Entering Armenia with the Shlakiyah was not as easy as we thought. First we have to get Armenian papers stating that the car is ours, that we paid a road tax and a substitute for polluting the country. The later is odd because the roads are filled with old Kamaz trucks that exhaust so much black burned gas that if you drive behind them you better wear a respirator. Anyhow, since we didn’t bribe anyone, everybody else was skipping the line. We got all papers done in 3 hours after considerable yelling and payment of 75 USD.
It proved to be a very welcoming destination. When after a few glasses of late afternoon wine tasting we asked a cellarman if there is somewhere to park for the night; he simply took us to his house. A day later, when we found a tranquil lunch spot in the middle of a field overlooking Mt. Ararat, a watermelon guy drove past with his Volga oldtimer (built in 1956) only to bring us to his house he built with his own hands, where his wife and extended family and neighbours awaited. By no means has an Armenian taken the duties of a host to such an extreme. A table full of barbecue and vodka is provided, followed by loads of toasts that gradually become more and more emotional. Morning after is hard to leave, because breakfast is never ending. Neighbours then open their doors, encourage us to visit. We are not longer on the road but living within family structures.
4 comments:
You really deserved some nice food after pork fat and all other disgusting stuff..! Or how was the barbecue and breakfast?
I´m still waiting to hear about your fruit, even if the watermelon looks really good.
Here it´s time for swedish appels -the best fruit time of the year!
jag längtar efter er!
Puss och Kram!
Baba one think only, how will be to survive if u are a vegiterian???
How shlakiyah is doing is she still ok or any kind of problems arise.
Today I wisit Sonja on her job and she was teling me about mother Africa-gana. She told me that she didin't want to go home and she cry when she need to.
Any way be nice and u have to know we read it all.
MUrč
Now we know how to welcome you when you come back to Sweden again! We will invite all our relatives and all our neighbours and offer you lots of "snaps" and "smörgåsbord"! Wonderful that you have been so well treated. Mom and dad are longing for you. Tace care!
I wonder how you will manage to survive in ignorant Sweden after all nice and generous people you meet on your journey. Enjoy it while you can... :-P
Seriously though, one of the highlights of this blog, it is to read about all people you meet.
Although it probably too late, send these really nice people my regards for taking such a good care of my sister!
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