Snowy day in Tbilisi
On the morning of March 17, 2020, snow surprised us here in Tbilisi.
While sipping morning coffee I decided to grab a camera and take a few shots for the history.
As it has been a while since my latest update from the Living in Georgia series I found this photo story a great way to illustrate how we spent a day, while in self-quarantine because of the Covid19 virus.
Documenting winter in Georgia has been a tradition of this blog, see Tbilisi - Fairyland in Winter, Georgia in Winter (Photos from Tbilisi), Hiking trails near Turtle lake, Tbilisi in Winter
Snow in Tbilisi
Seeing snow in Tbilisi is quite rare, though possible, mostly at the end…
Best Point Hotel Old City Istanbul (Sultanahmet)
Located in the Old City of Istanbul, this hotel is within walking distance to Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Best Point Hotel Old City offers air-conditioned rooms. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel.We booked here a one night stay at the end of February 2020, during a layover flight from Tbilisi via Istanbul to Riga. We booked a family room which included a really comfy bed (s) and even a private hammam (Turkish sauna).Our price about $95 per one-night stay (additionally we paid about $90 for a transfer back and forth from Istanbul airport, transfer was organized with the help of hotel). We like travel to Turkey and…
National Library of Latvia
The National Library of Latvia, also known as Castle of Light is located on Mūkusalas iela 3, Riga - on the left side of river Daugava, opposite to Old RigaThe current building was designed in 1989 by noted Latvian-American architect Gunnar Birkerts (1925-2017), who emigrated to the United States and made his career there. It was constructed in the early 21st century and opened in 2014. Today the Library plays an important role in the development of Latvia's information society, providing Internet access to residents and supporting research and lifelong education.I had a chance to visit the National Library of Latvia at the end of February 2020 and I must admit I was very…
Drunk Cherry Gudauri Restaurant
Drunk Cherry is a stylish restaurant located in Gudauri next to the GoodAura ski-left (New Gudauri ski resort)Discovered during a weekend trip to Gudauri. And I should say I was really impressed. The food, service, and even the prices are as if you were in some of the best Tbilisi restaurants.Warm and cosy even on the coldest days. We promise fast and friendly service and a unique atmosphere.We order here some hot-wine, soup harcho, hummus salads, hamburgers, and even pancakes. I would call this cuisine pretty much European with a Georgian accent.Salads served with hummusI have noticed this is quite popular now in Georgia. Every chill place serves salads with hummus. It's…
Condohotel 'GVC 217' New Gudauri
GVC 217 is a condo/aparthotel located in the New Gudauri ski resort, some 120 km from the nation's capital Tbilisi.We booked here a weekend (2-night stay) in January 2019 and paid $138 for that. Despite we booked via Booking.com they accepted only cash.As I later learned owners of this condo have a travel company in Georgia, mostly specializing on incoming tours across Georgia for Russian speaking tourists - G-V-C or Georgian Voyage Company. Also, I learned that GVC owns/manages at least 14 condos here in Gudauri.Alternatively see: Ultimate List With Top 10 Gudauri Hotels (Georgian Ski Resort) of my reviews with Gudauri hotelsGVC 217There is an indoor pool, sauna and ski…
February 2020 Dividend Income Report - $251.15
Welcome to the thirty-fourth (#34) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks and peer to peer lending in February 2020.Last February we spent both in Georgia and Latvia, with a small stop to Istanbul, Turkey (layover flight). Our daughter has started to visit English preschool in Tbilisi and now she is really fast picking up new things and words. Amazing. Latvian National Library in RigaThey have a great kid room on the 7-th floor with great views towards Old Riga.From the perspective of the market, last February was a bloodbath, the Corona Virus dominated the news and all major indexes (S&P 500, Dow Jones) were down 10-15…
Lindt Factory Shop Induno Oluno
This Lindt factory shop is located in the town of Induno Oluno (Varese), Italy on Largo Edoardo Bulgheroni street 1.Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG, more commonly known simply as Lindt, is a Swiss chocolatier and confectionery company founded in 1845 and known for its chocolate truffles and chocolate bars, among other sweets.We visited this factory shop in mid-November 2019, during our about a week-long trip to Italy and Switzerland. As we had a hotel booked in Induno Oluno (Villa Porro Pirelli, Induno Oluno, Italy) after some Google search we found this shop, and that's how we ended here and bought a lot of candies…
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
I was first introduced to the works of Nassim Nicholas Taleb from a fellow option trader when in a conversation I mentioned the term "Black Swan", my friend told me that Mr. Nassim Taleb is the author of this term and that he actually is quite active on Twitter.
I followed Nassim Taleb on Twitter, read a bit Wikipedia about him and basically forgot about him, when a couple of weeks later I was reading another trader's blog in which he mentions that has re-read all the books of Nassim Taleb. Now I decided - I should act, quickly googled which book I should read first - and Fooled by Randomness was pretty much recommended. I bought from Amazon the Kindle version and…
Winter in Georgia: Gombori Pass
Some call Gombori pass - A Picturesque Road To Kakheti, here at Piece of Life we can only agree. The road indeed is spectacularIf you don't have problems with endless turns or drastic changes of elevation and air pressure, then Gombori road is your road of choice to Kakheti. The pass itself peaks at 1620 meters above sea level.Gombori road is spectacular at any time of year. Small idyllic villages, magnificent sceneries of Alazani valley and Caucasus Mountains, panoramic views, sheep flocks, ancient forests, beautiful meadows and sea of clouds are just a short list of what awaits you on this road.At the start of January 2020, we left our cozy Tbilisi apartment to travel to Tsinandali…
Villa Porro Pirelli, Induno Oluno, Italy
Villa Porro Pirelli is set in Induno Olona, 5 km from Varese and 8 km from the Swiss border. It features air-conditioned rooms and a free outdoor pool, gym and solarium.We booked here a one night stay in the mid-November 2019, and paid about $70 or $80 for our stay here. To get here, we arrived from Switzerland.Induno Oluno is a small Italian town quite close to Milan (some 60 km).With antique furnishings, elegant rooms at the Porro Pirelli include a minibar and trouser press. Some rooms have wood-beamed ceilings, and WiFi is free throughout.Villa Porro Pirelli Breakfast is served in the Sala della Musica hall, with frescoed ceilings. Guests can enjoy a meal at the Bistrò, located…
Restaurant Wineland Telavi
Restaurant Wineland is located close to the town of Telavi in the region of Kakheti, Georgia.We discovered it in early January 2020 while driving Tbilisi - Tsinandali (via Gombori pass), as it was getting late already and we were approaching our final destination in Tsinandali (Odo's house) we started to look for some cozy restaurant to have dinner. Luckily, Restaurant Wineland appeared on the roadside. Now there is one more restaurant I know and can recommend in Telavi, see Telavi restaurantsRestaurant Wineland near TelaviAs usual, it happens to us in Georgia, we were the only guests here. As I'm already used to it, I actually enjoy it a lot. Also, we visited Wineland…
Resort Collina d'Oro - Hotel & Spa in Agra, Switzerland
Located in a scenic location in the Ticino countryside, a 15-minute drive from Lugano’s centre, this exclusive 5-star resort on 25 hectares of grounds offers panoramic views.We booked here a one night stay in early November 2019, for our stay here we paid ~ $234. The price included access to the SPA. Collina d’Oro’s 1,000 m² spa area includes various wellness facilities, as well as a fitness room. A wide range of massages and beauty programs, as well as hydrotherapy, are available.To get here we arrived from Lugano city in our rental car.Resort Collina d'Oro - Hotel & SpaAn elegant restaurant, and a spa area with an indoor and an outdoor pool are at guests´…
Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate Georgia
Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate Georgia is situated in Tsinandali, 1.4 km from Tsinandali Palace Museum, and offers free WiFi.An infinity outdoor swimming pool with view and pool bar is available on site as well as spa facilities, steam rooms and fitness centre.Ok, I actually haven't stayed at this hotel for the night, though I have enjoyed a cup of cappuccino at the hotel's library bar. But let me say one more time - Georgia never ends surprise me!Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate GeorgiaAll units in the hotel are equipped with a coffee machine. The rooms are fitted with a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer. The units at Radisson Collection Hotel…
Amazon Fire Tablet 7 Review
I ordered Amazon Fire Tablet 7 at the end of 2019 as a Christmas gift to our almost 18-month old baby girl. It took some two weeks before the gadget was actually delivered to us here in Georgia. I wanted to have something cheap enough it wouldn't be sad if the baby would drop or broke and also something smart enough to use Alexa with. I've been a huge fan of the Amazon Echo device since August 2019. Amazon Alexa Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker ReviewAnd that's how I decided to go with Amazon Fire Tablet 7Now was time to unpack and see what's inside. Package has arrived in GeorgiaFor shipments to Georgia we are using a neat delivery service called Usa2Georgia, see:…
January 2020 Dividend Income Report - $164.99
Welcome to the thirty third (#33) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks and peer to peer lending in January 2020. Just like in the previous years, the last January disappeared like a flicker, little miss Fischer baby girl turned already 18-month old. We started to go to the Georgian language kindergarten, which at the end of the month we still decided to switch to English pre-school with the Montessori teaching method. During January we spent all-time in Georgia, did a few road trips to Tsinandali and Gudauri ski resort (twice)Gudauri Ski Resort in GeorgiaThis January also marked a small 3 years…
Odo's House in Tsinandali
Odo's house is a family-run bed&breakfast style guest house, located in Tsinandali, some 100 km from Tbilisi in Georgia. We booked Odo's house at the start of January 2020 for a two-night stay and paid about USD 40 for that (free parking and breakfast included)Odo's House features a garden. All rooms feature a kitchenette, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, and a private bathroom. Every room includes a terrace with a mountain view.The guesthouse is located in front of the famous Alexander Chavchavadze museumRoom at Odo's houseFor me I got the feeling I have got back to Soviet Georgia (in a very positive way) I felt like in the 60-ies.Odo's…
Postcards from Lugano
We traveled to Lugano in Switzerland at the end of 2019. Visit to Lugano officially adds marks 18th country on my travel map I've visited (since 2013)We arrived here from Italy's Lecco town using our rental car (Sicily car), a quick border check (without a real inspection) and we were inside Switzerland.Lake LuganoLugano is a town and a municipality in southern Switzerland in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino bordering Italy. It has a population of 63,185, and an urban agglomeration of over 145,000. The ninth-largest Swiss town, it is the largest in Ticino and largest with an Italian speaking…
Aparthotel Autosole Riga
Located opposite a park in the historical centre of Riga on Hospitāļu street.Aparthotel Autosole offers to its guests 10 comfortable apartments and studios.We have been staying at this hotel several times, with the first stay being back in 2017 while the latest stay was at the end of 2019. In total, we paid USD 86 for a 2-night stay. That's one of the cheapest stays you can find in Riga.There is one more Autosole Economy motel located in the other side of Riga, see Autosole Economy Motel in RigaSee my complete listing with Riga hotels I have stayedAparthotel Autosole in Riga1.5 km from Arena Riga, Aparthotel Autosole offers fully-equipped studios and apartments with satellite TV, free…
2019 Blog Income & Traffic Review - Goals For 2020
January is almost at the end and it's time to look back on the previous year of blogging (2019), and no doubts - take a quick glimpse of 2020
In today's article, I will reveal data behind the blog scenes - both traffic and income for the whole year of 2019. But before we dig into the numbers, here is the brief background - blog now is more than six years old, and for the last six years it has gone a very long way,
Make sure to check out my previous yearly blogging reviews:
2018 - 2018 Blog Income & Traffic Review - Goals For 2019 / $20,517.34
2017 - 2017 Blog Income & Traffic Review - Goals For 2018 / $24,920.47…
Ilia Lake
Ilia Lake is located near the town of Kvareli in the region of Kakheti, Georgia.First discovered back in 2014, while staying at Royal Batoni hotel next to the lake. Since then I've headed here several times. It was at the start of 2020 when I learned that this lake actually is manmade. Ilias lake was formed in a valley of the Duruji Rivier a few years ago, financed from the then Presidential fund (Mikheil Saakashvili) Ilia’s Lake was named after Ilia Chavchavadze, a nobleman who is still considered one of the mightiest thinkers in the history of the country. He was a real polymath – a person of many jobs and aspirations.Ilias lake in GeorgiaThere is a small amphitheater…