Last year I had done several trips, touching successor states of the Soviet Union. During those trips I also did hear stories from my fellow travelers on the countries in the Caucasus, praising the variety of things to see, the hospitality of the people and the food. So I ultimately decided, that it was time, to experience the Caucasus myself – and got booked. The tour I selected – run by a German tour company – was one of the few tours actually covering all three countries – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – extending all the way from the small Caucasus to the big Caucasus and from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea.

The trip now had started yesterday. I (along with the rest of the group) had arrived in Armenia in the early morning and were now – after a short night and a late breakfast – heading out, to see the highlights of Yerevan.

The tour started at the Monument to 50 Years of Soviet Armenia, located on a platform high above town, featuring panoramic views of the city and Mt.Ararat behind it.

From here we followed the steps downstairs and made our way to the Cascade Complex (Կասկադ համալիր) – but only after passing around the construction site of the unfinished part of the complex (waiting for funding, to become available). At the complex we made it to the inside, where the Cafesjian Center for the Arts (Գաֆէսճեան արվեստի կենտրոն) – a modern arts gallery – is located.

From the lower parts of the complex, we could get a good overview of Alexander Tamanyan Park (the park right at the bottom of the stairs) and France Square with the opera house right behind it. The park did raise some memories – of kiwis (the animal) and Botero; the architecture of the opera house did remind me of the one in Minsk.

It was also next to the park, where we were picked up by our bus – to leave town …