Dili and Diners

Instead of taking a break at the peak of Yerevan heat, my friends and I finally had some free time from tourists last week, and we decided to take a really short vacation.

A toss up between Jermuk and Dilijan ...

I visited Jermuk a few weeks back and I couldn't believe my eyes. Loads of people, new hotels (with better architecture than the new crap you see in Yerevan), beautiful gardens, etc. But since I love Tavush province so much I convinced my group to go to Dilijan instead.

Although there are no real hotels operating in Dilijan anymore, there are quite a number of families that have transformed their homes into bed and breakfasts. Anyway, we ended up staying at the once prestigious Composer's Resort. HAHA!

We stayed in a cottage which has accommodated Saryan, Khatchatrian and the controversial Dimitri Shostakovich.

When we first entered the cottage I walked into the washroom and the first thing I saw was a frog trying to climb the wall. Seconds later a mouse ran through my legs, trying to run away from my aunt. The spiders and snails came later.

I expected so much from Dilijan, but sadly realized that the once popular lil' Switzerland of Armenia has become a ghost town. There are lots of restaurants and hotels which have not opened their doors in ages. Dilijan has SO much potential, but ... with time. (Jermuk and Tzaghkadzor seem to be priority for development right now.)

Anyway, my getaway wasn't much of a break, seeing that we were living in a zoo; the food we got at the resort was most probably worse than military food; and a great fall I took on my last day.

DINERS! I haven't talked about new places in a while.

Sharm El Café is at the corner of Sayat Nova and Teryan, next to the beautiful new Astral Café ... (what are we at? 15 cafés by the Opera?) The café has a Thai chef cooking some 'pretty okay' Thai food outside. They also have nergile to smoke (if you are one of those nergile smoking "dzev tapoghs".)

Tonight, I went to the opening of a new Middle Eastern restaurant called Abu Hagop on Khanjian Street. Very good food ... probably even better than Nury on Teryan and tired Lagonid on Nalbandian. The owners are a family from Aleppo (they've got two popular Abu Hagops there), and they also have non-cooked foods which you can keep in your freezer, then cook yourself of course. Quite a few "celebrities" were at the cute opening. For anyone who wants to check it out it's located across from the tacky Hin Hrom/Old Rome restaurant on Khanjian, next to 2X2 Disco Club.

The picture is of Parz Lich by Dilijan