Blog - Envoy

Envoy Hostel Armenia & Georgia represented at Gomio Conference in Israel 2012

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

We too love to travel! So when the opportunity came to attend the Gomio Conference in Israel of course we had to go! Erik and Dan represented Envoy Hostel Armenia and Georgia held in Jerusalem. It was great to catch up with good friends of ours in the industry and also to make new friends too.

After travelling around Israel for a few days a stop over in Kiev allowed discovery of this city too! So join us below in our photo-tour of envoy hostel’s recent adventures .

We like to take this opportunity to thank our hosts in Jerusalem’ Abraham Hostel and in Kiev’ Dream House Hostel – both are excellent hostels and we highly recommend them to all our travelling friends!

A memorable NYE experience! Armenian Style

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

New Years Eve is always a special time of year. A celebration spent with close family and friends… Every culture celebrates differently but it is always a joyful event. But since our community shares the love of travel, we pose the question - what if you are travelling at that time??

Well, Envoy Tours is offering an opportunity to ‘adopt a family’ :D. You can be part of a typical Armenian family for 3 days and take part of how rural Armenia celebrate NYE and take part of all their traditions!

This is a unique experience to see life through the eyes of a local. Imagine helping and learning how to prepare traditional foods, enjoying a special dinner with ‘your’ family, visiting neighbours and friends as part of the celebrations! Being showered with Armenian hospitality will indeed be a memorable experience.

To top it off, the host family is based in Khor Virap, with a wonderful backdrop of the majetic Mt Ararat to greet you every day. The village is basic as is the accommodation but its the warmth and freindship of the host family which will leave the wonderful memories!

It doesn’t get any more authentic than this! Soooo if you are wondering how to spend NYE this year – this might be your chance to create some wonderful memories to cherish for years to come!! You'll be telling your grandkids about this!

Keeping Cool in Yerevan: Suggestions by Envoy Hostel

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Summer in Yerevan is delightful, but the weather can get a bit hot. Sure you can cool down in the comfort of air conditioning while staying with us, but we also suggest trying some of the following simple pleasures in life…

Fruit Smoothies

While walking around in Yerevan you will notice numerous fruit smoothie (frappe') stands. These are a real 'must try' experience! Nothing special about a fruit smoothie, bit of ice, some fresh fruit all mixed in a blender. But what does make it special is the local organic fruit - so delicious and tasty. There are many smoothie flavours to try (depending on season) - our favourites have to be berries as well as the good'ol traditional homemade lemonade - they are always refreshing on a hot summer day (and only around $1 a cup!).

By the way you can locate a particularly good smoothie stand at Sakharov Sq which is where this photo was taken.

Herbal Ice Teas

Herbal teas are big in Armenia, particularly teas like wild mountain Thyme tea. But have you tried the iced herbal tea versions? Now this is a real treat! There are a few cafe's and teahouses in central Yerevan that offer a variety of these, but the best we have had is at a place called Vistro (#1 Baghramyan St/ Cnr Mashtots Ave). Particular favourite is the purple basil ice tea - YUM!

Iced Coffee

Admittedly you can get a good iced coffee in many parts of the world... but there is something special about the iced coffee locally! Try one in any of the cafe's particularly around the Opera area and let us know what you think?

Jelly!

Jelly??!! Well, we mean the pre prepared jelly from the store - check them out at the pastry counter at any of the big supermarkets. They look so amazing decorated with different fruits - really a work of art in their own right! Go on - try one! :)

Sangria with an Armenian twist!

A delicious Spanish 'punch' brings on a new taste using the local wine. So if you are in the mood to do a bit of work, chop some fresh fruit, add a bit of soda water or flavoured soda and pour in some local red wine - try using pomegranate wine for a really special taste!

Why not get together with some other Envoy guests and try making some!

Tripadvisor Award: Envoy Hostel and Tours is a winner!

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Who hasn’t heard of Tripadvisor? Its become an icon for travellers. Its where you go to find out what other fellow travellers say through reviews and forums, about places to go, see and of course stay!

Since Envoy Hostel and Tours’ inception in 2005, we have had a steady flow of traveller reviews, which we have always appreciated. All have consistently rated us as a great place to stay and would recommend us to others. This, to our delight, lead to us receiving recognition by Tripadvisor themselves! Including a Certificate of Excellence and a letter titled “Envoy Hostel and Tours is a winner”!

We want to thank our wonderful guests & Tripadvisor who have given this opportunity and recognition to us. It is indeed a privilege to receive such an award and it encourages us to stay focused in delivering excellence and making Envoy Hostel a great place to stay and Envoy Tours the best way to discover the region.

To find out what others have said about Envoy Hostel and Tours please visit these links: Yerevan & Tbilisi.

If you have stayed at Envoy Hostel and would like to leave a review you can do so using the following links:

Envoy Hostel and Tours Yerevan: Review us

Envoy Hostel and Tours Tbilisi: Review us

Travelling with Children

Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Would you travel with children? Some people would consider it too difficult or challenging. But in fact travelling provides a fantastic learning opportunity for children to grow in many ways. They are also a delight to the people they meet, as we ourselves have experienced firsthand at Envoy Hostel.

Over the years we have had many families with children come and stay with us. Not so long ago we had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful French family, travelling with their 5 children (ages 12, 10, 8, 4 and 1). The children not only enjoyed the atmosphere of the hostel but also joined our Enlightened Armenia tour with much enthusiasm. Whether it was asking to write their names in Armenian or inquiring about the history of the churches that we visited, the kids showed that traveling with children is not only worthwhile but so much fun. They do not only learn, but teach as well. Their questions and comments can make you look at life from a different viewpoint that you otherwise wouldn’t consider.

Children of all ages benefit greatly from traveling. Travel is one of many things that parents can do for their children in order to broaden their perspective and worldview. Travel is an excellent teacher, and children learn about things they would otherwise see on TV or read about in books.

So next time, when you are planning a trip, make sure you bring your little ones with you! Traveling with kids is entertaining. They learn, they teach and together you have fun along the way…. And we will be delighted to host your families in our hostels in Yerevan and Tbilisi

International Children's day is celebrated on 1st of June in Armenia.

Switch off the Lights! It’s Earth Hour Time – in Yerevan!

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Held on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour gives us the chance to do something good for our planet, even if it is just for one hour of one day.

It all started back in 2007 when more than 2,000 businesses and 2.2 million people in Australia turned out their lights for one hour to raise awareness about climate change.

This past weekend, on March 31, Envoy Hostel Yerevan delved into darkness as part of Earth Hour for the third time. The guests staying with us joined the initiative by switching off the lights in their rooms and gathering in our common room for an hour of fun in darkness.

At Envoy we love to have fun and had organized a number of events for Earth Hour 2012. During the day our guests and passers-by had the chance to take part in our “Be Green-Plant a Seed” initiative. As a result, now we have several pots and are impatiently waiting for the birth of beautiful flowers that the Envoy family planted.

We started our green night by watching a video about Earth Hour. This set the scene so that we could all have a better idea about the cause and see what global changes our small steps can lead to as every little initiative counts and we all have a responsibility to do what we can. As true “environmentally-friendly celebrities” our team members and guests went on playing celebrity heads:). The game became even more entertaining when we brought in the thermos with hot water (which had been heated before the Earth Hour). As Earth Hour traveled around the world, we had a nice chat around a table full of GREEN tea, coffee and lots of sweets:)!

But Envoy Hostel goes beyond the 60 minutes. Although we have taken many steps to be environmentally friendly we still have plans for more. For instance we have encouraged other in Yerevan to join this initiative and have already started to organise paper recycling in our new hostel’ Envoy Tbilisi. We’ve accepted the “I Will if You Will” challenge and “We will make the Earth Hour fun for you, if you join us next year”:).

Envoy Hostel Tbilisi Opens

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000


It is with excitement and enthusiasm that we received our first guest at Envoy Hostel Tbilisi. “Dreams can come true, if we wish hard enough!” This was Nino’s reaction when she learned that our first guest will arrive at Envoy Tbilisi during her shift. Yannick has become an unforgettable part of Envoy’s life and will always be a special memory for all of us.:) We still remember the time we received our first guests at our hostel in Yerevan back in 2005. So this too will equally be a cherished moment. Though Yannick had explored the city by himself during the day, we were delighted to find out that he would like to join our first Free Walking Tour of Tbilisi. Starting the tour from Envoy Tbilisi, right in the heart of the old town, we ended up at Narikala fortress, where we were literally at the top of Tbilisi! But great moments become even greater when there are surprises. When we arrived back at Envoy, one of our team members, Khatuna, was waiting for us with a yummy cake to celebrate the company of our special guest. We enjoyed the cake on our balcony overlooking the city, with a fascinating view of the illuminated city. What a great way of ending an amazing day! And thanks for the delicious chocolate Yannick, we enjoyed it today! :) We look forward to many more wonderful moments together with our guests through years to come!

Envoy Hostel Goes to Dublin

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After taking part in the Hostelworld Conference in February and being given the “Best Hostel in Armenia” award, Envoy team members had the chance to explore ‘Dublin’s fair city’.

We started exploring the city with a Walking Tour. The tour was a good way to get to know the city for the first time. We could’ve walked around ourselves, but joining a big group of travelers and learning the stories behind every building and place that we saw was what made it absolutely unforgettable. The tour turned out to be a 3 hour Irish history lesson, delivered with a bit of Irish humour :)

We learned about Trinity College, the Trinity Ball, the Library of the College and about its most famous book (The Book of Kells). The tour also stopped at the Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. And of course, a tour of Dublin would have been incomplete without a visit to Dublin Castle. This was the place where we learned about the uprising against the British rule, and found out about the hidden meaning behind the 2 statues at the entrance.

What makes Dublin a special city, are its parks. Whether it is Europe’s largest urban park (Phoenix Park) where deer is grazing as if they do not care what’s going on in the city center just a couple of kilometers away, or the peaceful St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin is the city to be! Lucky for us, our hostel (The Times Hostel-Camden Place) was just a few minutes’ walk from this little green paradise.

To top it all, we ended the day in the Gravity Bar, on the top of the Guinness Storehouse. This number one tourist attraction should not be missed for the great 360⁰amazing view of Dublin. All you need is some Irish luck to get nice weather and a clear panorama. The Hostelworld.com conference organizers had set it all up for us!

However, the greatest virtue of Dublin are its people, they are the ones who make Dublin a warm place. The Irish have succeeded in creating a city where sunshine is not the key to create a warm and nice atmosphere. While being in a modern cosmopolitan city, you feel like in a cozy village where people are really friendly and everybody seems to know each other. Having a nice dinner at a traditional Irish pub, accompanied by live music will not let you forget your Dublin experience so easily…

P.S. We miss Guinness…

Envoy Awarded Best Hostel in Armenia!

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000


There’s a buzz in the air! We are in Dublin and although its cold outside, the excitement makes one forget about it all! It’s the Hostelworld February 2012 annual conference and HOSCAR awards ceremony. Throughout the entire day hostel staff from all around the world wait impatiently for the HOSCAR awards, arguably the most prestigious industry award for budget accommodation. Everyone hopes to see their hostel recognised among the best. Based solely on guest reviews and being rated on six criteria (character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness) hostels compete under several categories, like Worldwide and Continent Winners, Most Popular Hostel, etc. For the second year in a row Envoy was recognized a winner under the “Country Winners” category. Our team members were excited and speechless to be honored with our second HOSCAR award. The ‘Best Hostel in Armenia’ award has only been offered by Hostelworld for the past 2 years so to win this title for both years is a great encouragement to us, making us want to work harder and do even better. And we realize that we couldn’t reach this great achievement without the support of our guests. We thank you all for your love and hope to see you back at Envoy soon!

Winter Fun in Yerevan: Envoy Winter Olympic Championships!

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

What better way to enjoy a beautiful winter day than having a Snowball fight Championship!! Sure its a bit cold outside, but every adult who grew up with snow loves a snowball fight, no matter how young or young at heart!

Playing snowball is fun, but when played by the Envoy team, its epic! If you happen to be passing one of the central streets in Yerevan and you see us playing, dont wait for an invitation - just join in the fun!

Seeing the snow settle in front of our entrance was too much temptation for us to resist! So Envoy's team got all geared up in warm jacket, hats, scarves and gloves, to block out the cold and started up an impromptu snowball fight!

After a few rounds, it was obvious that Karine and Seda were the winners and they were rewarded with cups of hot tea. It was so much fun! Its great to appreciate the best each season brings - so what better way to enjoy the winter cold?

In fact we've had such a blast, next up might even be a Snowman making Championship! Bring it on! The Envoy Team is ready! Come, join the fun "Envoy Winter Olympic' games soon while we still have snow!!

Presenting Envoy Tbilisi

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Drum roll please! :)

It is with great pleasure (and excitement) that Envoy Hostel announces the opening of our second hostel in Tbilisi Georgia. Having connected the Caucauses with our unique Enlinking Caucauses Tour, now our guests will have a base to stay in both Yerevan and Tbilisi.

Envoy Hostel has become well known for its focus on customer service. We ourselves share the passion for travel so we understand our guests needs. This same philisophy will be applied to our new hostel in Tbilisi. We will offer an equally talented and friendly team, great location and all the comforts Envoy Yerevan has become well known for.

This of course means comfortable beds specifically designed for adults, high ratio of bathrooms, a common room (with an added bonus of a fantastic fireplace!!) and views of this beautiful city!

We are excited about Envoy Tbilisi and are looking forward to hosting you there soon! Bookings are accepted from 1st March 2012.

Here's a sneak peak of some of the features while we are still getting ready :)

WinterFest Armenia 2011: Winter fun in Yerevan!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

WinterFest Armenia is returning to Yerevan for its fifth consecutive year, promising to turn the city into a winter wonderland. Every year there are more and more people joining the fun and becoming a part of the different events organized within the festival. The exciting thing is that WinterFest attracts spectators and winter enthusiasts not only from Yerevan but also from the remote regions of Armenia and abroad.

The goal of the festival is to create a cheerful atmosphere in the city right before winter holidays start and also to promote the development of winter tourism in Armenia.

WinterFest Armenia 2011's highlights include a Winter Parade, an exhibition and competition of eco-friendly New Year Trees, Music days, various winter games for children, a Santa Run and a wide range of online contests.

This year, Envoy Hostel and Tours is supporting the celebrations by also being a partner of WinterFest Armenia. The winner of one of the online contests ('WinterFest at My Place') will be able to join our En-linking Caucasus Tour and spend 2 days at Envoy Tbilisi in 2012. To enter your chance of winning, all you have to do is decorate your window with a winter theme displaying the WinterFest symbol-the musical snowflake. The next step is to take a picture of your decorated window and submit the photo for online voting. Just use your imagination, be active on social networks, get the majority of votes and you can be the winner. May good luck smile upon you:)

The WinterFest Armenia events will kick off at 2:00pm on Saturday, December 24. With so many fun activities lined up through WinterFest, winter will be a time to cherish the good memories and celebrate what this beautiful season has to offer. Together we can make WinterFest Armenia 2011 a memorable one!

For detailed information on the festival and the program, you can check here: www.winterfestarmenia.com

Cycling for Oxfam: Cyclestrongman in Armenia!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Cycling is a healthy, environmentally friendly, convenient, economical and fun way of traveling. Over the years the Envoy team has been lucky to host many cyclists. But what is even more exciting is that some of them are riding their bicycles with a greater purpose.

In March 2009 Chris Roach, a young Australian, set forth a huge challenge for himself, by launching ‘The Cycle Strongman Expedition’ (CSX). CSX is an extraordinary journey, which aims at cycling around the world and covering a distance of around 100,000 km across 6 continents. The project is expected to take about 8 years. Through a personal example Chris is trying to encourage the use of bicycle as a means of alternative transport. Moreover, the expedition is hoped to foster mutual understanding and tolerance among people. And with this goal in mind, Chris speaks to school and community groups about cultures and environment and expects to raise $100,000 for Oxfam Australia, an NGO which works hard to fight poverty and injustice. 100,000 dollars during the intended 100,000 km, which means $1 for each kilometer covered!

Starting the expedition in Newcastle, Australia in March 2009 and having been on the road for 3 years, Chris set foot (and wheel J) in Yerevan as well. Envoy team was delighted to have its small contribution in his thrilling undertaking and to provide him with a warm hearth in this part of the world.

After surprisingly getting hold of some rare brake pads for the bike, Chris hit the road again for proving that great changes can be achieved if we all try to support each other. As Albert Einstein once put it, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”. Keep moving Chris, and be safe on the road!

For more information on the expedition, you can check here: www.cyclestrongman.com

12.11.11 FB message from Chris: Thanks to ENVOY Hostel Yerevan for keeping me warm, dry and fed while passing through this part of the world! Amazingly friendly hostel! Big ups to you all!

http://www.facebook.com/cyclestrongman/posts/189542201127780

Gourmet food on the go! Recipes for backpackers!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Being on the road means you are often eating out or settling for something easy to eat like cheese and bread or pasta. Hostelbookers has come up with a great idea to collect and share some great recipes that are easy to make and dont have many ingredients. Since, we at Envoy looove food, we thought it was a good challenge to participate in.

The Challenge:

It must have 5 steps and 5 ingredients or less (excluding garnish and spices - Note that garlic, oil and herbs are not counted as part of the 5 ingredients).

Our Dilemma:

We can only submit one recipe but we love cooking so much, we have more than one to consider!

Your Challenge:

Have your say! Let us know which you like the most and we will submit that one in! We'll post the question on our FB. Or better yet - you can join the fun and submit one of your own! Just check out Hostelbookers blog article.

These are the recipes we are thinking of submitted by our team - aim being that they offer a quick yet satisfying meal for the backpacker on the go.

Potato Frittata

Carrot Salad

Warm Cauliflower Salad

1 Potato

1 Sausage

2 Eggs

Any vegetable of choice (eg broccoli/ zucchini etc)

Seasoning: Salt/ pepper/ mixed spices/ garlic clove

2 Carrots

1/2 Cup of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts etc)

Mayonnaise

Sour cream

Seasoning: Salt/ pepper/ crushed garlic clove

1/2 Small cauliflower

2 Eggs

Mayonnaise dressing

Fresh green chilli

Almonds (slivered if possible)

Seasoning: Salt/ pepper/ mixed spices/ garlic clove

Peel and dice the potatoes. To speed up the process, cook the potatoes in a microwave till just cooked but not too soft.

In a deep pan, add some cooking oil and some chopped garlic and fry slightly. Chop the sausages and add to the pan to fry lightly. Chop and add the vegetables to your pan.

Add the potatoes and cook again till a little golden.

Break the eggs on top and season to taste with the salt/ pepper/ mixed spices.

Wash, peel and grate the carrots.

Add the mixed nuts to the carrots in a bowl.

Mix the Mayonnaise and sour cream together and add the seasoning to taste including the crushed fresh garlic, then pour on to the prepared carrot/ nut mix and enjoy!

Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Cook in the microwave (or boil in water) till just cooked.

Boil the eggs till hard boiled.

In an empty pan, roast the almonds till golden and aromatic, then remove and save for later.

Add a little oil to the pan and add some chopped garlic till golden. Add to the pan the cooked cauliflower and season with mixed spices. Mix till slightly golden.

Peal the boiled eggs and chop in lengthways and place on the serving plate. Add chopped fresh chilli. Then add the cauliflower and the roasted almonds. Drizzle with the mayonnaise dressing and garnish with parsley.

Vote and tell us which one you like!

November 19: Thanks for all your votes on FB - based on your feedback the Potato Frittata was the most popular!

“Mmmm, you’ll find tasty recipes like these in the HostelBookers.com Backpacker Recipe Guide.”

Hi-Tech Travel Era! Tips on technology to make life easier and travel lighter

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Need a map or GPS system? Have to access emails, book your next accommodation or flight? how about sending a postcard? Well all you need these days is a smart or touch phone and you are on your way.

There was a time when you had to buy a book of maps, lug heavy cameras, a heavy torch for those dark side streets or finding your backpack in the dorm room), stop at a post office to buy stamps for your treasured postcards or carry an Ipod for music (or maybe your walkman/ portable CD player!), and how about the frequent stops to an internet café or lugging your laptop half way around the world. These are all rapidly becoming things of the past.

Technology is making travel lighter and easier (lighter is good – so you can fill up your suitcase with more souvenirs and treasures you find on your adventures!).

So many things can now be done just using a touch phone (Iphone or android) that it’s incredible when you stop and think about it. If only your phone would do your laundry and the dishes too, life would be really sweet!

The list below is merely a few applications/ websites our guests have shared with us or we’ve found to be useful or fun and is by no means exhaustive – it even falls short of the ideal title of the 10 best travel apps you need to have before you travel! But we hope you find it useful in preparing for your next trip.

In fact if you have any apps or technology tips others would find useful then please share – we’d like to know your suggestions.

1) Map Applications:	lots to choose from so hard to get lost these days!
2) Translations:	we all know there is Google translate but apps like Word lens take it to a new level! This app instantly translates words to any language you like by just scanning– no excuse for communication barriers!
3) Currency exchange:	Apps like XE, so you know you are getting the correct amount of money!
4) Postcards:	Sending postcards to loved ones instantly? Look into the app called ‘postcards on the run’
5) Torch App:	Just reach for your phone – Iphone has an iLights or iTorch apps that will help you find your backpack in a dark room. Even has a strobe setting which doubles as a disco light
6) Trip Trackers:	Checked on your TripTracker or Tripview app and found out your flight is delayed? Kill time and play a game – Angry birds, cut the rope, etc
7) Weather Apps:	To help you plan your trip activities better - theres many to choose from
8) Travel Guides:	Review sites and forums such as Tripadvisor, Lonely Planet or Travebuddy are just a few to get advice on where to stay and places to visit from people who have been to the part of the world you are exploring
9) Adventure Fun:	Fun on the go: good for kids as well as adults! There are apps that put a new twist to your travel – treasure hunt style Geocache is a good example. There are caches in Armenia too so come on down!

Envoy Hostel and Tours Turns 6 Years Old

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It has indeed been a wonderful experience. The last 6 years has given us all the opportunity to meet and become friends with so many people from so many corners of the world. And especially those we work with every day, who have become more than a team, rather a family instead.

So to celebrate our 6^th birthday, this year we went on an Envoy Family picnic and celebrated with lots of good food and wonderful company.

We thank the Lord for what has been achieved to date and for the experiences that are yet to come. We also remember all our wonderful Envoy family members from over the years who were absent that day and most especially thank all our guests for all the friendships and memories we will always cherish.

Happy Birthday Envoy!

Armenia – Attractive Destination Even for Traveling Notes

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Recently Envoy was honored to host the symphonic orchestra of Traveling Notes.

Traveling Notes is a music festival organized every year since 2007. The main goal of the festival is to use the universal language of music as a bridge to link different cultures and cross social barriers. On the other hand it is a cultural exchange program for young and adventurous musicians from different countries. The most exciting part of the program is that it offers intensive music training combined with cultural excursions and social outreach activities.

Two countries were chosen to host the festival in 2011 – Colombia in July and Armenia in August. After thrilling concerts in Colombia the Traveling Notes headed to Armenia - a land famous for its rich culture and, of course, music.

Envoy staff was very happy to host more than 20 young and talented musicians from all over the globe. The program of the festival also included visiting historical monuments of Armenia. Envoy Tours organized couple of day trips to different corners of our beautiful country such as: Lake Sevan and the monasteries around, the holy seat of Ejmiadzin, Khor Virap monastery and Byurakan village.

During those two weeks that Traveling Notes were in Armenia they managed to have intensive rehearsals, a lot of outstanding concerts in different venues of Yerevan and Armenia and, of course, a lot of fun with traveling across the country.

Envoy Hostel wishes you many, many great concerts and long years of successful festivals.

For more details about the Traveling Notes you can find here: http://www.travelingnotes.org

Do You Want to Challenge the Caucasus? Join the Annual Budapest – Yerevan Rally

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Every year a bunch of adventurers get together forone great reason – Caucasus Challenge rally that is all about an epic 17-day adventure which leads them through the Balkans, Greece, Turkey to the wonderful lands of Georgia, Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

Everything started in 2008 when Attila who is one of the organizers he rally and a group of ‘challengers’ first drove 6000 kilometers from Budapest to Yerevan going through all kinds of challenges and experiences on the way to their final destination. In August 2011 it was the fourth time in a row these guys repeated the same trail and ended their wonderful trip in Yerevan.

As Attila explains Caucasus Challenge is an adventure – trip, not a rally or a speed race; it’s more like a discovery and their main goal is to nteract with people and see all these countries, regions that one doesn’t get to hear in the news. For example, they had all heard of Nagorno Karabakh because of the war in the past but they didn’t know where it was, what the people were like and how they lived. Thanks to the Caucasus Challenge, it’s the fourth time they have had the opportunity to visit the highlands of Nagorno Karabakh and have had amazing experiences meeting the locals and even being invited for lunch.

The roads and the weather can be challenging but the toughest of all are the cars as they are not all modern and well equipped. Attila came all the way from Budapest to Yerevan in his 29 year old Soviet ‘Moskvich.’ There were 18 teams and 51 participants of the Caucasus Challenge 2011 but only 3 cars with 9 participants arrived in Yerevan on time.

The most interesting part of CC2011 was that they donated few of their cars and lots of goods that they brought with them from Hungary to a local charity to help poor families in Nagorno Karabakh.

Envoy Hostel was honored to host all these guys four years in a row and we are definitely looking forward to meeting the CC2012 teams next August here in Yerevan and hearing about their new experiences and adventures.

Postcard Travelling Around the World: Starts at Envoy Hostel in Yerevan!

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Recently, Etienne’ one of our wonderful guests, full of enthusiasm and zeal for travel, who has already been to many wonderful places in the world, and plans to go to many more, came up with a brilliant and fun project.

His idea was to send a postcard on a journey most would envy! A postcard, sent to a friend, which gets registered and then sent again to another loved one, somewhere else in the world. The journey of the postcard would end when it reached the 99^th person, instructed to send it back to him! This was such a cool project, and especially that it got first sent while at Envoy, we were very excited about it too!

Etienne has promised to let us know the result of the postcard journey when he receives it again after it travels around the globe – which might take a long time…. But we look forward to hear of the wonderful places the postcard would have travelled too!

Well done on such a fun project concept and we look forward to hearing from you again Etienne! Happy travels to you and the postcard!

Here are some photos from the postcard and some random shots at Envoy…

A Warm Reception in Yerevan

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy has recently updated it's reception area, making it more fun and inviting.

The concept is 'preserving memories'. Envoy is a melting pot of different people from all around the world, each an 'envoy' of their country! They all share a common passion for travel and Envoy Hostel is the meeting point for all.

Here at Envoy Hostel and Tours, we have had many wonderful guests over the years that we have befriended. Many have made new friends and found new travel mates by staying at Envoy. All leading to many precious memories to cherish for a lifetime.

We look forward to hosting many more guests and making more wonderful memories into the future.... and it all.... starts here!

UKTOOZ via Armenia: An Adventurous Tour Group

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy recently hosted a group from the UK-TO-OZ group travelling through Armenia – this blog is kindly written by this fun and friendly group. We hope to see you again next time!

UKTOOZ is an overland company based in the UK which runs overland trips from London to Sydney. 3 departures a year take you along 2 different routes – one through Iran, Pakistan & India, and the other through the Caucasus & Central Asia before dropping into China and South East Asia.

In June, 23 people headed off from London to Sydney bound via Central Asia. We weaved our way through Europe and Turkey, heading up from Cappadocia into Georgia before spending 5 days in Armenia – a bonus country for us as we hadn’t intended on going there but it’s turned out to be a very pleasant surprise – the people and the sites are quite amazing!

After exploring Haghpat we went to Yerevan, where we spent a couple of days in the city at the Envoy Hostel which was a great base for us with plenty of activities & entertainment provided. We escaped from the midday heat in the air conditioned hostel, by napping & wii-ing in the common room. And then of course out to explore the night-life! The Envoy is definitely one of the best hostel's we've ever stayed at (and we lose count at how many that is...).

From Yerevan we worked our way down to Ararat & the Khor Virap Monastery, then upwards to Lake Sevan, Dilijan & Ijevan before crossing back into Georgia to Tbilisi. We’re heading east through Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China & South East Asia before hitting our final country – Australia! 44,000km by land, 24 weeks and an eternity of memories!

You can follow the trips on www.uktooz.com or on our Facebook page UK to OZ Overland https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/UK-to-OZ-Overland/177792072268132

Here are a few photos and for more check our FB Album.

Yerevan: Travel Destination for Children

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We often have families with children staying at Envoy or taking our tours. This blog has been written by one of our 10 year old guests of Envoy, giving a child’s perspective of Yerevan.

Thank you Lio for your blog contribution – we are sure it will be a great resource for other children visiting Yerevan in the future. We hope to see you at Envoy again soon and to feature more of your blog articles!

Yerevan for Kids

If you’re looking for fun Yerevan is the place to be, there’s so much for kids to do, you might even find yourself having to extend your holiday! Well there’s only one way to start your kid’s paradise and that’s to walk down to Grand Candy and buy a mouth watering bonchic, the flavour of your choice. There are three tempting flavours, chocolate, vanilla and apple; it’s always been my favourite way to start a fantastic holiday in Yerevan.

Next on the list of fun is to watch a magnificent puppet show at the Theatre on Sayat Nova Street. These amusing puppet shows would be great for 1 to 9 year olds, but if you’re looking for something for everyone there’s always the entertaining circus. You can never resist the animals such as dogs, horses and even lamas! doing amazing tricks, sometimes you would think they were the acrobats.

If you love art like I do, then I would definitely recommend the Children’s Museum on Abovyan Street. Here, you will find artwork by children from all around the world (even from places like Korea, Chile, Iraq and Australia!) – it really is an inspiring collection.

As you can see Yerevan is full of great places but the one that is the main attraction is of course Luna Park. The thing that makes Yerevan’s Luna Park so special is that it is great for kids of any age, from 1 to about 45 :) and it’s also a great way to finish a wonderful holiday.

New Soviet Yerevan Tour – Experience the Nostalgia of the Past!

Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered how life was during the Soviet era? What the differences were from then to now? Wish you could go back in time to deepen your experience and understanding of the culture and history while you are in Yerevan?

Well, time travel is now possible, courtesy of Envoy Tours and the new Soviet Yerevan Tour!

A fun and revealing tour that takes you beyond the normal tourist destinations! Feel like a Soviet era ‘Intourist’ as you travel in an authentic minibus and while guided by a ‘pioneer’ hear the stories and anecdotes of the times. Find out why Lenin wore shoes whereas Stalin wore boots, visit Lenin (well, at least his head?!) and enjoy our ‘rosy’ city of Yerevan with us!

For more details of this fun and unique tour visit our tours section of our website.

Amazing Soviet Industry At Lenin Square Connecting the World

Greetings Comrades! Hello Lenin Soviet Museum

Soviet Snack Lunch Soviet Style Markets Yerevan Metro

Will Spring Get the Visa to Armenia?

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When everything is blossoming and your heart is singing thats Spring. After long rainy days we've finally greeted spring in Yerevan. If you've been out today you can say that it is definitely here!!! Also, all the outdoor cafes and restaurants started working everywhere in the city giving a special beauty and liveliness to Yerevan.

Spring in Armenia, you have to see for yourself to appreciate the fineness of its colors. The green victoriously takes the lead and mild temperatures make the air very pleasant and nice. The beginning of springtime Armenians call ‘Gizh Mart’ (Crazy March), a month famous for its unpredictable weather changes. By the month of April the beauty of spring slowly spreads in Armenia from the South, visiting on its way flat and silent Ararat Valley, moving up to the hills, mountains, and over the plains of the North. Armenians themselves like to visit the rural areas of the country and absorb all the joys of the season after a long and cold winter. It seems that grass and trees grow at once wearing all the gorgeous shades of green. The numb hills of the South and sleeping forests of the North become alive with the first beams of heartwarming Sun. There is moisture in the air from the rains and the scent coming from blooming trees and flowers follows you everywhere. Spring holidays and festivals bring people together and you can see happy Armenians walking on the streets for a friendly chat with neighbors and if one could count the smiles during the year, springtime would be the absolute winner.

Visit Armenia and enjoy this beauty with us.

Travel Signs – Sign to travel!

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

One of the joys of travel is coming across unusual things. Things you wouldn’t see back home, and that’s why they are unusual and somewhat funny. These can include things like restaurant menus – for instance when you feel like a nice juicy piece of steak but notice the menu has spelt it “Stake” and you are not sure of whether you should go ahead and order or not?!

Well, thanks to one of our friends, he shared a photo of a funny sign he took while travelling some time ago (in Spain). It was so funny we had to share it with you. We thought it might inspire you to get up and travel and discover new places and more unusual and funny things! And when you do …. go ahead and share them with us!

Wally Touring Armenia

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Breaking News: The infamous Wally has been in hiding for a long time. Many have been searching for him but to no avail. However we have just received a text message by staff at Envoy Hostel in Yerevan’ Armenia. They have in fact not only cited Wally but have hosted him at the Hostel. Hovik one of the night receptionists said “he kept wearing the same red and white stripped outfit day and night so after a couple of days we got suspicious of who he was”. Apparently Wally booked to stay for a day but has ended up staying there for an entire week. He has been heard to say that it feels like a home away from home, and the staff are so friendly he doesn’t feel like leaving.

Reportedly, Wally has also taken Envoy’s Free Walking Tour of Yerevan, guided by none other than Gevorg the Great (apparently they are now best mates – Wally even gave him one his stripped T-Shirts as a gift)! Wally plans to take the new Soviet Yerevan Tour of Envoy and is looking forward to this new experience.

Wally has been so inspired by the hospitality he has received at Envoy Hostel and Tours that he plans to travel around the entire country. So if you are looking for Wally your best bet is to hop on the next plane to this beautiful country in the Caucaus’ Armenia.

Come find Wally!

Happy April Fools Day from the Envoy Team!!

Earth Hour Initiative at Envoy Hostel, Yerevan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Every year the major Cities around the World switch off their lights for one hour in remembrance of the Earth Hour. This eco initiative was started in Sydney 5 years ago to emphasize the fact that we need to care about our planet our bigger home. We realize that our future is in our hands and we create our tomorrow now.

Although we are small but we believe everyone can make a difference and Envoy Hostel joined this initiative second year in a row on the 26^th of March. In true Envoy style we have been organizing special events for the Earth Hour at the hostel. Following the example of the last year when we had a ‘Toast Night’ this year we had a ‘Game Night’ to enjoy some Armenian wine and just have fun with our guests. This year we played ‘Mafia’ if you’ve never played this game you should definitely try it one day. Mafia nights at Envoy are very famous and everyone is invited to join us next time.( http://envoyhostel.com/blog/?p=814)

Once again we want to thank all the guests of Envoy that have been with us at our guest lounge for the Earth Hour joining this important event and showing their support. Also we want to thank our industry friend TopTable restaurant that joins Envoy for the Earth Hour for the second time.

Cycling in Armenia – Possible and Great FUN!

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We are always hosting some amazing people at Envoy Hostel, pepole with a passion to travel and tour the world but also sometimes with special talents. Last month we had one guest’ Stu Biggs who came to Armenia all the way from Cairns, Australia. Stu had been traveling for almost 8 months and ridden 12,000 miles on his bike to reach Yerevan.

The fascinating thing was that Stu not only cycled through winter terrain, often camping in sub zero conditions he also travelled with his unique musical instrument’ the didgeridoo – an aboriginal musical instrument, which was indeed a new experience for most of the Envoy team. We didn’t only have the chance to see that instrument but also hear it played by Stu. Thats when we discovered other musical talents of our guests’ Gorion who played his harmonica so nicely.

Thanks to Stu for his wonderful travel story and for introducing us to the great sound of the didgeridoo. We’ve actually made a little video about him. Check this out.

Tourist Destination in Yerevan: Pak Shuka – hurry, time is running out!

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It’s the last chance to visit one of the institutions of Yerevan! The well known Pak Shuka (Closed Market when literally translated) is closing its doors, soon to be renovated. Who knows what it will be like once the refurbishments are complete? So if you are in Yerevan – make sure you visit this grand bazaar which is in a league of its own before your opportunity runs out. It is aimed to close in early May 2011.

You can also take the Envoy Hostel and Tours FREE Walking Tour which stops at the markets for a quick look.Here’s a short blog about it:One of the most impressionable markets in Yerevan is the Pak Shuka. This market situated on the main artery of Yerevan’ Mashtots Ave (opposite the blue mosque) has a presence of its own. The entrance is an amazing artwork in its own right, a massive semicircular iron structure with intricate detail – a master piece! Passing through this work of art you step inside to discover another world!

You are greeted by vendors of all types asking you to sample their goods – from delicious homemade dried fruits stuffed with nuts (try the stuffed orange or tomatoes for something unique!), paper thin fruit ‘lavash’, ‘sujukh’ (local walnuts threaded on string and dipped in grape molasses! Simply yum!) right through to fresh ‘lavash’ bread and organic fruit and vegetables and stalls selling herbs and spices.

The Pak Shuka is a feast for the eyes as much as it is for the stomach. So much an institution as well as a Tourist destination!

There are even songs written about it and sung inside it! (check the youtube link posted above). You can also get a ‘taste’ of this wonderful place through the images posted here.

Envoy in the Press

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Following attendance of the Hostelworld Conference in London (Feb 2011), Envoy has been mentioned in a couple of articles. To find out more check:

These articles talk about Armenia being included as a separate category at the HOSCAR Award 2011.

HOSCAR Party at Envoy Hostel

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

HOSCAR Party at Envoy Hostel It was time for another party at Envoy! Planning such ‘Qef’ or Armenian parties always gets us excited. As mentioned in our previous blog Envoy Hostel was recently honoured with a HOSCAR as “Best Hostel in Armenia” and we couldn’t let this go just like that. “There has to be a party!” we thought and so last Friday night we had another fantastic occasion for a ‘Qef’ at Envoy.

We invited some of our good friends from the US Embassy, American Councils, TopTable, Habitat, Peace Corps and of course our dearest Guests to join us at our lovely guest lounge to have some delicious Armenian ‘Khorovats’ (BBQ), to toast for the bright future and of course to dance, dance, dance as there is no Armenian gathering without Armenian music and Armenian ‘tashi tushi’ dances.

Our multi-talented Envoy Team members, known for their fun loving and friendliness, even baked a super special rainbow cake for the occasion, especially decorated to mark the event! It not only looked good but tasted great too!

We even played some fun games that Envoy is so well known for. The atmosphere was so fun and inviting that our guests stayed till very late.

It was also very touching to have one of our good friends’ Elvira Dana (Country Director for American Council) to give an impromptu speech thanking Envoy Hostel and Tours for being such a warm and friendly hosts for their visitors while in Armenia. We are equally thankful for their support and friendship over the years. It was really special for us to share this special occasion surrounded by our dear friends.

It was a great night which will go down as part of ‘Envoy Great Parties’ history. Thanks to everyone for coming and sharing those wonderful moments with us.

We all had a lot of FUN!!!

Envoy Hostel voted the BEST in Armenia at the HOSCARS

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

What was the best surprise ever that made you unable to speak for a few seconds?

If something like this happened to you then you can definitely imagine how Ani Safaryan and Erik Carapetian, two of our staff members felt when Envoy Hostel was recognized as the best hostel under the category of ‘Country Winners’ at the Hostelworld.com HOSCAR Awards 2011 in London.

This was the best news for us all, something that we didn’t even guess could happen, as it was the first time a category for Armenia had been created.

It was the second time that Envoy Hostel participated at the Hostelworld.com conference and HOSCAR award ceremony. There were 400 participants from around the world at the event this year and it was the 9^th annual HOSCAR Award.

HOSCAR stands for Hostelworld.com Customers Annual Ratings and it’s the only award in this industry based on the guests’ reviews. The ratings sum up the scores of six different criteria that guests give feedback on after visiting the hostel. Those aspects are - fun, cleanliness, staff, security, location and character. In 2010 over a million travelers reviewed 25,000 properties in 180 countries worldwide. Taking these impressive numbers into account we can’t express how happy we are to be a HOSCAR award recipient.

But that was not the only surprise of the evening! We were unbelievably excited to share our happiness with our industry friends who also were recognized as the best hostels in their countries (Hostelche from Serbia, Hostel Mostel from Bulgaria, and Transylvania Hostel from Romania).

Once again we want to congratulate all our dearest friends and guests with this great achievement and thank for the love and support that we had through all these years!

Latest 'Old' Fashion - History Revealed in Armenia

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Fancy a 5,900 year old skirt? Perhaps it wouldn’t quite make it to the runways of Milan or Paris, but pair it up with the recently found 5,500 year old shoe; only a few months ago and you’ve got the foundation for an interesting outfit! What is significant is that these ancient artefacts are being found in Armenia!

During our custom tour to Noravank for the US Embassy Staff, we also visited the cave where archaeologists made these unbelievable discoveries. Boris, one of the leading archaeologists of Armenian National Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, was to guide us and tell us more about these exciting findings.

The cave Areni 1 is in Vayots Dzor region near Areni village on the way to Noravank.

Beside the oldest shoe and the skirt they also found children’s graves here. There is a presumption that these children (girls) came from the same family that were sacrificed and buried with a special ritual. The group of young scientists also found a goat that was mummified in a special way; much differently than the famous Egyptian mummies.Why all these objects were found together in the same cave still remains undiscovered but the group carries on the excavations to find the answers.

With Mt Ararat a ‘stone throw’ away, where biblically Noah’s Ark has landed (Gen 8:4), this ancient land has a deep history and culture. Armenia as a nation dates back to BC dates. So, it’s not entirely surprising to find such old artefacts. However things have indeed moved on. Today the streets of Yerevan are adorned by Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren and the like. So you see, if visiting Armenia, prepare yourself for a land of contrasts – from the old and cultural to the latest and the best. There is so much to see and do in this country dubbed the “open air museum”. There is something to interest everyone.

Wings of Tatev or The Longest Cable Car in the World

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

A trip to the inspiring Tatev monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage candidate) just got easier. Perched high up on a cliff edge, the usual way to reach this monastery was via a narrow, winding road, climbing up the side of the mountain. But now, reaching the peak takes only 11 minutes, since the world’s longest cable car is now in operation, making it easily accessible for more people to visit this historic site.The cable car

The cable car was recently constructed and opened for operation on the 16th October. Armenia has a focus to develop its tourism industry. This state of the art and modern cable car is yet another initiative towards improving local infrastructure and making Armenia’s historic sites more accessible to all and encouraging tourism.

The fact that this is the longest aerial tramway in the world itself will attract people to come, to see and experience this wonderful miracle of human imagination. The scenery that opens up from the cable car’s window and the natural beauty of the Armenian landscape is even more appealing.

Tatev monastery, a ninth century monastery was of significant importance in Medieval Armenia being an outstanding cultural and educational center. Positioned in a unique vantage point, you will see why it will be one of the highlights of visiting Armenia. The views from this monastery are incredible and indeed unforgettable.Tatev from a little close up!

If you haven’t seen Tatev yet, now you have another reason to visit Armenia and see this living beauty with your own eyes. At Envoy we are always happy to be your informational support so if you have any questions regarding your trip to Armenia/Tatev write to us via – info@envoyhostel.com. :)

Yerevan is 2792 Years Young!!!

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The capital of Armenia is older than Rome, Athens and has the same age as Babylon, Nineveh, and Persepolis. The famous Armenian king Argishti (I) established the city of Erebuni in 782 BC. Within the centuries Erebuni changed its pronunciation many times and finally became known as Yerevan. It was not only the name that changed but also its appearance. The modern “look” of Yerevan was designed by a famous Soviet architect Alexander Tamanyan. He designed the city to be facing the biblical Mount Ararat that used to be and still is the symbol of Armenia.The Republic Square!!! After few years of hard work, Yerevan - the city of Tamanyan’s dreams, was ready to meet its first visitors. The Armenian capital is one of the oldest cities in the Caucasus.The ceremony of celebrations in the Northern Ave.

Yerevan marked its 2792nd anniversary on the 10th of October this year. This year the our city is 2792 years young!celebrations were on a grand scale. There were numerous performances and concerts in more than 20 different venues of the city circle. The festivities started early in the morning and finished at midnight in the Republic Square, with thousands of people gathered to enjoy the performances, fireworks and the atmosphere. Every year the organizers pick a special slogan for the celebrations. Erebuni Yerevan 2010 - "We are Yerevan" The slogan of 2010 was “We are Yerevan” encouraging everybody to take care of their capital like their homes. Firework at the Republic Square!

Envoy Hostel & Tours congratulates everyone with this beautiful occasion.The Evening Show at the Rep. Square And if you missed out on the fun this year, we invite you to come and celebrate Yerevan’s 2793rd birthday with us next year. :)

Envoy is Five Years Old!

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Its Party time! Envoy Hostel and Tours turned 5 years old on the 30th September 2010. We celebrated this occasion with a huge party on 2nd of October. Our friends, guests and team came together to mark this event with lots of games, music and delicious food and of course local Armenian fruit wines. Our guests included representatives from local businesses, Armenian Tourism Development Authority (ATDA – the local Tourist Info office), American Council, UN, CAPS, PCV’s, past team members and many more who we have become friends with and an extension to the Envoy family over the years. :)

We also recognized the commitment and dedication of 6 of our Envoy team members who have been part of the Envoy team since the very beginning.

These five years have been full of important achievements, great experiences and wonderful friendships. All the nice reviews and comments that Envoy has been receiving for all these years re-enforces that Envoy has gained an international recognition and wonderful friends worldwide which we appreciate. We are all thankful to God for his blessings and our fiends who have been supporting us for all these five beautiful years.

We look forward to future friendships and experiences in the years to come!

Happy Birthday Envoy! :D

Sassoun Dance Group Tours Armenia

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy has hosted not only thousands of individual travelers but also many different groups for all the years of operation. What we love about the groups is that they come to Armenia with a certain purpose. Recently we’ve had few groups staying with us and here is the first story about one of them. Sassoun at Envoy

Starting from the 21st of July Envoy was completely booked out. Why? - Sassoun Dance Ensemble finally arrived. :) Forty bright and talented young people came to Armenia to be a part of the “One Nation, One Culture” fest 2010. We were very happy for the opportunity to meet all these guys and to have our little part in this wonderful festival. It was a completely new experience for our staff. We met more than 40 Canadian-Armenians who spoke perfect Armenian and had such a great feeling for their motherland.

The official opening ceremony was started with the beautiful performance of Sassoun Dance Ensemble on the 22nd of July at the Republic Square. People enjoyed Sassoun performing within 10 more days in all over Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). As the guys mentioned they loved the part of traveling in Armenia the most. They could see and appreciate people and the real life in Armenia. The gang:)

Many of them like Sareen, Nyrie and Taline had been to Armenia before and as they said this time it was all about dancing and being a real Armenian. Dancing in an Armenian ensemble in Canada is exactly what keeps these youth so close to their Armenian roots, as they defined themselves they are the most traditional dance group in Canada. All the costumes are designed by Sossy Avakian the assistant instructor and costume coordinator. The artistic director & choreographer of the group is Joe Avakian a real professional who is really zealous about his job and the kids from the group.

Yerevan Night LifeStaying at a hostel was the first experience for most of the kids but they loved it a lot. This is what they said about Envoy, “Clean, homie, hospitable, safe and very friendly, a place where you always want to be back.” The warmth and friendliness of Armenians is something that they will always remember wherever they are. They were also enchanted with our capital city’ Yerevan and here is what they said about it, “Yerevan was an absolutely amazing city where you never get bored, the night life goes on until the early morning, something that you never see in Canada.”

Dear Sassoun, Envoy wishes you many successful performances and beautiful moments in your artistic future!Night Fin Continues :)

There will be more stories about all the groups we hosted as they all have something special we want to write about so stay tuned.

Joke or Reality? Armenian Stonehenge – The Oldest in the World

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

What if someone tells you that the oldest Stonehenge is in Armenia and it is 3500 years older than the British Stonehenge, older than Karnak in France and Newgrenge in Ireland? Would you believe this?

The Stonehenge monument of Armenia is located some 200 km (124 miles) away from Yerevan. It consists of over 223 shaped stones, 84 of them have smooth angled holes of 4 to 5cm in diameter, directed to different points on the horizon. Many scholars believe that these unique stones were used as an ancient observatory.In fact Armenians are one of the first to observe the Sun, Moon and stars. The fact that chips of transparent obsidian glass were found at the site spawned the theory that the pre-historic inhabitants of the region placed them inside the holes for magnification.Some scientists believe that Carahunge (Stonehenge in Armenian) was built some five thousand years ago; others argue that it is 7,500 years old.
If you are planning to visit Armenia then you should include this historical place in your trips outside of Yerevan. We are always happy at Envoy to help you explore the most amazing parts of Armenia and make your travel adventure memorable.

You can find more information about Carahunge at http://www.tacentral.com/karahundj/karahundj1.asp

* All photos are taken from http://www.carahunge.com/

World Cup 2010

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

When the entire world comes together at one place for one reason it is time for football. World Cup of 2010 takes place in South Africa.Thousands of people are in Johannesburg now to watch the matches with their own eyes. But what if you are traveling and can’t be a part of the World Cup 2010. No worries, it’s very easy to arrange! Wherever you go and whatever you do if there is a good game you can’t simply miss it. Moreover almost all the cities of the world are infected with football so they regularly broadcast the best games either live or even online.

Most of our guests staying at Envoy hostel are big fans of their national teams and wait for the games impatiently. Everyday our guest lounge becomes a mini stadium where we all gather together to watch our favorite team playing. The atmosphere is vibrant (even without live vuvuzela’s ). We host people from so many different countries of the world that no matter which team takes the desirable Cup we will always have winners at Envoy.
Ole-ole-ole-oleee

Mike Beats Envoy’s Record

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

How many countries have you visited? What’s your personal record? Those are very important questions for every backpacker. Keeping this in mind we usually try to find out more about our guests’ experiences and countries they have visited.

Recently we had a couple staying with us from Cayman Islands. Michael and Lister have been travelling together for the last few decades experiencing all the interesting parts of independent travel. Michael himself started travelling since 1962 when he was a medical student. Being a doctor helped him a lot as he traveled all over the world because of his work. Armenia was his 170th country and this number simply amazed us. This was the first time we had a guest who had been to so many countries. Before coming to Armenia they were in Antarctica. This is what they had to say about their memorable trip.

“The Antarctic Peninsular is amazing. The landscape is desolation in monochrome. The blue of the ice is incredible, the odd red beak of a penguin and the reds and oranges of the lichens growing on the rocks are the only colors. Even the seals dissolve into the landscape, looking like large stones on the beach. The birds add to the camouflage and are almost invisible.

Unfortunately there was more sea ice than is usual for the time of year and we could only make one landing on the Antarctic Peninsular but the excitement was also in the journey and we had, as you will see, wonderful weather for iceberg blues. Photography was sometimes a struggle. I now have a monopod and a small Nikon P90 which is compact and weather resistant but I was sometimes defeated by cold hands, snow and a cloudy wet lens. I kept a scarf around my neck to dry the lens and a plastic bag over the camera. The best bet would have been to buy a camera that fitted into an underwater camera cover!

The ship we took had no stabilizers so we rocked and rolled over Christmas and celebrations were postponed for a couple of days. Amazingly, neither of us was seasick but we were a small minority in a Force 9/10 storm! On Christmas evening we were confined to cabins and almost thrown our supper in plastic bowls and it was almost impossible to stand upright, but this is normal in the South Atlantic and the storm only lasted for half a day and a night. The food was excellent and the fresh fruit and vegetables lasted all 22 days of the cruise. We enjoyed wonderful walks in warm sunshine on the tundra of the Falklands and South Georgia. The temperature at sea was warmer than New York or the United Kingdom, around freezing during the day but the wind was strong and bitingly cold so we needed to cover our faces as we neared the Antarctic Circle.

If you are backpacking in Patagonia, it is much cheaper to go to the port of Ushaia on the southernmost tip of Argentina, having first checked the times the cruises leave online and you might be lucky and get a good deal.

This was a once in a lifetime experience, very enjoyable and exciting and professionally planned and executed and one we will never forget it.”

We are grateful of Mike, sharing his experience and memories with us. And on that note I’d like to ask our friends: Whats the most amazing and memorable trip for you?

German Enlightenment in Yerevan

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Recently Envoy has been hosting a lot of musicians. So when Satori Quartet decided to stay with us we were very excited to host them here. “Satori” means enlightenment so we can surely say that Yerevan was enlightened by the pure heart music of these four young professionals.
They all come from Germany who used to play in the same orchestra and later formed their own quartet. Members of the Satori say that being as a chamber music ensemble they want to open guitar music to a wider audience both by maintaining the classical guitar repertoire and by interpreting the works dedicated to the guitar quartet.

Karl Rensch and Michael Zeuner first had the idea of organizing concerts in the Caucasus. Two years earlier these guys visited Armenia and Georgia as backpackers. They were amazed by the natural beauty of this region and deeply touched by the cultural heritage of these countries. When they got back to Germany they tried to find and contact few officials in Yerevan and Tbilisi to organize charity concerts here. Their bright idea was immediately accepted and soon they had their instruments packed ready to further pursue their goal. After getting here they rented a car and started travelling from one country to the other. Their daily schedule was very interesting – 6, 7 hours of sightseeing and only 1or 2 hours of practicing the pieces they were going to perform. Being independent travelers and musicians on the road was the main highlight of their trip.

Their last stop was Yerevan. Envoy was the first hostel they stayed in after staying in a number of B&Bs and families on their way to Armenia. The performance at Lover’s Park was a completely new experience for the musicians. This was the first time Satori played in a park where the public was so far away from the stage but so much engaged into their music. They even wanted to have a little concert at Envoy but there was not enough time for this.

Their next destination is going to be Brazil after which they will release their first CD.

We wish you best of luck with all your goals!

For more details about their art check them on www.satoriquartett.de

Marco Polo of Our Days

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

When we are young we all have many dreams that we forget once we get older but some people always stay young and make their dreams a reality.

Working at a hostel gives an excellent opportunity to meet enthusiastic people ready for many adventures and experiences. Often we hear many interesting stories and here is one of them that we want to share with you.

One of our great guests from Netherlands Bart Jan Vander Vorst stayed at envoy in the beginning of May. He has been travelling since he was ten and always keeping a journal where he wrote down everything about his travels. He has visited more than 70 countries and when he got his own blog he started sharing all his experiences with other travelers through his personal travel blog (www.travbuddy.com/biedjee).

Once a wise man told him that 30 was not the age to start growing up, 35 was. It was about a year ago when he suddenly realized that 35 was rapidly approaching and he had to put all his money together and start planning another great trip of his life. The most amazing part of his journey was that he decided to travel in the footsteps of Marco Polo, loosely following the ancient Silk Road through 20 countries from Europe to China, using nothing but public transport, without setting foot on a plane (it’s more fun if there’s more challenge!). At that point when he was in Armenia he had been already traveling for 7 weeks and was going to continue his voyage for another 9 months.

His trip to Armenia was not planned. Bart defines himself to be someone that never plans his tours so the decision to come to Armenia was made unexpectedly while visiting Turkey. The only thing that he couldn’t change was the shortage of time. He wanted to stay in the Caucasus for a longer time because he realized there were so many fascinating things yet to see in this region. One of his tips for future travelers was to try to have a longer stay in Yerevan; it is a great place to hang around and chill.

Although he never takes guided tours he took few of envoy tours because he didn’t have much time to organize everything on his own. That was really exciting to see that he wrote in his blog about Armenia and places he visited here ( In the afternoon we do some Christian…,A natural disaster,… and some Pagan).

Envoy staff wishes you safe roads and great experiences on your endless journeys.

Deep Purple Bridges Armenia and Georgia

Sat, 29 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

25th of May was significant not only for Yerevan and Armenia but for the Caucasus in particular. The legendary rock band Deep Purple decided to visit Yerevan with a concert after 20 years since the first time Ian Gillan visited Armenia. The news about the concert spread out wide and far getting all the way to Georgia our closest neighbors in the North. Over 500 people came to Armenia to take part in this exciting event. This was not surprising as Georgians are famous for their musical talents and they are very fond of good music. Although Envoy is very small, we were very happy to host some of the group here at our hostel.

We have hosted many groups since the very first day of Envoy’s opening. All have been very special to us but this group was probably the most musical one. They were all students with different specializations. Few of them were professional musicians who play in different pubs in Tbilisi like the Dublin and the Flat. It was the first time in Yerevan for most of them but they loved it so much that they promised to be back very soon for a longer stay.

The day after the concert, while they were waiting for their bus, they decided to give an impromptu street performance, right in front of envoy hostel! Duda and Machvie played for almost an hour singing one great song after another. We all had a great time. It was unbelievable when we found out that Machvie didn’t speak any English and performed only in Georgian.

These guys belong to the Funk House Band, based in Tbilisi. They play almost every evening in the pubs of the capital. So if you are heading to Tbilisi, you might want to go see them perform, they are really good

Yerevan Hash House Harriers (H3)

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

What happens when people who love sports and beer meet together? They form a so called kennel of the worldwide Hashing movement and start their running/drinking activities.

Hashing was started by English officers some 70 years ago in Kuala Lumpur. It was all about chasing the hare and finding the trail and finally when harriers reached the end of the trail they were rewarded with beer. This interesting and entertaining tradition started by English officers in Malaysia got spread out and reached the furthest parts of the world. Armenia was not an exception on this account. There is a big hashing community in Yerevan that regularly organizes Hashes for local harriers.

Every year we have a special event organized in our region named Inter – Caucasus Hash that brings together the Yerevan (Armenia), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Baku (Azerbaijan) Hash Houses, rotating among the three capitals. In 2009 Yerevan hosted hashers from over 25 different countries. This year Tbilisi was honored to be the capital of the Inter-Caucasus Hash 2010. Envoy has been an active member of Yerevan Hash Harriers House for almost a year; we even went to Tbilisi this year to be a part of Inter-Caucasus Hash 2010. We are not sure if we can make it all the way to Malaysia for the annual International Hash but we are sure we’ll remain very active in our Yerevan Hash House.

ON ON dear friends!

Air of Armenia – Top Souvenir!

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

You’ve travelled many wonderful places and come across many different ‘must have’ souvenirs. A NYC T-shirt, a mini Eiffel Tower, a toy koala perhaps? and the list goes on, each a treasure in their own right, a memory of a experiences you’ve had. But what’s the one souvenir that sticks in your mind? The one you cant wait to tell people about? The one you try to work into conversation with friends for a bit of a ‘show and tell’?

It could be a bullet pen from Bosnia, a Soviet relic from Russia or a piece of the Berlin wall (at least that’s what they said it was when I paid 10 Euro for the micro piece of concrete with some graffiti on it ok Im gullible).

But for one of our envoy guests, it was a souvenir she picked up from Armenia. She found the perfect souvenir in the can of “Air of Armenia” pictured below. This ‘super souvenir’ contains nothing in the can! Its labelling explains the ingredients to include: Air of Yerevan 20%, Mountain air 25%,…. Odour of lavash (a local bread) 5%, smell of neighbours barbeque 5%!! and also a method (apply regularly when outside of Armenia on the symptoms of home sickness!).
She commented that: “It appealed to my sense of humour but the best bit, as a backpacker, was that it was light weight and affordable! A true winner – loved it! Loved Armenia! Loved envoy!”.

Well now we invite you to come and experience the ‘un-canned’ air of Armenia and why not take the souvenir with you!

Better yet – we invite you to send us your ‘super souvenir’ you’ve found in your travels! What treasures have you discovered? Write to us about it and send a photo and we’ll feature it!

Stop Dreaming – Start Cycling! Armenia awaits you :)

Sun, 02 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Working in a hostel is a lot of fun and a great experience that one can gain. One of those interesting experiences that we had at Envoy was not that long ago. We had a Korean guy staying with us for couple of days that was a cycling tourist, one of those few people who came to Armenia on their bikes. At that point he had been on the road for almost a year and Armenia was his tenth country. Before getting here he already managed to cycle through China, Tibet, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Nepal, India, Iran and finally Armenia.

This was an unbelievable story for some of our staff as some of us have hardly ever ridden a bike but for Jeongchan it was a childhood dream to cycle around the world and after his military service he had a wonderful opportunity to make his dream come true. After traveling for almost a year Armenia was a very nice stop for Jeongchan; people were very kind to him and he was surprised at Armenian hospitality, something that Armenians are really famous for. As a cyclist he liked the roads in Yerevan a lot because they were wide and safe with traffic lights. He was going to continue his travels to Georgia, Turkey, Greece, and all the way to his final destination – Portugal.

Envoy wishes you only safe and nice roads on the journey of your dreams!

We are very excited that cycle tourism gets more popular here and our story reveals that Armenia is not only a welcoming destination for backpackers but also for cycling tourists!

Get up and Dance!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

As the Eurovision song contest heats up for 2010, Yerevan was dancing to the beat of InCulto, the Lithuanian contestant as they tour around Europe.

Armenia is also participating in this years contest with Eva Rivas signing ‘Apricot Stone’. We at envoy are looking forward to this annual event as we love music.

Here is the video clip of InCulto’s trip to Armenia. You can sample what Armenia has to offer through the eyes of these talented musicians but you must get up and dance with them! Actually its hard not to, they have a fun song! InCulto gets 12 points from envoy!

Let the music begin!

Happy Easter!

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Holy Easter or Surb Zatik (in Armenian) on the 4th of April this year. This is one of the most important spiritual holidays of Armenia. Easter means a lot for Armenians; people start getting ready for the celebrations few days before the big day. Every family should make a special pilaf from rice and raisin and there should be a lot of painted Easter eggs. The process of preparations for the celebration is a lot fun especially for the youngest members of the family; they usually run around with their dyed eggs showing others what they got.

Although all the traditions are fun and bring the families together it is also important to focus on the true meaning of this occasion. On this significant day people greet each other with words, – “Christ is risen from the dead.” However this should not be a once a year reflection but the foundation for everyday. On this note, Envoy wishes you a happy Easter and we leave you with a couple of Bible verses to reflect upon:

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life… John 3:36

Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

The Great 27th

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

As it was already mentioned in our previous post on March 27 Envoy switched off their lights for one hour. Almost all the guests who were staying with Envoy joined this initiative by switching off the lights in their rooms and gathered in the guest lounge. Alongside our guests we also had many other people who visited us that day from different NGOs, tour agencies and other places. We all had a wonderful toast night with good wine, great company and a very warm atmosphere.

Special thanks to Made in Armenia Direct souvenirs’ shop, TopTable Buffet, That Place Bar and all those who joined us for the Earth Hour 2010. We appreciate their support for our event but also for being inspired to join Earth Hour too and switching their lights off! We started a beautiful tradition on 27th that will be remembered every year from now on. Hope to see you here next time

Be Green with Envoy!

Earth Hour at Envoy

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Every year, for one hour, the entire world gets united for one reason: the Earth Hour! Everything started back in 2007 when Sydney first switched off the lights of its major sights like the famous Opera House. The goal of this campaign was to raise public awareness about the global ecological issues and to show that we care about our future generations. During these last four years a great number of different countries around the globe have joined this important initiative of the Earth Hour.

When Envoy got the WWF email about this wonderful opportunity we immediately decided to join in.

Envoy Hostel was established in Yerevan and has been in operation for almost five years. The initiative of the Earth Hour is something close to our hearts because since the very beginning of our opening we have tried to do our bit to be environmentally friendly and to conserve our natural resources.

We’ve implemented a few water saving measures such as flow restrictors on all shower heads and taps, dual flush toilets allowing the option of using less water. For lighting we have wired the areas to allow more control over different areas allowing us to switch off lights by isolating different sections of the hostel. Initially diesel was used to provide hot water and central heating, but we switched to natural gas at the first opportunity as it is the cleanest and most environmentally friendly option. We also have an awareness campaign’ “Be Green with Envoy” throughout the hostel. Reducing energy and water use is good for the environment (not to mention it provides cost savings too) – the more we save the more we can support the community and Armenia, and ultimately our Planet!

This year on the 27th of March, Envoy switches off the lights in the common areas and invites all our guests and friends alike to join us in our guest lounge to take part in a special entertainment night – “Armenian Toast Night” where we all shall say our toast to the World. We are very happy that our dear friends’ TopTable Buffet, That Place Bar, the chain of souvenirs’ shop Made in Armenia Direct and ATDA will also join us for the Earth Hour 2010.

Although we are small but we can be the change we want to see in the world!

True Envoy of Armenia

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy is passionate about Armenia. We love to showcase Armenia as there is so much to see and do here. Although tourism has been growing over the past several years, we see any opportunity to promote Armenia as a destination a duty for us to undertake. So when the chance to attend the Dublin Hostelworld Conference came up we took the chance to go to a few places in Europe and essentially raise awareness about Armenia as a tourist destination.

We were greeted with enthusiasm and intrigue. Not everyone knows of Armenia and has not considered traveling here. We managed to introduce Armenia to a range of audiences from other hostel owners, travel agents, travel writers, NGO’s, diasporan Armenians and just simply interested tourists.

Envoy Hostel and Tours feels privileged to be a true international representative of Armenia and a host to so many cultures while in Armenia. Over the past 5 years we have hosted guests from over 75 countries who have stayed with us and taken our tours. We invite the balance of the 125 odd countries in the world to also come to Armenia to see what this small country, known as the open air museum has to offer, and to encounter Armenia with envoy.

Envoy in the Press

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Following attendance of the Hostelworld Conference in Dublin (Jan 2010), Envoy has been mentioned in a couple of articles. To find out more check:

ArmeniaNow online magazine

Armenian Tourism Development Agency

Both articles talk about the use of social networks in promoting your business which was the main theme of Hostelworld Conference.

Envoy Samples the Luck of the Irish

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

After attending the Hostelworld Conference in Dublin in January, Envoy along with a group of other hostel owners toured around Ireland together.

Starting from Dublin, the group consisting of Erdem from Chillout HostelIstanbul, Brian from Gold Coast Hostel Lagos Portugal the one with the amazing hair!), Csaba from Aboriginal Hostel Hungary, Bojan and Dunja from Hostelche Hostel Belgrade Serbia, Iuliana from Transylvania Hostel Cluj Napoca Romania, Sergey and Lyuba from Soul Kitchen Hostel St Petersburg Russia, Haris from Haris Youth Hostel, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina, Erik and Gevorg from Envoy Hostel, toured the southern half of Ireland. From Dublin to Kilkenny (where apparently the plot to Kill Kennedy originated – not ), to Cork and then to Kenmare and the Ring of Kerry all the way to Kilarney,– each beautiful in their own right.

We travelled along some of the most inspiring ocean view drives and admired the natural beauty of Ireland. We were greeted by many hospitable Hostels along the way.

Although the tour around Ireland was indeed amazing, the best part of the trip was sharing our experiences and brainstorming ideas about how to improve our hostels. The networking and the friendships formed were the highlight of the week and we would not exchange it, not even for a four leaf clover nor a pot a gold .

Envoy Goes to Hostelworld Conference, Dublin

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Every year Hostelworld holds a conference in Dublin and for the first time, Envoy participated in the 2010 event.

The conference was attended by more than 350 delegates from different hostels across the world on the 25th and 26th January. The focus of this years conference was around effective utilisation of Social networks. This is a topic close to Envoy’s heart.

Envoy has been one of the first to adopt and harness the social network channels in Armenia (more info). It was encouraging to find out at the conference that most people have heard about Envoy through facebook and twitter.

The conference was an excellent opportunity to network with other hostel owners and managers and to exchange ideas and learn more about the hostel industry.

Hostelworld also holds an awards event called the Hoscars(Hostelworld Customers Annual Ratings), where the top ranking hostels are recognized. The ranking is based on six criteria: character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness.

This years winners included Lisbon based hostels’ Travellers House, Rossio Hostel and Lisbon Lounge (respectively ranked at 98%, 96% and 96%). To compare Envoy Hostel enjoys a ranking of 93% and has consistently achieved the ranking of a Top European Hostel since its inception in 2005.

Best of all, the conference has provided an opportunity for Envoy to cement its relationship with many other hostels and we look forward to the opportunity to meet again at other similar events, and of course to keep in contact through facebook.

First Snow of 2010 in Yerevan! Hurray!

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday we had our first snow in Yerevan and that was very exciting especially for the kids. It’s very common here to see kids making snowballs in winter time although this can be fun entertainment for the adults as well. Whenever you are in Armenia don’t be surprised if you see many Armenians having fun just playing snowballs outside. It might be an interesting experience for you to join them and try to be as good as they are, try to beat them.
So, if you haven’t decided yet what to do for the next winter break you can plan to spend your winter holidays here in Armenia! We have many fascinating places that will enchant you from the very first visit. Armenia has a special beauty in winter time.
Envoy hostel organizes tours to different parts of Armenia as in summer as well as in winter time so we’ll be happy to help you out with the planning of your visit to our ancient country. We are always here for all your questions and any info that you need. Contact us by our email – info@envoyhostel.com
Here you can find some photos from our recent winter trips.

New Years Eve Masquerade Party at Envoy

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Come celebrate New Years Eve at Envoy! Welcoming 2010 in true Envoy style, we are having a masquerade party. There will be lots of fun games and music and of course the warm atmosphere envoy is well known for. There is no admission fee, but if you can just bring a mask with you.

There is a famous Russian saying that Armenians like a lot, which says: “The way you greet the New Year is the way you’ll spend the coming year.” This is the reason why all Armenian families want to have the best New Year ever. So for all those who are far away from their families but want to spend the best evening of 2009 and for all those who would like to join us; Envoy invites you to take part in our New Year Masquerade 2010.

Come, lets Party and welcome 2010 together!

For more info contact us via email: info@envoyhostel.com or call us by the phone (37410) 53 03 69

See You Soon Emma

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

What makes Envoy such a great place for its visitors? Exactly, the brilliant staff that works there! Our team consists of only ten people who work in peace and perfect harmony. We value each other’s work and are always there for each other to help out whenever needed. Envoy’s staff is a little family where every member is very special and unique. But it happens when some of our colleagues leave us to continue the route of their lives in some other direction. The same happened with our dearest team member Emma Seiranian who got married and moved to Paris.
Emma has been with Envoy from the very beginning of our history. During these four fruitful years she has done an excellent and unchangeable work for our hostel. Due to her enthusiastic, easygoing, creative, cheerful and always positive temper it was a great pleasure to be working with her.
Once again we congratulate you our dear Emma and wish you eternal happiness; let everything you desire in your life comes true.
Emma, we don’t say goodbye we say SEE YOU SOON.

MAFIA Evenings at Envoy

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Have you ever played MAFIA? Oh, you haven’t even heard of it; then this blog is just for you. This game was started by a student from the Psychological Department of Moscow State University. First they played it in the classrooms, dorms and summer camps of the University. Few years later the game got very popular within Soviet countries and overseas as well. Mafia is also known as Werewolf or Assassin.

Everything starts when the narrator of the game secretly assigns the players their roles: either “mafia”, who know each other; or “citizens”, who know only the number of mafia players (usually three or four) amongst them. The game is divided into two phases: the “day” phase and the “night” phase. When the “night” phase is announced all the “townspeople” fall asleep except mafia members who go on hunting. During each “night” phase mafia chooses one innocent citizen to be “killed” that night. Afterwards the “day” phase comes when all the passion starts; each player is given a minute to express his/her opinions, debate the identities of mafia members and vote to kill someone whom the majority suspects. Step by step players are being eliminated until either all mafia members are killed or the latter ones outnumber the innocents. The narrator of the game should be experienced enough in mafia to add some spice to the game with his fun jokes, humor and comical irony for the players’ entertainment. Mafia is rarely played in groups of fewer than eight, and must always start with more innocents than mafia.

Nowadays Mafia is very popular in Armenia especially among the youth so our team decided to organize mafia evenings at Envoy. We thought this could be an amazing chance for the locals and foreigners to meet and play together. This is a great opportunity for our visitors to make exchange of cultures and experiences. If this is something that sounds appealing to you join us twice a month for the mafia nights. Every other week on Saturday night at 7 PM be at Envoy and stay entertained with us. We are always glad to host you!

1st ST.ANDREW’S Day in Armenia

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

What happens when two Scottish people meet somewhere in Armenia? Yes, you are right, just like when two Armenians meet anywhere in the world, they always keep their traditions and celebrate their national holidays keeping bright the memory of their motherland in their minds. We have a few Scottish living in Armenia, mainly in Yerevan who decided to celebrate St. Andrew’s day for the first time in our country this year.

On the 30th of November all Scottish worldwide celebrate the feast day of Saint Andrew or simply St. Andrew’s Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and the Day is celebrated as Scotland’s official national day. Not that long ago in 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated St. Andrew’s Day an official bank holiday. Although Saint Andrew is mainly linked with Scotland, he is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania, Russia and some other European countries. According to the Church of Scotland St. Andrew is believed to have been responsible for spreading the tenets of the Christian religion through Asia Minor and Greece. He was put to death by the Romans in Patras, Southern Greece, on a diagonal cross. The diagonal shape of the cross is the basis for the Cross of St. Andrew which appears on the Scottish flag today.

Scotts had a real blast celebrating St. Andrew’s Day in Yerevan this year. The celebrations were organized by the great help of ABC members (Armenian British Connect) at the house of Mr. Charles Masraff the owner of “Top Table” the first buffet in Yerevan. He had invited many Armenian guests who were interested to see what St. Andrew’s Day would be like. Envoy couldn’t miss this wonderful opportunity of discovering more about a different culture so we also had our representatives at the celebrations. The guests of the event were nicely surprised when they discovered that the programme included a 4 course dinner with plenty of wine/whisky, quiz, Ceilidh (Scottish dance) disco and much more fun throughout the evening. Everything was so interesting and well organized that we couldn’t help writing a blog about this. So if you plan to be in Yerevan next year at the end of November make sure you don’t miss the celebrations of St. Andrew’s Day!
For more photos and info go to Envoy’s page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yerevan-Armenia/Envoy-Hostel/40551132184?ref=ts

OR check out ABC’s website http://www.abconnect.am

Top 10 Places to Visit in Armenia

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Armenia is an amazing Tourist Destination. Landlocked, it is neighboured by: Turkey in the West, Georgia in the North, Iran in the South and Azerbaijan in the Eastern part. The country is famous for its ancient and outstandingly rich cultural heritage. Here you will find both many natural attractions and plenty of historical landmarks within 29 thousand square kilometers which makes it such a popular tourist spot in this region.
Sightseeing in Armenia is a lot of fun and full of many adventures, discoveries and simply a cultural voyage. While sightseeing in Armenia, you will find volcanic peaks, hot springs, crystal lakes and so much more of the natural variety as well as the man made attractions.
There are ten essential places that Envoy recommends you to see while visiting our country.
1. Ancient Pagan Temple of Garni from 71 AD and Medieval Geghard Monastery carved in one piece inside a mountain.
2. Lake Sevan surrounded by Medieval Monasteries of Hayravank and Sevanavank.
3. Noratus an old cemetery with more than 500 khachkars (cross-stones) dating back up to the 10th century.
4. Khor Virap Monastery where the history of Armenian Christianity was started some 1700 years ago, nestled on the skirts of Mt Ararat.
5. Noravank Monastery the only place in all of the historic Armenian Kingdom where you find God pictured on the wall of the church. Coming back from Noravank visit the winery of Areni and taste some delicious Armenian wines. We strongly recommend trying cherry and pomegranate wines.
6. Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries two masterpieces of Armenian Medieval Architecture.
7. Spend some time in our cosmopolitan capital Yerevan and enjoy the nightlife of visiting restaurants, clubs and cafes and the markets in the daytime.
8. While in Yerevan visit the National Gallery storing the largest collection of artifacts capturing the Armenian cultural heritage.
9. Matenadaran the script museum in Yerevan where you can find an impressive collection of ancient manuscripts (make sure you have a “ponchik” a local doughnut from the nearby Grand Candy Café).
10. And finally to add some feeling of being home during your trip in Armenia just visit Envoy and chill with us and join in on our event nights!
A recent guest of Envoy from Belgium’ Joris de Bleser managed to visit almost all the places mentioned above and took some amazing photos during his trip. He has truly captured the essence of these places as well as a reflection of the Armenian culture. Enjoy these great shots with us

Volunteers of Habitat for Humanity Armenia and Envoy

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We were very excited to host some volunteers from Habitat’s team at Envoy Hostel just recently. They stayed here for almost two weeks and became really good friends of Envoy so it hasn’t been a while since they left but we already miss them.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia is a nongovernmental, nondenominational Christian charity that strives to eliminate poor housing and homelessness in Armenia. Over the years Habitat for Humanity Armenia has helped more than 550 families throughout the country to build new, decent houses for living and improve these families’ living conditions to a great extent.

Four volunteers from Canada joined the team of Habitat last month to help out with the construction work in Nshavan. Due to the help of these great people the family of Lernik Babayan from Nshavan got a brand new renovated house.

Our Canadian friends had more than a week of hard work and only few days for exploring the hidden beauty of Armenia. As their time for sightseeing was limited, Envoy organized a special touring program for them around Armenia. Our friends managed to see the gorgeous lake Sevan with the medieval monasteries around, the ancient temple of Garni and the amazing monastery of Geghard which is included among the five Armenian sites of UNESCO’s world heritage list. Their plans to climb the mount Aragats were canceled because of the bad weather but instead they went to the mystic ruins of Amberd fortress and after hiked all the way to the village of Byurakan. Here they had a delicious lunch with a local family with homemade honey and apple vodka tasting. This was not the first experience of cooperation between Envoy and Habitat so we are looking forward to continue working together.

If you are also interested in exploring Armenia within a limited time Envoy is happy to help you out with that. Encounter Armenia with Envoy Tours besides our regular tours we are always happy to organize custom trips especially for you so contact us for more info via email info@envoyhostel.com or visit www.envoyhostel.com.

For more info on Habitat for Humanity Armenia or to find out how you can get involved, check the following website – www.habitat.am

“SunChild Environmental Festival”

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

“SunChild” is the only environmental festival in the Caucasus region. Established in 2007, it is aimed at raising public awareness for environmental issues with a strong focus on educating the future generation to appreciate the environment. The festival is held every second year in the heart of our region in Yerevan. “SunChild” Festival has both international as well as local participants, from all around Armenia.

This year 23 bright “SunChild” participants stayed at Envoy during the festivities. They all had creative abilities and outstanding personalities. Among these kids were those who won special awards for the best eco project and costumes. During their stay we became really good friends so Envoy’s team decided to do something special for the “SunChildren” to make their stay even more interesting and memorable. We organized special game nights and played many different games but the best one was a game called ‘Mafia’. This game is an excellent entertainment for youngsters as well as for adults. Our “Sunchild” kids became so experienced in this game that the last battle was lost by the Envoy Team! We hope our “Sunchildren” will stay zealous in their activities of protecting our unique eco-system and environment.

For all those who are interested in playing the game “Mafia” visit our hostel every last Saturday of the month. This is a brand new game programme that was started this October with the opening of our Mafia Club at Envoy. On the 28th of November we will have our second Mafia game that may be an excellent opportunity for you to relax and meet with interesting people.

So if this sounds appealing to you come and visit us on the 28th. We’ll be glad to have you here.

For more info on Sunchild and photos of the 2009 Festival visit viahttp://www.sunchild.am website

Erebuni-Yerevan Celebrates its 2791st Anniversary

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia that was started by king Argishti I in 782 BC and named firstly as Erebuni which was renamed into Yerevan centuries later. Yerevan is one of the long living capitals of the world and on the eleventh of October we are celebrating 2791st anniversary of our city.

You will find a huge variety of different events in Yerevan that day, such as: concerts, performances, fireworks etc. Everywhere you’ll go you’ll find the atmosphere of celebration and fun.

The agenda of that day is so different and colorful that everybody will find something interesting for themselves. In the various corners of our small downtown there will be rock, jazz, blues, folk and classical concerts, the kids will be entertained by outdoor games and Puppet Theater, the traffic will be blocked and everything will finish with a special firework program in the heart of Yerevan in the Republic Square. Our city will be like a guest house for each and everyone that day so don’t miss it, be here on Sunday and celebrate with us. Let’s have some fun

For more information about the events please check viahttp://www.yerevan.am web site.

Envoy Events – Fun for Everyone

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Wondering what to do while in Yerevan? Why not come to envoy hostel, meet some new people and enjoy the atmosphere. Envoy has a wide range of events with something to suit everyone – and you don’t have to be staying with us to join in.

We have events showcasing some of our traditions and culture, like: Armenian Coffee mornings (come enjoy your coffee and have your fortune told!), Armenian Toast Night (this is not only a skill but an art form that Armenians are proud of), Armenian Dance Nights (dance the night away Armenian style!).

Other regular events include Games Nights (for all you competitive people – our games range from Pictionary to Wii and anything in between), Joke nights (bring yourself and your best joke and have a laugh with us), Movie Nights (bring on the pop corn, find a comfy spot and… lights, camera, action!).

So what are you waiting for?? Come on in and say hello and stick around for some fun!

Armenia: Welcoming Tourist Destination.

Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Armenia, relatively untouched by tourism, is becoming a popular tourist destination, attracting travelers form all parts of the world with its centuries-old history and culture, numerous religious monuments, museums and galleries.

There are three unique sites on the territory of Armenia listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites: “Monastery of Haghpat & Sanahin”, “Cathedral and Churches of Echmiadzin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots”, as well as “Geghard Monastery”. Many more places of interest are there for you to see, when you visit our small mountainous country with its diversity of picturesque nature within small areas, hospitable people, and Yerevan, the open air museum:http://www.tourism-review.com/article/1418-armenia-destination-undiscovered-.

With a wealth of local knowledge, the envoy team is able to advise you on your travel plans to Armenia. You may even choose to join one of our tours, designed to see some of these sites and get to know the real Armenia. Our tours allow a closer encounter of the lifestyle and traditions of Armenia as well as seeing the major sights.http://www.envoyhostel.com/tours.php

And don’t miss our Free Yerevan walking tour when in town!

April 24 Genocide Victims Commemoration Day. 94 years past… Nothing is forgotten.

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy Presents at Gomio Hostelling Conference in Dresden

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Following the success at the 7th Gomio Hostelling conference in Barcelona in 2008, we were determined to participate again in the 8th Conference held in Dresden this year. Once again we were delighted by the opportunity to present on a topic very close to our hearts’ “Create an ambiance – differentiate yourself” together with Robert from Hostels of Sicily. All we have learnt in the 4 years of operation, that has helped define and mould envoy into what it is today was presented to others, in what was referred to as an inspirational presentation.

Envoy’ the only hostel of its kind in Armenia and the Caucuses sees itself as not only a European standard hostel but also an advocate and an avid promoter of Armenia. Many guests have indicated that their reason to travel to Armenia has been due to learning that such affordable accommodation which envoy provides is available. Indeed this conference was no different. Many fellow hostelliers were motivated to travel to Armenia now that they have discovered its existence!

The conference was attended by over 200 delegates from 33 countries, ranging from large chains in major cities, boasting up to 800 beds, through to small individual hostels in remote European towns with less than 20 beds.

Many delegates have shown interest in our presentation and are keen to implement the ideas presented on how to establish a welcoming ambiance and effectively create a home away from home.
We also learnt from other fellow delegates, how they operate and run their businesses. We made many contacts and have developed a wide network of like minded people internationally. To find out more you can go to Facebook hyperlink (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yerevan-Armenia/Envoy-Hostel/40551132184).

Our friend and co-presenter’ Robert from Hostels of Sicily is organizing next years conference to be held in Sicily, which we look forward to attending again for the third year running.

Ralli-2009 for Armenian Ladies

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Armenian roads have hardly seen so many beautiful drivers gathered together so far . Within the frameworks of “Women’s Month” and the celebration of motherhood and beauty in Armenia on April 4 all women-drivers are invited to participate in the 1st Rally of 2009.

Lady-drivers interested in taking part in the Rally, should have a car, a driving license and a reliable mate – drivers are free to choose the mate to be male or female . Others are welcome to join the party which will take place on April 4 in “Kecharis” Hotel complex in Tsakhkadzor from 8pm till early morning. The teams of 2 (the driver and the mate) are to start from Yerevan and overcoming obstacles and guessing riddles on the way through Ashtarak, Aparan, Spitak, Vanadzor, Dilijan and Hrazdan to be at the finish in Tsakhkadzor for a big party. An ambulance and umpire cars will be accompanying the racers all through the way from Yerevan to Tsakhkadzor. The top-scored team will be recognized as winner! Join the fun ladies and enjoy the safe drive!!

When Poland Meets Armenia

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy hostel welcomed lots of groups and individual tourists from all parts of the world showing warm hospitality to all its visitors, of which we have had evidence of our guests’ quotes:http://www.envoyhostel.com/visitorbook.php

The one from our Polish guests reads: “Thanking you for a great attitude of your whole staff, for amazing excursions and unforgettable evenings.”

You may think what is extraordinary about having a group from Poland?! The nine friends visited Armenia in February. Many people like traveling in winter time, however you should consider the climatic conditions of the country to make the best use of your time when traveling. We were impressed by the group’s strong stamina to merge day/night into an extended time to see, grasp as much as possible while in Armenia. Actually if you see how they warm themselves up you will understand that no cold can bother their trip .

Envoy organized tours for them all around Armenia, Nagorno Karabagh, as well as to Georgia. The first trip was in Yerevan visiting Erebuni museum and ruins of the fortress. The second stop was at Genocide memorial and museum.

The second day we started very early for a long trip to Georgia (for some of our guests the day didn’t start it just continued…). However it didn’t seem long in a good company of friends and anticipation of the country’s beauty and people’s kindness in welcoming strangers and guests. We stopped on the way to see the jewels of NE Armenia – Sanahin and Haghpat monasteries – the outstanding works of medieval Armenian architecture; they are both listed among the UNESCO World Heritage List (1996).

The next day we did a tour to Armenian religious spots. The first sight was Etchmiadzin (Armenian Vatican, as they called the site), the museum with the collection of holy remnants, and nearby churches. Our next stop was in Khor Virap where the history of Armenian Christianity started. This is the place where St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years and is one of the most popular places in Armenia with a picturesque view to Ararat Mount on a clear day. The group’s next destination was SE Karabagh. The stop made on the way to Karabagh was considered by the group as very important during winter trips: Armenia’s Wine factory . The rest of the trip to Noravank and Karabagh never seemed long! Stepanakert was amazing, as they mentioned, like Albania – small, clean and old. We managed to visit Gandzasar Monastery and Shoushi, the town with impressive cliffs and gorges.

The group’s last day at Envoy was featured by a farewell party. We will always remember our guests and will look forward to seeing them again in Armenia! There are still many beautiful sites to explore with the envoy tours!!

International Women’s Day (IWD)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Every year the eighth of March is marked as a major day of worldwide celebration of Women’s day. It symbolizes woman’s economic, political, and social achievements. The history of March 8 started from a political event (in NY City on March 8, 1857 women from textile and clothing factories organized a great protest against the low wages and long working hours) and afterwards it got blended into the culture of many countries; originally Russia and the countries of former Soviet Union. Nowadays the celebration of this day in some countries has lost its political meaning and became a wonderful opportunity for men to show their love towards women around them by means of making different presents and simply giving some flowers. In someway this holiday is a unique mix of Mother’s Day and St Valentine’s Day. But how are things in Armenia?

After the Soviet Union’s crushing down this day was abandoned in Armenia and instead April 7 was accepted as a national holiday of ‘Beauty and Motherhood.’ This new holiday became very popular among Armenians. As a matter of fact people still kept celebrating the 8 of March as well, so finally it was decided to combine these two holidays into one celebration of ‘Women’s Month’. During the period from March 8 to April 7 Armenian mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc are given flowers and small gifts. This is the first official Armenian spring holiday. Within Armenian women it’s a common joke to say that the celebrating period is not from March 8 to April 7 but from April 7 to March 8 This year one of Armenian famous flower shops gave free bouquets to the man who arrived to their shop on a donkey or on a horseback.

Envoy Hostel wasn’t an exception as we celebrated the 8 of March right at the Envoy’s guest lounge. Beautiful members of our staff were given little gifts and flowers. We had nice music, tasty food and wonderful company. Everything was enjoyable and we still keep in our minds the sweet memories of this year’s celebrations. Do you want to see that with your own eyes? Great wish! Then you are invited to Envoy for the celebration party of International Women’s Day next year!!! If you don’t want to wait until next year you are welcome to visit us within this ‘Women’s Month .

St. Valentine’s Day VS Armenian St. Sargis and Trndez Holidays

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Millions of people throughout the world celebrate St. Valentine’s Day on February 14 by exchanging love messages, poems and gifts. Traditions differ from country to country. Armenia has got its own counterparts of this famous holiday: this year they have all been celebrated in February. Thus, February has all the rights to be called the Month of the Young and Love .

The observance of St Sargis Day usually falls between January 18 and February 23, sixty-three days before Easter. The holiday is very popular among the youth, as St. Sargis is the patron saint of young lovers. In accordance with the tradition after fasting all day, young people eat a piece of salty bread (aghi blit) in the hope of dreaming about their future spouse who will give them water. Salty pie works wonders and lots of people evidence that they have seen their future husband or wife in their dream!

Trndez (Candlemas) is another popular Armenian holiday, dating back to pre-Christian times; it was connected with the fire/sun worship and thus coming of the spring and fertility. Nowadays it is observed by the Armenian Apostolic Church as a feast of purification and is celebrated on the night of February 13th (40 days after Jesus’ birth). The main partakers of the feast are newly-married and loving couples who jump over the bonfire. It’s believed that the evil will be swept away and happiness will come to people’s homes. The ceremony is followed by traditional songs and dances around the fire. People also light candles from the blessed fire to take them to their places and keep them till the next holiday of Trndez.

Gevorg and some of the envoy guests have joined the feast. Good luck to all who are still looking for their Love!

Travel Tips from a Recent Guest of Envoy

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dear friends, have you visited Armenia yet?! So why not share your own story about the travel to the country of ancient monasteries and churches, picturesque scenery and khachkars, mountainous lakes and rivers. Or maybe Armenia has unfolded before your eyes in a different way and what will long remain in your mind is hospitable people, packed minibuses and much more fun. If you are on the way of planning your trip to this small country, find some useful tips from the interview with David Dougherty, a recent guest at envoy hostel, onAmateur Traveler. Enjoy the interview and start packing to come to Armenia, it has a lot to offer both in winter time and hot summer season!

Christmas Celebration in Armenia

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

New Year and Christmas are big holidays celebrated by millions of people throughout the world and characterized with various modes of celebration. This year Armenians welcomed New Year with cold weather, plenty of snow and traditionally warm, hearty wishes to all their friends, families and neighbors! Those who are far away from their homes joined the fun at envoy hostel to wish each other a Happy New Year!

Another important occasion for families and friends to get together is Christmas which is celebrated in Armenia on January 6th. The major events of the Armenian Christmas season are the celebration of the Nativity of Christ and his Baptism. In the Armenian Church the ceremony of ‘Blessing of Water’ is held on January 6th which is associated with the commemoration of Christ’s Baptism.

Christians observe seasonal fasts such as Lent. People visit their friends and relatives to share meals and offer a helping hand to those who are in need. The Christmas table is full of variety of meatless dishes, as well as dried and fresh fruits, nuts and seeds and a special Christmas porridge known as Anoush Abour.

On January 5th at sunset people go to church for the service; the Jragaloutz Badarak is held in honor of the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. At home a big seafood-based dinner is followed. With the dawn on January 6th the church bells ring. People hurry to the church so that not to miss the service, especially the singing of the hymn of the angels’ Glory in the Highest’.

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to all our friends! We wish you a year full of wonderful experiences. May peace and happiness be showered on you on this sacred occasion and all year through!

Metalfront Fest 2008 in Yerevan

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It hasn’t been long since the last metal attack festival held in April in Yerevan State Puppet Theatre which has also become a stage for Metalfront fest 2008. The two-day metal festival comprised big name bands like Melechesh, Arkona and Rossomahaar from Russia and Netherlands. It’s been a unique experience for the Iranian metal bands who were welcomed at envoy: Mordab, 5 Grs and Vaspooher – they had their first concert in Armenia. Those who attended the concert have encountered some surprises from the organizers of the festival and once again felt the power of the Armenian metal music. Let’s wish them all good luck; hopefully metal music lovers will have a chance to see their favorite bands in the near future again!

Mass Wedding Ceremony in Karabagh

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Imagine a large, wedding bouquet, formed by hundreds of happy newly married couples! It’s been a really big event for the people of Artsakh and a picturesque festivity for all who witnessed. Stepanakert was in full celebration on October 16. The day has been especially memorable for 1400 Armenians of Nagorno Karabagh; organized by famous benefactor and patriot Levon Hayrapetyan, the mass wedding ceremony has been a good support to people willing to live and raise families in Karabagh. 700 young couples gathered to share the unforgettable moments of making an oath before God with each other. The young couples were blessed in Surb Ghazanchetsots and Gandzasar churches and were wished love, happiness and prosperity. The festivity was followed by a concert, then the newly-weds gathered for a big reception in Stepanakert’s Stadium. As a wedding gift they were given a gift card from Unibank, a sweet start to a long and happy life together.

A Trip to Karabagh

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It’s a dream come true! Finally my long awaited trip to Artsakh became reality. Artsakh as referred to by the Armenians means the ‘Woods of Aramanyak’ and is also known as the disputed land of Nagorno Karabagh. It’s a difficult place to get to, a six hour drive from Yerevan, Armenia with the last few hours a trip not for the faint hearted as you follow a winding road hugging the mountainous ranges of the region. Nevertheless the views are breathtaking and the trip is well worth the effort.

My first stop was Shushi, a city perched up on steep mountain block. It has had a great strategic part in the war due to its positioning. I was amazed to discover how badly affected it had been, few people live in half-destroyed buildings, though they are slowly being restored. Shushi is the cultural centre of the region. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to visit Ghazanchetsots Cathedral and Kanach Zham Church. I always say its best to leave something unseen so you have to go back again some other day!

Next stop Stepanakert! The centrally located capitol city is clean and lined with trees. What struck as different was the odd naked flame seen up in front of apartment block windows. It appeared that most apartments were equipped with a small barbeque that just extends out over the street below where people can make their khorovatz (bbq meat). Another local culinary delight found freshly baked in the busy open market, is the zhengyalov hats (lavash bread baked with a selection of herbs inside). This bread is unique to the region and is a must to try!

On the outskirt of Stepanakert, on the road to Askeran is the enormous monument of ‘Mamik and Babik’ (Grandma and Grandpa) symbolizing how deeply routed the Armenians are in this region (as only their heads are visible as if the rest of the monument is buried in the soil).

The trip to Gangzasar monastery was the highlight of the whole journey. The ‘Treasure Mountain’ rests on the top of a high hill and can be seen from a distance.

Oh and if you have learnt a little Armenian it wont be too useful here. The locals speak a dialect of Armenian unique to the region. But people are friendly and happy to help. Some speak English but most will respond to sign language (if you tie the hands of an Armenian behind their back they won’t be able to talk anymore!).

There are definitely many more places to see in Karabagh like Dadivank, Gtchavank and Amaras monasteries, khachkars, caves and beautiful scenery. Hopefully I’ll get to go back soon to see the bits I missed out on this trip! Cheers, Emma.

Envoy is 3 years old

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Greetings from Armenia, Yerevan to all who has ever been envoy resident and all our future visitors!! Envoy hostel has turned three years old. The number of countries represented at envoy is growing – we have had guests from 70 countries and are looking forward to welcoming more. You haven’t been to Armenia yet?! Why not come now, envoy’s friendly staff will greet you in the heart of Yerevan. Take the chance of exploring Armenia’s rich culture and history in most welcoming atmosphere.

Thank you so much to all our friends who have stayed with us and made envoy a warm and friendly place. We’ll be happy to see you again in the near future. All the best from envoy team!

Armenia in Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The history of independent Armenia has only seen one Olympic champion so far – wrestler Armen Nazaryan won Olympic gold in Atlanta, 1996. Overall Armenia has had 13 Olympic champions showing good results in wrestling, weightlifting, and athletics. Clearly the team sports are not one of our strengths.

In Beijing Armenia was represented by 25 athletes competing for medals in seven sports, including boxing, wrestling and weightlifting. The bronze medal winners were honored by a concert held on the Republic Square in Yerevan on August 26. The names of the 6 medalists are: Hrachik Javakhyan (boxing), Roman Amoyan (wrestling), Yuri Patrikeev (wrestling), Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan (weightlifting), Gevorg Davtyan (weightlifting), Tigran Vardan Martirosyan (weightlifting). Thus having got 6 medals Armenia with the population of nearly 3 million people counts the 2nd per capita after Slovenia and 3rd in medals per athletes participated.

«Les Griffonn» in Armenia

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

«Les Griffonnés» – the theatre company from Lyon, France, made a tour around Armenia, having presented their plays to children and adults, young and old in the streets, theatres and alternative places. ‘Our goal is to do an exchange with people, to give and receive emotions. For us theatre is life and relation with the public. So in Armenia we made an unforgettable trip and established wonderful relations with people.’

On 31st of July, 2008 «Les Griffonnés» ended its tour about Armenia and stayed at Envoy Hostel for three days. ‘We will never forget this place and the others we have visited. And forever Armenia will remain in our hearts!’

http://www.ciedesgriffonnes.blogspot.com/

Missionaries in Armenia

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Our mission group from Laguna Hills, California, enjoyed our visit to Armenia in late May of this year. Other than my husband and me (Don & Lana Gray), no one had experienced this culture or unique mission experience. We linked up with the National Leadership Institute in Yerevan, consisting of young adults who have a passion to develop Christ-like leaders. We had the opportunity to do some painting at a disability center outside the city and ended that experience with playing with the children.

On Sunday, June 1, we traveled to the Mughni village for church services and organized games for the Sunday School children there. The afternoon was spent varnishing doors and woodwork in the cultural center building. We were also richly blessed by giving Bibles to some young adults with disabilities who recently completed an Alpha course. The Sunday School teachers of the National Leadership Institute were especially touched by the gift of prayer shawls. These shawls were made by ladies from our church in California, Lake Hills Church and brought smiles of gratitude to the faces of the young teachers.

My husband and I enjoy taking groups (usually young adults) to the country of Armenia every year, and we’re always excited to share our love for the people and land. This group, like many others, were fascinated by the sights, the history, the language, and the people. Even though we come to bless others, we return to America being blessed and filled with such gratitude for the time spent in Armenia.

Vardavar Festival – Wet Weather Gear Recommended!

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It might be summer and being the dry season there is no sign of rain but wet weather gear is recommended, just for today! If you like to cool down with a splash or two of water then this is your lucky day!

Vardarvar, is the major summer holiday (The Feast of Water), and the most favourite one for the kids, is strictly observed among Armenians. The festival, rooted back to pagan times, was associated with the goddess Astghik. The name “Vardavar” is derived from “vard” in Armenian – “rose” in English, that people offered to the goddess of water, love, beauty and fertility as a celebration. The festival was held during harvest time in hope that they would have abundant harvest.

Today the holiday represents the Transfiguration of Christ and is celebrated throughout the country on the first Sunday, 14 weeks after Easter. People splash water on each other, irrespective of age and gender. So don’t be surprised if you get soaked while walking in the street. Many children are waiting for passers-by with buckets of water to refresh them on a hot and dry summer day! In fact why not get in on the act, grab a bucket and join the fun!

envoy a TOP Hostel

Sat, 31 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000

No easy feat! Hostelworld rates hostels as top only if greater than 80% rating is achieved! Thanks to our guests we have achieved high ratings and recognised as a top hostel. Feedback has re-enforced envoy has helpful staff, good and clean facilities all delivered from an excellent location.

We like to take this opportunity to thank our guests for their support and positive feedback. envoy not only wishes to continue providing good service but is always looking at ways to improve our offering.

Spot the Hostelworld sticker when you visit envoy next!

envoy presents at 7th European Hostelling Conference in Barcelona

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000

envoy manager’ Sveta was invited to present at the recent European Hostelling Conference held in Barcelona on March 1-3. The topic we were asked to present was “The difficulties encountered by Regional Hostels in the Face of Bad Publicity”.

The conference attended by 250 participants from hostels around Europe gave envoy the opportunity to put Armenia on the map! Many were unaware of Armenia and that there is a European standard hostel in the heart of Yerevan.

It also gave the opportunity to share experiences and research other hostels. It was reassuring to learn that our hostel is up to the standard of some of the best in Europe. Equally, it was a great to leave with a list of fantastic ideas we would like to consider to further improve our service to our guests.

To find out more about the conference workshops please visit:http://www.gomio.com/ehc/workshop-rounds-barcelona-08.aspx

Metal Attack Festival

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

April 2008 has truly been a rich month for rock and metal music in Armenia. Recently envoy welcomed some of the participants of the festival, four Georgian bands.

The concert organized by Zhesht.am and Vibrographus, was held on April 18. The Festival will be concluded with Rock Nation, a joint concert that will take place in Yerevan State Puppet Theatre on April 30th at 20:00.

Serzh Sargsyan Inaugurated

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan winning the February 19 presidential elections, was inaugurated on April 9 and became independent Armenia’s third president. The ceremony was held at the Opera House.

The inauguration was followed by a parade and concert, then 15 colourful hot air balloons splashed the Yerevan skies from the Republic Square.

envoy Cultural Tour

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

envoy will soon be offering special tours with a taste of the local culture! Want to get an idea of village life, learn a little of the history and lunch with the locals? This will be perfect for you!

Find out more, email us on info@envoyhostel.com

Yerevan, safe and sound

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Recent events around the presidential elections in Armenia, civil unrest had upset the city centre (Kendron) and for a few days in early March the streets of Yerevan were not at their usual safe state. A state of emergency was called till 20th of March.

Weeks have passed and there is no sign of civil unrest and the streets of the Kendron have returned to their normal safe condition. So once again Yerevan is the safe city we have always known it to be, offering depth of culture and history at each and every step.

Happy Easter

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Easter is the time of spring festivals. It is a time for Christians to celebrate the life and resurrection of Christ the son of God.

Easter is a moveable feast. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon. That means Easter Sunday can be as early as the third week in March or as late as the fourth week in April.

In Armenia we celebrate by painting eggs, enjoying red wine and attending church ceremonies.

We wish all our guests a happy Easter.

Elections in Armenia

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Soon Armenians will have a new elected president. The presidential elections will take place on the 19^th of February.

The presidential candidates have begun their campaign. They visit different Marzes, meet the people, share with them their plans, ideas and programs for future development of Armenia.

Chilling Out at envoy

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

They have travelled thousands of kilometers and across oceans to work as volunteers in different regions of Armenia. The Peace Corp. Volunteers are talented individuals giving back to communities in their area of expertise, be it teaching English, helping to improve business skills and many other areas. However their talents does not end there. As many PCV’s take refuge at envoy while in Yerevan, we get to enjoy their artistic talents as they chill out in the warmth of the hostel. Here are some photos of their impromptu talent show!

New Year Celebrations

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000

All nations around the world celebrate New Year one way or another. Each have different traditions and sometimes even different dates. For example the Iranians celebrate their New Year (called “Aide No Rooz”) at the start of their Lunar Calendar which typically falls in March and celebrates the start of Spring. The Mexican’s celebrate New Years eve on the 31st December and at the stroke of 12 bell rings they each eat a grape and make a wish. Another extreme is Australia. Although New Year celebrations are held on 31st December it is during their summer. So Santa comes wearing shorts! After a night of celebrations, most people spend 1st of January at the beach.

In Armenia, up until the end of the 20th Century, New Year was celebrated on the 21st of March. The significance of that day was magnified as it was the first day of Spring as well as the birthday of the mythical god Vahagn, in whom believed the pagan Armenians around 10 thousand years ago.

It was custom on New Years Eve for children to walk around their village in groups and sing songs to their neighbours, typically receiving dried fruits as gifts in return.

Like most Armenian gatherings, food prepared for New Years eve is a highlight. This would include foods like “dolma” prepared with rice and meat and wrapped in vine leaves and “Bood” which is pork, prepared with different spices in an oven. Among the pastries the most important is the “Darin” a big flat bread with a coin hidden inside it. Sliced and served to the number of people in the family, whoever receives the portion with the coin in it is the “lucky” member of the family for the coming year.

Another special dish is the “Anush Abour“, a sweet soup made of wheat, kernels and dried fruit.

Two minutes prior to midnight all lights in the house are turned off. The New Year is welcomed in to the house with the Lord’s Prayer. Then the lights are turned on again and everyone embraces each other and conveys their best wishes for the New Year, giving presents to the children and then everyone enjoys a bowl of “Anush Abour“.

To all our guests and friends of envoy, we wish you a wonderful New Year. May God bless each of you in 2008 and may His Will prevail in our lives.

Kids Get In On the Act

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Enthusiastic and eager to get their hands on to some paint and create a special artwork, envoy kids produce a new addition to our art collection.

The artwork appropriately titled as “Teamwork” is a collaboration of their little hands, each patiently waiting in turns to get their hands on to the canvas and create this masterpiece!

Thanks kids for your contribution to our unique art collection.

Special Discount Offers to Envoy Guests

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

There are now more reasons to stay at envoy. Not only does envoy offer its guests clean and affordable accommodation with friendly service, but also special discount offers from a range of local restaurants and museums.

Guests staying at envoy can take advantage of the discounts offered by local restaurants specialising in a variety of cuisines from traditional Armenian to burgers and Chinese. There is something to suit everyone’s palate!

The special discount offer also extends to some of the local museums that may be of interest to those touring Armenia and would like to get a more in depth idea of Armenian heritage and culture.

Make sure to ask the reception staff for your discount offers while staying with us!

envoy Turns 2

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Two years ago today envoy opened its doors (and heart) to receive our first guests. The crew had been working tirelessly for days painting, tiling, plumbing and it was down to the final touches. And indeed we have come to know many a guest as friends who are engraved in our hearts forever. Although it would be impossible to name all but it includes Nanor from Canada, Zorik from Australia, Tom from US, Kristof from Poland, Jason and Tera (now ex PCV’s) from US, and the list goes on.

We thank you for staying at envoy and becoming part of the envoy family. We have been fortunate to have guests from almost 60 different countries staying with us. Each have brought with them a little piece of their culture to us and we have learnt much from all and enriched our lives. We hope that we will have more of these opportunities to come in the future.

Where Rubber Meets The Road – Yerevan Walking Tours

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Only in Yerevan for a short stay? Want to learn more about Yerevan and get a glimpse of the Armenian culture? Why not discover the secrets of the city by joining envoy’s new service, a fun and informative two hour walking tour of Yerevan?

The tour departs daily at 10am and only requires 3 people to sign up to operate. It provides information and highlights areas in Yerevan you may wish to return and explore more in your own time.

For further information and bookings contact envoy reception.

Mountain with a View – Conquering Mt Ararat

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Two recent guests of envoy managed to conquer the heights of Mt Ararat, which sits with all its splendour on the boarder of Armenia and Turkey. Access is available only from Turkey. This is the account of their incredible 3 day adventure to the 5165m summit.

We landed in Istanbul Turkey, where it all began. Not knowing where we were going to stay or how all of it was going to be played out. Well we found a place to stay and spent the rest of the time figuring out how we were going to get to Van 2000km away on the other side of Turkey.

After 2 days in Istanbul we got on to a painfully slow bus that took more than a day and a half to get to Van, where we were told to get the permit which was previously organised to climb Mt Ararat (5165m). We were mistaken. After much debate and deception of the local tourist board, not to mention ample use of our phrase book, we were told that we have to go to Dogubayezit to get our permits from our mandatory guide! Well another 8 hour bus ride to the town (because first the bus broke down, then it ran out of petrol, etc) but we made it just before sundown where we were greeted by one of the most amazing views one could imagine.

Out of a totally flat plain rises Mt Ararat with its entire splendour 5165m above the town. That is the last we saw of it for at least 3 more days as it was raining and cloud covered.

When day broke on the 24th June, we started our climb and made our way to camp 1 which was at 3200m which was not as hard as we imagined it would be. Being backpackers, we were carrying all our own gear, not like others on the mountain with horses, our bags weighing 20kg each. The second day we made our way to just before the snow line on the edge of a glacier at 4200m. This was camp 2 a little plateau big enough for a few tents. We spent the rest of the day acclimatising and exploring up and down the slopes.

On summit day we were greeted by the best weather we had seen since we arrived in Turkey. No cloud to be seen anywhere. We started at 2 am and climbed mixed snow rock and ice to about 4800m, where our first taste of the summit came. Shortly after sun rise, approaching a plateau at 4900m we could see the summit clearly, but we were beat! The route is really well marked and anyone with enough determination, passion and fitness could climb it.

Gasping for air, because we had not acclimatised, we pushed on for the summit which after crossing the glacier at 5000m (where crampons and ice axe is necessary) came at 8.12am local time. We made it to the highest mountain in Turkey and one of the Volcano 7 summits. Standing at 5165m we could see far into Iran, Armenia and Turkey.

Well we did what some people said was very ambitious, climbing a 5000m peak in 3 days. And the descent? That took us another 10 hours but we made it back to town not just base camp, so 3 days in total and we were all done.

Ararat is easy and I recommend it to anyone with enough will power and fitness to try it. The nitty gritty details are:

You need a guide. It is required by the government, they are ridiculously expensive.
You need a permit. This can be organised by your tour operator (you could do it yourself but contact me if you would like details how to: gogabees@gmail.com)
And lastly, be prepared to pay, this can be an expensive exercise.

envoy Visits Gavar Special School

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Some of our friends from PCV (Peace Corps Volunteers) work at Gavar Special School. We had heard of the great work being done for the children at this school and wanted to see them first hand. So envoy paid a special visit to this establishment.

The school caters for children in the region with special needs. The staff do a wonderful job, looking after the needs of the children.

The government only provides part of the funding required for the school and the rest is raised by the staff and PCVs. A lot of maintenance has already been done but a lot more is required including some major works like replacing the roof.

It is encouraging to see PCVs and staff working tirelessly and going to great lengths to raise the much needed funds to make a difference in the lives of these children and their families. And it was clear from just seeing the high spirits of the children that they appreciate all their efforts.

We were presented with an embroidered artwork created by some of the children, which we appreciate and will proudly display in the hostel.

envoy is proud to know such dedicated individuals making a difference in the lives of these children. God bless you all.

We encourage you to check out their website atwww.gavarspecialschool.org and support them with any means possible.

Home Grown Talent

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

If you have noticed and enjoyed the artwork at envoy, you should know that it is all home grown. Harnessing the talents of envoy team members we are proud to have a selection of unique artwork displayed around the common areas as well as some of the rooms.

One of our latest collection items is thanks to the talents of Davit, who is well gifted in drawing. He has combined his talent in depicting nature with sports and has produced a humourous painting of the “Football Tree”.

See if you can spot it next time in envoy!

Conquering Aragatz

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Samuel Palsmeier, a recent envoy guest, successfully conquered the peaks of Aragatz, still covered in snow in the middle of summer. The following is an account of his adventure.

President of the Spitak Mountain rescue team’ Serzh Hovespyan met me at envoy on June 13th. Serzh has been a member of Spitak since 1988 when the team first formed.

We drove out of Yerevan and stopped for provisions on the way. It was a clear sunny day and the drive up to the Physics Institute at the summit of the mountain was great. The institute is a huge complex of different buildings focused on the study of particles, and it continues to function today (see www.crdfriends.org orhttp://CRDLX5.yerphi.am).

There are plenty of camping spots and a small guesthouse/ cafe being built opposite the institute. Serzh used to be an engineer at the institute and had connections for staying in the staff accommodation. We went for a big walk down a side canyon to sample the heavy iron mineral water and made it back to the institute in time for dinner prepared by the housing staff. Unfortunately due to altitude and nerves I didnt get as much sleep as I had hoped. We woke up at 5 am and had a quick breakfast and started out at 6am. An early start is essential as there is a lot of snow in June and it gets soft by the afternoon due to the warmer weather. We hiked up North-West across the slopes of the south peak and continued up the west side to reach a saddle between the south and the west peaks (2 hrs). The views here were fantastic as you could see all 4 summits and the crater below.

Next, we hiked across to the saddle between the North and the East peaks (2 hrs). Making a left turn at the saddle we started slogging up towards the first summit (1-2hrs). The first summit is reached by hiking. The second summit, a few meters higher, requires care in crossing a knife ridge and then ascend up a short 5th class pitch and a final ridge to reach the top. We had brought technical gear for the crossing but not an ice axe for the unexpected snow still covering the north side of the ridge. The views were fantastic and very dramatic.

We descended and returned by the same route. The weather temperature was surprisingly warm, and overall we had a great outing (10hrs!).

On the way back to the hostel, Serzh treated me to a few more sightseeing stops. This included Amberd fortress and Ohanavan Church.

Cultural Exchange Project

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

JEF Armenia and TDM 2000 Germany in partnership with number of organizations from all over Europe held a 1 week Youth exchange called "Once upon a time" which was about cultural differences of weddings and funerals of below mentioned countries. There were six participants from each partner country which were the following Germany, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. During the day they were using different non formal education methods to discover each others' culture and in the evening they would organize colorful intercultural evenings with their traditional meals, drinks, games, dances and music. Envoy was very happy to be the hosting place for all the participants and the events.

Armenia Upsets Poland

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

All of Armenia was celebrating the national football team’s win over Poland.

On June 6th, Armenia met Poland in a return game held in Yerevan’s Vazgen Sargsyan Stadium. Thousands of fans supporting both Armenia and Poland came to see their national heroes in action.

Envoy hosted some of the loyal Polish supporters, who had come to Armenia for the first time. They were adamant that their team was to win as they did in the first leg especially since they were comfortably sitting at the top of the table. However, Mkhitaryan didnt let history repeat itself and sent the ball to the back of the Polish net at the 66th minute earning Armenia a 1-0 win.

Now Armenia holds 6th place just after Belgium in Group A with 7 points. Poland is still leading the group with a total of 19 points.

Next Armenia comes face to face with Portugal on August 22. Armenian supporters are hopeful of a repeat victory.

Oh, and just for fun, a scoreboard was waiting at the hostel for the Polish fans – we had to make the most of the win!

Yerevan Celebrates International Childrens Day

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Today is international Childrens day and Yerevan celebrates in style! Numerous programs are organised for the children at different locations of the city, the Opera surrounds, the Cascade steps, Hrazdan Valley etc. There are free to public shows and entertainment for all the young at heart. Its a fun filled day of games, singing, playing and lots of laughter and excitement for the children and all alike.

Envoy puts Armenia on the map!

Sun, 20 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy has now been in operation for less than 2 years. We have already had guests from 55 countries staying with us and some have even made repeat trips!

We have had people from all over the world, from Finland to Turkey, and Ghana to Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, from Latvia to Lebanon and even as far flung as Australia and New Zealand!

We have seen people of all ages and all backgrounds, from babies to grandparents, cyclist women from USA to Homenetmen scouting groups from around the world. They have all come and stayed with us and it has been a blessing to share their stories and experience, their cultures and also introduce the Armenian culture to many! We have become close with some and still maintain contact. We have made many new friends which we are ever grateful for.

Its Cool to Stay at envoy!!

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Now, the friendly atmosphere and the convenient location are not the only reasons to choose to stay at envoy… we have recently installed air conditioning in the rooms. Just in time for the hot summer days ahead, envoy will be cooler than ever!

Genocide Memorial Day: 24 April

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Today is the day of remembrance for the Genocide in 1915. Every year, on April 24 Armenians from Armenia and from all over the world visit the Genocide Victims Monument and put flowers in memory of the victims.

The procession starts on the eve of the 23rd. This year, one of our envoy team mates’ Gevorg organised a group of guests to participate in this event.

It’s Music to my ears – Korean style!

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Young June Oh, a 33 year old multi-talented Korean traveler indulged envoy with his travel stories and his national music.

He has been touring around the world on his bicycle for around 2 years. He has now cycled in 17 countries (including Armenia). He spent 10 months in India which was a highlight for him. He has also cycled around Japan and many countries in Europe. The next stop from Armenia is Georgia and perhaps then on to Iran and to some African countries.His travel companion (apart from his bicycle) is his national musical instrument called “Haegumâ” (hagem). Apparently the origin of this instrument is from Mongolia. Through music Oh provides an example of Korean culture. He only took one year to learn to play the Haegum and now he is able to introduce his culture to all corners of the world as he travels! Thank you Oh for bringing some of Korean culture to envoy for us to enjoy!

Zorik in Armenia

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Zorik has been a guest/friend of envoy for a couple of months. The following is an excerpt from his impressions on Armenia:

As a fourth year medical student from Sydney University (Australia), we were given the opportunity to explore any part of the world as part of a 2 month medical rotation. Having Armenian roots and having not been to Armenia before, my choice was easy: Armenia.

Since arriving mid-December, I have not looked back! I have enjoyed every second of my time in my motherland. I have visited many places of interest and have befriended dozens of wonderful people whom I will never forget. Most notable of these is the staff at “Envoy Hostel” where I have stayed while in Armenia.

One of the many great things about Envoy has been the fact that I have met people from all over the world. From tourists to students to “Peace Corps” members, I have enjoyed the opportunity to mix with and learn about different cultures and organizations. I would not have had the opportunity to meet such a diverse group of people if I had not come to Envoy!

Touching lightly on my medical rotation – I have spent the majority of my rotation at the 6^th hospital (St Astvatzamayr) under the supervision of General Surgeon Dr Taron Tonoyan. I have also spent time at Garni Hospital and plan on visiting a few other medical institutions in the coming weeks. It has always been comforting to know that after my work at the hospital, I would be returning to a warm room and a comfortable bed.

I spent my first ever New Years and Christmas away from home and the family. Despite missing my family I enjoyed both occasions and will take away many fond memories. I want to thank each and every member at Envoy for allowing me to be a part of their lives and for treating me as one of the family. God bless you all and God willing, I wish to return in the coming year. Guess where I’ll be staying when I return. :)

Happy Birthday Envoy!

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0000

We are officially 1!! The year has zoomed past and it only seems like yesterday we opened our doors for our first guests. Since then we have had the pleasure of receiving guests from all over the world. 43 countries have been represented at envoy. We have seen babies to grandparents. All sharing the common interest of traveling to wonderful places! And we are thankful that our paths have crossed.

In true envoy style, we celebrated this occasion inviting guests, friends and family to participate. And we pray there will be many more years to come.

Jana & Nikki’s Armenian Cycling Adventure

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy Hostel was a perfect launching pad for us, 2 fiftyish American women cyclists, on our 3-week plus bike trip around Armenia with a 4-day detour to Tbilisi. With our bikes safely stored in the luggage room, we got our bearings by getting streetwise in Yerevan. Our cycling tour took us first to Gyumri, where we got to see how funds that we had collected for an NGO called Ajakits was assisting women and children victims of domestic abuse. Then we continued to Vanadzor and up the Debed Dzor (gorge) to Haghpat’s magnificent monastery, and from there we ditched our bikes andÂ travelled to fascinating, ethnically-diverse Tbilisi by marshrutni.

Reunited with our bikes 4 days later, we pedaled to Ijevan and on to Dilijan, where we hooked up with some fun Peace Corps volunteers (thanks Sam, Brad, and Sarah). Brad accompanied us on his bike up the high pass leading over to Lake Sevan, a lovely spot for two days’ rest. Then we continued along the west shore of the lake and the next day headed up the Selim Pass-a highpoint in more ways than one! – once part of the Silk Road. We stopped to tour a 14th century karavanserai before dropping down to the flat major road in southern Armenia, which eventually led us to Sisian and Goris, where we pedaled to Armenia’s Stonehedge, Karahunge, and even to Tatev, a real feat on the steep, unpaved road! Thankfully, our guesthouse owner’s warning to watch out for the village dogs was unneeded -although they were the bane of our travels in other parts of the country on the otherwise safe roads.

Exotic as our tour was, the warm, hospitable Armenian people were the real highpoint. We thank them for the many apricots, bags of cherries, invitations for coffee, smiles, and gestures of welcome and friendship… and we look forward to a return visit.

One Nation, One Culture

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000

With a view to promote the Armenian culture both locally and in the diaspora, the “One Nation, One Cuture” event took place from 23 – 30 June 2006 in Yerevan. The event promotes all forms of the arts including theatre, dance, and song.

While the streets of Yerevan came alive with the joyous celebration of the Armenian culture, envoy had its own mini version of the event. A group of Armenian performers stayed at envoy from the Tavoush and Kotayk regions. The talented group would break into song and dance at every occassion making the hostel environment even more pleasant than usual.

envoy was pleased and proud to have such talented individuals staying with us…. and better yet so down to earth!

Sano Will Be Missed

Wed, 31 May 2006 00:00:00 +0000

It is unfortunate that one of our dear team members is leaving us. After being with us for almost one year, Sanasar is leaving the envoy family. He has succesfully completed his Univesity degree and will now be serving his military service for the next couple of years. We will miss Sano’s sunny disposition but are sure we will keep in touch.

Here are some photos from the farewell party, coupled with Emma’s (from the envoy team) birthday, held just recently.

Good luck Sano, and hope to work with you again soon.

Nanor in Armenia

Mon, 29 May 2006 00:00:00 +0000

One of our guests’ Nanor, visiting from Canada stayed with us for a few weeks and became like one of the family. Visiting Armenia for the first time she made a lot of friends so we all gathered to bid her farewell on her last day at envoy. Our guests staying at the time all joined in the fun. With live music (thanks to some musically talented friends) and a warm atmosphere it turned out to be a fun night. Hopefully enough to entice Nanor to come back to Armenia again one day!

Cycling Armenia

Fri, 19 May 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy enjoyed the company of a group of 15 cyclists from Russia just recently. The team of cyclists were touring Armenia on bike. The unusual wet weather conditions neither dampened nor deterred this determined team. They enjoyed the breathtaking and rugged countryside of Armenia enduring rain and even hail on occasion! The photo below was from a “good day”!

Well done to this committed team and thanks for choosing to stay with envoy while in Yerevan!

Commemorating April 24, 1915

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Like every year, thousands of Armenians paid their respects to the victims of the Genocide early last century. Armenians all around the globe unite on this day. Those living in Armenia march to the monument dedicated to the Genocide victims and lay flowers close to the eternal flame. They also light a candle in their homes in remembrance of the victims.

Clean Up envoy Day!

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0000

There has been a clean up Yerevan initiative for the past few years. This year the envoy team got in on the action and had a clean up envoy day! We receive much feedback on envoy’s cleanness but the team took this opportunity to go beyond the call of duty and added an extra spark to the hostel… it was a good days work but as the team pitched in together it was also a fun day for all.

Smell The Roses

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0000

The envoy team tried out their skills in gardening, planting several rose bushes in front of the hostel. Just our bit to make the streets of Yerevan green and welcoming!

Winter wonderland

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Yerevan is like a snowdome! For those who have not seen Yerevan in winter here are some shots to give you a taste of how beautiful winter is over here.

Our guests and team at envoy even made a gigantic snowman just in front of the hostel… pity the photo didnt come out clear – you will have to imagine a 2 metre tall snowman!

Improving our service

Sat, 03 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0000

We are grateful for your feedback and we at envoy are eager to continue to improve our service to you. Some of the modifications made as a result of your suggestions include, noise reduction campaign (some carpeting on the floor, sound absorbing tape on the doors etc), shelving in the bathrooms, toiletries and convenience items for sale.

You will also notice we have given an address for everyone staying at the hostel. Each of the rooms are named as a street name and the beds are numbered. So effectively you are given an address to stay at your home away from home!

Our Friends at PCV

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

There are around 90+ Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia at present. These include a group of dedicated and talented people that have taken two years out of their lives to help give back something to the world, and they have chosen Armenia as their home for now. Majority of these dedicated individuals speak fluent Armenian and no they have no Armenian heritage or background (not even Armenian neighbours back home!).

The envoy team would like to thank you for your hard work in Armenia, for being wonderful guests at envoy and for helping us out with our reception feature artwork with all your beautiful photographs of Armenia!

First Guest Birthday

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

When the envoy team learnt of Kris birthday we couldn’t let him go without a party! And Kris amazingly spent most of his birthday preparing a special Polish dish for everyone. The birthday cake ceremony was celebrated by singing “Happy Birthday” in as many languages we knew including English, Armenian, Polish, Russian, German, Farsi and even Spanish! Thanks for sharing your birthday with us Kris!

How many countries have you been to?

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

We have been impressed with the number of countries some of our guests have travelled to. People who reach Armenia as a destination are usually well travelled. Some quote 60-70 or even 90+ having visited countries such as North Korea and even Burma! But we were absolutely blown away to learn that one of our guests Robert Pieterson of Sweden has been to over 170 countries! He is in fact an active member of club100 which encourages members to see all UN recognised countries. Well done Robert! You are only a few countries away from seeing the world!

Grand Opening Bash

Sat, 22 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Envoy officially opened its doors to guests on 30^th September. However our grand opening bash was not until Monday 24^thOctober. The envoy team welcomed colleagues from the industry, guests and friends alike. It was particularly nice to have Franz from Austria and Uy from PCV join in the celebrations.