A free beer on the Silk Road - Armenia

gavinbell

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Ok guys - an open offer of a free beer and feed for any tossers that want to pop by and say hello.......
The only catch is that I have relocated from Transylvania to a town in the very south of Armenia near the border with Iran! But Armenia is a stunning and freindly place .... food superb, excellent wine and vodka, the locals are really hospitible .....
kapan though is off the tourist track for most - but superbly located for those going to or coming from Iran. Being a long way from the capital it is very relaxed - the locals have an amazing sense of fun - in fact yesterday as it was hot n close - the whole town seemed to erupt into a big water fight at one point, complete with drive by water bombings from mercs with tinted windows!!
The scenery is superb - with stunning nature , national parks and reserves that will hopefully get biosphere status in the next 5 years.
The hotel I am living in at the moment is reminiscent of a persian palace - luxurious but cheap, complete with its own car workhop and party palace across the road.

So anyone coming this way - as per Romania my door is always open to travellers.....

see you soon - gavin :thumb2
 
shhhh

Are you working there or on the witness protection program?

Just doing an exit from the EU!! where in the EU can you get a plate of bbq lamb, fries, 2 cokes, a coffee and 20 cigarettes for 5 euro including tip!! and the supermarkets have double aisles of vodka to chose from!!

Actually gonna be here for the next 5 years running a 9 Million euro German investment project to create a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and support local community livelihoods - real on the ground support to start busineeses, improve schools, generate tourism and other economic development. After years of bullshit consultancy - this is going to be so good - feet on the ground and spending locally. Cant wait to get the bike here - really good GS country.

And hopefully if I get my way - will work cross border with Iran - with them funding activities on their side of the border. That will help me get a more liberal visa and travel permissions to get to explore that way. Quite fancy a circumnavigate of the Caspian Sea.

Only problem - wont see bike or my bar in Serbia until next year!!

Gavin
 
heading to romainia next year got to get a plan together 6 days from Austria and back
 
Cant wait to get the bike here - really good GS country.

Certainly is Gavin.

Jockser and I did a lap of Armenia last June, coming in from Georgia via Gyumi to Yerevan then on to Sevan where we did an anti-clockwise lap of Lake Sevan. We stopped overnight in Vardenis which was as far south as we got. The road along the eastern side of the lake barely exists over most of it's length, being just a series of huge potholes and unsealed surface. We headed towards Vanadzor then left Armenia at the Ayrum border crossing back into Georgia and onwards to Tbilisi. Although we didn't get very much time there it was still a memorable experience. Ride report here.

I wish I had the chance to visit again and take you up on your kind offer.

By the way, you can download very accurate free mapping for Armenia at Garmin Openstreetmap here. I used it in my Zumo 500 and it is very very good.
 
sounds like a v interesting job you have there, good luck with it.
Witness protection scheme or not hopefully I'll see you there for that beer in 2016 on my way to Iran and Oman
cheers
 
Rode to Armenia in May- looks like I was a bit too early to visit you :)

Have to say the road over the mountains to Gyumri (formerly Leninakan) was amongst the most icy and pot-holed I have experienced.
 


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