Hotel Tarongeta Review in Cadaques

26 October, 2014 | Hotel reviews | 9 seen

We stayed at hotel Tarongeta in Cadaques in our second day trip to Catalonia, Spain.

You can read my photo article - covering Cadaques here.

Choice of Tarongneta was made spontaneous and all agreements regarding accommodation was made on site, not using any third party booking services (thus, I must admit I found this hotel on booking.com before we arrived at Cadaques)

This hotel offers few benefits - free parking on site, located in centre of Cadaques. The price? EUR 55 per night (I guess could bargain it down to EUR 40 with ease).

Nothing fancy - just great location and free parking.

Bathroom at Hotel Tarongeta

Bathroom at Hotel Tarongeta

Bedroom at Hotel Tarongeta

Bedroom at Hotel Tarongeta

Bedroom at Hotel Tarongeta

Rooms come with TV and free High Speed internet at hotel Targoneta

Corridor at Hotel Tarongeta

Sign right next to entrance at Hotel Tarongeta

Vestibule at Hotel Tarongeta

About Hotel Tarongeta

Set in picturesque fishing town of Cadaqués, the family-run Hotel Tarongeta with free WiFi and free on-site parking is situated just 150 metres from the beach.

The bright, air-conditioned rooms at the Tarongeta have a flat-screen TV and a safe. Rooms are also heated and each comes with a private bathroom.

The hotel serves a buffet breakfast. There is also a bar and a charming interior courtyard with a seating area.

Hotel Tarongeta is also next to the bus stop that can take you to Port Lligat, where you will find Dali's famous residence. Reception staff can advise you on what to see and do in Cadaqués and the surrounding area.

Book via booking.com

About Cadaques

Cadaqués  is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean.

It is only a two-and-a-quarter hour drive from Barcelona, and thus it is very accessible and not only attracts tourists but people who want a second home for weekends and summers.

In 2002, Cadaqués had an official population of 2,612, but up to ten times as many people can live in the town during the peak of the summer tourism season. Cadaqués has a special place in art history. Commanding charcoals, by local artist Meifrén, of the 19th century Cadaqués beleaguered by a winter tramontane, can be seen at the Cadaqués museum.

Fren was the first modern artist to live in Cadaqués and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn-of-the-century fishermen.

Salvador Dalí often visited Cadaqués in his childhood, and later kept a home in Port Lligat, a small village on a bay next to the town. A summer holiday here in 1916, spent with the family of Ramon Pichot is seen as especially important to Dalí's artistic career.

Other notable artists, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Richard Hamilton, Albert Ràfols-Casamada, Antoni Pitxot, Henri-François Rey, Melina Mercouri and Maurice Boitel also spent time here.

Cadaqués is mentioned in the story "Tramontana" by Gabriel García Márquez. The interesting submarine life of this sleepy fishing village was studied for several years by phycologist Françoise Ardré, long before Cadaqués was discovered and transformed into a tourism destination. On Mondays there is a travelling market in Cadaqués, located near the parking lot. This market has a wide variety of products.

Exploring Catalonia: from Roses to Cadaques

25 October, 2014 | Travel guides | 57 seen

On our second day on Catalonian trip, we left Girona and headed to Roses (Girona municipality) and after a short 5 minute stay at Roses we headed to Cadaques (Girona municipality).

I decided to stick with motto: one picture can say more than 1000 words, and here you have - 30 pictures I took during our trip Roses, Girona - Cadaques, Girona.

Beach at Roses, Girona

Roses, Girona

Literraly after 5 minutes here at Roses beach we decided - there is no need to dig deeper in this beautiful Spanish/Catalonian seaside town, and we turned our car around to head to Cadaques. I guess it's all about spontaneity. Sorry Roses in Girona - I will come back some other day.

On the road to Cadaques

Scenic views

Rocks at Cadaques

Turns out - somewhere near these rocks were Salvador Dali house museum - well, it was hard to find it among those rocks...

Cadaques bay

Instead of Salvador Dali house museum we got nice seaside views

Cactuses on cliffs

Cadaques bay with boats

Boats at Cadaques bay

Streets of Cadaques

Multilingual Road sign at Cadaques

Cadaques Town

Spanish cat

One of the things I like to photograph while abroad - cats. Doesn't this kitty looks like real Spaniard? Or perhaps Catalonian?

Spanish cats

View from Cadaques cathedral

People on streets of Cadaques

Salvador Dali billboard

Another cat

Cadaques

Beautiful house decorations at Cadaques

Arts and Crafts at Cadaques

Streets of Cadaques

Streets of Cadaques

Balcony at Cadaques

Restaurant at Cadaques

Ceramics at Cadaques

Bought an ashtray here

Architecture of Cadaques

More seaside views to Cadaques

Almost postcard of Cadaques

Fisherman with cigar

At Cadaques we stayed overnight - and I must admit - Cadaques is really charming town - were I would like to return.

Now is's time to open Wikipedia and learn more about those charming towns of Roses and Cadaques.

About Roses, Girona

Roses is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Empordà, located on the Costa Brava, in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast at the northern end of the Gulf of Roses, and is an important fishing port and tourist centre. The C-260 road links the town with Figueres.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roses,_Girona

About Cadaques

Cadaqués  is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean.

It is only a two-and-a-quarter hour drive from Barcelona, and thus it is very accessible and not only attracts tourists but people who want a second home for weekends and summers.

In 2002, Cadaqués had an official population of 2,612, but up to ten times as many people can live in the town during the peak of the summer tourism season. Cadaqués has a special place in art history. Commanding charcoals, by local artist Meifrén, of the 19th century Cadaqués beleaguered by a winter tramontane, can be seen at the Cadaqués museum.

Fren was the first modern artist to live in Cadaqués and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn-of-the-century fishermen.

Salvador Dalí often visited Cadaqués in his childhood, and later kept a home in Port Lligat, a small village on a bay next to the town. A summer holiday here in 1916, spent with the family of Ramon Pichot is seen as especially important to Dalí's artistic career.

Other notable artists, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Richard Hamilton, Albert Ràfols-Casamada, Antoni Pitxot, Henri-François Rey, Melina Mercouri and Maurice Boitel also spent time here.

Cadaqués is mentioned in the story "Tramontana" by Gabriel García Márquez. The interesting submarine life of this sleepy fishing village was studied for several years by phycologist Françoise Ardré, long before Cadaqués was discovered and transformed into a tourism destination. On Mondays there is a travelling market in Cadaqués, located near the parking lot. This market has a wide variety of products.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadaqu%C3%A9s

Hotel Ultonia Review in Girona

24 October, 2014 | Hotel reviews | 36 seen

During our first day on our Catalonia trip for a first night, we stayed at Girona - Hotel Ultonia.

For a start I must admit - I wanted to book another less expensive hotel, but that was out of city center - so hell, for a sake of a couple of bucks we decided to book something valuable in the city center.

But to keep up with the costs - I found it's more affordable if you are using hotelclub.com rather booking.com. Basically, it works like this  - what on Booking costs in Euro's, the same on hotelclub costs in dollars. And if you are a currency geek - you will understand me - it's 25-30% cheaper.

Now - enough talking, show me the pictures:

Corridor at Hotel Ultonia Girona

Bathroom at hotel Ultonia Girona

Bathroom at hotel Ultonia Girona

Bathroom at hotel Ultonia Girona

Flat Screen TV at Ultonia hotel Girona

Unfortunately, all the channels are only in Spanish.

No English, not to say Russian. I even considered to complain regarding this - I really enjoy watching 1st Russian channel at hotels. And 1st channels has a great offer for those hotels, where their station is not available: http://hotels.1tvrus.com/

Channel One the best Russian channel - that should be in every hotel (By the way, have watched this channel in a hotel in the United States - so back off - Anti Russian friends lol)

Tiny pathetic window at Hotel Ultonia at Girona

The view from the tiny window...

The bed at Hotel Ultonia Girona

Although this hotel calls himself a 3 star hotel - I would give this hotel 1 and a half star:

We made a reservation for this hotel for $70 but would give the real value of some $40 - or if the hotel would offer free parking and free breakfasts, then $70 would be nice. I would never pay EUR 70 (what asks booking.com) for this hotel.

The lack of Russian TV - well, I can live without it - no English channels - it's not so funny anymore.

About Hotel Ultionia

Hotel Ultonia is located in the center of Girona, 3 minutes’ walk from the Old Town, Cathedral and Arabic baths. It offers air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV and minibar.

The hotel offers a buffet breakfast and a cafe-bar where you can enjoy a drink or snack. From May to October guests can access the roof terrace with impressive views of Girona Cathedral and its surroundings. There are also a variety of restaurants and bars within a 5-minute walk.

A special bicycle storage area is available free of charge in the hotel, as well as a private underground car park, with free parking for motorcycles.

Hotel Ultonia is situated next to Devesa Park, and just 10 minutes’ walk from the bus and train stations, with good connections to Girona Costa Brava Airport. Palacio de Fires Congress Centre and the city’s bullring are also just a 10-minute walk away.

Staff at the Ultonia Hotel’s 24-hour reception can provide tourist information about what to see and do in Girona, Barcelona and the Costa Brava.

I won't even publish a link to this hotel - sorry for that - turns out - I cannot recommend it to you!

Catalonia: First impressions of Girona - Cathedral of Girona, Jewish Quarter

23 October, 2014 | Travel guides | 12 seen

This probably will be a long photo article, with few comments on each of the photo.

It was my first time visiting Spain, and stop of Girona came just right after we landed in Barcelona, rented a nice Renault Megane car from Fire Fly company. During this trip I only started to recognize what is Catalonia - not any more an abstract term for me - it's real place with real folks and attractions there. 

So here are few shots from Girona, Cathedral of Girona and Jewish Quarter (probably last two are main attractions of Girona)

Scooters on streets of Girona

Green Overpass

Funny Vehicle on streets of Girona

Balcony with flowers at Girona

View to Girona Cathedral

Girona street view

Girona Events desk (Actual on October 19, 2014)

Catatonia's Flag

Scenic streets of Girona

Scenic streets of Girona

Backyard of Girona's street

Scenic street of Girona

Garden close to Girona's Cathedral

Cathedral of Girona from distance

Architecture of Girona

Tried to make an art here

Exhibition hall

Streets of Girona

Medieval Streets of Girona

Informative signs for tourists

Super cool building

Cathedral of Girona

View from Cathedral of Girona

Another attempt of Art - Rooftops of Girona

View from Cathedral of Girona

Best shot so far

Inside of Cathedral of Girona

Altar of Cathedral of Girona

Backyard of Girona's Cathedral

At Girona Cathedral

At Girona Cathedral

Skyline of Girona

Me - pretending a Holy Father

Jewish museum

Jewish museum

Jewish museum

Chillin' on Medieval streets of Girona

Chillin' on Medieval streets of Girona

Wow, that was a much - 38 photos taken with my old Sony DSC camera - hope you enjoyed at least.

Now let's get back to historic facts about places I photographed above:

About Girona

Girona  is a city in the northeast of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia in Spain, at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell and has an official population of 96,722 as of January 2011. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès. It is located 99 km (62 mi) northeast of Barcelona. Girona is one of the major Catalan cities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girona

About Girona Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Girona is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Girona, located in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Its interior includes the widest Gothic nave in the world, with a width of 22 metres (72 ft), and the second widest overall after that of St. Peter's Basilica, just for comparison, the width of the nave of Reims is 14.65 m, Saint-Étienne de Sens, 15.25 m and 12 m, in Notre Dame de Paris. Its construction was first started in the 11th century in Romanesque style, and later continued in the 13th century in Gothic style. Of the original Romanesque edifice only the 12th century cloister and the bell tower remain. The bell tower was completed in the 18th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girona_Cathedral

About Jewish Quarter

Located within the Força Vella, the Jewish Quarter or Call is one of the city's most emblematic areas. It consists of a labyrinth of narrow streets and patios that have maintained their medieval atmosphere. It is one of the best preserved Jewish quarters in the world and clear evidence of the importance of the Jewish culture in Girona.

http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/monuments_call.php

What's next?

Stay connected to read about hotel we stayed in Girona and next itinerary stops in coming days.

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport

22 October, 2014 | Airports | 19 seen

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport  is located some 32 km southeast of the city center, airport serves as the hub for AnadoluJet and Pegasus Airlines.

The facility is named after Sabiha Gökçen, the adoptive daughter of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the first female fighter pilot in the world. Although Istanbul Airport, located 63 km (39 mi) west of the European side of Istanbul, is larger, Sabiha Gökçen is still one of the largest airports in the country.

I have been traveling via Sabiha Gokcen Airport several times flying in and out routes like Tbilisi, Trabzon, Izmir, Barcelona, and more. Most of the time flying Pegasus Airlines.

The airport was built because Atatürk International Airport (located on the European side) was not large enough to meet the booming passenger demands (both domestic and international).

When traveling to or from Sabiha Gocken airport see How to Get around Istanbul for cheap with this ride-sharing Taxi app

Georgian mythology, Founding Father of Georgia - Kartlos and Jesus Robe in Mtskheta

21 October, 2014 | Living in Georgia | 66 seen

Georgian mythology is a rich tapestry of legends and stories that provide insight into the country's cultural heritage. One of the most interesting myths is the story of Kartlos, the founding father of Georgia.

According to Georgian mythology, Kartlos was the grandson of Japheth, one of Noah's three sons. He was the eldest son of Targamos and great-grandson of King Nimrod. When his father died, Kartlos inherited the kingdom and became the first king of Kartli, which is modern-day Georgia.

The story of Kartlos is deeply intertwined with Georgian culture and history, and he is considered a national hero. His name is still used in modern-day Georgia, and it is the root of the country's name. Kartli, the region where Kartlos ruled, was later called Sakartvelo, which means "the land of Kartlos" in Georgian.

Another important aspect of Georgian mythology is the story of the Jesus Robe in Mtskheta. Mtskheta is a historic city in eastern Georgia that was once the capital of the country. According to legend, the robe that Jesus Christ wore during his crucifixion was brought to Mtskheta by a Georgian Jew named Elioz. He is said to have acquired the robe from a Roman soldier who won it in a game of dice.

The robe was eventually brought to Mtskheta, where it was housed in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, one of the most important religious sites in Georgia. The cathedral is still standing today, and it is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The story of the Jesus Robe in Mtskheta is an important part of Georgian culture and history. The robe is believed to have miraculous powers, and it is a symbol of the country's strong Christian heritage. The cathedral that houses the robe is one of the most visited sites in Georgia, and it attracts tourists and pilgrims from all over the world.

In conclusion, Georgian mythology is a fascinating subject that provides insight into the country's cultural heritage. The story of Kartlos, the founding father of Georgia, and the Jesus Robe in Mtskheta are just two examples of the many legends and stories that make up this rich tapestry. These stories are deeply intertwined with Georgian history and culture, and they continue to be an important part of the country's identity.

Top Laptops for Graphic Design Students and Professionals

20 October, 2014 | Laptop Reviews | 68 seen

If you're a graphic designer, finding the best laptop for your needs can be a daunting task. You need a machine that is powerful enough to run complex design software, has a high-quality display for accurate color reproduction, and is portable enough to take with you on the go.

In this article, we'll take a look at the best laptops for graphic design, and help you find the perfect machine for your needs.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on a link to a product on Amazon.com and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. The commission I earn is at no extra cost to you

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch

The Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch is a top pick for graphic designers. It has a stunning Retina display with True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the color temperature based on your environment. The MacBook Pro also has a powerful 9th-generation 8-core Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. It also has a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics card, making it a great choice for graphic design.

Dell XPS 15

The Dell XPS 15 is another great option for graphic designers. It has a stunning 4K OLED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, making it ideal for color-critical work. It also has a 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. The XPS 15 also has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, making it perfect for running design software.

HP Spectre x360

The HP Spectre x360 is a stylish 2-in-1 laptop that is ideal for graphic designers. It has a stunning 4K UHD display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, making it perfect for color-critical work. It also has a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. The Spectre x360 also has an NVIDIA GeForce MX330 graphics card, making it ideal for running design software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a great choice for graphic designers who need a lightweight and portable laptop. It has a 14-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, making it perfect for color-critical work. It also has a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. The X1 Carbon also has an Intel UHD Graphics card, making it a great choice for running design software.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581

The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 is a unique laptop that is perfect for graphic designers who need extra screen real estate. It has a 15.6-inch 4K OLED main display, as well as a secondary 14-inch 4K IPS display, making it ideal for multitasking. It also has a 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid-state drive. The ZenBook Pro Duo also has an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, making it ideal for running design software.

In conclusion, finding the right laptop for graphic design is essential for success in this field. By considering factors such as display quality, processing power, and graphics capabilities, you can choose the perfect machine for your needs. The five laptops we have discussed are all excellent options for graphic designers, and each offers its own unique set of features and benefits. Ultimately, the best laptop for graphic design will depend on your specific needs and budget.

Drupal module: User Picture Field - A Brilliant Solution for Styling forms With Display Suite

19 October, 2014 | Drupal Development | 20 seen

Working with complex Drupal projects I'm always trying to escape many rewrites of existing Drupal built-in functionality.

This time I got a client's request to have a user edit form with two-level admin: One for username and password information - the second for custom user profile fields, like occupation, location, gender, etc.

At the start I said - well, let's use the Profile2 module, to handle this task, but soon I found there are bugs, and we all hate bugs, so I found a brilliant solution how to get rid of the Profile2 module, but to keep existing functionality.

Now arrived another problem - how to display the default Drupal user picture ($picture) using the Display suite module on two columns. Thing is, there are no problems to display a custom user image field with help of the Display suite, but there are problems to display the default picture field:

Found this little nice module after a couple of hours of investigating how to show the user picture next to comments. 

You might wonder - hell, what's wrong with you dude - Drupal has a built-in picture field for user profiles and it works on comment forms great.

Yes, you are right, Drupal does have a picture field for user profiles.

But it doesn't play nice in scenarios when you are using Display Suite to style your form - this field just doesn't exist in Display suite. So you cannot put this field in column "two" for example:

Take a look at this post to understand what I'm talking about: Drupal Display Suite Two Columns on User Edit Forms + Image Widget Default Image 

What I actually needed is to have a default user picture field enabled but with the option to style its display with help of the Display Suite module, and here comes the User Picture Field module:

This module allows you to add an image field to a user, and show it on the user registration form after the user registers an account, this module will use the fid that uploads by image field as the user picture's fid.

Usage:

1. Add an image field to a user, for example, "field_user_avatar"

2. config this field, and make it show on the user register form.

3. install this module, and navigate to "admin/config/people/user_picture_field", here you can config the "Machine name of source field that used as user picture"

When a user registers an account, he/she uploads an image through the image field "field_user_avatar", this image will be used as the user's picture(avatar).

profile2:

Now this module support Profile2, You must config 'Machine name of source bundle' and 'Machine name of source field that used as user picture'.

Author:

Howard Ge

The author can be contacted for paid customizations of this module as well as Drupal consulting and development.

Now - once you have this module installed configure it according to description, keep using Display Suite and everything should work as needed.

P.S. This little nice module solved another problem I'm facing by using Simple FB connect module to allow Facebook users to login in Drupal site.

Simple FB Connect uses default picture field as well for importing a Facebook users picture.

So by having default profile picture field, but with a little bit of extended functionality.

I can only confirm - avoid of rewriting Drupal default behaviour - in most cases you will struck to extend functionality. Look for simple "bridge" connectors.

In case you are looking for Drupal website developer for your project, look no more - hire me. 

Grigory Leps: The Russian Musician Who Fell in Love with Georgia

18 October, 2014 | Living in Georgia | 30 seen

Grigory Leps is a well-known Russian singer who has gained immense popularity not only in Russia but also in other parts of the world. Leps has been to Georgia several times for concerts and has garnered a large following among Georgians.

The Georgian people have always had a fondness for Russian culture, and Grigory Leps' music has struck a chord with many. His soulful voice, catchy tunes, and relatable lyrics have made him a favorite of many music enthusiasts in Georgia.

The first time Grigory Leps came to Georgia was in December 7th, 2014 when he performed in the capital city of Tbilisi. We attended this concert at Tbilisi sports palace. I managed to take a short YouTube video with Leps shouting loud - Sakartvelo Gaumarjos.

He was warmly welcomed by the Georgian people, who appreciated his music and his charismatic personality. Since then, he has come back to Georgia for several concerts, and his popularity has only grown.

One of the reasons for Leps' popularity in Georgia is his ability to sing in both Russian and Georgian. He has even recorded a few Georgian songs, which have become quite popular in the country. One of his most famous Georgian songs is "Tushuri," which is a folk song from the Tusheti region of Georgia. Leps' rendition of the song has made it more accessible to a wider audience and has introduced Georgian folk music to many who might not have heard it before.

Apart from his music, Grigory Leps is also known for his philanthropic work. He has contributed to various charitable causes in Georgia and has participated in several events to raise awareness about social issues. He has also expressed his love for Georgian culture and food, which has endeared him even more to the Georgian people.

Despite some political tensions between Russia and Georgia, Grigory Leps' music has been a unifying force. His concerts in Georgia have brought people together, and his music has provided an avenue for people to forget their differences and enjoy something they all love.

In conclusion, Grigory Leps has become a beloved figure in Georgia, thanks to his music, personality, and philanthropy. His concerts in the country have been a testament to the power of music to bring people together and transcend borders.

Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport

17 October, 2014 | Airports | 48 seen

Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport is the busiest international airport in Georgia, located 17 km (11 mi) southeast of capital Tbilisi. The airport handled 3.7 million passengers in 2019. Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the airspace of Georgia was closed for most of 2020 causing the number of travelers through Tbilisi airport to drop by 84% to less than 600,000.

Tbilisi Airport is home to Georgian flag carrier Georgian Airways and MyWay Airlines, which was founded in 2017. The airport is served by approximately 30 airlines, mainly from Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia serving roughly 30 destinations out of Tbilisi. 

Due to the increasing popularity of Georgia and the city of Tbilisi as a tourist destination, the number of travelers grew since 2010 from 1 million to almost 4 million until the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Tbilisi International Airport is operated by TAV Urban Georgia since October 2005 which concession has been extended until at least 2027. In Georgia, the company also operates Batumi Airport for a 20-year term since May 2007. TAV Airports Holding, which owns 76% shares in Tbilisi airport operator TAV Urban Georgia, agreed with the Georgian state-owned United Airports of Georgia to reconstruct and extend the unused runway, one of the two runways at the Tbilisi airport, in line with ICAO standards to accept all type of aircraft, including the Boeing 747-8, Airbus A380-800, Antonov An-225 and Antonov An-124. A new F Code taxiway was also planned.

There are a few wine shops, restaurants and souvenir shops available at Tbilisi airport. 

Tbilisi airport mainly serves destinations in Europe and the Middle East.

The George W. Bush Avenue (Kakheti Highway) leads from the airport to the center of Tbilisi. Taxi, Public bus and even a train is available to travel to and from Tbilisi internation airpport. A train service is available as well opposite the exit of the airport building. 

The Impact of EEU Membership on Armenia's Economy

16 October, 2014 | Emerging Markets | 14 seen

Armenia, a small, landlocked country in the South Caucasus, joined the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) in 2015. The EEU is an economic bloc that includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. Joining the EEU marked a significant shift in Armenia's foreign policy and has had major implications for its economy.

One of the primary benefits of joining the EEU was improved access to the Russian market. Russia is a major trading partner for Armenia, and the EEU membership has facilitated the flow of goods and services between the two countries. Additionally, joining the EEU has provided Armenia with a platform for engaging in broader economic integration with the other member states.

However, the EEU membership has also presented some challenges for Armenia. One of the main concerns has been the impact on Armenia's relations with the European Union (EU). Prior to joining the EEU, Armenia had been negotiating an association agreement with the EU, which included provisions for deeper economic integration. However, the decision to join the EEU effectively put an end to those negotiations.

Another issue has been the impact of EEU regulations on the Armenian economy. Critics argue that the regulations and standards imposed by the EEU are often geared towards the larger economies in the bloc, and can be onerous for smaller economies like Armenia. Some also argue that the EEU membership has made it more difficult for Armenia to attract foreign investment, as investors may be deterred by the country's association with a bloc that is often viewed as being less investor-friendly.

Despite these challenges, the EEU membership has had some positive impacts on Armenia's economy. The increased trade with Russia has provided a boost to certain sectors, such as agriculture and manufacturing. Additionally, the EEU has provided a platform for Armenia to engage with other member states on issues such as transportation and energy, which could potentially lead to increased economic cooperation.

In conclusion, Armenia's membership in the EEU has had both positive and negative implications for its economy. While the improved access to the Russian market has been a boon for certain sectors, the challenges posed by the regulations and standards of the EEU have been a concern for some. As Armenia continues to navigate its relationship with the EEU, it will be important to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of membership, and to continue to pursue policies that promote economic growth and development.

Planing a Trip to Spain: How to Get a Prepaid SIM Card in Spain

14 October, 2014 | Travel guides | 55 seen

<p>This weekend I'm going to my first ever trip to Spain. One of the essential things I'll need there is an internet connection. To get a internet I have few options &nbsp;- to chase for some FREE WiFi spots, to connect to internet at hotel.. well that's nice - but I need an internet connection all the time. I must be covered!</p><p><strong>Do I really must be covered?</strong></p><p><strong></strong> Yes, I really must be covered even on my holiday trips. Why? <a href="http://www.reinisfischer.com/can-you-blog-365-days-row-0">I'm blogging every day</a> - actually it's <a href="http://www.reinisfischer.com/blog-one-year-anniversary">already second year</a> for me doing such a lame thing as blogging each and every day.</p><p>So I cannot to lay on luck - that I will get some free internet even in Spain.&nbsp;</p><p>So I started to look for my options to get a pre-paid SIM card with internet on it in Spain.</p><p>For a starter - I found an article on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_Europe… with mobile operators in Spain</a>:</p><ul><li>Movistar</li><li>Vodafone</li><li>Orange</li><li>Yoigo</li></ul><p>Now I started to investigate some option on websites of those companies:</p><h2>Movistar:</h2><p>Movistar is the major Spanish mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica S.A. operating in Spain and in many Latin American countries. It is the largest carrier in Spain with 22 million customers (cellphone services only) and 41.58% of market share. Its principal competitor in Latin America is America Movil. It offers GSM 900/1800 MHz (Spain) 850/1900 MHz (America) (2G), UMTS 900/2100 MHz (Spain) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz (America) (3G) HSDPA (3.5G) and LTE 2600 MHz (Spain) 1700/2600 MHz (America) (4G) services.</p><p><em>Couldn't open their website</em></p><h2>Vodafone</h2><p>Vodafone España, S.A.U. is a mobile telecommunications operator in Spain headquartered in Madrid, Madrid. The company was founded in 2000, as a result of the merger of the shares held by Vodafone Group and British Telecommunications plc in Airtel Móviles, S.A.<br>Vodafone (Vodafone ES) offers GSM900/1800 MHz (2G), UMTS (3G), HSDPA (3.5G) and (4G) LTE services in Spain, with a good coverage.</p><p><em>Well, Vodafone is a brand I'm&nbsp;familiar&nbsp;with. So headed to their website and started to look for some options - The website is in Spanish only, but with help of Google Translate find what I was looking for.</em></p><p><em> Best they have a&nbsp;separate&nbsp;page: <a href="http://www.vodafone.es/static/microsites/touristspain/index.html">Touri… in Spain</a> - explaining&nbsp;everything&nbsp;in English:</em></p><p>With Vodafone in Spain, communicate easily while you are in Spain; thanks to our set of Prepaid Solutions ready to use, to talk and browse, without commitments</p><p><strong>We always inform you:</strong></p><ul><li>When you have used up the 90% and 100% of your minutes and Megas</li><li>And before your tariff is renewed, in case that you need to top up.</li></ul><p>If you used up your 900 MB and 60 minutes before the 30 days expiration, you can continue using your Smartphone with the following prices:</p><ul><li>National calls 7,26 cent/min</li><li>International calls from 1,20 cent/min</li><li>National and international set up 30,25 cent</li><li>MB: You can carry on browsing with a slower speed</li></ul><h2>Orange</h2><p>France Telecom España S.A.U., more commonly known by its trade name of Orange España, is a mobile network operator in Spain. It was previously known as Amena (pleasant in an amusing way in Spanish) until 2005, when it was bought by France Télécom (now Orange S.A.).&nbsp;</p><p><em>Haves information in English - but didn't find such a cool offer like Vodafone does</em></p><p><a href="http://en.orange.es/mobile-service-plans/?pst=1">http://en.orange.es/mo… is the fourth mobile phone operator with a network of its own in Spain. They operate a UMTS/3G and 1800 band network, which at their launch in December 2006 had very limited UMTS (3G) coverage even in some of the largest cities. In places where there is no UMTS coverage, Yoigo users switch to national roaming using movistar's both GSM and 3G networks.</p><p><em>They offer some SIM cards - but didn't find any juicy offer</em></p><p><a href="https://tienda.yoigo.com/selforder/solo-sim/micro-sim">https://tienda.y… conclusion:</h2><p>Seems Vodafone's <strong>Tourist in Spain</strong> offer, has cached me - I will definitely try to have this option before trying other options.</p><p>Now I just make sure there is a Vodafone stand at Barcelona Airport :)</p><p><span style="line-height: 1.538em;">P.S.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.538em;">I while ago I created a post on how to get a <a href="http://www.reinisfischer.com/how-get-pre-paid-sim-card-armenia-vivacell… Sim Card in Armenia</a>, in case you are looking for SIM Card options in Armenia - read that post.</span></p>

Drupal Simple FB connect + User Form Theming

12 October, 2014 | Drupal Development | 55 seen

Lately I have been busy with a project involving a lot of custom coding and programming (mainly because of existing complex web-design)

So at the finish line - there are still few things we must to finish - And one of them involves Facebook Login button to Drupal site.

See: Simple FB connect Drupal 8 Mapping custom fields from Facebook

There are plenty of modules offering such kind of behavior - but problem with those modules  - not always they are updated to the latest Facebook API versions. Speaking of what - ahhh - Facebook sets the rules, when to update and how to update their API - leaving developers to be forced to upgrade for newer versions of their API.

So a while ago I compared 3 Drupal modules offering Facebook connect - in that article I found following:

Simple FB connect seems the easiest one to install and setup:

• Create a image and upload it to server
• Theme user-login.tpl.php and user-register-form.tpl.php

Now, what this code does - it provides a custom tpl.php files where you can theme your login/register pages (works for popups as well).

Here are three functions - user-login, user-register-form and user-pass, so for each of them you must create a new files - user-login.tpl.php user-register-form.tpl.php and user-pass.tpl.php.

I'm actually interested just in two of them - login and register forms, so I'm not creating any user-pass.tpl.php page (for now)

Now the tricky part comes here - I found no problem to render user-login.tpl.php, but for some reason I haven't yet found to get this work on user-register-form.tpl.php

So for user-login.tpl.php add this code

Now it's just a matter of CSS to style your form! Enjoy!

Drupal Display Suite Two Columns on User Edit Forms + Image Widget Default Image

11 October, 2014 | Drupal Development | 12 seen

<p>Working on a customers project I faced another interesting obstacle (s):</p><ul><li>First to have separate User Admin and User Profile pages</li><li>Second - on user edit pages to display fields on two columns (according to the design).</li></ul><p>So here arises two problems:</p><p><strong>First how to have 2 user profiles and how to style them</strong></p><p>My first approach for two user profiles was using Profiles 2 modules - &nbsp;I must admit - I'm not a huge fan of using such scenarios - they broke - and so did happened this time:</p><p>I did setup a Profile 2 user fields, worked with field permission, &nbsp;like when to hide some of the required fields on user register form.</p><p>So fare everything great -</p><p><strong>but now arises second problem - how to display fields from form in two columns.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>In short - answer comes from <a href="https://www.drupal.org/project/ds">Display Suite Module</a> which allows us to style forms as we wish, but it doesn't integrate well on Profile 2 edit forms.</p><p>So after couple of hours of investigation - I found a small but brilliant module to replace Profile 2 -<a href="https://www.drupal.org/project/edit_profile"&gt; Edit Profile Module</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Edit Profile</h2><p>This module creates separate "Edit account" and "Edit profile" tabs for each user, with custom user fields configured under "Edit profile."</p><p>The goal of the module is to make fields attached to users (a new feature introduced in Drupal 7 core) a reasonable option for building simple, clean user profiles. Instead of having all properties of the user account editable via a single "Edit" tab (as Drupal does by default), where custom user profile fields are mixed in with account settings such as username, password, and time zone, sites using this module get a clean separation between these two different concepts, and a nicer experience for their end users.</p><p><strong>Now - once we have Edit Profile module enabled we can get rid of Profile 2 module completely</strong></p><p>Just add new fields to existing user account page (I used existing fields options not to break things up)</p><h2>Now it's time for Display Suite module</h2><p>Display Suite allows you to take full control over how your content is displayed using a drag and drop interface. Arrange your nodes, views, comments, user data etc. the way you want without having to work your way through dozens of template files. A predefined list of layouts (D7 only) is available for even more drag and drop fun!</p><p>By defining custom view modes (build modes in D6), you can define how one piece of content should be displayed in different places such as teaser lists, search results, the full node, views etc.</p><p><img src="http://www.reinisfischer.com/sites/default/files/ds.jpg&quot; alt="Drupal Display Suites edit form" title="Drupal Display Suites edit form" width="1200" height="563"></p><p><em>Drupal Display Suites edit form</em></p><p>When enabled Display Suites module head to configuration options and choose for you are interested in (in this case user - manage form)</p><p>You will have many options to choose from how to display your from - in my case I chose Two Column layout</p><p>Here is the final result of user/edit form</p><p><img src="http://www.reinisfischer.com/sites/default/files/user-edit-ds.jpg&quot; alt="User edit form DS" title="User edit form DS" width="751" height="427"></p><p><em>User edit form DS</em></p><p><span style="font-size: 1.385em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.538em;">Bonus - Display default image on forms</span></p><p>This is a little <a href="https://www.drupal.org/project/image_widget_default_image">utility module</a> that shows the default image of an image field as part of the image widget, if no image has been uploaded yet. It is displayed in the same way that the image preview of images that have been uploaded is displayed.</p><p>The display logic is identical to that of the image formatter: If the field instance has defined a default image, that is displayed. Else, if the field has defined a default image, that is displayed. Else no image is displayed, just like without this module.</p><p>The module does not come with any configuration or permissions.</p>

Blog One Year Anniversary

10 October, 2014 | Blogging | 2 seen

A year ago I started a journey called - blogging. I'm not that kind of guys who likes to imagine - what if.. and so by starting my blog a year ago - I asked a question

Can you blog 365 days in a row?

Here is a quick answer a year latter - Yes, You can!

Longer answer - there is no problem to blog every single day 365 days in a row, except force majeure cases, so I skipped 2 days of blogging this year, because I was in the place were no internet connection was available at all.

In my first year of blogging I wrote in total 478 articles

The Graphs:

Now - I year ago - I expressed my modest goal to achieve around 6,000 unique visitors a month to my blog - it didn't happened

One year of blog stats (daily)

Above you can see my blogs daily statistics for a time range 10.10.2013-09.10.2014.

As you can see - at start I had a really really slow start - at the last quarter of 2013, my blog attracted less than 200 unique visitors I mean it's damned pretty slow start.

The huge spike - happened at the end of January 2014, when someone posted a link on Reddit - that got me - astonishing more than 1000 unique visitors on that day.

In following months my blog traffic started to pick it up. So average daily visitor (unique) count in the month of September was 112.

Blog stats for a year (weekly)

Now - from above screen we can better oversee my traffic gains. The week with traffic spike in January still is the best week so far (in terms of traffic)

Blog stats for a year (Monthly)

Now these are the statistics like the most - monthly.

So what might look like a giant traffic gain in January, doesn't looks so impressive any-more in September?

The good thing - my blog had growth for almost every month, the bad thing - 14, 966 unique users in 12 months - isn't it a modest result? It's - I know!

My average daily unique visitor count for first 12 months was around 41 unique visitor a day.

Top 10 countries

Top 10 countries visitors from visit my blog

My blog haves a very international audience, with United States in lead with around 24% of unique visitor coming from there. In the list you will find a country where I'm living - Georgia as well - since I cover topics related to Georgia - it's no surprise for me to have Georgia on lists 4th place.

India? hmm - I guess Indian Drupallers follows my blog.

Poland, Russia, Ukraine? Hmm - Visitors from those countries like Georgia - and probably find interesting content related to their needs on my blog..

Thus on the another hand - my most popular article on blog compared Poland and Ukraine - maybe it has some effect.

Sweeden? I found that some Swedish users shared some articles on their FB and I got a mini-kick in traffic from Sweeden.

In overall - English Speaking audience dominates my blog's  traffic, followed by Slavic speaking countries. Good!

TOP 10 most red articles

Those 10 most viewed articles makes around 31.18% of total unique pageviews my blog had in last 12 month

Monetization

Another goal I made for my blog - was to monetize it!

I started monetization with New Year of 2014 (from January).

In total for last 12 months my blog has earned $457.53 what makes around $1.25 in a day.

At start I stocked with plug&play Google Adsense - what brings me in couple of bucks each month, latter on (starting June) I started to play with Affiliate partner programs - for a start I chose Bookings.com affiliate, then added Hotels.com and latter Amazon Associates program.

In a result - I found that hotels affiliate marketing is way too competitive, and I opted out for further hotel promotions. 

My best finding this year is Amazons Associates program - shortly I applied for it and started to promote their products my earnings sharply increased, so in month of August - I earned my first $95 solely made on internet, exclusively with my blog.  

Month of September so far has been the best - it got me $287.00 with Google Adsense and Amazon combined.

I'm still new to affiliate marketing and blogging as well - I do believe the money you make on your blog, can be 2, 3, 4 or 10 times bigger than my best month ($287.00) and on internet there are a bunch of folks making more.

Goals for next year:

My goal for this year was simple - to attract around 6,000 unique visitors to my blog at the end of first blogging year - it didn't happened, I attracted 3,364 at the September, what is about 50% of my starting goal. Ok, not a big problem - I'm actually very happy with the results so far.

Now - I must set some goals for next blogging year - this time I will set two goals: Visitors and Monetization

Visitors:

I want to have by end of September 2015 in one month 14,966 unique visitors (why 14,966? Well that much I attracted in previous 12 month - I want to have in one month  - what I had in 12)

Now - I understand - it might not happen as planned, so my minimum goal is to have around 50% of that count (Again, why 50%? Well - For this year I have reached 50%, so it set this for next year as well - margin of error ) 50% would be around 7,500 unique visitors per month. Sounds pretty realistic!

Monetization:

I have 2 simple goals - first to reach $500 per month, second to reach $1000 per month.

For Memory

I'm attaching a front page screen - how my blog looked alike turning 1:

Front page of blog 2014

P.S. I'm continuing to blog 365 days in a row - non stop!