Sunday, May 24, 2009

Dendropark and the Fort of Lori






















On my last and final excursion here we went to the Dendropark botanical gardens and the Fort of Lori- all in Lori province.  The scenery is so beautiful in this region of Armenia, green mountains and lush trees all around.  Before getting to Lori, we stopped in the city of Abaran (Abarantsis are the butt of many many jokes- they are known for their stubbornness and (stupidity)). The city is also famous for its water, so we had to get in on some of that.

The Dendropark botanical garden was established by a Polish man who came to Armenia and decided that the region was perfect for such an undertaking. The garden has different types of plants from all over the world- China, Australia, America, Europe, etc. 

The garden even has some myth connected with it. There is the bridge of wishes, where it is believed that if you make a wish while crossing the bridge, it is guaranteed to come true. There is also the lover's tree. The story of that says that there once were a man and a women who saw each other in their dreams, and then coincidentally they met each other in the park. They are still happily married and living in Canada now. I think we should take that one with a grain of salt.

Our lunch spot was really interesting this time around because the restaurant was built into the side of a waterfall, so we were suspended above the water.  The surrounding was just so much fun. 

As for the Lori fortress, the location was absolutely amazing- right in the side of the gorge.  It is surrounded by waterfalls, riverbeds, and rocks just cut into the side of the mountains. It was a serene, majestic place. 

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