New Year's Adventure in Magical Vienna, Day 2: My Fair Lady Musical at Volksoper

Metro ride and beautiful scenery

Our second day started with coffee and croissants at the nearby bakery/coffee house with the little one, while the older kids were still sleeping and recuperating from a long day of traveling and walking.

Today's major plan was to take the metro and travel around Vienna, then attend a musical show. One of our friends living there, had recommended us the Volkspor (the people's theater). For budget travelers with kids, it was quite an affordable place to look for concerts and shows. They have an online easy access reservation procedure and we were able to buy standing tickets for all of us (costing 3 Euro per person).

New Year's Adventure in Magical Vienna: Day 1 - Arrival

Kiev International airport

One of the good sides of living in Armenia, compared to Canada is being so close to European countries and many other places and have the possibility to travel with a big family on small budget. So this year, we decided to discover Vienna with the kids and spend the new year there!

For the travel part, I have heard so many bad comments about the service on Ukrainian Airlines for the past year, that i was pleasantly surprised when our flights through Kiev, including the transit went completely smoothly with no major delays or unpleasant surprises. The Kids slept almost during the whole flights and we arrived to Vienna early morning with all our luggage and well rested.

Lake Sevan, day 1: Wishup Shore

I was avoiding Sevan lake for the past couple of years. The major part of the area had become over the years a barbecue joint with little space left in nature to enjoy swimming and rest on the shore. An overflow of poorly designed restaurants with a bad taste of music had taken over most of the touristic parts.
Being born near the mediterranean and now living in a land-locked country for the past 13 years surrounded mainly by mountains, i often feel the urge to be near the sea. So a trip to lake Sevan remains the only alternative for the moment.

Last year, my 10 year-old son attended a summer Waldorf camp at the Wishup shore, near Shorja (lake Sevan) and when i visited him, I immediately fell in love with the place.  It was nothing like the lake Sevan I knew. It was far away from all touristic areas, isolated, with a magnificent shore and view of the lake. A family from the Waldorf School was running the place. There was a nice small cafe/bar on the shore, with excellent music and cute wooden sitting areas. The Camp had the options of sleeping in tents or cabins. During the 10-day summer Waldorf camp, many activities were offered and kids had a blast experiencing canoeing, building their own raft, sleeping in a tent, making fire, learning knots, etc.

We decided to come back and stay with the whole family for 2 nights. We rented one of the cabins near the shore.
The first day was excellent! we spent the afternoon swimming in the lake, walking around, playing with sand. The older kids enjoyed canoeing. We ended the day with a nice supper of fresh fish from the lake served at the bar on the shore and relaxing under an amazing sky full of stars.
This place is unique and amazing both for kids and adults. The best way of experiencing lake Sevan!

Lake Sevan, day 1: Wishup Shore

I was avoiding Sevan lake for the past couple of years. The major part of the area had become over the years a barbecue joint with little space left in nature to enjoy swimming and rest on the shore. An overflow of poorly designed restaurants with a bad taste of music had taken over most of the touristic parts.
Being born near the mediterranean and now living in a land-locked country for the past 13 years surrounded mainly by mountains, i often feel the urge to be near the sea. So a trip to lake Sevan remains the only alternative for the moment.

Ayrudzi

Summer is really hot in Yerevan!

It is quite challenging to find good summer camps for teenagers and older kids in Armenia. There is a good number of summer schools, camps for 6-11 year-olds, even play groups for 4-6 year-olds but if you are looking for summer activities for 11+ year-old kids and teenagers, your options are limited.
Ayrudzi is one of those few places where older kids have the opportunity to be away from the city heat and rest in the serenity of nature surrounded by amazing horses and friendly dogs.
The camp is situated in Ashtarak and is founded by a phenomenal person, known as "Keri Gagik". He is a passionate of anything related to nature, animals and more specifically horses. He has been teaching kids for the past several decades how to understand, care for and love horses. Kids respect him and listen carefully to his valuable lessons about nature and life. He is also a great storyteller and knows how to help children to face their fears of animals. A couple of years ago, he helped my second daughter to get over her fear of dogs. It took him a day and she was already happily integrated in the camp life and playing with the dogs.

The Ayrudzi Club is open throughout the year on specific days and offers horseback-riding lessons to kids and adults. Keri Gagik teaches also children with disabilities to ride and appreciate being close with horses.
In the summer, the Club is open as a camp. Kids can stay in small cabins/tohmiks that can accommodate up to 4 at a time. There is a central toilet and bathroom operated where water is heated with solar system. Healthy food is provided during the day, but kids can also bring their own snacks if they want. During the day, they organize games, hiking trips, workshops, cleaning, free time and swimming. But the most fun parts are being together among friends, listening to Keri Gagik's legendary stories and singing and gathering around the camp fires.
My kids have being going there over 4 years, they have a special relationship with the owners, the horses and the other kids who regularly attend the camp. It has become an important part of their childhood and life adventures. Every time i pick them up after a long stay, i see how much they are re-energized, happy and full of stories to tell.
Keri Gagik and his family have been able to create a small haven for kids among the horses, away from the hectic life of the city, away from TV and electronics, closer to nature and simple pleasures of life.

Ayrudzi

Summer is really hot in Yerevan!

It is quite challenging to find good summer camps for teenagers and older kids in Armenia. There is a good number of summer schools, camps for 6-11 year-olds, even play groups for 4-6 year-olds but if you are looking for summer activities for 11+ year-old kids and teenagers, your options are limited.
Ayrudzi is one of those few places where older kids have the opportunity to be away from the city heat and rest in the serenity of nature surrounded by amazing horses and friendly dogs.
The camp is situated in Ashtarak and is founded by a phenomenal person, known as "Keri Gagik". He is a passionate of anything related to nature, animals and more specifically horses. He has been teaching kids for the past several decades how to understand, care for and love horses. Kids respect him and listen carefully to his valuable lessons about nature and life. He is also a great storyteller and knows how to help children to face their fears of animals. A couple of years ago, he helped my second daughter to get over her fear of dogs. It took him a day and she was already happily integrated in the camp life and playing with the dogs.