WinterFest Armenia 2011: Winter fun in Yerevan!
20/12/2011
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
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
24/11/2011
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
http://www.facebook.com/cyclestrongman/posts/189542201127780
15/11/2011
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 |
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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 |
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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.”
01/11/2011
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!
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| 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!
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| 3) Currency exchange: |
Apps like XE, so you know you are getting the correct amount of money!
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| 4) Postcards: |
Sending postcards to loved ones instantly? Look into the app called ‘postcards on the run’
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| 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
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| 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
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| 7) Weather Apps: |
To help you plan your trip activities better - theres many to choose from
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| 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
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| 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!
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17/10/2011
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 6th 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!
29/09/2011
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
09/09/2011
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.
23/08/2011
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 99th 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…
16/08/2011
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!
09/08/2011
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.
04/07/2011
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.
31/05/2011
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
13/05/2011
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.
25/04/2011
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!
01/04/2011
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!!
31/03/2011
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 dif
ference and Envoy Hostel joined this initiative second year in a row on the 26th 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.
More on this check ArmeniaNow.com
Here you can see some beautiful photos of the event.
24/03/2011
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.
15/03/2011
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.
24/02/2011
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.
22/02/2011
H
OSCAR 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!!!
13/02/2011
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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 9th 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. |
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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!
Tel: +374-10-530369
54 Pushkin Avenue, Yerevan 0002, Republic of Armenia
Copyright © 2010 Envoy Hostel
