DAY 1: GOOD FRIDAY

UAE to ARMENIA – My Experience

  • My departure was at SHARJAH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT by 8:50am and arrived at ZVARTNOTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT by 12:00nn. The flight took average of three hours. United Arab Emirates is as the same time as with Armenia.

I did the queue for my visa at the airport. For Philippine passport holder to get visa to Armenia is upon arrival, it is easy! Thank you Armenia Immigration! 🙂 You just first fill up some forms and paid of about 3,000 drams.

{Please check: Few things to consider when travelling to Armenia for more information.}

Because I enjoyed my time before I got my visa in the immigration section, I went out from the airport almost an hour – I thought. Lol! I didn’t noticed that I took much time inside until when I was about to get out – those guys there said “We thought you are not coming!” 😀 I asked the hostel for a taxi service on my arrival so they were waiting for me. Before that I saw my family name in a digital signage from their kiosk – the funny thing was not my first name, but actually that’s for me.

The taxi driver I was with was a good man and I thought he likes to talked more (me when I am travelling I like to talk) but because English is not their second language so we just talked few. I liked it the way he did – he tried his best, he is good anyway.

I paid the taxi service at the hostel for 6,000.00. I also paid my room for 4 nights of about 40,000.00 AMD.

{Please check: Few things to consider when travelling to Armenia for more information.}

While writing this blog I asked my friend Ani for the name of the Cathedral – poor me after a year just now I know the name of the cathedral. Lol! 😀 Thanks Ani.

Originally, I was planning to visit Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral but because I am not really good in maps (especially if the map is not so detailed) I walked to the opposite direction and farther. That was the time when in doubt, I asked locals about the direction and location of Saint Gregory. First, I asked a guy maybe on his 60’s/70’s but he pointed the direction where I was about to go – so I’m confident I was on the right track. 🙂 This guy really good, though we can’t understand our words but I was amazed with him – he talked to me and helped me through pointing the direction. Now, I understand – he meant Surb Sargis. 😀 I was amazed by the people in my first day in Armenia.

While on the way to the Cathedral at underpass I found a beggar, lately I know that Armenians recognized national languages are: Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish and Russian. But the beggar said thanks in French “Merci”. Then after a long walk I reached the cathedral, there’s another beggar and again he said “Merci!”

“It’s good to get lost sometimes”

I intuited already that I was not going to Saint Gregory, but I went on then reached St. Sarkis Cathedral. “It’s good to get lost sometimes”. Still thankful that I reached the place, I went inside stayed some time and listened Armenian mass. There, I also met this lady in-charge at candles. I bought some to light them and here we did some natural sign language. 🙂 No ASL or PSE or SEE but the natural gestures. 😀

So when I went outside, again I tried to asked someone about St Gregory Cathedral – there’s this guy of about in his 50’s I thought. He really gave apologies to me because he can’t understand and can’t talked to me in the language I know. They’re really good people, I’m grateful I met them.

I all walked that afternoon and ended at night in the supermarket on my way to the hostel. So I bought some foods for my dinner and kept some for my snacks when felt hungry at my room.

Related post: Armenia DIY Itinerary