Second Week, Monday - start of extra play time with Neil

Neil starts his second class this week.  The first week was for those working outside of Yerevan and classes were for the whole day.  This second class is for Yerevan employees and will last for two weeks but only meets in the afternoon.  It would be lovely if they met in the morning and he had afternoons free.  Still it is a wonderful bonus that he only works half days now.

Moscow Theatre

We head out Monday morning in search of breakfast and end up at Jazzve, a small chain of coffee shops decorated in a literary style with menus in the form of newspapers.  Jazzve is the Armenian word for the long handled copper pot in which Armenian coffee is traditionally made.  This particular shop is located inside the Moscow Theatre at Charles Aznavour Square.  Once again we have a lovely meal accompanied by some very good coffee.  Our bill is brought to us in a jazzve.

We decide to walk to the Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. We come out on a street a few blocks away and go around the block so as to take in some new streets.  Around the block turns out to be a couple miles - train tracks are in the way.  It all turns out for the good as we see a whole 'nuther part of the city - industrialized and poorer.  Clothing styles drop down several levels and I am more in sync with the locals.  We also pass what appears to be, from several hundred feet, a very large flea market.  We make a mental note to check it out another day.

I should mention that one of the nice things about Armenia, and I believe the other Caucasus countries as well, is that street crime is virtually non-existent.  You can walk anywhere and be safe.  What a wonderful sensation and, I would imagine, a boon to tourism.

Neil comments that many people stare at me and he believes that it is because of my gray hair.  Being that I am usually living in Nancy-world, I've not noticed this, people staring, that is, not the gray hair.  As I look closer I am seeing lots of gray roots around me.  It looks like virtually every woman dyes her hair (if needed) until a very old age.  Since I am a year or two younger than "very old" I stand out.  In my youth with my very dark hair, skinny little body which would have fit into the those tiny jeans, and ample sized honker, I might have passed for a native.

"Old Yard" cache

On our way back to the hotel, we stop off to look for another cache.  This one is through an archway and into a small yard of apartments.  I've mentioned before that much of the city is behind the street buildings.  One never knows what you may find on the other side of the arch - sometimes a park, sometimes small businesses and restaurants, sometimes playgrounds, sometimes rubble and derelict buildings.  This time it is enchanting.  Our thanks to the owner of the cache, who also lives here, for introducing us to this charming spot.

We head back to the hotel as Neil must change and be off to work.

When he returns, there is a threat of rain and the weather has turned windy and chilly.  A restaurant just around the corner that we've been eying sounds like a good choice.  And it is!  Charming is exactly the word to describe it - intimate with only five tables and a small private room.  It appears to be operated by a family of three generations.  Neil orders a bean and walnut soup to start and I get a hot spas, a soup of yogurt, hulled wheat and herbs. Neil thinks his soup is very good, and it is, but not as good as my spas.  And since I tried his soup but he didn't try mine, I am the one who is correct.  We follow with spinach for both and goulash for Neil and grilled veal for me.  (Told you earlier that I was throwing my ethics out the window for the trip.)  Just before our main course arrives we are each presented with a glass of "young" wine, complements of the chef.  I finish my meal and am sated and quite full.  Neil is braver than I and he orders an Armenian coffee and paklava (baklava to non-Armenians).  As we leave Neil assures the owner that we will be back.

Ended up with nine miles for the day.