Vanadzor by train

by Thomas

Last saturday, snow stom on Yerevan.
It was the exact day I planned to go to Vanadzor, with my indian friend Rajat, to see a french friend of us working for EVS.

No more minibuses and only one taxi driver with such expensive prices. Holy Shit…
Anyway, I need more than this to get stopped, and so do Rajat.

Let’s go by train. Yerevan central station. Huge building that should have been much more used during the Soviet era. I mean more than the 4 weekly departures from 2007.http://www.followtheway.info/wp-content/images/OTR_133.jpg” alt=”" />

Wagons are also from USSR, but who cares, it same price than buses. A bit longer, (7 hours for about 200 kms, it is to give you an idea about speed). Never mind.

We just have the time to get something to eat during the trip and jump in the train. 2 seats ahead, people are feasting :) funny

We arrived at 2.30 AM. (Very) calm Sunday at Vanadzor, (fare from the urban/polluted city ala Yerevan). From the market to the church and downtown, Vanadzor is one of thes industrial cities from the early 80s, charmless :)

DVD night and then coming back by bus to Yerevan by bus (2 hours instead of / :) )

So finally, a happy week end with a huge breathe of pure aire. And more seriously, I realiezed that finally I’m pretty lucky here in Armenia.

A huge thought to Emilie who’s facing a real 9 monthes long fire baptism with pretty difficult living conditions and a work I’m not envying at all. Good luck :)