Geghard Monastery

We went with our neighbors on a day trip to the Geghard Monastery and nearby Garni Temple (not pictured). It was a beautiful drive through the mountains on a gorgeous winter day, with a stunning view of Mount Ararat on the way. The Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is really amazing. Most of what is there today dates back to the 13th century, but the original 'cave monastery' (much of it was built directly in to the mountain) goes back as far as the 4th century.

Magerian Carpet Factory

On President's Day, we took a tour of the Magerian carpet factory just outside of Yerevan. We saw the whole process of makng their carpets, from spooling cotton and dyeing wool to the final washing and trimming. The giant loom was empty, but it made for a good tour. With all natural dyes made of pomegranate, indigo, and sorrel, they can create some amazingly vibrant colors. We made it out of the showroom without a new carpet, but we did measure the dining room table when we got home.

Tsakhadzor Skis

For those who might be interested, Brian's Tsakhadzor rental skis are Fischer AMCs. As close as he can tell, they're 170cm parabolics with a 120-76-106 sidecut. Since Brian doesn't really know how to ski, these skis with a monster sidecut are the perfect training wheels to cut, hold, and turn in any type of powder.

Burns Night

The annual Burns Supper at the Marriott was a chance to get out the formal wear. Still living out of our suitcases, we had to improvise a bit. The haggis and piper were flown in from Scotland, and the local cognac company Ararat, and its French owner, Chivas, helped sponsor this charity event.

Skiiing in Tsakhadzor

Today, on our first trip together outside the city, we went to Tsakhadzor - Armenia's only ski area. 45-minutes outside the city on the way to Lake Sevan, the site was a Soviet Olympic training center. Above the tree line and with gentle slopes, it's a good place for beginning skiiers, and at just an hour outside the city and with no lines at the lifts it's a great day trip. While there we had two sightings of Armenia's most famous skier - President Robert Kocharian. Check out our photos in the slideshow view.

Mt. Ararat, at last!

Brian and I arrived this January to find Yerevan in a blanket of fog. This, we were told, is to be expected in wintertime. While I'm used to foul weather in winter by now, the fog was really getting in the way of one thing: Mt. Ararat. When you read about or talk to people about Yerevan, one of the things that comes up without fail is the spectacular view of the mountain from here. But because of the fog, there was no sign of it when we arrived. I kept telling people I thought it didn't really exist; that it must be some kind of myth. Finally, on a clear day just over three weeks after we arrived, I was in a cab on my way to the Embassy with my boss and he pointed out the window and said, "Look! Ararat!" I told him he'd just witnessed an historic event - my first sighting. It really was breathtaking.