STRAYING FROM THE PLAN

     One of the most valuable things Kristina and I have learned for our travels is that the greatest adventures come when we forget THE PLAN. Well, to be honest, I'm the one who finds it harder (all right, much harder!) to take the side trips, go down the hidden lane or stop and ask people about something.  And time after time, it's when we do those things, that's when the fun starts. Even mechanical breakdowns usually end up creating a whole new world of opportunity to know a place and people. Although there was the time that our transmission went out just after we crossed the Mexican border into the San Diego area.  Would have been more fun to have been stranded in Mexico. But that's another story. 


Ashotsk

All Thursday evening and early Friday morning, my heart had been telling me to stay another day with the Mikaeyelyan family. But of course my travel plan said, "Go to Gyumri."  Gyumri is a very beautiful city; and it's beautiful in part because it was devestated by an earthquake in 1988. Much of the town was leveled and tens of thousands died. So it is a very new looking city and is still being rebuilt. On the other hand, it is a big city - second largest in Armenia - and really, aside from looking at some interesting buildings, it didn't have anything that Yerevan doesn't have. And I was really enjoying the open spaces, fresh air and companionship of the Mikaeyelyans. 

Edgar-jan and me

   So I asked Alla if it would be all right if I stayed another day. She said, "Of course," and told me that her mother-in-law, Nellie, had asked if I would be coming on the family picnic that day.  So, it was all arranged, I would stay the day and go on the picnic. I had met Edgar, Nellie, Marina, and Artyun the night before and really enjoyed them.  Nellie sent some spas (a soup made from yougurt) to the house for me - it was lovely!

   Friday is a rest day for the family.  Sergei and Mika are both in training for skiing. They work out every day except Friday.  Sergei is 20 and is training for the next Winter Olympics. And I say, "next" because he was in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver when he was 18.  And if you ever wondered how skiiers train during the summer, well, here is part of the workout.

     Sergei's workout is to run about 45K in the morning. If you do the math, that is just a K or so short of a marathon.  Then he has lunch, rests a bit, and roller skis.  They have roller skis that work on asphalt and others that work on the countryside. 

So we went to the picnic. The family consisted of Nellie, the grandmother; Edgar, Marina and Artur, the offspring; Alla, Artur's wife; and Mika and Artyun - Marina's son.  They are all very loving and affectionate with each other.  One of the things that warmed my heart immediately was this:  the forest was young, 25-years old and beautiful.  But there was a lot of garbage and trash there. This is another story I'll tell at a later time.  But as the family was gathering firewood and preparing to cook, Artur went around with plastic bags and picked up trash in a very large area around our picnic spot.  Edgar and I also pitched in to help.  Artur, Alla and their sons are very aware of the beauty of the Shirak region and are constantly cleaning the environment. 

We played soccer and volleyball - even Nellie!  Then we ate a wonderful meal and I played duduk for them. I also remembered an old civil war song called "Seeing Nellie Home" so I sang it for Nellie.  Artur and Edgar took me down to the Ahostsk River where some natural mineral spring water bubbled up.

We finally rolled home about 8:00 in the evening - tired, full and happy in our friendship.  See what happens when we stray from the plan!