This small landlocked country in the Caucasus mountains groans under the sheer weight of its own history.
For the visitor Armenia offers a great deal. It’s studded with ancient monasteries and churches, set in a majestic, rugged landscape.
The experience can be rustic, but the tables are always full of delicious food. And if you’re lucky, you will find a mysticism and spirituality in this ancient land.
Here’s what I found on my Armenian journey…
I’ve already featured my visit to Salford’s Catholic cathedral – lofty and full of impressive stained glass. Manchester’s Anglican counterpart is on the tourist trail in the city centre and no boasts beauty and atmosphere. Hushed and low-lit, its centrepiece is an organ built only last year.
Having two ecclesiastical marvels in close proximity to one another is a joy. My favourite building? I couldn’t possibly say…
The ancient city of Dubrovnik needs little introduction. It’s Croatia’s coastal gem and provides some of the backdrop for TV fantasy drama Game of Thrones. There is a lot crammed into a relatively small space – rambling orange rooftops, grand churches and sleepy back streets.
Good weather brings the crowds to this infinitely explorable place, so my advice is to start out early to walk the old ramparts, and climb up away from the main thoroughfares. But it’s a visitor magnet, so be prepared for the throngs. You should also see the city’s port area, just a bus ride away from the old town. It’s very easy to get snap happy in Dubrovnik, but if you can, take a step back and just enjoy this wonder.
A set of glinting, silver bulwarks protect riverside capital London from being overwhelmed by flooding. If you walk along the Thames Path from Woolwich, this is the sight you get, with the lofty might of Docklands beyond the barrier. A stretch of the walkway is etched with the high water marks of communities down the Thames – including Hammersmith, a familiar neighbourhood.
The barriers look like hoods swathed in bumpy tin foil, but this is a stirring sight and an absorbing place to photograph.
The first truly shimmering day of the year prompted a trip to the east of London to enjoy a stretch of the city’s waterways. This walk took us from Angel to Limehouse Basin along Regent’s Canal, taking in modern buildings, industrial tumbledown and a good sprinkling of narrowboats. We also stopped off at Victoria Park, a green oasis along the route.
I set myself the photographic task of spotting small details and minimalist lines on the walk, although both water and the urban landscape of the canal crept into the frame too. It’s an interesting spot and one worthy of a return visit or two – there is plenty to see and capture.
