More about lake Sevan

Lake Sevan is complex place. Oh it is beautiful indeed, no question about that.

When we arrived there it looked so much like paradise that we knew there had to be a trap.

Are they the trap, croaking from early 'til late and all the time when we're shooting?

No, nothing wrong could come from this beautiful wild life, could it?

"Beautiful wild life", you said?

This is where it gets subtle: although this looks like the ordinary tourist polution, this is not. It's a kind a buoy made of plastic bottles by fishermen to keep their nets afloat.

Still polution, but hey. Harder to be judgemental, isn't it?
Talking about tourists the lake is surrounded by huge abandonned and maybe never finished resorts:

Back to the lake itself. Appart from fishermen and their plastic bottles you find the occasional ship wreckage:

The part of the lake where we were "camping" is pretty much deserted. Some houses a few hundred meters away but we saw no one. An empty fisherman hut (actually once I saw a bunch of people there). Maybe one or two cars passed on the dust road. A few people came looking for a place for fishing but it wasn't a good spot. Oh right there was this guy once:

And someone probably doesn't like sheeps in his... garden?

Not sure what this fence was supposed to protect. It came from the woods, crossed the water, continued on the beach and stopped in bloody spicky bushes on the shore. Yeah, talking about this. On this picture you can clearly see (I mean, beside Pierre's laundry) that there is ground, then water, then some sand (actually very small rocks --- no they do not float) then the lake.

I've got my idea but if someone knows for sure what creates this, I'd like to know.

That being said. The place is nice for sure. But you can get quite bored there. Did I mention the weather was funny?

Like really bloody funny as hell.

And when the weather is too funny and you're soaked and you're locked in the van and it's starting to be damp well you start thinking you'd have more fun in Erevan.

Last note about Sevan: remember this tree, he said, and vanished mysteriously in a puff of smoke to write the next post.

Also: only two days left to support us! http://igg.me/at/landing3101/x/2683068

Around 17 May: shooting next to lake Sevan

A very quiet and beautiful place about three hours driving from Gyumri. I'll say more about it in a later post but if you're looking for a shooting location absolutely quiet and free of all human occupation, you're at the right place:

Or to take a nap, right. The weather can be funny though:

Time to get some comfort after a tough day.

A stoy and then to bed!

Funny games

The kids in Mush have some not so funny games :(

But Jesus saves:

Azatan

A village a few kilometers south of Gyumri. We went there to shoot a scen after we met young people in a bar in Gyumri (the Del Mar) who happened to be interested in participating in the movie and had relatives and friends here.

YIC

Let me tell you something. Without them YIC people, nothing would have been possible. Nothing at all. I just cannot find the words to thank you enough.

http://yic.am

YIC backyard in the old district of Gyumri

Shooting in Mush

Also we have been shooting a scene in the ruins of the abandonned district of Mush. Not always easy because the rainy weather and the numerous children playing around and sometimes being unexpected assistants. But it was worth it.

Gyumri

Hey, long time no post. Now that we are on our way back (currently in Tbilisi --- lovely city, stay tuned for a later post) I think it's time to resume the story. Let's start with some general pictures of Gyumri, where we spent ten days from 4 to 14 may and one week from 25 may to 2 june.

As in other former soviet countries I've visited one thing that strikes me is how many children parcs you can find about everywhere. Almost always painted with same simple and cheerful colors.

In front of  the luxurious Araks hotel in one the old parts of the city. This spot is in very  good condition and modern elements like this fountain have been added.

You turn the corner and walk 500m. Not in so good condition but still lovely.

Mashrutka driver. In this part of the city they are driving very much faster than walking because of the bad condition of the streets.

Almost everywhere in the city you can find these fountains of drinking water.

The view from the only bridge in town.

Most people here have no problem with their images. It's very rare that people hide the camera and quite often they asked to us to take pictures of them or film them.