Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Yerevan day trips: Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/07/yerevan-day-trips-garni-temple-and-geghard-monastery/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/07/yerevan-day-trips-garni-temple-and-geghard-monastery/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/07/yerevan-day-trips-garni-temple-and-geghard-monastery/#commentsFiled under: , ,

yerevan day trips

There are two obvious day trips from Yerevan, both fascinating and absolutely worth the effort: Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery. Both of these sites are located less than an hour from Yerevan by car, along scenic roads that afford, here and there, great views of Mount Ararat. Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery are compact and easily reachable sites of broad interest to many different kinds of visitors.

Garni Temple dates back to the 1st century, if not earlier--so far back, in fact, that it predates Armenia's conversion to Christianity. The temple was originally dedicated to Helios, the God of the sun. Its first modern excavation took place in the early 20th century. The rebuilt temple's physical setting is also pretty amazing, situated on a bluff surrounded by rock cliffs.

To the side of the temple is a Roman bathhouse, nicely preserved. The hill above the baths affords more opportunities for appreciating the site's scale and enjoying views over the area.

At the parking lot leading into the complex, there is a souvenir shop and a cluster of people selling various products. The most interesting objects for sale include compact discs of recorded traditional music and ropes of pastegh, a delicious candy of nuts and grape juice, often translated as "fruit leather," which is also found in Georgia.

Continue reading Yerevan day trips: Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery

Yerevan day trips: Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Armeniabudget travelbudget-travelBudgetTravelfar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondYerevanyerevan day tripsYerevanDayTripsMon, 07 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Two Yerevan tips: Lagonid Bistro-Cafe & Sergei Paradjanov Museum]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/04/two-yerevan-tips-lagonid-bistro-cafe-and-sergei-paradjanov-museum/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/04/two-yerevan-tips-lagonid-bistro-cafe-and-sergei-paradjanov-museum/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/04/two-yerevan-tips-lagonid-bistro-cafe-and-sergei-paradjanov-museum/#commentsFiled under: , ,

yerevan tips

Here are two Yerevan tips. Though both make it into some guidebooks, neither would probably be an obvious choice for a Yerevan sojourn: the Syrian-Armenian Lagonid Bistro-Café and the Sergei Paradjanov Museum.

I never meant to wander into Lagonid Bistro-Café (37 Nalbandyan Poghots), a Syrian-Armenian restaurant in Yerevan. I wanted to eat something distinctly Armenian, or at least something within the ex-Soviet sphere. But the best sounding restaurants along these lines in my rag-tag Lonely Planet to the Caucasus were closed, some apparently for several years, restaurants with enticing names like Color of Pomegranates (Armenian and Georgian cuisine, reportedly) and Bukhara (Uzbek cuisine).

I kept walking in search of a decent lunch, and Lagonid Bistro-Café looked like it might have potential. I ordered labne, hummus, mutabel, and pomegranate juice. The hummus was creamy with lots of olive oil, better than any hummus I'd had since an eye-opening feast at Fakhr El-Din in Amman several years ago. (After Fakhr El-Din I couldn't eat hummus for months and months. Their version was so far superior to any hummus I'd ever had previously that I wasn't willing to pollute my palate with bad hummus.) The labne was tart and the mutabel (a puree of roasted eggplant and garlic) was spicy and satisfying. That feast ran me 3300 dram ($8.70), and frankly the only thing on my mind as I walked away was if I should return later that day or the next.

Continue reading Two Yerevan tips: Lagonid Bistro-Cafe & Sergei Paradjanov Museum

Two Yerevan tips: Lagonid Bistro-Cafe & Sergei Paradjanov Museum originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Armeniabudget travelBudgetTravelfar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondYerevanyerevan tipsYerevanTipsFri, 04 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Soviet Yerevan]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/03/soviet-yerevan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/03/soviet-yerevan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/03/soviet-yerevan/#commentsFiled under: , ,

soviet yerevan

The architectural influence of the Soviet years cannot be missed in Yerevan. Two examples in particular viscerally embody the grandiose massive-scale drama associated with Soviet architectural projects: the Armenian Genocide Monument and the 50th Anniversary of the Soviet Armenia monument. The latter can be reached from central Yerevan via the Cascade stairway.

The Armenian Genocide Monument at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex is moving and stark. The monument consists of a tall spire next to 12 enormous slabs of rock positioned in a tilted form around an eternal flame. With ghostly music playing on a loop in the background, the site is a powerful, emotionally-laden place of remembrance. The broad plaza around the monument is so big that it could easily accommodate hundreds of visitors simultaneously and not feel full. The monument dates to 1967.

The monument's starkness has nothing on the neighboring museum, however, which documents the harrowing genocide of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman soldiers across Anatolia from 1915 through the early 1920s. The museum approaches its tragic subject matter in an extremely methodical manner, listing the regions where Armenians were killed and in what numbers, and providing various forms of documentation of Armenian cultural life during the era in question. Entry to the museum is free.

Continue reading Soviet Yerevan

Soviet Yerevan originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architectureArmeniaarmenian genocideArmenianGenocidebudget travelBudgetTravelfar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondmodernismSovietsoviet architecturesoviet yerevanSovietArchitectureSovietYerevanYerevanThu, 03 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yerevan: Covered food market]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/02/yerevan-covered-food-market/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/02/yerevan-covered-food-market/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/02/yerevan-covered-food-market/#commentsFiled under: , ,

yerevan covered food market

Markets are great places for getting a sense of what makes a place tick, for grasping both the local agricultural bounty of a place and its culinary inclinations. Yerevan's covered food market presents no exception to this general principle.

It's physically a very impressive site, looking for all intents and purposes like an ornate Jugendstil airplane hanger. It is lively and fascinating, a great place for observing life in the capital of Armenia as well as for shopping for fruits, vegetables, and spices.

Stall owners at the covered food market have perfected the art of the medium sell, occupying that fantastic space between insouciance and overbearing intensity. Visitors are invited to inspect and taste products by salespeople, who in turn know how to read cues and back off when appropriate. My half-hour stay resulted in a dozen offers to try samples of nuts, dried fruit, and various spices. One fellow was so rapid-fire with his offerings of dried and candied fruit that I had to bow out. There is, after all, only so much dried stone fruit that a person can eat in 90 seconds. The entrepreneurial instinct turns the market into a hands-on place. At one point, a salesman dipped his finger into a bag of cardamom and brought it to my lips.

Pricing at the market is pretty reasonable, which makes it a great place for picking up food for immediate consumption and gifts alike. My wishlist was short: saffron and honey.

Continue reading Yerevan: Covered food market

Yerevan: Covered food market originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Armeniafar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondiranYerevanyerevan covered food marketYerevanCoveredFoodMarketWed, 02 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Far Europe and Beyond: Introducing Yerevan]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/01/far-europe-and-beyond-introducing-yerevan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/01/far-europe-and-beyond-introducing-yerevan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/01/far-europe-and-beyond-introducing-yerevan/#commentsFiled under: ,

yerevan

It took around five hours to get from Tbilisi to Yerevan, in a taxi organized along a rather mysterious logic. I made it first to Ortachala bus station, the appointed place in Tbilisi for hiring long-distance taxis for Yerevan, and was introduced to a portly gentleman who moved like a head honcho. He ushered me into his minivan to wait. He paced, smoking furiously, occasionally asking question of the other idle drivers. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for a few minutes. I looked around his vehicle. A single syringe rested on his dashboard. Diabetic or addict? I wasn't crazy to find out.

After about ten minutes the macher of Ortachala found me a driver, a sullen one-legged fellow wearing an ill-fitting suit. He didn't talk to me at all at first, and never smiled. He did shout "money money money" as we were approaching the Georgia-Armenia border. I was charmed, but if he thought I was turning over a single lari before he dropped me off in Yerevan he was sorely mistaken.

Still, it was a beautiful drive. After crossing from Georgia into Armenia, we skirted the border with Azerbaijan and motored through the densely forested mountains of Tavush Province, already in an autumnal state in early October. It was a cinematic few hours. The skies were full of dramatic clouds and it rained intermittently.

At the end of what seemed like a never-ending journey was Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. London's Georgian establishment paved the way for me in Tbilisi; in Yerevan, by way of contrast, I knew nobody at all. I'd received no tips and neither was I furnished with the email addresses of friends of friends. I would be forced to revert to old school urban exploration, as if Twitter had never happened.

Continue reading Far Europe and Beyond: Introducing Yerevan

Far Europe and Beyond: Introducing Yerevan originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Armeniafar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondYerevanTue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Introducing Far Europe and Beyond]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/17/introducing-far-europe-and-beyond/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/17/introducing-far-europe-and-beyond/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/17/introducing-far-europe-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

far europe and beyond

Far Europe and Beyond, a Gadling series in partnership with bmi (British Midland International) launches today.

Europe's eastern borders cannot be defined simply. The western, northern, and southern perimeters are easy: The Atlantic, the Arctic, and the Mediterranean provide those boundaries, respectively. It's the eastern border that is more difficult to pinpoint. There are two basic definitions of the eastern border of Europe: the Bosphorus, which divides Istanbul; and the Ural Mountains. The problem here is that there is a gap of around 1200 miles between the point where the Ural River hits the Caspian Sea and Istanbul.

The former definition leaves most of Turkey outside of Europe and makes it difficult to draw a continental border from the Bosphorus northward. If one assumes the latter definition, then a piece of western Kazakhstan is in Europe, but the continent's Eastern flank fails to have a fixed boundary once the Ural river empties into the Caspian Sea. Does Europe's border then get drawn along Russia's southern edge or does it include the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, along the Iranian border? Increasingly, this is the working definition of Europe, with inclusion of the Caucasian trio; it is the definition, more or less, that the BBC and the Economist endorse.

Continue reading Introducing Far Europe and Beyond

Introducing Far Europe and Beyond originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlmatyArmeniaAzerbaijanbakubeirutbishkekbmiBritish Midland InternationalBritishMidlandInternationaldamascuseuropefar europe and beyondFarEuropeAndBeyondgeorgiakazakhstanKyrgyzstanlebanonrepublic of georgiaRepublicOfGeorgiasyriaTbilisiYerevanMon, 17 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

european passport stamps
Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.

Yesterday, I wrote about the fact that European passport stamps have become harder and harder to get. The expansion of the Schengen zone has reduced the number of times tourists are compelled to show their passports to immigration officials. For most Americans on multi-country European itineraries, a passport will be stamped just twice: upon arrival and upon departure.

Where's the fun in that?

There's nothing wrong with enjoying your passport's stamps. They're souvenirs. So ignore the haters and treasure them. You won't be the first to sit at your desk alone, lovingly fingering your stamps while daydreaming of your next adventure. You won't be the last, either.

And if you are a passport stamp lover with a penchant for European travel, don't despair. There are plenty of places in Europe where visitors have to submit their travel documents to officials to receive stamps. Some countries, in fact, even require Americans to purchase full-page visas in advance.

The Western Balkans remain almost entirely outside of Schengen. Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan all require visas for Americans, while Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia do not. Immigration officers at the borders of all of these countries, however, will stamp your passport when you enter and when you leave. Turkey provides visas on arrival. These cost €15. Among EU countries, the UK, Ireland, and Cyprus remain outside of Schengen for the time being, while Romania and Bulgaria will soon join it.

Continue reading Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport

Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>albaniaArmeniaAzerbaijanbelarusBosnia-HerzegovinaBulgariacroatiacypruseuropeEuropean unionEuropeanUniongeorgiairelandkosovomacedoniamoldovaMontenegroPassportpassportsRomaniarussiaSan marinoSanMarinoSerbiaturkeyukukraineunited kingdomUnitedKingdomvisasWed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel then and now: Travel to the USSR and GDR]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-travel-to-the-ussr-and-gdr/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-travel-to-the-ussr-and-gdr/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-travel-to-the-ussr-and-gdr/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

travel to the USSRThis year is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Soviet Union and 21 years since the reunification of Germany. While citizens of the USSR and GDR were unable to travel abroad and restricted in domestic travel, foreign travelers were permitted under a controlled environment. In the early nineties, if you were a foreigner looking to go abroad to the Eastern Europe or Central Asia, you called your travel agent and hoped to get approved for a visa and an escorted tour. After your trip, you'd brag about the passport stamps and complain about the food. Here's a look back at travel as it was for foreigners twenty years ago and today visiting the biggies of the former Eastern Bloc: the United Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Soviet Union/USSR (now: independent states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldovia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.)

Travel then: Before 1992, most tourists were only able to enter the Soviet Union with visas and travel itineraries provided by the state travel agency, Intourist. Intourist was founded by Joseph Stalin and also managed many of the USSR's accommodations. Like North Korea today, visitors' experiences were tightly controlled, peppered with propaganda, and anything but independent, with some travelers' conversations and actions recorded and reported. Read this fascinating trip report from a Fodor's community member who visited Russia in 1984 and a Chicago Tribune story with an Intourist guide after the glasnost policy was introduced.

Continue reading Travel then and now: Travel to the USSR and GDR

Travel then and now: Travel to the USSR and GDR originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armeniaAzerbaijanbalticberlinddreast germanyeastern europeEasternEuropeEastGermanyestoniagdrgermanyintouristkazakhstankrygyzstanlatvialithuaniamoldovarussiasovietsoviet unionSovietUniontajikistanthenandnowThomasCookturkmenistanukraineussruzbekistanvisawallTue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gas stations: then and now]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/gas-stations-then-and-now/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/gas-stations-then-and-now/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/gas-stations-then-and-now/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

gas stationsOnce upon a time, gas stations gave away all kinds of cool stuff, most of it targeted at kids. As a child of the 70's, I clearly recall of our Exxon "NFL Helmets" drinking glass collection, and my miniature Noah's Ark collectible series (What genius ad team decided that was the perfect gas station promo?). The point is, these giveaways worked. My parents would bribe me not to annoy my older brother on road trips by promising me a new plastic animal for my Ark. My brother didn't have to punch me in retaliation, my parents didn't have to pull over; everyone was happy.

I'm not exactly sure when the freebies stopped, but that's not the only thing that's changed in American gas station culture over the years. Prior to the opening of the world's first dedicated gas (or "filling") station in St. Louis in 1905, hardware stores and mercantiles had gas pumps. The price of gas when the first "drive-in" filling station opened in 1913? Twenty-seven cents a gallon.

As I write this, I'm in Oregon, on the final leg of a 10-day road trip from my home in Seattle to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. The cost of gas in Truckee, California, where my brother lives is $4.09 a gallon. I paid $3.59 in Mt. Shasta today, and thought myself lucky. Oregon also reminds me of another way gas stations have changed between then and now.

[Photo credit: Flickr user iboy_daniel]

Continue reading Gas stations: then and now

Gas stations: then and now originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>American gas stationsAmericanGasStationsautomobilesbarbecuecar cultureCarCulturecarsCentral California coastCentral Coast CaliforniaCentralCaliforniaCoastCentralCoastCaliforniaconvienience storesConvienienceStoresdrivingfast foodFastFoodfilling pumpsfilling stationsFillingPumpsFillingStationsfuelfuel pumpsFuelPumpsfull-servicegallerygas pricesgas station attendantsgas station giveawaysgas station historygas station promotionsgas stationsgasolineGasPricesGasStationAttendantsGasStationGiveawaysGasStationHistoryGasStationPromotionsGasStationshistory of gas stationsHistoryOfGasStationsLake TahoeLakeTahoeMt. ShastaMt.ShastaOregonpetrol stationsPetrolStationsregional foodRegionalFoodroad tripsroadside attractionsRoadsideAttractionsRoadTripsself-service gas stationsSelf-serviceGasStationssouthern foodSouthern U.S.SouthernFoodSouthernU.s.SouthwestTasmaniaTruckeeTue, 01 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Archaeologists discover world's oldest wine press in Armenia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/12/archaeologists-discover-worlds-oldest-wine-press-in-armenia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/12/archaeologists-discover-worlds-oldest-wine-press-in-armenia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/12/archaeologists-discover-worlds-oldest-wine-press-in-armenia/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

wine, armenia, ArmeniaArchaeologists in Armenia have discovered what they believe to be the world's oldest wine press. The press is inside a cave, where they found the remains of grape seeds, pressed grapes, and vines of Vitis vinifera vinifera , the same type of grape still used in winemaking today. The site is dated at 4,000 BC, about 900 years older than the previous record holder--wine from the tomb of King Scorpion I, a ruler of Upper Egypt before that country became unified.

This isn't the first time Armenia has broken an archaeological record. Last summer archaeologists found the world's oldest leather shoe in the same region. These discoveries are hardly surprising. Armenia is an ancient land with a rich history. It had a complex prehistoric culture that culminated in the Kingdom of Urartu in the 9th century BC. Urartu was one of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Near East.

Armenia suffered from its position between several empires, and while it was often independent it also changed hands between the Romans, Persians, Byzantines, and other powers all the way down to the Soviet Union. Now it's an independent nation again. It also has the distinction of being the world's oldest Christian nation, having converted in the early 4th century AD.

During all this time they never stopped making wine. They were one of the main wine producers in the Soviet Union and have since started exporting their wine worldwide. Armenian wine even spread to Africa. During the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire during World War One, some Armenians fled to Ethiopia, where they cultivated vineyards. Many Armenian reds are very sweet and rich, and Ethiopian wine has a similar quality.

All of these past cultures and the Armenians' own rich heritage has created an interesting destination for adventure travelers. Sadly I've never been there, but it's been on my shortlist for years. Poring over maps and books, it's easy to see that I'd need to spend a lot of time. The mountains offer remote trekking, there are medieval buildings to explore such as the Saghmosavank monastery pictured below, and there are even wine-tasting tours. People who have been there tell me it's still pretty cheap, making it an attractive budget travel destination.

Maybe 2011 will be the year for me to finally get there?

[Wine photo courtesy Arthur Chapman. Saghmosavank photo courtesy Olivier Jaulent]

Armenia, armenia

Archaeologists discover world's oldest wine press in Armenia originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure traveladventure vacationadventure-outdoorsadventure-traveladventuresAdventureTravelAdventureVacationalchoholarchaeologistarchaeologistsarchaeologyarchaeology newsArchaeologyNewsarcheologistarcheologyarcheology newsArcheologyNewsArmeniaarmenian genocidearmenian wineArmenianGenocideArmenianWinedrinkingfirst world warFirstWorldWargenocideprehistoricprehistoryUrartuwindows mobileWindowsMobilewine makingwine making techniqueswine pressWineMakingWineMakingTechniquesWinePresswinesworld war iworld war oneWorldWarIWorldWarOneWed, 12 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Weekend travel media top five]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/01/weekend-travel-media-top-five/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/01/weekend-travel-media-top-five/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/01/weekend-travel-media-top-five/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Among the best travel stories this last weekend of October: emerging Armenia, undervisited Northern Vietnam, a rail journey across China, top spots to celebrate Halloween (start your research for Halloween 2011 here!), and a wine-free tour of St. Helena, California.

1. In the Financial Times, Teresa Levonian Coles writes about the emergence of Armenia as a tourist destination. Her piece is inspiring and right on the curve. Armenia (along with neighbors Georgia and just possibly an apparently unwilling Azerbaijan) are moving into the tourist limelight.

2. In the New York Times, Jennifer Bleyer writes a piece on Northern Vietnam, providing an exciting window into an underexplored region of ethnic diversity and few tourists.

3. In the Globe and Mail, Mitch Moxley takes an entertaining ten-day journey across China by train, from Beijing to the southern tip of the country and then back again.

4. In the Los Angeles Times, Judy Mandell writes about top Halloween destinations.

5. In the San Francisco Chronicle, Spud Hilton attempts the near-impossible with a wine-free tour of St. Helena, Calfornia.

[Image: retlaw snellac / Flickr]

Weekend travel media top five originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Beijingcaliforniachinahalloweenst. helenaSt.Helenaunited statesUnitedStatesvietnamMon, 01 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World's longest aerial tramway opens in Armenia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/19/worlds-longest-aerial-tramway-opens-in-armenia/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/19/worlds-longest-aerial-tramway-opens-in-armenia/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/19/worlds-longest-aerial-tramway-opens-in-armenia/#commentsFiled under:

On October 16, Armenia became home to the longest aerial tramway in the world. The three-and-a-half mile track consists of just two stations - without any other supporting tower structures.

The new tramway takes passengers from the village of Halidzor to the Tatev Monastery. In the past, visitors had to make a 40 minute drive up the side of the mountain, but now they'll be able to make the same trip in just 11 minutes.

The aerial tramway was built by Swiss-Austrian firm Garaventa-Doppelmayr, who are the engineers behind other famous tramways like the Jackson Hole Big Red and the new Peak2Peak ropeway in Whistler.

Construction of the new Wings of Tatev ropeway cost $18 million, and was fully funded by benefactors.

To learn more about the Tatev Monastery and its importance to the nation, head on over to Armenia Now.

[Photo credit: AP/Hayk Badalyan]

World's longest aerial tramway opens in Armenia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerial tramwayAerialTramwayArmeniacable carcable carsCableCarCableCarsgaraventagaraventa doppelmayrGaraventaDoppelmayrropesTue, 19 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AirBaltic expands, spruces up]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/03/airbaltic-expands-spruces-up/http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/03/airbaltic-expands-spruces-up/http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/03/airbaltic-expands-spruces-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yesterday, Latvian airline AirBaltic launched two new routes: Riga-Madrid and Riga-Beirut.

Riga-based AirBaltic is an airline to watch. Little known in North America, the airline is notable for its low starting fares and the inclusion of most of Europe's most popular tourist destinations on its route map. But what really sets the airline apart from the pack is its range of underserved destinations across Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and the Nordic countries.

These less well-served destinations include Baku, Tbilisi, and Yerevan in the Caucasus; Almaty, Dushanbe, and Tashkent in Central Asia; Amman, Beirut, Dubai, and Tel Aviv in the Middle East; and destinations like Kuopio, Tromsø, and Visby across Nordic Europe.

The catch is that most routes fly in and out of Riga, a beautiful city that is sadly not exactly top-of-mind among most visitors to Europe. While AirBaltic's fabulous range of destinations can best be accessed from a starting-point in the Baltics or the Nordic countries, the airline's fares for connecting flights from cities across Western Europe can also be quite competitive.

In anticipation, no doubt, of the summer traffic to come, AirBaltic also upgraded its site yesterday. The visual changes are minimal, but they go some way toward making the site more streamlined and enjoyable to peruse.

(Image: Flickr/Londo_Mollari)

AirBaltic expands, spruces up originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air balticAirBalticbudget airlinesBudgetAirlinescaucasuscentral asiaCentralAsialatviamiddle eastMiddleEastnordic europeNordicEuroperigaThu, 03 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New train route to connect Turkey with Georgia and Azerbaijan]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/30/new-train-route-to-connect-turkey-with-georgia-and-azerbaijan/http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/30/new-train-route-to-connect-turkey-with-georgia-and-azerbaijan/http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/30/new-train-route-to-connect-turkey-with-georgia-and-azerbaijan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I always get excited when new rail routes open up.

In my opinion, there is no better way to travel than by train. And when countries that are normally difficult to traverse by other means suddenly open up a new rail route, it makes travel and exploration all that much easier.

This will be the case in 2009 when work is completed on a rail link that will connect the Turkish city of Kars to Georgia, Azerbaijan, and onwards to China. The $600 million project, which was approved early this year, sadly excludes Armenia--a political oversight blamed on continued bad relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Nonetheless, the rail project opens up a very exciting new route that is no longer dependent on local buses and decrepit ferries. Instead, adventurous travelers can now embark on a simple rail journey through some very difficult, yet extremely rewarding countries.

New train route to connect Turkey with Georgia and Azerbaijan originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Nagorno-Karabakh: A War Zone worth Visiting?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/05/05/nagorno-karabakh-a-war-zone-worth-visiting/http://www.gadling.com/2007/05/05/nagorno-karabakh-a-war-zone-worth-visiting/http://www.gadling.com/2007/05/05/nagorno-karabakh-a-war-zone-worth-visiting/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's not so often that one hears about travel to Nagorno-Karabakh. After all, this was hell on earth during the 1990s when regional conflict ripped it apart as Armenia and Azerbaijan fought for control of this parcel of land--a predominantly Armenian enclave located in Azerbaijan.

I'd like to say that everything has been resolved and that peace has settled in the disputed region, but this is simply not true. Armenia technically won the war, but there are constant rumblings from neighboring Azerbaijan that the issue is far from dead.

Currently, there is peace in Nagorno-Karabakh. Is this a temporary peace between wars? Who knows? But if you want to visit, now would be a good time.

Yasha Levine, writing for The Exile did so last summer and sheds some interesting insights on the conflict and the present mindset dominating the region. Most importantly, he also reveals a stunning landscape that I had always envisioned as extraordinarily desolate. I'll leave you with a nice quote describing what he came across and if you get out of it what I got out of it, Nagorno-Karabakh just might be bumped up your list of future travel plans.

"Nagorno-Karabakh was worth fighting for. The place is like a condensed version of the best scenery of Northern California and the Sierra Nevadas put together: 6,000 ft mountains, rolling golden-sunburned pastures, sandstone hills, steep limestone cliffs, and mountain streams."

Nagorno-Karabakh: A War Zone worth Visiting? originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 05 May 2007 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 05 May 2007 07:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Fresno's Saroyan Walking Tour]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/27/fresno-s-saroyan-walking-tour/http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/27/fresno-s-saroyan-walking-tour/http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/27/fresno-s-saroyan-walking-tour/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Small towns are fiercely proud of their local heroes who have made it big on the world stage. Fresno is no exception. This blip of a metropolis in the center of California gave birth to Pulitzer Prize winner William Saroyan.

Today, the William Saroyan Society is dedicated to keeping the author's memory alive and to "to educate the public about the human values depicted in his works; to promote the heritage of the Armenian/American culture and its unique and rich experience."

Fresno has been home to a large Armenian community since the end of the 19th century when immigrants arrived in the Central Valley to work in the region's rich agriculture sector. Today, the Armenian/American population is still an integral part of Fresno cultural diversity.

Delving into the city's Armenian past and exploring Saroyan's personal connection with it will be the focus of a walking tour on April 21 in downtown Fresno. Participants will tour the city's Armenian Town and the important role various locations played in Saroyan's writings. The event starts at 9:30 in front of the William Saroyan Theater (naturally).

Fresno's Saroyan Walking Tour originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Armenia Dispatches Redux]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/armenia-dispatches-redux/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/armenia-dispatches-redux/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/armenia-dispatches-redux/#commentsFiled under: ,

Someone just sent me yet another note asking what happened to all the dispatches on Armenia I did back in 2005. And sure enough, when I went to check for them myself, the link was not working. So I went back and resaved out into the Armenia section all those dispatches and created a link to them, which should work for the time being. Enjoy!

Read all ARMENIA DISPATCHES

Armenia Dispatches Redux originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Word for the Travel Wise (09/15/06)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/09/15/word-for-the-travel-wise-09-15-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/09/15/word-for-the-travel-wise-09-15-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/09/15/word-for-the-travel-wise-09-15-06/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Armenia FlagWhile our category list doesn't reflect it a quick trip over to the Armenia link for travelers headed that way will prove differently. Erik visited the country just around this time last year and posted some amazing information on concerts, chess, the Genocide Museum and various things to see and do in Yerevan. Let's call this one a very good blast from the past.

Today's word is an Armenian word used in Armenia:

bari gisher - good night (Eastern)

Armenian is primarily spoken in Armenia and can be heard in parts of Russia, Georgia, Iran Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. The language is classified as an Indo-European lingo and has two similar yet, very different dialects. Eastern Armenian speakers keep the original pronunciation of the letters, pronouncing each of the 38 letters quite distinctively according to Wikipedia. List of the most common phrases in both Eastern and Western Armenian can be found in the Wiki and Armeniapedia.org has a more extensive set of lessons for those wishing to learn the Eastern dialect. Pimsleur has a five hour lang program on Western Armenian for purchase on Amazon.com. Lastly, you may wish to fish through the Lonely Planet guide to Georgia, Armenia, & Azerbaijan. It look as though the last edition published was in 2000, but the little glossary in the back should remain the same overtime.

Past Armenian words: khintrem

Word for the Travel Wise (09/15/06) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armenianlanguageFri, 15 Sep 2006 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/08/26/the-stone-garden-guide-armenia-and-karabagh/http://www.gadling.com/2006/08/26/the-stone-garden-guide-armenia-and-karabagh/http://www.gadling.com/2006/08/26/the-stone-garden-guide-armenia-and-karabagh/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Some folks here might remember the trip I took to a while back and the series of dispatches I filed from that lovely, wonderful country. Armenia is one of those lesser-known gems in the world, a place you can go to not only see centuries-old historical sites, but also to get s glimpse of modern history as well, since the country was for several decades under communist rule, and there is still a marked, somewhat brutal feel to much of the architecture there. Of course, what may be brutal in some ways is today's kitsch, and so many of the places in , and in particular, Yerevan, that might have been eyesores at one point, are now quite lovely in their own way. Take, for example, the Cascade complex downtown, a monstrous concrete plaza and series of seemingly unending stairs that speak of Soviet times, but also maintain a rather impressive grandeur.


All this is to bring up a wonderful new guide book that is out that I recommend you consider if you are thinking about a trip to . Soon to be released by Matthew Karanian, Robert Kurkjian and their Stone Gardens Productions, the book: Armenia & Karabagh is one of the best guides you will find on the region (the guide includes not just Armenia, but the disputed territory of Karabagh. I used the earlier version of Stone Garden Guide during my trip and found it immensely useful. The book provides ample history and context for its recommended sites and is both lively and informative about what you should see and do. As I mentioned in some of my dispatches, Armenia is not just a great place to experience history, it is also lovely and very appealing to the adventuresome. There are rivers and mountains and lakes all perfect for hikers, climbers, bikers and paddlers.

Anyway, I recommend you take a look at the guide if this fascinating little country happens to be on your life list of places to visit.


The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day (06/17/06)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/06/17/photo-of-the-day-06-17-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/06/17/photo-of-the-day-06-17-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/06/17/photo-of-the-day-06-17-06/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Yerevan, Armenia
Big Loggie's Missus makes a Gadling POTD debut with this rather simple shot of the penthouse she stayed in while visiting Yerevan, Armenia just recently. Sure it's just a snap of an old, tattered building, but it's certainly not the kind of scene found in my neck of the world. What's also cool about this one is the red and yellow checkered cloth hanging from a window up above. It's hard for me to place my attention anywhere else. I find myself wanting to know more about the tenants of that particular apartment or what the road below looks like. Sometimes it's nice to have a little left for the imagination. See more from her Armenia adventures by clicking here.

Photo of the Day (06/17/06) originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:12:00 EST