Channel Mirror

Wine Festival. Continuation. Prompted by a former student's message, a rainy evening at Yerevan's wine festival - a downpour from Zvartnots thinned the crowds and cleared the air. A 14,000-dram kit (glass, lottery coupon, map, micro-shopper), tents from banks to local farmers, and a teetotaler eyeing the food. More fun with friends - whom we sadly missed.

Yerevan. Rainy. Despite the drizzle, a walk to the center to take a quick peek at the second day of the wine festival.

Secret Japan in the very center of the city. A cool find while the wine-festival vote ended in a tie: 'Ramen Jan', an authentic, tiny (3-4 tables) Japanese spot hidden in central courtyards. Rich traditional ramen, hearty onigiri, an odd fried-dough dessert, Japanese films on screen, English-only staff and Tanuki books on the tables.

Jermuk. Deer. The road back. No Yandex Taxi here, so a private transfer back (28,000 dram) with stops: the town's emblem - the famous deer statue and its stunning viewpoint - and the secretive, guarded 'Margaritka' spillway, gateway to the Soviet-built 48 km Arpa-Sevan tunnel to Lake Sevan. A grateful farewell to Jermuk.

Jermuk. Art gallery. Three minutes from our sanatorium, a wonderful three-floor collection of mostly 20th-century Armenian art - bright socialist realism, mysterious surrealism and stunning landscapes, much of it echoing Martiros Saryan. A guided ticket was about 5,000 dram for three, and a few canvases of Komitas especially caught the eye.

Jermuk. Baghaberd Restaurant. After four days of the sanatorium's dietary cafeteria, the body demanded shashlik - so we skipped dinner and headed to Baghaberd, a picturesque spot by a river tributary, down a staircase into a medieval-castle turret. Pork and lamb shashlik, lemonade, gata - it lived up to every expectation.

Jermuk. Sanatorium. A mineral-spring resort full of Soviet-era sanatoriums. We picked Moscow Resort Jermuk (booked direct - cheaper than Booking): friendly staff, a two-bedroom room, three meals, and the full procedure menu - inhalations, a Charcot shower, peat bags, a salt room, oxygen cocktails - all a short walk from the center and the waterfall.

Jermuk, part 2. The waterfall. An incredible road of cliffs, mountain streams and a turbulent river - bare trees lending a transparent look, eagles overhead - leading past the 'Arch of Wishes' and a touristy spot of honey, herbs and churchkhela to a huge waterfall crashing down the mountain.

Shaki Waterfall. Devil's Bridge. Viewpoint. A packed day-trip near Tatev: the 30-meter natural 'Devil's Bridge' over a cascade of thermal pools and caves, the crowded but picturesque Shaki waterfall (a magnet for plein-air painters), and a viewpoint where a friendly dog shared our mountain-view snack.

The road. Syunik region. The Wings of Tatev. A Sunday day-trip (45,000 dram) along the stunning, gorge-filled Syunik region to Tatev - already spring here, unlike Jermuk. A breathtaking 10-12 minute ride on the 5,700 m 'Wings of Tatev' cable car to the monastery. The serpentine, Devil's Bridge and waterfall to come.

Armenia. Jermuk, part 1. Moving day to the resort town of Jermuk - a scenic 3-hour drive past storks and eagles over the gorges. Still cool with patches of snow and bare trees; a walk to the mineral-water gallery, and a town that turns cozy in the soft evening light.

Armenia. Ararat. Barev, everyone! After almost three years in Yerevan we're finally heading to Jermuk - and we'll be sharing our discoveries and impressions from those parts.