Today, we visited the temple of Garni, the Monastery of Geghard, Lake Sevan and the English Learning Center in Sevan.
The temple of Garni was built in the 1st century BC by King Tiridate I. It was dedicated to the God of the Sun Mihr. The steps to the temple were very steep. The temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 1639 but rebuilt. Next to it were the royal baths which are decorated with a gorgeous mosaic floor.
We passed by a few villages to get to Geghard, the only church built in the rocks. Geghard means spear. We went inside this amazing church, and learned lots of interesting things. This church was built by an architect named Galtsag in the 13th century. We also got to drink from a stream that flows from the rocks, whose water is believed to have healing powers. In one of the upper rooms of the church, we sang “Giligia” and “Hayr Mer”. It had amazing acoustics. We lit candles, as well.
We had quite a long trip to get to Lake Sevan. It is made up of two parts, Big Sevan (Metz Sevan) and Small Sevan (Pokr Sevan). It is the smallest of the three historical Armenian lakes. Twenty-eight rivers flow into it, and one river out of it. Its deepest end is 99 meters. We got to visit one of the two churches next to it, and light candles, too.
The visit to the English Learning Center in Sevan was tons of fun and laughs. We played a few games with the children, such as charades and musical chairs. At the beginning, they recited and sang individually, then we did the same for them. We also danced together. At the end, we exchanged gifts, and ate delicious fruits and snacks they had prepared for us!
Dinner out at “Mer Kyough” in Yerevan was very entertaining. The restaurant had an Armenian musical ensemble, with traditional instruments, such as dhol, kanon, ood, and the singer had a terrific voice. We sang “Kedashen” and “Mayis Kusanoot” accompanied by the ensemble.
Serena Hajjar