The night before, I slept badly, because I felt cold under the cover without blanket. I took what I could find on the bed to warm me up, but I didn’t want to get up and hope to find sleep. (Not too much.)
Last night in “Lovely Goris hostel” there was a blanket in the cover, and a bedspread. After showering I felt cold and stayed cold while I talked with Paulo and when I did my “homework”. And, again, I could not sleep, because of feeling cold, after a while my hands became warm but from the knees downwards I stayed cold as before. Finally, I took my sleeping bag and after long time I could sleep. And after another short time, the first dogs barked, the first roosters crowed, and my stomach became nervous. (Meanwhile, I gave up the idea that this trip would change me in this essential aspect.)
So, I had another early start. First there was a fast downhill-passage over 13km. Then again up to 1500m, 500 down, up to 1700, down, up and finally down to Kapan. All in all, 1400 up on 65km. It was not bad but shows me what will come tomorrow: 1800m up in one piece over 35km. Up to the highest pass in this country of high passes, 2535m. So, even when I don’t feel cold this night, I will for sure sleep not too long.
On the way, a German talked to me at a resting place. They had rent a car with local driver. For sure he and I would not have too much in common in normal life (he is CEO of a big textile company) and, also his way of travelling as “motor alpinist” as he called it, is quite different, but still, here in this situation, we could easily focus on the common. He took photos of me and sent them on the spot.
on top of the last pass before Kapan is a beautiful viewing platform, with flags and watertab, and monument stone and roofed sitting area.
But when you look down, you get the feeling that some people cannot cope with the idea of beauty & nature.
On the way down to Kapan, you have a great view, e.g. on that partly pink lake, the Artsavanik reservoir) (but even by some editing I could not catch these colours)
if normal blue is out of stock in Armenia, lakes have to turn pink and green
In Kapan and even before, you could see how near Iran is. More and more signs are in Arab writing and many of them point on strip clubs, casinos and the like.
On the maps, you could find Camping sites. One was marked more or less in the city, but this was clearly a failure, the second was marked 7km outside. I made the first incredibly steep 500m and gave up. Then I looked for a B&B and a guest house, both non-existent. As I wanted to give up and just go on in direction Meghri and take a hostel or not and sleep in the tent, I looked for the way back to the M2. A man talked to me in Armenian and Russian, but we understood that I look for a less expensive hotel (In my back was a big one!) and that he new where to find. Here I am now ?. A hotel called Hotel.
In the evening I made a short walk, buying street food (Triangles with vegetables and cheese), walking along the river and in the end buying yoghurt in a supermarket. But at least 3 persons wanted to help me and as they knew too little English they consulted even more people. So, in the end I bought also chocolate (of course Armenian: grand candy!) and fruit yoghurt, as they only call it yoghurt when it is with fruits (and all other stuff…)
On the walk I was impressed by the buildings clinging to the mountains, by spectecular examples of cloth lines and depressive flower pots.
The chocolate will serve as reward on top of the pass, the (Fruit) yoghurt will be breakfast and the pure yoghurt with the other name was last part of the dinner. However, I would not have needed anything, as I still have my “Yerevan-belly”. I ate too much and moved too little. But bodyfat is a very efficient storage for food and calories as 1kg has about 9000 kcal, enough for some days of cycling!