Voski Ashun... Golden Fall...

Yesterday I got to take a work trip out to Dilijan and Goshavank. Those are both surrounded by forest and it was just a gorgeous day. I really enjoyed the scenery although on the way back I got mildly carsick from all the switchbacks on the Dilijan-Sevan road. There were clouds the entire way, not a hint of blue sky, but in the forests and on Lake Sevan that was actually really cool because it was misty, low clouds in the golden leaves of the forests and it was really just perfect with the old architecture and ancient monastery and all. It even snowed for a couple of minutes near lake sevan which is 1000 meters higher than Yerevan. When these clouds clear out all of the mountain tops will be covered with snow... A lot of the people on the trip were really great to talk to and spend time with. These were people in Armenia who are developing the tourism industry. The idea of small scale improvements and local initiatives involving little money are being discussed, because there is not unlimited funding for improvement... So much can be done just be teaching people what westerners really expect and appreciate. Things do not have to be five star, they need to be comfortable and clean. Things do not have to look like they do in LA, that is where the tourists are from, things should look Armenian. Anyways, it was fantastic and I hope I get to see more of the fall color which was really in its prime.