For Crimea, It’s Russian Troops In, Tourists Out

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR, NYT
MAY 24, 2014

YALTA, Crimea — When choosing the idyllic setting for an extramarital affair, Anton Chekhov opted for Yalta, and this seaside resort proved so grateful that it erected a bronze statue of the fictional enchantress with her Pomeranian on the main boardwalk.

Back when “The Lady With the Dog” was published, Crimea’s southern coast rivaled the French Riviera. Chekhov, who wrote several famous works in his study here with its red walls and stained glass window, was unequivocal in his enthusiasm.

“The coast of Crimea is beautiful, cozy, and I like it better than the Riviera,” he wrote more than 100 years ago, according to the permanent exhibition at his estate. “Yalta is better than Nice.”

That was perhaps the most famous endorsement of Crimea until President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia came along.

(More here.)