They have leopards here. Yay. And lynx. (But closer to Iran). And 3 types of poisonous snakes, which I was warned were very common where I was and not to walk off paths or stand still for long. That’s a good incentive to keep walking. I walked (hiked?) up a very steep ravine, in 30+ degrees. I did not like it. To get to a Greek pagan temple called Garni.

But I saw lots of lovely cows and weird basalt rocks on the way. And no snakes.

The temple had some meh mosaics. and two million Iranian and Russian and Disaspora tourists. (Who bused in, didn’t hike in). All the ‘ruins’ and churches in Armenia have been very heavily reconstructed with US-diaspora money. Clinging to vestiges of a culture that’s been invaded, stormed and genocided by Persians , Mongols, Ottomans and anyone else passing through. Not to forget its a volcanic region (Mt Ararat, a perfect cone) so anything that hasn’t been blown up, pillaged or ransacked was earthquaked. So really there is fuck all in the way of actual ‘ruins’ but a rich history dating back to pre-bronze age – unlimited debris and fragments.

There’s an actual, important, authentic surviving monastery complex called Geghard- which was fascinating. Carved into the soft tufa rock. Similar to Cappadocia and St Emilion. Fabulous.

The scenery to the north is bleak and sun baked at the end of summer. Very dry and sparse. It reminded me of Otago in places.