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History has thrown more than a few bad hands Armenia's way. It was trampled over by most of the ancient world's big players, then nearly wiped out altogether in the early years of the 20th century. The Soviet Union dropped in unasked and stayed for 70 years, bequeathing monumentally ugly buildings and a taste for grand military parades. Tensions with neighbouring Azerbaijan flared in the early 1990s, and a continuing economic blockade has strained the economy, making fuel and some other commodities scarce. None of that has prevented Armenians from doing what they do best; celebrating their culture and enjoying their laid back lifestyle. Facilities for travellers are few and far between, but then so are the queues. Yerevan's sidewalk cafes may not be exactly Parisian, but they are a great opportunity to get dressed up and spend an afternoon people watching. Get out of the cities and the countryside is astonishing; cloaked in wildflowers, framed by snowy mountains, pitted with deep caves and endowed with more than 40,000 ancient churches and monuments. One of the cradles of civilisation, Armenia offers visitors a refreshing experience if they are prepared to occasionally pass on all the comforts of home.
Yerevan
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