Plugs

Okay, where was I? I was still in Dilijan, Armenia, which I loved, but the hiking trails weren't very well developed and I don't like bushwacking it for long periods. I did go with this Aussy on a day hike - a mistake except he paid for the taxi ride to the trailhead. I would have bushwacked it a bit there but he didn't want to. He didn't trust my judgement, although he had basically nil trekking experience. I decided since he had been suppling the beer and wine I would turn around with him and go back. I hate defeat, but.

I go back to Georgia. I said I don't care for cities too much. San Francisco is one I love and Tbilisi isn't bad either. It's has beautiful, old architecture, some brick, some cobble stone streets that wind through charming neighborhoods. It has Orthodox churches, Armenian churches, a Mosque and a Synagogue all within a few blocks. There's lots of interesting galleries, hip cafes and excellent restaurants. I rarely eat food from other cultures when I'm in a particular country. I prefer to eat the local cuisine, but my last night in Tbilisi I had Chinese and it was amazingly good. I had cold marinated mushrooms in sesame oil and spicy hot sauteed beef with mushrooms and other thinnly sliced vegies that was as good as best I've had in San Francisco. Of course, a delicious Georgian white wine to go with it.

I stayed one night again at Lmedo's home (Nina's sister's place) then left the next day to go to Kazbegi. Kazbegi is only three hours from Tbilisi. On the way up the mini van stops at a place where women sell dried fruit on a stick. Across the street above the river sits the toilet. This one doesn't have a hole going down to the river. No the shit goes no where. It just rises up to the top and overflows and overflows and overflows. The flies make their way from the toilet to the dried fruit sticks. Another passenger offered me one and I refrained.

I just love mountain towns and Kazbegi was no different. I stayed at Nunu's. I had a nice room with a porch and near the very clean bathroom. What I really loved was being able to wash my clothes. Nunu had a big bucket I could use. My sink plug doesn't work for any of the sinks I've had on this trip. Unlike western sinks there is nothing to stop the water from going on down the drain, making it difficult to wash clothes. I took full advantage of the bucket and her clothes line washing everything I brought.

The next morning I hiked up to the Tsminga Church. There seemed to be some pilgrimage going on. Old women, young women in high heels were trekking up these steep mountains trails to get to the church. Men were going too but, at least, they weren't burdened by stockings and heels. It was hot and I couldn't imagine wearing these thick stockings let alone heels.

When I got to the church I sat on a wall and unzipped my pant legs to make them shorts. Immediately a boy runs over to me with a blanket, I thought for me to sit on. I wave no. Then a woman comes over with one and then I realize I'm suppose to be covered. I didn't plan on going in the church. I read that the outside was more interesting but I guess some higher priest was visiting and I was an embarassment. I just jumped over a wall and headed up the ridge to the glacier that I really wanted to see.

There was no trail to speak of, you just follow the ridge. I've followed plenty of ridges before. You can't get lost, but just to make sure a had a little dog lead the way. Later I read about this little dog. The author wrongly called it a he. The dog was definitely a female and for females around the world I take offense.

Better than Hiking

Someone wanted to know more about Emino. I thought no one wanted to know. I did write about him under the Kurds blog. I will write a little more but first a little more about me.

I've never been able to stay in a relationship. I never was very loyal, until James and that's who I shouldn't have been loyal to. I would tell my girlfriends that having sex with James always involved a song and pony dance. My friend, Alyssa, would say, "Not just a song and dance?" No more than that. Like pulling teeth.

I had this boyfriend, Bruce, who had money and a ph'd. He was a major tight wad and there's nothing I dislike more than tight wads. I stayed with him because I was flattered that he liked me. I was just a waitress at the time, but I had been a travel agent and I could still get deals no one out of the business could. I booked Bruce and myself a travel agent's deal to Kauai. He thought it was too high, but agreed just the same.

Well, I went to the Big Island first. Whenever I went to the Big Island after not living there I would stay with Tane, a former boyfriend. I always slept with him and this time was no different. He knew about Bruce. I don't know why I didn't stay with Tane. He said we got along well together and we did. I was a little afraid of him - afraid of falling for him too much. Plus I had to be free.

Tane wasn't my only boyfriend I had in Hawaii. I lived with Kenny, a surfer who wasn't too smart but he made me laugh. Kenny got a job working on a boat in Alaska so that was the end of that relationship. Then there was Patrick the wild artist. I didn't live with him, but he just lived down the road. I had a threesome with him. No more of those! Been there done that for me.

I'm getting to the point. So I'm staying with Tane and I tell him I'm going to the Kailua harbour to look for my old friend, Jana. You Whistler people know Jana. I could write a short story about Jana and our times together: Whistler, Laguna Beach and Hawaii. There was always trouble involved.

But I didn't find Jana. I found Kenny. I called Tane and lied. "I found Jana and I'm going to stay at her place tonight." What difference does it make you say. You're going to Kauai to see Bruce next and Tane knows that. It did make a difference. I could tell Tane knew I lied. Tane was very sensitive. The next night he was more clingy, more passionate and desperate in his lovemaking. I also lied to Kenny, not about Bruce but about Tane.

I'm telling you this because Emino has a girlfriend that lives in Portland. She's with him right now. I don't care about her, but I know she would care about me. Emino has had other relationships and Jennifer, the girl from Portland, doesn't want to know about them or me. I do know she has cut her trip short which is why I going to see him sooner.

And the sex. I had some British guys say that Turkish men have to rub their mothers' feet before going out and they don't go south. Emino's mother lives in Van, hundreds of miles away and he goes south. Not that I care. I'm usually twiddling my thumbs while that happens. I think it's overrated but at the same time I think there should be an effort. Better to, at least, try than not. So going south isn't what I like about Emino. It's his creativity and enthusiasm. And his acting like he cares, what do I want? I also like that he orders me around, takes control, which is a relief.

Of course, this affair isn't going to last. I'm 25 years older for god sakes. But why should I be relegated to fat old men whose stomachs are so big you can't see what else they have? Again the last two boyfriends were seven years younger but looked 10 years older. This might be my last time and I'm taking advantage.

Okay I'm going back to plugging some homestays and what not.

Dilijan Heaven

Dilijan totally changed my attitude about Armenia. It's mountainous and heavily wooded. It was a former Soviet artist community and it still is. I hiked up the hill from where I was dropped off to the Dili Villa and I immediately relax.

It's surrounded by pines and low mountains in the background. The place is owned by the director of a local art school. He speaks French and his wife speaks English. They weren't there when I arrived but their son (a graphic artist) and his adorable wife were. Anna makes me a pot of tea and puts out pastries, crepes rolled around cream cheese and several homemade jams. I sit in a room filled with art work.

I'm the only one there. I pick the best room next to the balcony that has a very comfortable swing where you can enjoy the views. My bed is the best I've had in, at least, several weeks. It's firm, double bed with a soft comforter that's needed in this cool weather. I bargained down from 14k to 10k ($27). It's ten times better than that hotel I was just at.

I take a walk through the village on a stone path that's seems to go endlessly. There are lush green hills that are thick with the forest. The wooden homes look like the ones in Switzerland and that's what Dilijan is called: the Switzerland of Armenia. I have been to several places in the world that are called that. None of them really look like Switzerland but you get the idea.

There's a charming artist area with lots of arts and crafts and a darling cafe where I have a beer and a snack, and what a snack! A cucumber yogurt dip with mint and raisens. I also have marinated olives in pomagranite juice and walnuts. There are many interesting things on the menu but I don't want to eat too much. I having Anna make my dinner.

I go to the tourist information place to find out about hiking trail. I see another English speaker there but I ignore him. I think he's German and I see enough Germans.

He's not and he's staying at the Dili Villa also. Barnie and I end up having many conversations on the lovely balcony. He is a wealthy neuro psychologist from Sydney. He lives next to Cate Blanchette. We're the same age, the same wild streaks as youth, the recreational use (if you know what I mean), the same music: Lou Reed, Tom Waits and books. But he's now rich and I'm not. He supplies the beer and wine.

As I thought dinner was great: wild mushroom soup, cured meats and sausages, plenty of different salads, and roast chicken with grilled tomatoes and potatoes. I'm going to jump ahead and tell you about the next night's dinner: tarragon barley soup, more wild mushrooms - this time with potatoes, (Barnie and I almost fight over them.), vegetable egg patties, herbed meat balls with green beans, marinated salad, and grilled aubergines.

I didn't want to not like Armenia. The people have suffered tremendously and I wanted to like them. It's my own fault. I should have come directly to the mountains.

Taxi Driver

So like I said in the previous blog I have to take a taxi back to the highway where I just came from.

I told the taxi driver, well, I didn't tell, I held up one finger. In the past this meant a one hundred coin. When he gets to the stop, where one boy is waiting, the taxi driver tells me there is no bus to Dilijan. He will take me there for 4000. Fuck that - no way! I asked the kid if there was a bus to Dilijan and he said yes.

Now I've dragged the kid into this mess. The taxi driver yells at him. I give the driver the 100 and tell him to get lost. He tells me he wants 300. Fight insues. the driver yells at me, the kid and another man nearby.

The kid doesn't really know for sure about the bus to Dilijan, because he's not going there. I can tell he looks concerned. At this point I just want to get out of Sevan. If I have to go back to Yerevan I will. I think driver finally leaves but he just goes to the other side of the median and yells from over there. I see him get on his phone, then he comes over and tells the kid that the bus to Dilijan leaves at 3 pm. It's 10:30.

I want to get away from that driver. If the bus leaves at 3pm I'll go back to the hotel and hang out. The walk to the hotel is still quite a ways down the highway and I know that driver will drive and harass me the entire way. A private van pulls over and adjusts something in his engine. The boy knows him and goes over there to talk. The taxi driver yells at this guy too from across the road. But he doesn't come over. I see the boy start to get in with this guy. I run over there and beg with my sign language to please just take me a short distance. He does. They drop me off at the hotel entrance. I'm so happy to get away from that taxi driver.

I walk up the hill to the hotel and ask the receptionist if she knows when the bus goes to Dilijan. She doesn't know. "Well I stayed here last night and spent a lot of money. Maybe you could make some phone calls and find out." She does and says (She speaks English) that she thinks it leaves at 11:00. Then she asked a couple of employees and one uses his cell phone and makes a couple of calls. "Go now!"

I run down the hill and within 15 sec. a mini van pulls over. I'm on my way to Dilijan.

Nightmare

BTW just a reminder that I can't spell and I don't have spell check, like aubergine (eggplant) and museum - both I have constantly misspelled.

So Sevan - although it's the end of June the first place I chose to stay was not open for the season yet, which is why I went to the expensive place. I thought I could use my credit card, which I had packed before I left. I could save my precious dollars - low as they are.

The hotel didn't take credit cards. It was actually $76 not $80. There was a huge pool with two slides going into it, but I was told it wasn't open yet, although I saw a man cleaning it. Like I said it was cold. It feels more like April here. The hotel had an indoor pool and sauna that I could use for an extra $36 AN HOUR. I looked at it and the pool was really too small for laps. As if.

They wanted money now. I had to walk back to Sevan town which is down the highway about 2 km. Sevan, except for the lake, isn't very scenic. Understatement. I don't even think the lake is scenic unless you like looking at lakes from the highway. There was no where to walk except along highway and that's what I did.

I changed some money then I went looking for a beer passing an internet cafe, where you got my last post. In the cafe I asked for a beer, having no idea what the word for beer is. I just pointed and said I wanted to get drunk. I guess some guys knew what I said and laughed as they left the cafe. Really I never get drunk when I'm travelling. I know some people will find this hard to believe, but it's true. I need to be in control.

I drank one beer and went back to the hotel to eat. I was a little buzzed because I had had nothing to eat. I told the waiter I wanted a rack of lamb. I doubted him but he convinced me to have the local fish. I also had stuffed aubergine. Both were excellent and I couldn't finish it all. The meal put me in a better mood.

It wasn't even 6 pm. I took a nap and woke up around 8 pm. The waiter told me there would be a band tonight so I went back up to the restaurant to see what was going on. Oh back to the restaurant or main part of the hotel meant walking up a steep road. They had put me in their cabins at the bottom.

But there was a band. A group of Armenian were having a private party and they let me watch. I didn't dance. I wasn't dressed properly. I had on hiking boots and the women dancing all wore 6 inch heels. Armenias like to swing their arms wildly, swing their arms, legs and step highly.

There were two singers. One sang traditional songs and the other more pop. I know he didn't speak Portuguese but he also sang some Brazilian songs. This guy was a big flirt, or maybe because I was the only single. He would look directly at me as he sang and then sat next to me. Fortunately he was called away. I'm not into nylon shirts. This was my highlight of Sevan. Because the next day:

There was suppose to be a mini bus at 10 am to Dilijan. I walked to the town. I know I spent $76 on a hotel but I was not taking a taxi. I get to town and the first, second and third person said in so many words that I would have to go back to the highway to get the bus to Dilijan. I'm not happpy about this. It was 9:45 so I'd have to take a taxi to get there in time.

Yerevan, Armenia

I'm not too happy here in Yerevan. It's a city that's not European enough to be so expensive. I don't like cities per se anyway. I don't know why I came to Armenia. The mountainous areas I want to go to have no public transportation. I'm thinking of going to Lake Sevan tomorrow and I probably will, but I know it's very expensive. I need to get in the water quickly or go for a hike. That means back into Georgia to Kazbegi on the Russian border.

That's all I have to say. Well, there are a few more: the toilet paper here is white and soft. On the tables of all the restaurants are a box of tissues. The girls are skinny, wear skimpy tight clothes, and wear the highest heels I've ever seen.

I'm in Sevan and I hate it more. It's in the middle of no where, it's freezing, and even for me it's too cold to swim. No mountains, no where to walk. For anyone who knows Edgerton, Missouri it's like that. Podunkville. You need a car to go anywhere and I don't have one. I'm paying $80 a night and I might as well be in Timbuktu. Actually that's an insult to Timbuktu which I heard is a fascinating place.

Hey but it's got an internet cafe. Now if I can only find a beer or something way stronger.

Other Travellers

Besides the countries and their people I like travelling because I like meeting other travellers.

In Tbilisi, Georgia ordering one glass of wine is expensive, for just a little more you can have the whole bottle and take what don't drink with you. A couple of nights ago I ordered a whole bottle and as I was eatting my meal I saw two guys come in. I recognized their American accents. Note: They could have been Canadian. Before Obama I used to ask first if they were Canadian because if I asked if they were American and they weren't I would insult the Canadians. So after I finished my meal I took my bottle of wine to their table and shared the rest with them.

They were American students studying in Istanbul and were in Georgia during one of their breaks. I enjoyed their conversation.

The next night at another restaurant I met Elizabeth. She joined me at my table. Elizabeth was Austrian, spoke fluent Russian and English (of course). She getting her Ph'D in Russian political/social science in London. Her parents were both alpinist, although sadly her father died in Nepal while trying to attempt Annapura.

If it wasn't for Elizabeth I would have never gone to the Baths which were a short walking distance from both the restaurant and where I was staying (Nino's sister's).
It cost less than $2 to get in and use the sulfer showers and sauna. For less than $5 we got a 20 min. massage. All the women in the place were naked, most were pretty big. The woman who gave me a massage weighed about 300 lbs and she was naked. She rolled me around on a tile slab, then lathered me up with soap and rinsed me off.

I probably would have called it a night after that but Elizabeth asked if I wanted to have glass of wine some place. At the restaurant where I met Elizabeth I had a beer not wanting to get a whole bottle of wine so I thought why not? We went to this hip place and got a bottle.

While we were sitting there one Georgian guy tried to have a political conversation with me but when I told him I was a leftist he cut it short. Don't start a political conversation with me unless you're on my side and don't bad mouth Obama. I'm highly emotional.

We were left in peace to talk about ourselves and listen to the jazz music, which I thought was pretty good, especially the Billie Holiday type singer. I can thank Elizabeth for this great night.