Maybe it was just me, got out of bed the wrong side?
No
Maybe I was starting to get all monastaried out?
No
Maybe because our guide was an academic, so far up her own backside with the "knowledge" she was imparting on us as though we were studying for a masters degree in ancient history and not just a bunch of tasty tourists wandering the world.
Yes
Gregory the Illuminator this, King Tiridates that. sheesh I had had enough I wandered off.
Khor Virap, or "deep dungeon" is but a mere couple of hundred yards away from the Russian guarded sealed border with Turkey.
Yes Russia has a presence in Armenia from an agreement in 1992 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Mount Ararat in the clouds.
It seems this place has a claim to fame in that our friend Gregory, who is attributed as bringing christianity to Armenia and making in the first country to be declared a christian nation (hmm really?) was imprisoned for 13 years in a hole in the ground by Tiridates, before being released after somehow conjuring up a cure for the king's supposed madness. ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.
It was a bit of a squeeze getting into Gregory's hole.
Climbing down a vertical iron ladder
Not much to see, climbed back out.
Guide still prattling on, I announced I was off to see some dead people and would meet up at the bus in 30mins.
Damn! 30 minutes is not time enough for a huge magnificent place like this.
Although the life expectancy in Armenia is given as 72yrs, which is still ridiculously young looking around there were many who didn't even make it that far.
In general the interweb usually throws up some information about most graveyards, I guess this one is off the radar as I could find nothing.
This is strange as it has some of the most wonderful memorials I have seen anywhere, exquisitely carved on marble, no doubt a huge expense for the surviving families.
There were quite a few military graves to be seen, never forgetting that Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war on and off since the end of the cold war.
"What an absolutely wonderful place to be buried" said the good voice in my head
" Why?" Said the evil twin, " It is not as though they know what the fuck is going on, they don't pop out every now and then to admire the landscape"
…..or do they?
Mr. G, your time is up, back on the bus.