New Year or Holy Quietness of Mountains

            

I withstood all suggestions to celebrate the New Year in Yerevan and decided to join the group of my Armenian and international friends going to meet New Year in the caves, lying far in the mountains.We started our tour on the 29th of December from Garni. This is a small town known for its beautiful temple of sun and the Garni canyon, called “Symphony canyon” because its cliff walls are formed as perfectly shaped vertical columns. Garni is one of Armenia’s most visited places.

A break with mountain ice – cream

   

As I expected our walk tour through Geghama mountain range was not the easiest one. In order to reach the cave we planned to stay in, we had to walk on foot 25 kilometres… It was quite tiring and we had many breaks with some food but no food was as good as mountain – ice-cream. Each of us collected half of the cup snow and then we were given some spoons of sweet condensed milk. These two mixed well together became a delicious ice-cream.

The cave: our home without door

      

Finally after ten hours walk we reached the cave which was supposed to be our home for four days. It was used by people since pagan times. It used to be a three floor temple which was later destroyed. By now only some crosses, alcoves and archs are left. Nevertheless the gorgeous, magnificent highness of mountains and divine silence make you feel like in a forgotten heavenly place. I enjoyed sitting on remained terrace leaning to one of pillars with my look resting on the slopes, falling down into the gorges, climbing into the tops of the mountains and jumping from one peak to another…People told me that in old times yogis used to stay here and had their meditations. You would hardly find a better place for doing this…

“Happy New Year” with fire toasts

It’s very familiar to greet New Year with champagne. I was pleasantly surprised by doing it in alternative way. Fire toast! The only thing you need is a metal cup and still hot, burning coal. You scoop into your cup hot coal and let each of your friends to breathe in dry and nicely smelling heat. Happy New Year! After that we had natural fireworks. The author and performer of this was our Lithuanian friend Dziugas. Later our evening was crowned by armenian, norwegian, lithuanian and english songs.

This was one of my most extreme and most beautiful New Year’s Eve celebrations. Thanks to all the people who were together with me. You were great, guys! Looking forward to next tours together with you!