Haghpat Monastery Complex

 Haghpat Monastery was built between the 10th and 13th centuries.  It was founded by the wife of a Bagratid King Ashot III in 976. (Thanks Wikipedia).

There is a cathedral, a church, a free-standing bell-tower (with 2 bells), a library - and others. I also learned about a gavit - similar to a narthex but often much larger.  An area just inside the entrance but distinct from the church itself.  In Armenia, the gavit can be larger than the church, and can be used for burials.

We were told to walk freely over tombstones.  It means the dead are helping us, by providing a place to walk.  Oh well!

Haghpat is one of the icons of Armenia, and we saw various other tour groups  French, Korean  and others.

Gavit outside a church at Haghpat Monastery Complex.

 

Other pics at Haghpat

 

Two cross-stones - or khachkar - memorial stones - for the soul of a living or deceased person, or for for an event, such a a military victory.  (Thanks Wikipedia) 

And the belfry - and bells.

 

More on Yerevan

Cars and number plates are  different in new places.

An Armenian number plate

And have seen a BYD EV.

Republic Square, looking towards the Museum of History.

Our hotel

A public advertisement for an art collection. Gladys look alike?

Everyone comes out at night

Public water fountains. A brilliant idea - no way can you touch the tap! 

 There's always a bridal party somewhere!

Tourism is big here.  Not sure just what you are buying though.

Yerevan

Safely in Yerevan. Arrived at 1am local time, and still adjusting to the interrupted sleep plus 2 hour time zone adjustment.

Immigration fellow studied every page in mine, and Kin Mun's passports, before stamping them and saying, with a smile,  "Welcome to Armenia".  A  good start!  Fortunately we had booked a transfer, so straight to our hotel.

After breakfast, went for a walk nearby.  The tour itself begins tomorrow, late morning.

 

Some random pics and observations....

Very warm - reminiscent of Longreach weather.  Into the thirties and seems quite dry.

Lots of Gladys look-alikes!

Modern buildings, side by side with abandoned and decaying ones.

 

Also in Armenia...

What did we have for lunch?!

Presumably a child care centre.

 

 

Dad always warned me to be careful when driving past pubs...

 

 

 

More to come.......

 

 

 

 

 

La Coupole

 We had lunch at the brasserie La Coupole - and this was our first visit to Montparnasse..  It is well-known for its seafood, but I also wanted to be sure that Ile Flottante was on the dessert menu.  So there was something for all Kans.

 

 

I must say, it was good.  The meringue was not sweet, which meant the whole dish - with custard, caramel and caramelised nuts - was  not cloying. I hadn't realised ile flottante could be like that.

A couple of other pics...

 

Guillotine

I finally got to see the guillotine blade! 

It is in the Prefecture of Police Building in Paris, where they have a museum.  Paris has its own police force, separate from the rest of France.  We were at the headquarters, and they confirmed that, yes, this is where Kin Mun's stolen wallet would have been processed.  Kin Mun is still using that wallet and commented that it has been here twice - once more than he has!

When we first arrived, we had to speak to two heavily decked-out police, so obviously, no pics.  I am sure they carry more stuff than our police - but maybe that was because of the bullet proof vests.

The blade.  It says it was a genuine blade, used during the revolution, at Place de Greve.  So it wasn't the one we all know at Place de la Concorde - but I guess they had more than one..

They also had artifacts, including uniforms, over many years, and references to French crimes - some of which I will have to Google.  But I remember our French social worker talking about this one.

 An interesting little museum.  Mostly in French, so Google Translate is very useful. It isn't one of the icons of Paris, but gives an aspect of its history. Entry is free - but watch that you don't turn up on a day when it is closed - ask me how I know!

French concern for good eating...

We are staying at a simple hotel near Gare du Nord.  But even here, the French are fussy about their food.  No pile of hard-boiled eggs in a basket here.  You do your own, and get them exactly as you want them, and freshly cooked too!

 The Conciergerie.  

During the opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympics, this was the building where Marie Antoinette watched the proceedings....

 

 The Conciergerie was originally a palace, and then a prison.  These days, it is dedicated to the Revolution.

Some pics inside...

View of Notre Dame

Finding your way...

In Paris

We finally arrived in Paris at 7am local time, about 3pm Sydney time, on Sunday.  it has been a long trip -28 hours - from leaving Sydney to arriving at CDG. 

A good trip though. One thing I noticed was flying along the Persian Gulf, with Iran well go the east, I  could see other aircraft, or at least their lights.  I had never seen this before. I assume the change in flight paths to avoid the latest Middle East conflict,has lead to more aircraft using the available corridors.  Tried to get a pic but it just wouldn't come out.  Fingers crossed - and let's hope everyone has their TCAS on!

We had several hours to kill before our rooms were ready, so got our Navigo cards and went to the nearby Sacre Coeur.  

A day of jet-lag-fog for me, but here are some pics...

From Beo Lan....

 

And had dinner at a random bistro last night. Kin Mun (and the rest of us) discovered "aligot" - mashed potato and a cheese to give a chewy texture. Beo Lan had bass, and didn't get a photo of my steak and "frites". 

 

 

 

 

Paris, Armenia, and Angers

We leave this weekend for a tour of Armenia, book-ended by time in France.

Armenia will be the "missing link", for us, in the Silk Road.  In any case, it is a historic, landlocked, mountain country, and the first country, after Rome to adopt Christianity as its national religion.  When our favourite travel company had a 9 day tour, we jumped at the chance to see Armenia without having to do heaps of preliminary research.  So watch this space.

But first we have four days in Paris, to recover from jet-lag and see some sights we have missed - the restored Notre Dame, Basilica de Saint Denis, the Police Museum and lunch at a Paris bistro.  What's not to like!

But so traumatised was I by the brazen pick-pocketing of Kin Mun's wallet on our last trip to Paris, I have been preparing.  This is one of my strategies - internal pockets in my jeans - inside-out view below.

Let's see if it works!
 

 

Ooops!

On Wednesday evening, I walked to Beecroft Woolies, and was on my way home when I fell.  I knew I stumbled, but thought I had recovered, and the next thing I was on the footpath - just past Vintage Cellars.  No, I hadn't been inside....

I will spare you the on-site image - suffice to say that my blood-thinners (Cartia) worked a treat.  Thought Medicare's urgent care clinic was the way to go - but they didn't have an X-ray - so they cleaned me up and Kin Mun took me to a local emergency medical centre.  They x-rayed everything (My bones are old, you see!) but all was well.

So lets hope the airline isn't afraid to board me, and that the face recognition works at Immigration!

Waiting for X-Ray - yes, that is blood on my top.

And the view the next day.  They had "glued" the wound on my chin, which seemed to have taken the brunt of the fall and was the worst cut. Everything else was either a bruise or a graze.