June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia. As so often, the demographic chart for Gyumri tells you quite a lot. A five-fold increase in 60 years, followed by a halving of the population after natural disaster and the demise of the Soviet empire in short order. One full day and night in Armenia’s second city is probably enough… Continue reading MRS RM CALLS FOR THE YANDEX
A RAINY NIGHT NEAR GEORGIA
June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia. Well, over the border in Armenia, actually, but we need to recognise the genius of Tony Joe White at every opportunity. Mrs RM had really wanted to take that midnight train to Georgia from Yerevan, but on reflection turning up at the Hotel Alexandrapol at 1am carried some risk. Armenian towns… Continue reading A RAINY NIGHT NEAR GEORGIA
TOP 100 PUBS – PONCHIK-MONCHIK DOUGHNUT CAFE, GYUMRI
June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia. Stepping outside the Alexandrapol Palace at 8pm you see the length of the rebuilt main square up to St Saviours Church, but our thoughts are only on Untappd check-ins and healthy food, so it’s good that the Untappd options include an upmarket fish restaurant, kebab shop, and doughnut cafe. Ponchik-Monchik has… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – PONCHIK-MONCHIK DOUGHNUT CAFE, GYUMRI
WELCOME TO THE HOTEL ALEXANDRAPOL
June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia. Unexpectedly, the two carriage “commuter” train left Yerevan bang on time, and arrived in Gyumri bang on time, 3:05 hours later. With that sort of reliability Armenian Rail should take over Northern; it’d take a day to cross the Pennines but at least you’d know that in advance. A dull, featureless… Continue reading WELCOME TO THE HOTEL ALEXANDRAPOL
TAKE THE FIRST TRAIN TO GYUMRI, BUT FIRST A PINT OF THE 379
June 2026. Yerevan. Armenia. Mrs RM had curated (ugh) an exhaustive, and exhausting, itinerary for our seven nights in Armenia, on the basis we probably wouldn’t be back unless Manchester City play FC Noah in a qualifier for the Conference League. So, barely having arrived at Yerevan “Boutique” Hotel the night before and we set… Continue reading TAKE THE FIRST TRAIN TO GYUMRI, BUT FIRST A PINT OF THE 379
DESCRIBING ARMENIA IN ONE WORD
I’m disappointed that I’m missing the 2026 UK heatwave; don’t get many of those, do you ? Meanwhile in Yerevan; Oh. On our tours this week all that visitors from the Netherlands, Sweden and Kaliningrad wanted to talk about was the World Cup the weather, yet another thing the UK cultural export. Can we blame… Continue reading DESCRIBING ARMENIA IN ONE WORD
MIDNIGHT IN ARMENIA
June 2026. Armenia. There’s no stopping Mrs RM. No sooner did Wizz Air start twice-weekly flights from Luton to Armenia than she’s booked bargain seats and got a full itinerary for the trip, 16 hour bus tours and all. The theme for Yerevan will be ticking camels. I haven’t seen a camel yet. Or a… Continue reading MIDNIGHT IN ARMENIA
“A pint of Timothy, please”
June 2026. Cambridge. Dad’s appetite was back on Sunday afternoon, and ours was raised by the sight of the Wrestlers opposite our £25 Travelodge on Newmarket Road, a rare Cambridge bargain. Charlie Wells have subtly worsened the sign after what feels like 30 years, but the menu is unchanged since my first Pad Thai back… Continue reading “A pint of Timothy, please”
THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – THE ABBEY INN TO APPERLEY BRIDGE
June 2026. Leeds to Bradford. Comfort break at Newlay’s Abbey Inn over, we resumed Day 2 of the Cask Camino with a route from posh Leeds to almost posh Bradford. Today’s “Identify the bird” is a tough one. Lots of interesting canal traffic, including the Absolute Madness tour boat on its way to a nostalgia… Continue reading THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – THE ABBEY INN TO APPERLEY BRIDGE
THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – ABBEY TO ABBEY
June 2026. Leeds to Newlay (er, Leeds). I bet you thought the Cask Camino had stalled at the first hurdle lock, didn’t you ? Never underestimate Mrs RM’s tenacity and desire for blog views; Saturday saw us parked up at Apperley Bridge station (free !), 3 minutes before the train to Kirkstall Forge from which… Continue reading THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – ABBEY TO ABBEY
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