Pullman Tbilisi Axis Tower Gym and Pool
Pullman Tbilisi Axis Towers Wellness Center is located in Vake (37M Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue) on the 6th floor at Axis Tower. It has a 25 meters heated indoor pool with a retractable roof, sauna, steam room, gym (more like a fitness), spa treatment rooms, and a lounge.
We booked an unlimited membership here for one month in November 2022 (paying GEL 600 each, kids go free) with unlimited access to the gym pool and sauna facilities.
Kids (pre-schoolers) going free was the selling moment for us - as I believe this is a great family deal, spend about GEL 1,200/mo but gain access to a gym, and swimming pool - a good and healthy way to spend the winter months in Tbilisi.
My favorite gym…
How To Create Custom Token on Solana Blockchain without Coding - Part 1
It has been already several years since I have been originally thinking of launching a custom crypto token.
For most of the time, I was thinking about issuing smart contracts on the Ethereum network. Probably a high price for minting on the ETH network and the additional learning curve kept me back most of the time and I never actually proceeded with my idea.
Back in spring 2022 again I returned to the idea of issuing custom tokens, for Batumi Real estate crypto investment, I even launched a pre-sale token, but at the end attracted anchor investor who was more interested to make this deal in a more classical, FIAT way, now we are coinvesting in Tbilisi with cash, see: Ecocity…
Raising $10,000 capital for issuing Covered Call Crypto Fund (Solana blockchain)
I'm raising $10,000 for the covered call crypto fund.
For the past several years I've been trading and investing in crypto with mixed success. I've made my gains and taken my losses. Covered Calls with crypto have been one of the hardest to learn -and I'm still learning.
Over the years I've realized - making money in a growing market isn't hard - preserving and growing in a bear market is much harder. But possible.
Hedging with futures makes it possible. At some point, it can get tricky, but with the right mindset and some expertise, it can be achieved.
Despite, the time has proved that dollar cost averaging investing is one of the best investment approaches when investing with…
How to Install Drupal 9 with Nginx, PHP-FPM 8.1, MySQL, phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu 22.04 - Linode Guide
In this article, you will learn how to set up a webserver for serving Drupal websites running with Nginx, PHP-FPM 8.1, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu 22.04
For the following tutorial, I used very much the information from my previous guide with Ubuntu 18.04, but I decided to rewrite it for Ubuntu 22.04 version as it is shipped with php8.1 version and will work with Drupal 9 (most probably with previous versions too)
Prerequisites
Ubuntu 22.04
Root privileges.
You can get a cheap VPS starting just $5/mo from Linode. That's what I did - bought a new nanode from Linode
Literally, in a couple of seconds, the new server was up and running - that's what I…
How To Gain Access to Linode over Finnix SSH in Rescue Mode
In this article, I will keep some notes on how I accessed an "inaccessible" Linode over SSH using Rescue mode.
Brief background: More than 10 years ago (in 2012) I did set up a virtual server for XTRF translation management software, back then I choose freshly released Debian 6 (which reached its end of Life back in February 2016).
Back in the day, XTRF was not a big name, and most of the help support was done over some simple MS Word documents. I followed the tutorial and set and forget the server for years to come.
At the end of 2018, the server just stopped working - after several unsuccessful attempts to reanimate it I just gave up, as the newer and better…
Shaori Reservoir
Shaori Reservoir is an artificial lake located in the region of Racha, Georgia - some 170 km northwest of the capital Tbilisi.
I first visited it in mid-October 2022, during our first trip to Racha
The Shaori reservoir stretches from the southwest to the northeast, its length is 7.1 kilometers, the greatest width is 2.7 kilometers.
The greatest depth is 14.5 meters, the average depth is 9.8 meters, the area is 9.2 km². The volume of water is 90.6 million m³. It is fed by tributaries and precipitation that falls on its surface (1500 mm per year).
The banks of the reservoir are mostly low and steep, in some places they are flat.
I can see some great tourism potential…
Sikvaruli Waterfall in Racha
The Sikvaruli waterfall (Waterfall of love) is located in Racha, near the town of Ambrolauri, Georgia
The waterfall flows on the mossy rocky massive and creates marvelous sight. Waterflow is located across the Rioni River.
We discovered this place by a chance - when our Rachan driver Levan, showed this place as one of the top sights around Ambrolauri.
Indeed the waterfall is quite impressive and looks double interesting because of the many colors around it - greed, red, blue. But it also depends on the season of the year. Fall is especially popular among Racha photographers.
The road literally ends at the waterfall, so you cannot pass it.
Spend some time at the waterfall before…
Won Another Online Auction - Plot of Land in Saldus (EUR 4.82/m2)
On November 24, 2022, I helped to win an online auction for a real estate property in Saldus, Latvia
This auction was held online at the E-izsoles platform. And unlike most of the other bids, this was one of the easiest bids, We were just two bidders, the second bidder had entered the bid a few days earlier and probably forgot to bid today, as my bid was just the second highest.
In the past I've bought already one apartment using this platform, see: Today I bought my first flat on an online auction site
In total, we agreed to pay EUR 3,250 for a 668 sqm plot of land in Saldus. Distance to Riga is about 120km, Laidi 48km, Vilgāle 64km, and Jēči another 120km.
With this…
Sakhluka Rachashi, Cozy Cabin in Racha / Agara
Sakhluka Rachashi cabin house is located in Agara in the Racha region of Georgia.
We booked this place on Airbnb for about a 2-night stay in mid-October 2022, during our Racha trip. In total, we paid about $300 for our stay here.
As this time we were traveling without a car, we arrived here from Sadmeli Winery near Ambroulauri, after a short trip around Racha, by a driver I hired in Ambrolauri.
We had a little nice cabin house, with two bedrooms, fake, but fun, little fireplace, nice garden, and best of it - garden oven. We grilled some fish and potatoes there.
I felt bit nostalgig, but also inspired for our canceled garden oven, see: Building a foundation for a garden oven…
Nikortsminda Cathedral
Nikortsminda Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox Church, located in Nikortsminda, Racha region of Georgia.
I first discovered this beautiful cathedral in mid-October 2022, during our first trip to the region of Racha.
It is said, that Nikortsminda was built in 1010–1014 during the reign of Bagrat III of Georgia and was repaired in 1534 by the King Bagrat III of Imereti. Three-storied bell tower next to the cathedral was built in the second half of the 19th century. Frescoes inside the cathedral date from the 17th century.
The cathedral is on the Tentative List for status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stylistically, Nikortsminda reflects the Georgian cross-dome style of architecture,…
14 Things to Do in Latgale
In this article, I will share some notes and points of interest from our latest trip to Latgale at the start of August 2022. to celebrate my 37th birthday.
Our trip actually started a few days earlier on the other side of Latvia. Since this Summer we own a little summer house near Liepāja. Also, we have an apartment near Kuldīga, and back in that Summer, we had a flat in Riga. We started from Jēči with a stop at Pape, Vilgāle, and an overnight stay at our Apartment in Riga.
The next morning we left from Riga towards Latgale with a booked guesthouse in the evening near Varakļāni. There are several highways taking towards Latgale. We chose E22 highway, through Pļaviņas, Koknese, and…
Navtlugi Farmer's market Tbilisi
Navtlugi farmers market is located in the Samgori metro area, Tbilisi.
It seems it is possible to buy here fresh veggies from local farmers, kitchen sinks, electric lamps, bicycles, and many more.
Navtlugi market seems is like a mix of a Dezerteer bazaar, Kidobani market, and Dry Bridge flea market.
I had heard about this market from friends, but I first time discovered it just at the end of 2022, during a scouting tour for buying an apartment in Samgori. A German friend Ralph, happily assisted me and took me on a small guided tour to the Navtlugi market.
Our potential investment project actually is located just behind the Navtlugi market. Property prices in Samgori are among the lowest…
Guest house / Glamping Laimes taure
Located in the village Vabole, the region of Latgale in Latvia, some 20 km from Daugavpils, guest house Laimes taure offers accommodation with a garden, water sports facilities, a terrace, and free WiFi.
We booked this place for a one night stay, during our trip to the region of Latgale at the start of August 2022. As it was also my birthday, I was turning 37, my better part surprised me, by booking a stay inside a glamping tent and hot pool in the eveining.
The hosts prepared grilled fish and other local delicasies for us. In total we paid about EUR 250 for a stay here.
Our glamping tent in the background and hot pool in foreground. The tent had a comfortable bed. It was quite an…
Racha trip
Unforgettable Fall break from QSI Tbilisi to the picturesque region of Racha. From lush vineyards to charming wooden cottages, from hiking above the clouds to stumbling upon a defunct cable car station, our adventure had it all. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a virtual tour filled with nature, culture, and a touch of rustic charm.Taking advantage of the convenient 30-minute flight from Tbilisi to Ambrolauri with Vanilla Sky, our journey began with anticipation and excitement. Racha, known for its breathtaking landscapes and warm hospitality, was the perfect destination for our Fall escapade.Our first stop led us to the enchanting wineries dotting the Racha region. Surrounded by…
Sadmeli Winery & Guesthouse
Located in Sadmeli village, close to Ambrolauri town in Georgia's Racha region - Sadmeli Winery features a garden, terrace, spectacular views towards the valley, and free WiFi throughout the property. The guest house has family rooms.
We booked a one-night stay at this place in mid-October 2022, during our Fall Break (at QSI Tbilisi) trip to the Region of Racha.
We arrived here by plane from Natakhtari (Tbilisi) to the Ambrolauri airplane. Shuttle service was organized for a small additional fee. In total we paid about GEL 330 for a stay in a family room, with a shared bathroom, our price included delicious on-demand supper with a bottle of local cider (from the vinerary and taxi…
Ambrolauri Airport
Ambrolauri Airport is a small regional airport serving Ambrolauri, a town in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Georgia. The airport is owned and operated by United Airports of Georgia, a state-owned company. It has been open in its current form since January 2017 and can serve airplanes with up to 50 passengers capacity.
I first learned about this airport back in 2016, but first tried at the end of 2022, during a Fall break trip to Racha. We booked a round-trip flight here by Vanilla Sky and enjoyed a 35-minute flight from/to Natakhtari airport.
Ambrolauri Airport is located at the edge of Ambrolauri town, in the historic Racha region on the right bank of the Rioni…
Natakhtari Airfield / Airport
Natakhtari Airfield is a small domestic airport located in Natakhtari, close to Tbilisi, Georgia.
It is privately owned and operated by the parent company of Vanilla Sky Airlines, Service Air. Domestic flights to Batumi, Mestia, and Ambrolauri are served from here. Free shuttle service is available from Tbilisi city center for Vanilla Sky flights.
We have been huge fans of Vanilla sky airlines, for Tbilisi - Batumi flights, which previously were scheduled from Tbilisi international airport, but seem to have been rerouted via Natakhtari airport (at least in 2022), and that's how we discovered this small, cozy airport.
Free parking spaces in front of the temrinal building. Also free…
Scouting Potential Apartment Investment in Tbilisi (Samgori Ecocity)
For the past couple of weeks and months, I have been working toward my Tbilisi real estate investment idea.
Now I have a potential co-investor and we are looking to buy one apartment in Tbilisi (or Batumi) under construction, wait until it is completed, and sell it for a profit (hopefully).
As I had done initial market research for some potential value deals in Tbilisi, I found this quite an interesting offer located in the city outskirts but meantime well connected to the rest of the city - Samgori Ecocity project by Meti developer company.
Invest in Tbilisi Real Estate - New Projects under construction
I held initial talks with the developers and was quite satisfied with the offered…
Batumi and Tbilisoba
A quick day trip to Batumi and back by Vanilla Sky from Natakhtari airfield, stay at the Hilton hotel with heated swimming pool + some bits of real estate investing, returned back to Tbilisi and voted at Latvian Parliament elections 2022 at the embassy, the next day visited Tbilisi city festival.
Enjoy the show and thumbs up!
MyHeritage DNA test result
Today I finally received the DNA test result from MyHeritage. The result was quite surprising - I learned I have 56% Baltic, 18.8% Ashkenazi Jewish, 15.85% Balkan, and 8.7% North and West European DNA.
Before the test, I assumed my Baltic (Latvian) heritage will be about 75%, maybe 60%, but seeing 56% left me quite surprised.
I knew about Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (my grandfather), so no surprise here, the biggest surprise though comes from the 15.8% Balkan ancestry.
Knowing that 18% Ashkenazi Jewish comes from my paternal grandfather I was left wondering, that probably 15% Balkans also comes from one of my paternal grandparents. I was left wondering, from whom then, as I had…