May 29, 2012
We started our trip at 8:30.Our first destination was Geghardavank.It was fascinating. It was built in 1215. The churches were carved out of rocks from top to bottom. Inside the church there was a natural spring. People say if you drink from that water your pain will go away. The steeple is decorated with pomegranates, which symbolize new life. In one of the rooms there was a hole in the ceiling so the people can communicate with the other room. The builders also figured out how to make natural air conditioning. In the room with the hole in the ceiling, the alter is built in front of an area with strong gravity. People believed that standing in front of the alter could cure them. In reality the strong gravity took away the pain for a little while.
Our second stop was the temple of Garni. It was built in 100 B.C. by King Drtad the first. It was dedicated to the sun god, Meeher, the Armenian version of the Greek god Helios. It became a nearly incapable fortress, it was also a summer house for Armenian royalty. We also saw their bathtub, it had four rooms. One three were tubs there was a hot water tub, a warm water tub and a cold water tub. The fourth room was hanging room, it had beautiful nearly complete mosaics on the floor.
Our third stop was Lake Sevan. After a long climb we reached the church at the top of the hill, it was called St. Apostolic Church, because Jesus’ disciples told Catholicos Mashdots,in his dream, to build a church there. It had an amazing view of Lake Sevan. I doubt you can get a better view of Lake Sevan anywhere else.
Our fourth, and final stop was the English Learning Center in Sevan. We met the students and had a fun time playing games with them. It was very kind of them to draw pictures to each one of us and make a little gift pack for us, each student exchanged e-mails and addresses and promised to keep in touch with each other.
Today was a busy but fun and a successful day.
By Mark Haroutunian