As I mentioned yesterday, we ditched the idea of catching the train to Lake Sevan and ggTaxi’d it instead (seems like most people opt to do this) costing around $17.50 each way. Although the route is mostly motorway (the rules of the motorways do not make sense in the slightest I must say…who cares about road markings anyway), it provides an insight into life outside Yerevan. Once outside the city, the landscape changes into mountainous baroness akin to driving through Kazakhstan. However, there are occasional statutes and monasteries to marvel at…
Soon enough, we turned off the M4 to an area called the Sevan Peninsula which turns out to be one of the main tourist hotspots along the lake. When we pulled up, I was a little dubious as it seemed full of tourist ‘tat’, however one only needs to go 30 seconds towards the lake for it all to disappear.
One of the things that we had planned was to attempt to commandeer a boat to take us for a spin on the lake which is overshadowed by the Caucasian Mountains and the border with Azerbaijan. This was easier than expected as a few locals were waiting to ambush tourists with boats. After pushing health and safety out of the window by manhandling the wheelchair onto the boat, we were treated to a 20 minute trip providing majestic views of the Caucasians and the Sevanavank Monastery…
As per usual, it was only right for one to take a dip…
Taking a stroll along the waterfront (which is a little bumpy but manageable), it was clear that we visited ‘out of season’, however there were also numerous abandoned beach resorts (a few presumably constructed as part of the Soviet ideology of a ‘fun’ holiday by the lake) with a lot of potential if reopened. Taking a stroll through one of these abandoned resorts (legally that is!) very much gives you a glimpse of what was trying to be achieved.
One of the things about Lake Sevan is that my furry friends i.e. seagulls seem quite contempt simply chilling on roofs with the lake being a source of food rather than hassling people for fish and chips. This allowed one the rare occasion to eat outside with a mountainous view…
The Sevanavank Monastery is one of the main tourist attractions on the the Sevan Peninsula, however it is up quite a few flights of steps hence not accessible but offers panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains from the top…
Now, the plan was to catch the train back to Yerevan from the Sevan Peninsula station, however the only train was scheduled to depart at 6pm. This would have meant a 3 hour wait whilst the prospect of a taxi back was dangling under our noses. Eventually it was agreed that we would utilise the ggTaxi app back to the hotel. Whilst exiting, one passed said station which it seems as if you have to cross the M4 motorway using the ‘U’ filter lane to reach followed by a flight of steps.
Tomorrow is our last day in Yerevan with the plan of visiting the Cascade Complex (and seek out a walkway that I have been researching for some time!) followed by a general wander before the mammoth flight back to the UK via Rome.