On Tuesday 17th March, after a long and festive weekend, we went south to Moreni. It is a small village far from the hustle and bustle of big cities, a few kilometres from Sissian. This is where we met our friends from Yerevan on our first trip to Armenia. We came back to visit Nektar.

The road was full of surprises, with a magnificent view of Mount Ararat that exposed itself to our gaze during the first part of our trip. Its whiteness shone under a splendid blue sky. From the window of the taxi, we made repeated attempts to photograph the scenery under the taxi driver’s entertained eye. The trip continued across the mountains: we went ever higher, had a coffee break, then another break to fill up…at the gas station!

          Mount Ararat (Sis and Massis) covered in snow

We had travelled half of the way when the sky became overcast…then the clouds got thicker. It was not long before we started driving in such thick fog that we could not see beyond two metres. It started snowing heavily. Thankfully, the sun came back and this thick white curtain cleared away to open out on an incredible desert of sparkling snow! It was beautiful and almost unreal.

We arrived in Sissian where we had to get another taxi. The way to Moreni is worn away due to the heavy snowfalls. A little old man agreed to bring us there. He happily stopped the car to let us take pictures of the scenery around us. We walked the few last metres…it is impossible to go up with a car!

We took a few steps while appreciating the calm atmosphere and the ambient air in the middle of the mountains. Nektar had made us a delicious meal with all the products handmade by her throughout the year: soujour, pasturma, cheese, mushrooms, marinated peppers, etc. Everything was delicious and 100% organic, including the cherry wine with which we toasted to our reunion. Then, we went to the room with the stove in order to have some mountain herb tea, in company of…a calf! Indeed! It was too cold and the cowshed had collapsed recently. For the calf to survive, he stayed in the house next to the fire. Another birth was expected and the mother was due during our stay.

We also experienced something new for us: with Nektar, her cousin Seda and their friend Rosane, we took part in the making of the Armenian traditional bread, the lavash, a tradition that took place with good humour.
You will not be able to taste our efforts but you can watch its making.


Making of the lavash

Gabrielle
(Translation: Yolene Dabreteau)