Armenia I
Another day another country, at least that is what it sometimes feels like. This morning our Georgian local guide and driver took us south to the Armenian border, where we joined a long queue of other tourists to complete the immigration processes to get us out of Georgia and into Armenia. With a new local guide and driver we were set for another day of sighseeing.
The second item on the days agenda was somewhat unusual, we were to have lunch in a small village called Fioletovo. The significance of this village is that it is inhabited by a people called Molokans. The name Molkans means something like "dairy-eaters" and they appear, a bit like the Mennonites in the USA (and other such sects), to be a religious sect with distinctive dress and a life style that claims to avoid modern technology.
Finally after much mountain driving we arrived in the town of Dilijan were Rob had a coffee with another member of the happy band of travellers before dinner in the dining room at the Best Western Paradise Hotel also in Dilijan.
It is worth making a comment about the first photo in the last group. That is a picture, taken through the bus window of a derelict house. During the course of the day we saw many derelict buildings, both factories from the soviet days as well as houses. It is all evidence that the demise of the Soviet Union caused great dislocation in the Armenian society and economy, a dislocation that does not appear to be completely past.