The trip to Armenia was indeed an eye opener. A very bleak landscape, although in spring and summer it may be a little more bearable. Some of the housing developments were beyond depressing. I was there flying a 429 for an individual and have the dubious honor of doing the first flights by a privately owned helicopter ( both day and night) in the history of the country. When the iron curtain fell the Russians literally turned out the lights and left, or so I was told. The country is still getting itself together. Nice people and food though.