Shumi winery and vineyards near Tsinandali in Kakheti, Georgia
Founded in 2001, Shumi Winery is a leading producer of high-quality Georgian wines. Its large estate is located in the Kakheti wine region’s famous Tsinandali village.
A nice stop when traveling to the region of Kakheti. There is a wineshop, restaurant, and of course vineyards at the territory complex.
Shumi Winery takes its name from an old Georgian word that means authentic, undiluted wine. The winery’s griffin logo refers to “Phaskunji”, a creature from Georgian mythology. Legend has it that the griffin brought the very first bunch of grapes to the people, and from these grapes, people started growing vines on the earth.
I havent tried the restaurant here, but at least you should be…
Latvian Villa Kursa near Sighnaghi in Georgia
Villa Kursa offers friendly accommodation near Sighnaghi, in the village of Anaga, some 6 km from Sighnaghi center and 9 km from Bodbe Monastery. The property features a large terrace, a garden as well as a shared lounge area. Guests can enjoy a mountain view from Villa Kursa. Family rooms at the property come with free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning.
We booked a two-night stay here at the end of July 2023, paying GEL 200 via booking.com
I've heard about this place at least since 2012, as I knew the place is run by a Latvian couple Ineta and Valdis Kursiesi.
We had never met before. So finally this day come and we had a chance to finally met and stay here.
This 3-bedroom…
Villa Kursa & Kakheti
Our recent adventure took us to the breathtaking landscapes of Georgia, where we spent a memorable weekend at Villa Kursa near Sighnaghi. This hidden gem nestled in the heart of Kakheti, a prominent wine region, offered us a delightful blend of nature, wine, and local hospitality. Let's take a journey through our amazing weekend and explore the wonders of this picturesque destination.
Nestled in the lush countryside near the charming town of Anaga, near Sighnaghi, Villa Kursa welcomed us with open arms. The tranquil ambiance and warm hospitality provided by our gracious hosts, Ineta Kursiete and Valdis J. Kursietis, immediately made us feel at home. The property's rustic charm blended…
Swimming Pool and Spa at Tbilisi Biltmore Hotel
The Biltmore Hotel is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue.
For the past few years, we have been heading here for its indoor swimming pool. There is also a small gym and a simple spa center with a Steam room and Finnish sauna.
Small and cozy swimming pool with whirpool and few waterfalls. Not very deep, maybe 1 meter 20 or even less. Kid friendly
There is an outfoor restaurnat next to the pool, offering great cuisine, french firies, tacos, greek salad etc.
There is a small gym located next to the swimming pool. simple, with a few tradmils and some dumbells. OK for a workout.
Offering an indoor pool, spa, and a fitness center, The Biltmore…
From Riga to Disaster: Repairing Our Wind Damaged Frame House in Latvia
Just after we finished most of the framing for our frame house in Latvia, we left for a weekend in Riga.
After spending good 4 or 5 days in the nation's capital we found a huge surprise when returned - high wind, the storm has damaged our building and the looks were not good.
Our frame house has suffered significant damage due to the strong winds
I called to my assistant and together we fixed most of the damage in just a few couple of hours. We started by removing roof constructions
Once the roof was disconected, leveled up and fixed the walls
As the weather was not very good and it kept raining, I decided not to install rafters yet, as we also had a two week trip to France…
Jomardi X Park And Rafting
"X Park" run by “Jomardi” Rafting Club is located nearby Tvalivi village on the left side of Pshavis Aragvi River at 900 meters above sea level.
I have been familiar with the Jomardi Rafting Club since 2011 when I took my first rafting ride here in Georgia.
At the start of June 2023, my better part had a birthday, and we agreed to celebrate it together with the office employees by having a rafting ride. Great for party, great for team building.
For getting here we organized a van from Tbilisi for up to 24 persons. Mamuka from Jomardi helped to find us a driver with a van and sent the driver to Vake, right to the office. The transfer fee was GEL 350 for both directions.
The…
The Ultimate Israel Itinerary: Exploring Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Eilat, and Tel Aviv
We decided to head to Israel for New Year's Eve of 2023, where we spent short, about a week-long trip to the Holy Land, exploring the cities of, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, basking in the sun at Herod's place in Eilat, and then returning to Tel Aviv. The trip was an unforgettable experience, and we are excited to share our journey with you.
We arrived to Israel from Tbilisi, Georgia by El AL arways, landing at Ben Gurion airport, from which we took a train to Jerusalem, the train ride was shot about 25 minutes and in no matter of time we checked in at our airbnb on Be'er Sheva street in Jereusalem. Paying about $350 for a 2-night stay
In Jerusalem we visited the Western Wall and …
DIY Frame House in Latvia: Walls and Rafters Completed
At the end of June 2023, we traveled to Latvia for about two weeks, during which I continued work with our frame house and installed both walls and rafters.
In this article, I'm sharing notes and photos from the construction.
It was a huge surprise when arriving on site I saw a lot of overgrown grass.
It was just a few months ago, we come to Latvia to install this foundation on the grounds crews.
The Cost-Saving Way to Build a Frame House in Latvia: Our DIY Project (Screw Foundation Piles)
Just like in the Spring, I ordered wood from PATA Saldus, here is delivered wood both for walls and roof and also slats
I made the first frames myself, using just a hand saw and a drill. I…
Summer Solstice 2023
In case you wondered how we celebrated Summer's Solstice 2023 - we celebrated it at our rural country house some 25 km from Liepåja in Latvia. Having a lot of fun.
I invited my mom to join us for the little party. Just four of us.
We bought this little Dacha last year for just EUR 5,000 and now we have a place where to come and celebrate at least Līgo once in a year.
I had to spend a good evening trimming grass tonight
Having a property puts on a lot of responsibility, and my biggest fight for years - grass.
Small but hearty Līgo
Jerusalem in December: A Must-Visit Destination for the New Year Holiday
Jerusalem is a city steeped in history, culture, and religion, making it a fascinating destination to visit any time of the year. However, there is something particularly special about visiting Jerusalem in the weeks leading up to New Year's.
In this article, we'll explore some of the highlights of experiencing Jerusalem before New Year's eve. We arrivied to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion airport terminal and our discoveries could start. After booking nice apartment on Be'er Sveva street, we left exploring city, by visitng The Western Wall, Mahane Yehuda Market and even the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Later on we left Jerusalem for Eilat and returned back to Tel Aviv. …
Vialand Amusement Park in Istanbul
Vialand Theme Park is a huge amusement park and shopping mall located in Istanbul, Turkey.
We visited this theme park at the end of May 2023, during our weekend trip to Istanbul. We paid a 240 USD entry fee for a family of three (also kids pay full fare).
After visiting the park I was left with the feeling that the price might be way too overpriced for the attractions we actually used. As we were traveling with our 4-year-old daughter, we were using just the bare minimum. The total price of USD 240 for spending a few hours at this theme park. Well, it depends. The daughter was quite happy at least. and that is the most important thing!
For getting here, we used BiTaksi ride-sharing…
Hotel Baykal in Istanbul
Hotel Baykal is located on the shores of Golden Horn in Unkapani, Istanbul.
This hotel is located about 3 km from the historical Sultanahmet area. Free WiFi is accessible in all areas.
We booked Hotel Baykal for a 3-night stay at the end of May 2023 during our short trip to Istanbul. At the time of booking, we were just choosing the cheapest options available, and I have to say this was a bargain deal.
In total, we paid about USD 160 for our 3-day stay here, which is something really awesome. We could spend about $1,000 for a luxury stay, with access to swimming pools, a la carte restaurant, but this time we decided to save huge, and indeed this was quite a value deal.
For…
Ring in the New Year in Eilat: A Guide to the Top Attractions
Eilat is a city in southern Israel that is well known for its sunny beaches and vibrant nightlife. The city is especially popular during the New Year's holiday season when visitors flock to the area to enjoy the warm weather and festive atmosphere. In this article, I'll explore some of the highlights of visiting Eilat around New Year's.
We come to Eilat, especially for New Year's Eve, and booked Herods Boutique hotel, paying about USD 750 for a 2-night stay. Might be a bit expensive, but the stay was awesome and it was New Year's Eve. We chose Israil Air to fly from Ben Gurion Airport to Ramon airport near Eilat for getting here, additonaly a taxi service form the airport. The domestic…
Our frame house has suffered significant damage due to the strong winds
Over the past few weeks, I have been fully engrossed in the laborious task of constructing our frame house from the ground up. Unfortunately, amidst the hustle and bustle of the construction process, I have been remiss in updating our progress on this blog. However, I regret to inform you that our endeavors have taken a devastating blow.
This past weekend marked a significant milestone as we completed the roof installation and eagerly commenced the placement of the crosswind sheet. With each passing day, we inched closer to the realization of our dream home. Today, as I was in the midst of finalizing the order for the metal roofing, I received some profoundly disheartening news.
A…
Elia Monastery near Dedoplis Tskaro
Elia monastery is located in Kakheti, in the southern part of Dedoplistskaro, on a double-peak limestone mountain. The Temple of Saint Ilia Tezbiteli is located on Mount Elia since the sixth century. Many people gather here every August 2, on the day of the great prophet, Saint Ilia Tezbiteli. They overnight on a double-peaked mountain and pray at the bottom of the Elia rock.
I first learned about this beautiful place from our German friend Ralph, during the Vashlovani trip back in Summer 2021. Back then we didn't made a stop here, just passed it by and saw from the distance.
It was back in Summer of 2023 when we actually visited this place and I had a chance to make a few close-ups with…
How To Get pre-paid unlimited internet in Turkey with eSIM
Staying connected while traveling is crucial in today's digital age, and having access to mobile internet is essential for most people.
Turkey, with its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes, is a popular destination for travelers from around the world. To ensure you stay connected during your trip, one convenient option is to use an eSIM (embedded SIM) for mobile internet.
During our latest independent trip to Istanbul, I was exploring my options for getting a sim card with internet for my phone and was very happy to learn that there is actually eSIM available with prepaid unlimited internet for Turkey.
Instead of actually visiting some phone store, buying a sim card, and…
The Top Beaches to Visit in Tel Aviv: Unwind and Relax by the Mediterranean Sea
Tel Aviv is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel, known for its vibrant culture, nightlife, and beaches. With over 14 kilometers of coastline, Tel Aviv boasts some of the most beautiful and accessible beaches in the country.
During our latest trip to Israel I had a chance to spend a day in Tel Aviv's beaches and was left with that white envy feeling, how lucky Israelis are, having such nice beaches just in front of their city. Just amazing.
Coming back from the trip, I was reasearching more about Tel Aviv's beaches and here's a guide to the top beaches in Tel Aviv.
Frishman Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Tel Aviv. It's located near the city center and…
Savanna Guest House in Dedoplis Tskaro
Savanna Guest House is located on Mosulishvili Street 51 in the town of Dedoplis Tskaro.
We booked this guest house for a one-night stay at the start of June 2023, paying about gel 150 for a separate house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a shower, a living room, and a lovely outdoor space.
We keep returning to Dedoplis Tskaro because of the Eagle Canyon and this time we decided to extend our stay in the area by booking a guest house. and Savanna Guest house was our perfect match.
We had a free parking on the street. Little nice backyard and even a swing which made our 4-year old daughter very happy.
Very comfortable bed. The room even featured a desk, though I prefered to do my laptop…
Discovering Jaffa: A Memorable Day Trip from Tel Aviv
Jaffa is an ancient port city near Tel Aviv in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon, and Saint Peter as well as the mythological story of Andromeda and Perseus, and later for its oranges.
Today, Jaffa is one of Israel's mixed cities, with approximately 37% of the city being Arab.
We had a chance to visit Jaffa and meet with our Latvian friend there at the start of 2023 during our latest trip to Israel.
Jaffa is a fascinating destination for a day trip from Tel Aviv. The city is steeped in history, and its winding alleys, colorful markets, and beautiful architecture offer a unique glimpse into the past.
Getting to Jaffa…
Rafting & Birthday
June marked a special occasion for the Caucasus Translations team as we embarked on an unforgettable adventure to celebrate Sandra's birthday. The chosen setting? The exhilarating waters of the Aragvi River, offering a unique and exciting rafting experience. Join us as we share the highlights of this action-packed day filled with mcvadi feasts, team building, and an abundance of positive vibes!The Aragvi River, with its twists and turns through the stunning Caucasus landscape, provided the perfect backdrop for our celebration. As adrenaline pumped through our veins, we navigated the river's rapids, each twist and turn adding to the thrill of the experience. The mesmerizing scenery of…