Yerevan

Pres and Sis. Carter came to Tbilisi to welcome Iza home.  They had room in their car to take us back with them and so we planned a senior couples outing!  We left Georgia and went to Yerevan Armenia.

The ride was beautiful!  We saw lots of great scenery.  Here is a beautiful 1000 year old bridge.

What a bonus to see this beautiful rainbow!

We stopped to get a little spending money - hmmmm - I think 30,000 ought to last us awhile!

You know on trips like this it really is all about the food!

 YES - creme brulee for dessert!

We are always trying to see who has the best 'stuff' - Georgia or Armenia.  We have McDonald's and that puts us way ahead - put they just got a Cinnibun store - I think they're catching up!  (We did bring 2 Big Macs with us for Elder Eyre!)

 We were able to stay both nights in the Mission Home.  The Carters are wonderful Hosts.  The first morning we were able to see Mt. Ararat from our balcony.  It is usually covered in clouds.  Elder Reese did have to climb a ladder and hang out to get this shot!

Our first day out we drove about an hour away to the Geghard Monastery.  It is at the end of a canyon and was carved out of a huge rock.  They started with a hole in the top and carved down.  It was amazing with some great carvings on the walls too!

Then we went to the Garni Temple that was first built in 100 AD - it was destroyed and then restored.

We spent the afternoon at the mission home with all the senior missionaries talking about missionary work!  It is always great to get together and share stories and ideas.  They are an amazing group of people!

 That night we hung up the painting of red flowers that Alex had painted.  It was hung in the upstairs red kitchen and we all wore red in honor of the occasion!

 The next day we met in the mission office to see where all the serious work gets done!  Then we headed out for some local sights.  We started at the Armenian Genocide monument and museum.  What a sad history.  People come and place flowers around the eternal flame - very somber.

 To lighten the mood - Elder Reese and Elder Eyre were entertaining us with Up in the Air Jr. Birdman! 

 We visited a fort that was being excavated and had a great view of the city.

 Our last meal together was cooked by a member who works at a restaurant.  Here he is taking our dinner our of an oven in the ground - it was yummy!

We took the midnight train to Georgia and got home just in time to shower and go to church.  We really had a great time.  Thank you Armenia Senior Couples!!!