cause. In this case is the Mother Armenia.
A little further out of the center is the exciting memorial to the Armenian Genocide (Tsitsernakaberd, and making little word!) At the hands of the Turks happened at the beginning of the century (1915-1917), and still cause discussion between the two countries.
Monument Stephan Shahumyan the Soviet commissar
When I returned to hostel with luggage, the guy's staff interviewed me on the street with the video camera while several onlookers stopped to chafardear the scene.
Outside of Yerevan, the West, are part of UNESCO world heritage remains of the monastery of Zvartnost (Celestial Angels), which seems to be destroyed by an earthquake.
From Zvartnost is completely one of the reasons of dispute between Armenia and Turkey, Mount Ararat before and now Turkish Armenia, where the Bible says Noah's ark landed and where therefore it is believed that under its perpetual snows is still the ship. I looked at it thoroughly and I could not see it ...
eagle that guards the entrance to Zvartnost.
Next door is the city of Etchmialdsin, Armenia's ancient capital and religious center of the country (apostolic rite), which has a complex of several churches quite remarkable (Vagarshapat), including the first church erected throughout Christendom. It is also UNESCO heritage.
Memorial to vícitimas.
The entrance to Vagarshapat.
Etchmialdsin Cathedral
Keep in mind that Armenia was the first country officially adopted Christianity as its national religion, and this has always given a position of prominence in the Christian world even though his confession is not the Catholic or Orthodox but the "Apostolic Armenia." This age gives it strength in its relations with other Christian denominations. There is also the Catholic Church Armenia that was formed by clergy I did not want the schism with the Holy See. Overall
Armenia is the country of the churches and monasteries since the bore is to spread throughout the territory. Armenia Religiosity has a major ascending in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, etc., Suffice see for example that one of the four quarters in which your day strategically divided Jerusalem, the Armenian Quarter, and also going on in Beirut, which is also the Armenian Quarter.
The eagle, which we have happily in Spain and almost forgotten, is still a very common symbol in all countries.
To mark a bright historic victory over the Turks, the Armenians rose Sardarapat complex, with two great winged bulls guarding the entrance.
The most remarkable lake is Lake Sevan Armenia, which is the favorite holiday destination of Yerevan residents seeking a little less warm temperature. However Sevan city itself is ugly, full of old apartment blocks and holes in the asphalt streets. The attraction is the lake which occupies a large area of \u200b\u200bthis small country. Along the same there are a few churches Sevanavank, the most famous lake is on foot.
still in Armenia, passing through here I had the feeling of being inside a Windows screen saver. No?
I went to the border with Georgia to enter it a second time, and I could pass both customs without too much difficulty and almost obscuring address to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Georgia Mother
"Tbilisi is a city built around the river and placed on a hill, but the fact is that the reverse of Yerevan not respond to what I expected of her. I arrived and dark and the streets, lack of people walking, lack of hotels and the environment in general I do not offer much confidence. The hotel prices were not cheap at all what I wanted, and over the guard of the hotel wanted me to pay for watching the bike parked on the sidewalk saying that the chain, disc lock and the alarm was not sufficient because "this was Georgia, that the decision was mine and that" there myself with my body "... (Glups!) Despite four stout Georgian imagine loading the bike into a van giving a tip to the caretaker for looking elsewhere, I told him that if I stole it go already the police in the morning, but with two lumps in my throat did not pay a cent or this or any other pseudo-watcher who asked me along the way (and there were many ...). Di
a loop of recognition to find an exchange office, as the hotel would not cash in Euros or Dollars, but this city at night showed me not nice, (I had good karma to understand). Unfortunately a few weeks after my pace today's war with Russia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia has clarified a lot of me this strange sense of danger in me that made me take refuge overnight in the hotel room without even going out to dinner, waiting for the morning light do it all more enjoyable and safe.
The bike fell asleep on the sidewalk, a few meters from the door of the hotel (Hotel Lile), and I took the opportunity to make another cast.
DAY 8: "Azerbaijan, bribes, fines and Vodka." Tbilisi - GANJA (AZERBAIJAN) - Yevlax. 350 km
Indeed, when the day comes and you have refreshed things look much clearer. The bike was still where I left and I started to visit without Tbilisi. Since most of the city you can see two things on one side of the river (or Mtkvari Kura) Castle ruins today Narikala has a church inside, and the other side of the city is the silhouette of the new Sameba Cathedral.
latter is really beautiful architecturally, and has been housed in a beautiful area with gardens and benches for relaxing walks.
.
The main square in Tbilisi Freedom Square, where the City and the pillar of San Jorge, sure that you have seen these days by the full news of people protesting the bombing and the Russian invasion.
Georgia Mother again.
Tbilisi from the Castle
Georgians are religious devotees, at least in the morning. Every time I walk past a church, if traveling by car slow down and cross themselves, or whether they will stand kneel and cross themselves, and that they do well when seen in the distance the silhouette of the cathedral Sameba, even from the other side of river.
Qashueti Church.
Sculpture the muse before the Philharmonic Concert Hall
Rustaveli metro station in
Av
building on Rustaveli Square Kinos Saxli
Castle Rising Narikala is very steep up to the bike wheel up accidentally, but above the view of Tbilisi's worth.
is not very common in a country that worry by finding the exact distance to neighboring capitals, a sign that has good vibes with both and even though between them they have no diplomatic relations due to the war in Nagorno Karaback
The border with Azerbaijan is quite close to Tbilisi, so do not take me long to get to the so-called Red Bridge (Red Bridge). Thinking a bit I realize that many borders are determined on bridges over rivers, certainly because these rivers are an easy way to define maps between countries.
(NOTE BRICK)
The output of Georgia was problematic. First the computer system had collapsed. An hour of waiting. And then it turned out that my passport had an administrative problem because that border rural output Ninotsminda barracks had done something wrong (I guess having no computer ...) and had to be a thousand checks phone to let me leave the country the second time. Total: Another hour lost, and now they're two.
excited to finally get the border with Azerbaijan where it really began for me exotic. The famous Red Bridge (I could see left) and is not passed, and the border is a kind of hovel surrounded by greenery and birds screaming, full of very young guards dressed in military with their guns in position, which gives marking the site a banana republic environment at all reassuring. Then
is that the control officer has gone to eat (half hour wait), and I have to queue in the sun and in front of the latrines stank I can assure you without having to enter them. I had to earn my elbow when I made the turn and hit it over the guy, that makes you go to the office and close the door (bad omen that invites bribes), spoke not drop anything but Azeri and rusky. Although I had gotten a visa at the embassy in Madrid, said the uniformed individual (or am trying to say as far as I understand) I had to pay a transit visa for only three days. When I protested, the officer asked me with boxes intemperate to go back to the tail of the elbow to reflect. Without leaving reason I tried again but no one will understand this is very difficult. I had thought to be the Azerbaijan up to three days and the visa I used it for four (one plus three), or that it was not too much trouble if the bike does not peel, but no answer I asked why not worth the visa on my passport which I extended in Madrid. At the end I paid $ 90 transit visa and went to the next office, got the next seal and prepared to leave. The soldiers who will collect the passport or you control it, there are several, I called $ 10 (bribery, tip or whatever) what I do remember is that as I was pissed I refused to pay anything to anyone else and it went well, albeit reluctantly, finally let me pass and enter and Azerbaijan.
After several days, reflecting on what happened at the border I got the question of whether the officer that I was not required visa for me but for the bike, ie if the transit visa that I did in reality was not to pay import tax for the vehicle, and therefore, if maybe I would have saved if he had shown man the Carnet de Passage in any case he asked me, and in principle not required, since Azerbaijan is not in the list of countries that require it. Today
think that was probably another sung by inexperienced, and all other boundaries and the first thing taught was the Carnet de Passage asked me or not. But that first day in a place that no one understands you, after a long day of waiting in the sun all sweaty after pelearte elbowed in the queue, and the uncertainty of being able to enter the country or having to take a turn for many hundreds of miles to get to Iran for Turkey, at that time I had probably the alert or coolness necessary to torearme customs officer. In any case, the luck is that I did not pay any entry fee again nor any insurance for the bike (she might be, you go to know!, included in the price of transit visa, which was a paper I signed, but it was unintelligible to me.) Total
I go to Azerbaijan, on the wrong foot, but I go. And it would astray. About 20 kms from the border, the nerves still thinking of what happened, I for traffic patrol (in a distinctly rural country are in a BMW 3 Series modern, do not miss it.) I say there is a limit of 70 in full line and I was traveling at 80 and something, I think, and I'm going to crack $ 100 fine (said so directly in U.S. funds is a clear invitation bribery). And I can not, that my GPS tells me that I have gone from 68 (filthy lie ...), which must be wrong, to teach me the ticket, receipt or whatever. The cop was armed only with a handheld meter, and show me how it works with another car passing by. And I say that I am tourist and I do not know the area, have compassion. And he who loosen the pasta. And I that I get 10 euros and say that I have no more. And he makes calculations and said that we're not going anywhere. And I that I get 10 euros more and say that's my dinner, I'll stay without food but with the 20 euros in black need to fix the issue. And the two cops who consult, are numbers, and finally resolved that I am a poor man and killed him decide to accept the bribe of 20 euros.
When the issue is fixed the notes tell me that they are also on the BMW as I do, and he suggests to see if I let him try the bike. It bothers you Robocop! Passing the buck as I can and disappear from the site as a soul by the devil.
In summary, the visa and the fine I have flown about 80 euros contingency that triune'm angry with myself, and today I deserve Linnet dinner or sleep in a hotel, will have to pull the food they carry in the bags and look for night life .... You wanted
broth? Well, take two cups! After a while I again to stop another patrol, but when they saw the tuition, as the man did not speak in plain blew me. Uff!
finally beating in Ganja (Gyandzha, Ganca, Kirovabad or Elisavetspol, to choose the name you like best ...) and I found a nice city (Azeri cultural capital), with parks, fountains, walking people, and office currency exchange. I also run into two young students not only help me find an internet cafe, but even he accompany me and make me some translators. And to get out into conversation with another young guitarist also very friendly, in a very proper English tells me that dreams to visit the stadium of FC Barcelona, \u200b\u200band that tells me the hotels in the city and came to find me.
Azerbaijani Ganja City.
Juma mosque (Shah Abbas) and the side are some old bathrooms.
However prices of the hotels are expensive and now I'm not for more spending. Overall I'm still pulling to the east and some just come ... Leaving
much the city is the monument to the poet Nizami, the largest in the country.
I'm already getting outside and getting dark Yevlax when suddenly the side of the road see a house and several people sitting at a table under some trees. Brake the starship few meters ahead, reflect, and I am obliged to strive autoimpongo finally fraternize with the local population to see if I save now the hotel, because some days that I find no place to camp.
fall back and get into a path up to the house he had seen, and I find two men who could be the grandson and grandfather. After rigorous Maleikum Salam drawing a tent and ask to see if they let me plant my tent in your garden. I say yes. Comes another man of the house, middle age, and will talk as we can, with gestures, pictures, etc.. Happen to be taxi drivers and non-Azerbaijanis, but Turks, meaning that they are immigrants there. Freak taxi drivers with GPS. If they had seen a browser with turn indicators certainly faint spot.
As I had eaten almost nothing all day, while I offer the things I carry in the bags that were not derived from pork, crackers, tuna, jam, nuts, etc.. They politely told me to save it and then I get one (which had been cooking) with a dinner tray, and tells me that the old house they have is an old restaurant. Total invited me to dinner while mosquitoes really are picnicking me my way so wild that I had to wear the jacket again. To acclimate a bit the situation must be said that the only drink he had to try to bring down the odd dinner pabajo (a kind of indefinable salad and a meat of unknown origin and questionable taste) were the glasses of vodka that we push to cry "Nas Darobia" and fill that kept growing.
When I said I was going to mount the store I said no, he was invited to sleep inside the house. Seeing those mosquitoes as voracious thought it was not such a bad idea ...
About three glasses of vodka comes another man and a homely girl (the truth), and lost in the house. The middle-aged host hints that I have gone to a prostitute, and I think I said something like that is a prostitute that he too has benefited. After a few laughs and a few more glasses, I was invited to meet the lady in the biblical sense of the term, ie to lie with her, I swear on my bike spark plugs. Créans all that is not something that's never happened ever before, but this time happened just as I tell you. I refuse smartly and try to make both vodka too clouded I trial.
When I said I wanted to go to sleep, again the same guy now says to see if we him, me and the girl pal cot (as it was believed that I dared not only to both female chub (by volume I mean ...)). Seeing that the issue was complicated, I had to clarify that I was "hunted" and that house had two churumbeles waiting like those birds in the documentary of the 2 to shout themselves hoarse in the nest. Well and left me alone, and the youngest with me to wash up and then that would be my room.
'Nas Darobia again "
A lovely couple ...
really was literally stay disgust, was dismal, with a mattress and bedding broken, probably still warm from the last tumble of professional that any one of those Turkish taxi drivers ... I do not usually have hobbies, clearly would have preferred to sleep in my tent and my bag, but still (from Without a Paddle ...) I went to bed and tried to spend the night. It was in vain, at dawn in the room appeared a giant cicada or cricket (about 10 cm) would not stop singing (cri-cri, cri-cri, cri-cri, exponentially). I found him and expelled him, but I broke the dream because the hole in the roof through which he had entered was just open.
The bike fell asleep in the front door. Yevlax
Hilton:
State of bed as I found it.
landscapes, that if they were precious, high mountain. It turned out that Ninotsminda was a rural town of isolated houses and animals everywhere.
I almost spend my long border, and that there were no signs or anything, and these slopes were several clues to go on without anything to indicate which was the "official" and no one to follow and that there was absolutely no other vehicle than mine there.
The bulk of the storm just passed over me while trying to get along with the two police officers who lived in muddy boots that Georgian border barracks (the bed was disgusting the dirty side of the table), and without any IT support just scored my passport and registration number of outputs in his book (this is why I lead a management problem a few days later on the border with Azerbaijan), and that came in the rain to watch the crazy English motorbike had come to instead of going there in Armenia where it seems that everyone does, the road to Tbilisi. The rain stopped a while and walked some more. After passing through another hut just like with the same procedure a few hundred yards away and dodging two dogs barking out of my way, I finally got it to the border of Armenia.
Armenia was the only country that I still had no visa (no embassy in Spain), and the possibility that it was unable get depressed just thinking I had to back track Nosecuantos miles just hellish move using 6 or 7 hours for this grueling. But Things began to change for the better. In the border section between the asphalt resurfaced and almost no rain. The border was modest but well organized, with external guard, barrier, passport control window and several smaller buildings, but of course much more dignified than the mud huts and isolated Georgians. When I said I wanted to get a visa I went to another building where a very nice old officer turned on his computer, scanned my passport and held at a time when a sticker visa stamped and hit my passport on payment of 30 euros, plus 5 that is fucked if he brazenly putting his hand in my portfolio devoted the best their smiles (absolutely true!) But it did so nicely and I was so happy to come to Armenia and Georgia leaving behind roads and rain, which did not bother me at all that tip, and less when they made me pay no other entry fee, even an insurance for the bike as they do in other countries. Total
that after a while I'm running through the roads of Armenia, down from the top of the mountain (where these fools have the border where it looks to be permanently cloudy) to a valley in the distance where I saw again the sun shone.
and I stopped in Gyumri happy to see that the Armenian cities, but with its own alphabet which again make it difficult to read anything, they are quite western, well paved streets, squares, grandiose, stately buildings, or at least that's what seemed to me.
Arco.
Gyumry Tower in Sayat Nova street and square
evening and decided I was going to (even if driving at night), get to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia where he knew the direction of a good hostel.
capital Yerevan is not very big, and it was not too difficult to get to the hostel (Hostel Envoy). The moto slept on the sidewalk next to the door of the hostel is very nice and exemplary, and the guys in charge (he and Arpino Gevorg it) especially kind.
DAY 7: "Armenia, a country unknown." Yerevan - ETCHMIALDSIN - Zvartnotz - Sardarapat - SEVAN - Tbilisi (GEORGIA). 350 Kms.
I started to visit Yerevan in the morning, but to take the bike and talking to the guy from the hostel as I did, I forgot that I had placed the string to the front wheel. Result: falling fool in front of the hostel without consequences. And go two.
I found a currency exchange office and started the visit. Yerevan is a very nice city and western urbanistically speaking, and at its center is easy to navigate. Here some photos of the city:
Republic square (formerly Lenin Square). Part of the National Art Gallery
Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator
I then went to "The Cascade" (now dry waterfall) a show started on time architectural Soviet and still is ending. In his day had multiple water sources falling steadily, but the Armenian government for lack of funds for maintenance decided to dispense water. It is opposite the Opera House (Spendiarov Theatre) and also serves as a museum of art, and sculptures, including a cat by Botero, Armenian show a refined taste for art.
Opera House.
"The Cascade"
Memorial architect Yerevan designer.
In several ex-soviet countries I have visited these monuments are the mother country that gives their children and their strength to the national cause. In this case is the Mother Armenia.
A little further out of the center is the exciting memorial to the Armenian Genocide (Tsitsernakaberd, and making little word!) At the hands of the Turks happened at the beginning of the century (1915-1917), and still cause discussion between the two countries.
Monument Stephan Shahumyan the Soviet commissar
When I returned to hostel with luggage, the guy's staff interviewed me on the street with the video camera while several onlookers stopped to chafardear the scene.
Outside of Yerevan, the West, are part of UNESCO world heritage remains of the monastery of Zvartnost (Celestial Angels), which seems to be destroyed by an earthquake.
From Zvartnost is completely one of the reasons of dispute between Armenia and Turkey, Mount Ararat before and now Turkish Armenia, where the Bible says Noah's ark landed and where therefore it is believed that under its perpetual snows is still the ship. I looked at it thoroughly and I could not see it ...
eagle that guards the entrance to Zvartnost.
Next door is the city of Etchmialdsin, Armenia's ancient capital and religious center of the country (apostolic rite), which has a complex of several churches quite remarkable (Vagarshapat), including the first church erected throughout Christendom. It is also UNESCO heritage.
Memorial to vícitimas.
The entrance to Vagarshapat.
Etchmialdsin Cathedral
Keep in mind that Armenia was the first country officially adopted Christianity as its national religion, and this has always given a position of prominence in the Christian world even though his confession is not the Catholic or Orthodox but the "Apostolic Armenia." This age gives it strength in its relations with other Christian denominations. There is also the Catholic Church Armenia that was formed by clergy I did not want the schism with the Holy See. Overall
Armenia is the country of the churches and monasteries since the bore is to spread throughout the territory. Armenia Religiosity has a major ascending in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, etc., Suffice see for example that one of the four quarters in which your day strategically divided Jerusalem, the Armenian Quarter, and also going on in Beirut, which is also the Armenian Quarter.
The eagle, which we have happily in Spain and almost forgotten, is still a very common symbol in all countries.
To mark a bright historic victory over the Turks, the Armenians rose Sardarapat complex, with two great winged bulls guarding the entrance.
The most remarkable lake is Lake Sevan Armenia, which is the favorite holiday destination of Yerevan residents seeking a little less warm temperature. However Sevan city itself is ugly, full of old apartment blocks and holes in the asphalt streets. The attraction is the lake which occupies a large area of \u200b\u200bthis small country. Along the same there are a few churches Sevanavank, the most famous lake is on foot.
still in Armenia, passing through here I had the feeling of being inside a Windows screen saver. No?
I went to the border with Georgia to enter it a second time, and I could pass both customs without too much difficulty and almost obscuring address to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Georgia Mother
"Tbilisi is a city built around the river and placed on a hill, but the fact is that the reverse of Yerevan not respond to what I expected of her. I arrived and dark and the streets, lack of people walking, lack of hotels and the environment in general I do not offer much confidence. The hotel prices were not cheap at all what I wanted, and over the guard of the hotel wanted me to pay for watching the bike parked on the sidewalk saying that the chain, disc lock and the alarm was not sufficient because "this was Georgia, that the decision was mine and that" there myself with my body "... (Glups!) Despite four stout Georgian imagine loading the bike into a van giving a tip to the caretaker for looking elsewhere, I told him that if I stole it go already the police in the morning, but with two lumps in my throat did not pay a cent or this or any other pseudo-watcher who asked me along the way (and there were many ...). Di
a loop of recognition to find an exchange office, as the hotel would not cash in Euros or Dollars, but this city at night showed me not nice, (I had good karma to understand). Unfortunately a few weeks after my pace today's war with Russia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia has clarified a lot of me this strange sense of danger in me that made me take refuge overnight in the hotel room without even going out to dinner, waiting for the morning light do it all more enjoyable and safe.
The bike fell asleep on the sidewalk, a few meters from the door of the hotel (Hotel Lile), and I took the opportunity to make another cast.
DAY 8: "Azerbaijan, bribes, fines and Vodka." Tbilisi - GANJA (AZERBAIJAN) - Yevlax. 350 km
Indeed, when the day comes and you have refreshed things look much clearer. The bike was still where I left and I started to visit without Tbilisi. Since most of the city you can see two things on one side of the river (or Mtkvari Kura) Castle ruins today Narikala has a church inside, and the other side of the city is the silhouette of the new Sameba Cathedral.
latter is really beautiful architecturally, and has been housed in a beautiful area with gardens and benches for relaxing walks.
.
The main square in Tbilisi Freedom Square, where the City and the pillar of San Jorge, sure that you have seen these days by the full news of people protesting the bombing and the Russian invasion.
Georgia Mother again.
Tbilisi from the Castle
Georgians are religious devotees, at least in the morning. Every time I walk past a church, if traveling by car slow down and cross themselves, or whether they will stand kneel and cross themselves, and that they do well when seen in the distance the silhouette of the cathedral Sameba, even from the other side of river.
Qashueti Church.
Sculpture the muse before the Philharmonic Concert Hall
Rustaveli metro station in
Av
building on Rustaveli Square Kinos Saxli
Castle Rising Narikala is very steep up to the bike wheel up accidentally, but above the view of Tbilisi's worth.
is not very common in a country that worry by finding the exact distance to neighboring capitals, a sign that has good vibes with both and even though between them they have no diplomatic relations due to the war in Nagorno Karaback
The border with Azerbaijan is quite close to Tbilisi, so do not take me long to get to the so-called Red Bridge (Red Bridge). Thinking a bit I realize that many borders are determined on bridges over rivers, certainly because these rivers are an easy way to define maps between countries.
(NOTE BRICK)
The output of Georgia was problematic. First the computer system had collapsed. An hour of waiting. And then it turned out that my passport had an administrative problem because that border rural output Ninotsminda barracks had done something wrong (I guess having no computer ...) and had to be a thousand checks phone to let me leave the country the second time. Total: Another hour lost, and now they're two.
excited to finally get the border with Azerbaijan where it really began for me exotic. The famous Red Bridge (I could see left) and is not passed, and the border is a kind of hovel surrounded by greenery and birds screaming, full of very young guards dressed in military with their guns in position, which gives marking the site a banana republic environment at all reassuring. Then
is that the control officer has gone to eat (half hour wait), and I have to queue in the sun and in front of the latrines stank I can assure you without having to enter them. I had to earn my elbow when I made the turn and hit it over the guy, that makes you go to the office and close the door (bad omen that invites bribes), spoke not drop anything but Azeri and rusky. Although I had gotten a visa at the embassy in Madrid, said the uniformed individual (or am trying to say as far as I understand) I had to pay a transit visa for only three days. When I protested, the officer asked me with boxes intemperate to go back to the tail of the elbow to reflect. Without leaving reason I tried again but no one will understand this is very difficult. I had thought to be the Azerbaijan up to three days and the visa I used it for four (one plus three), or that it was not too much trouble if the bike does not peel, but no answer I asked why not worth the visa on my passport which I extended in Madrid. At the end I paid $ 90 transit visa and went to the next office, got the next seal and prepared to leave. The soldiers who will collect the passport or you control it, there are several, I called $ 10 (bribery, tip or whatever) what I do remember is that as I was pissed I refused to pay anything to anyone else and it went well, albeit reluctantly, finally let me pass and enter and Azerbaijan.
After several days, reflecting on what happened at the border I got the question of whether the officer that I was not required visa for me but for the bike, ie if the transit visa that I did in reality was not to pay import tax for the vehicle, and therefore, if maybe I would have saved if he had shown man the Carnet de Passage in any case he asked me, and in principle not required, since Azerbaijan is not in the list of countries that require it. Today
think that was probably another sung by inexperienced, and all other boundaries and the first thing taught was the Carnet de Passage asked me or not. But that first day in a place that no one understands you, after a long day of waiting in the sun all sweaty after pelearte elbowed in the queue, and the uncertainty of being able to enter the country or having to take a turn for many hundreds of miles to get to Iran for Turkey, at that time I had probably the alert or coolness necessary to torearme customs officer. In any case, the luck is that I did not pay any entry fee again nor any insurance for the bike (she might be, you go to know!, included in the price of transit visa, which was a paper I signed, but it was unintelligible to me.) Total
I go to Azerbaijan, on the wrong foot, but I go. And it would astray. About 20 kms from the border, the nerves still thinking of what happened, I for traffic patrol (in a distinctly rural country are in a BMW 3 Series modern, do not miss it.) I say there is a limit of 70 in full line and I was traveling at 80 and something, I think, and I'm going to crack $ 100 fine (said so directly in U.S. funds is a clear invitation bribery). And I can not, that my GPS tells me that I have gone from 68 (filthy lie ...), which must be wrong, to teach me the ticket, receipt or whatever. The cop was armed only with a handheld meter, and show me how it works with another car passing by. And I say that I am tourist and I do not know the area, have compassion. And he who loosen the pasta. And I that I get 10 euros and say that I have no more. And he makes calculations and said that we're not going anywhere. And I that I get 10 euros more and say that's my dinner, I'll stay without food but with the 20 euros in black need to fix the issue. And the two cops who consult, are numbers, and finally resolved that I am a poor man and killed him decide to accept the bribe of 20 euros.
When the issue is fixed the notes tell me that they are also on the BMW as I do, and he suggests to see if I let him try the bike. It bothers you Robocop! Passing the buck as I can and disappear from the site as a soul by the devil.
In summary, the visa and the fine I have flown about 80 euros contingency that triune'm angry with myself, and today I deserve Linnet dinner or sleep in a hotel, will have to pull the food they carry in the bags and look for night life .... You wanted
broth? Well, take two cups! After a while I again to stop another patrol, but when they saw the tuition, as the man did not speak in plain blew me. Uff!
finally beating in Ganja (Gyandzha, Ganca, Kirovabad or Elisavetspol, to choose the name you like best ...) and I found a nice city (Azeri cultural capital), with parks, fountains, walking people, and office currency exchange. I also run into two young students not only help me find an internet cafe, but even he accompany me and make me some translators. And to get out into conversation with another young guitarist also very friendly, in a very proper English tells me that dreams to visit the stadium of FC Barcelona, \u200b\u200band that tells me the hotels in the city and came to find me.
Azerbaijani Ganja City.
Juma mosque (Shah Abbas) and the side are some old bathrooms.
However prices of the hotels are expensive and now I'm not for more spending. Overall I'm still pulling to the east and some just come ... Leaving
much the city is the monument to the poet Nizami, the largest in the country.
I'm already getting outside and getting dark Yevlax when suddenly the side of the road see a house and several people sitting at a table under some trees. Brake the starship few meters ahead, reflect, and I am obliged to strive autoimpongo finally fraternize with the local population to see if I save now the hotel, because some days that I find no place to camp.
fall back and get into a path up to the house he had seen, and I find two men who could be the grandson and grandfather. After rigorous Maleikum Salam drawing a tent and ask to see if they let me plant my tent in your garden. I say yes. Comes another man of the house, middle age, and will talk as we can, with gestures, pictures, etc.. Happen to be taxi drivers and non-Azerbaijanis, but Turks, meaning that they are immigrants there. Freak taxi drivers with GPS. If they had seen a browser with turn indicators certainly faint spot.
As I had eaten almost nothing all day, while I offer the things I carry in the bags that were not derived from pork, crackers, tuna, jam, nuts, etc.. They politely told me to save it and then I get one (which had been cooking) with a dinner tray, and tells me that the old house they have is an old restaurant. Total invited me to dinner while mosquitoes really are picnicking me my way so wild that I had to wear the jacket again. To acclimate a bit the situation must be said that the only drink he had to try to bring down the odd dinner pabajo (a kind of indefinable salad and a meat of unknown origin and questionable taste) were the glasses of vodka that we push to cry "Nas Darobia" and fill that kept growing.
When I said I was going to mount the store I said no, he was invited to sleep inside the house. Seeing those mosquitoes as voracious thought it was not such a bad idea ...
About three glasses of vodka comes another man and a homely girl (the truth), and lost in the house. The middle-aged host hints that I have gone to a prostitute, and I think I said something like that is a prostitute that he too has benefited. After a few laughs and a few more glasses, I was invited to meet the lady in the biblical sense of the term, ie to lie with her, I swear on my bike spark plugs. Créans all that is not something that's never happened ever before, but this time happened just as I tell you. I refuse smartly and try to make both vodka too clouded I trial.
When I said I wanted to go to sleep, again the same guy now says to see if we him, me and the girl pal cot (as it was believed that I dared not only to both female chub (by volume I mean ...)). Seeing that the issue was complicated, I had to clarify that I was "hunted" and that house had two churumbeles waiting like those birds in the documentary of the 2 to shout themselves hoarse in the nest. Well and left me alone, and the youngest with me to wash up and then that would be my room.
'Nas Darobia again "
A lovely couple ...
really was literally stay disgust, was dismal, with a mattress and bedding broken, probably still warm from the last tumble of professional that any one of those Turkish taxi drivers ... I do not usually have hobbies, clearly would have preferred to sleep in my tent and my bag, but still (from Without a Paddle ...) I went to bed and tried to spend the night. It was in vain, at dawn in the room appeared a giant cicada or cricket (about 10 cm) would not stop singing (cri-cri, cri-cri, cri-cri, exponentially). I found him and expelled him, but I broke the dream because the hole in the roof through which he had entered was just open.
The bike fell asleep in the front door. Yevlax
Hilton:
State of bed as I found it.
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