Tbilisi Airbnb property managment

7 June, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 135 seen

Tbilisi ex-pats and locals - I'm launching a new service - Tbilisi Airbnb property management.

Whether you are an expat looking for someone that does Airbnb management in Tbilisi? Someone that can take care of your apartment and rent it out when you are out of town. Or local looking to get maximum return from short-term rentals. We are here to help.

I'm open to helping manage your property, listing it on Airbnb, Booking.com, and other travel booking websites. Helping with quality photography, copywriting, setting the right price to get the best results, and last but not least taking care of maintenance and cleaning. We will take 20% of the Gross income.

If you have an apartment you are ready to rent out for the long term (at least 1 year) - we are interested in renting it for a fixed price and subletting for short-term rentals. You will get a fixed monthly payment - no matter, will we make any booking or not. We are interested in newly finished projects in Vake, Saburtalo.

We are also open to buying your real estate in Tbilisi or any other part of Georgia. 

Interested? Send me a message and lets discuss! 

Sighnaghi & Vazisubani trip

3 June, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 12 seen

At the start of May, Oskars invited us to visit his new hut in Kakheti.

After a few stops at McDonald's, Sighanghi, and Bodbe monastery we finally reached Vazisubani, where we were greeted with traditional Georgian supra and a lot of chacha.

Now, there is one more cool place where they speak Latvian to visit in Georgia. Enjoy the video and Thumbs up!

Filmed with DJI Mavic Air 2 and Samsung Galaxy phone, Georgia May 13-14, 2022

Notes from Tbilisi: Abandoned Military sites in Latvia / Estonia; Sold VW Touareg car; #2 Bitcoin newsletter

2 June, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 11 seen

Good afternoon from sunny and hot Tbilisi. The weather was scorching today, reaching +32 Celsius.

The morning started with an interesting message to the blog's contact form - an Estonian person was asking some questions about military sites in Latvia, we exchanged a few e-mails and talked both about Latvian and Estonian abandoned military sites.

Information about former Latvian radar base Skrunda-1

Hello, Reinis

I read your post about Skrunda-1 and also did some internet ''research''. And I've come to a couple of questions.
When did You visit this place? And was it closed? Because I read that it is now closed for tourists and the Latvian army has closed the area. Could You please tell if this is true?
I am asking because I'm planning a trip in Latvia's abandoned military places/bases.

Any information that You could share would come in handy for me.

I was pretty much intrigued and shout out the best I knew both about Skrunda-1 and other interesting sites in Latvia

Good morning! At least morning is here in Tbilisi!

Are you from Estonia?

Skrunda - 1.. I visited it back in 2015 if I remember it right, I have heard that the place now is closed for tourists as the Latvian army is using it as the training center or something.

From other cool places in Kurzeme, I think the Irbene radio locator near Ventspils is awesome (but I haven't been there), and also the Zeltini rocket launcher site in Aluksne county.

https://www.latvia.travel/en/news/lets-go-tour-irbene-locator
https://visitaluksne.lv/en/visit/padomju-armijas-rakesu-baze-zeltinos/

From other Soviet attractions in Kurzeme, I think they have this prison in Liepaja
https://karostascietums.lv/en/

And Karosta itself is pretty interesting - looks pretty much like Skrunda-1 and they have an epic Russian cathedral near the sea
https://www.reinisfischer.com/st-nicholas-naval-cathedral-karosta-liepaja
Also the Northern Forts of Liepaja

If you happen to come to Georgia, there are a few interesting objects as well, very interesting is the Big Shiraki airfield in the Georgian steppe used in the Soviet-Afghan war
https://www.reinisfischer.com/big-shiraki-abandoned-soviet-airfield-georgia

Let me know if that helps

And soon I got back a reply with a few interesting sites to visit on the Estonian side.

Near Valga there is/was Soviet rocket base (Vilaski), but some part of it - soldiers barracks - is a private property and some buildings are still standing but time and nature have done its job.

Otepää is beautiful, there is an adventure park for kids and adults.
Tartu science center  (Ahhaa centre) is worth visiting, too. There are different exhibitions from time to time and science shows for everybody who is interested.

If you have more time, then in Haanja locates the highest peak of Balticum and Estonia - Suur Munamägi (I'm not sure, how it translates to english, the big egg-hill), theres a viewing tower and the whole lenght with the hill and tower is 318meters.

Northeast of Estonia, in Sillamäe and Kohtla-Järve, locates  a mining museum, also from Soviet time, but its renovated and you can go underground to the mining tunnels and so on. But if I remember correctly, it is a guided tour.

People many times wonder how do I meet so many interesting people all around the World? That's how -  with the help of a blog.

After emailing my Estonian acquaintance we took our kiddo to QSI school and then we went to Rustavi to sell our VW Tourageg car to the Latvian acquaintance I met a few months ago here in Tbilisi. Sold the car for $3,500. We originally bought it at $4,500 some 4 years ago, so I think a good deal. Very reliable car and I hope will suit the new owner for good.

Of course, now it feels a bit sad. Looking to buy some newer model of Mercedes Benz ML - series, or better Toyota Land Cruiser or Lexus. Budget $6,000 - $10,000

Rustavi Auto Market (Buying a Car in Georgia)

In the evening / afternoon sent out second paid bitcoin newsletter! Maybe in a year I will become a bitcoin millionaire? 

Life is good!

International Scout Centre Rustavi

31 May, 2022 | Professional services | 90 seen

The industrial town of Rustavi, approximately 25 km southeast of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, offers a modern international scouting center.

The youth center offers space for a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. The facility is available for children and young people from Rustavi and offers comfortable and reasonably priced accommodation, seminar, and conference facilities for regional and international youth groups, schools, universities, and non-governmental organizations, as well as tourists and individual travelers.

I first visited this place at the end of May 2022, during an event organized by Latvian Sunday School in Tbilisi.

Should I say I was really impressed after seeing it? Now, I have seen such places all over the world, but was really surprised seeing such high level center in Georgia. Really cool!

Since its opening in 2013 the centre has hosted special events such as training courses, seminars, planning weekends, etc.; annually the centre is used by around 1200 people, with approximately 6500 overnight occupancies.

The International Scout Centre Rustavi (ISCR) is a project of the The Caucasus Cooperation Foundation for Youth Development CCFYD.

Learn more at: iscr.ge

How to Fix "Unable to install bootstrap, bootstrap.settings already exists in active configuration"

26 May, 2022 | Drupal Development | 110 seen

As this was already the second time i faced the "Unable to install bootstrap, bootstrap.settings already exists in active configuration." problem i decided to share a quick and simple solution.

Background: I have faced this error when performing the Drupal 7 upgrade to the Drupal 9 version and trying to enable the bootstrap theme. 

solution: in PHPMyAdmin open the database your Drupal site is running, in the Search tab enter "bootstrap"

Make sure you select all under tables and click the go button

You will get a result with rows showwin where bootstrap setting might belocated, in our case, table config

Simply click the delete on config.

that's it - now you should be able to install and activate the bootstrap theme for Drupal

Notes from Tbilisi: Caru.ge services our Car, new expats join language courses, PCR test

25 May, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 14 seen

The morning started with the kiddo having a little fever (temperature 37 C). Decided to leave her at home and observe, as this Friday we have our first school concert. It would be very sad to miss. Sent a message to Ms. Nino.

Yesterday - the car just stopped working, or won't crank. Already for the third time, this year ordered caru.ge to service the car. As the car was parked in Vake I went to the office in the morning to meet the service guy in the afternoon. Traded a bit of bitcoin futures. Packed out robot cleaner for cleaning our apt.

Met with the caru.ge guy, he said, the problem is with the starter, had to order evacuator. I left the spot and come home. 

We received a letter from the school that there have been positive covid cases among teachers and pupils, we ordered PCR test to see, does the kiddo has got Covid or not. We already had at the start of February after returning from Bakuriani.

Caru. ge informed that the problem is with fuel pumps (VW Touareg has 2 of them) the total cost for replacement and work GEL 1,400. Sh*t 

Our language courses for ex-pats in Georgia are gaining momentum, got another applicant. Awesome. 

PCR test result - negative. Hopefully we will be good for Friday's concert!

Top 8 Best Selling Intel Core i7 12th generation laptops

23 May, 2022 | Laptop Reviews | 185 seen

Laptops with the latest 12th generation Intel core i7 processor will be popular among gamers and graphic editors.

In this article, I've listed the top 8 best-selling laptops with Intel Core i7 12th generation processors. 

See: Top 9 Best Selling Intel Core i9 12th generation laptops

A quick note: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a purchase on the Amazon site, I will earn an affiliate income at no cost to you. Prices for laptops listed on this page are retrieved using Amazon Product Advertising API and are updated daily. For actual prices please refer to the product page on Amazon.

SAMSUNG 15.6” Galaxy Book2 Pro Laptop Computer, i7 / 16GB / 512GB, 12th Gen Intel Core Processor, Evo Certified, Lightweight, 2022 Model, Graphite

• POWERFUL, FAST, AMAZING: Our new laptop is packed with the premium performance you’ve come to expect from Samsung — plus some; It’s powered by the latest 12th Gen Evo-certified Intel processor, our most powerful available CPU yet
• THIN, LIGHT, POWERFUL: With a PC this powerful, you’ll want to take it with you wherever you go; And you can! At less than 2 pounds, Galaxy Book2 Pro is our thinnest and lightest laptop yet
• BRILLIANT, BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL: Whether you're scrolling through your social feed or video chatting with your bestie, everything looks amazing on a stunning AMOLED screen that’s up to 33% brighter;* Available in two sizes (13.3" and 15.6")
• VIDEO CHAT IN HIGH DEFINITION: Galaxy Book2 Pro features an upgraded full HD camera with a 1080p wide-angle view that’s 2x clearer* than before; You’ll sound amazing too with upgraded Dolby Atmos sound and intelligent noise canceling
• LONG LASTING CHARGE, POWERS UP FAST: Galaxy Book2 Pro features our longest-lasting battery to keep you going for hours and hours on a single charge; When you finally do need a jolt of power, get energized faster with a universal fast charger that gets you 40% of battery power back in just 30 minutes
• INNOVATION THAT MOVES YOU FORWARD: Get the combined capabilities of a laptop and a tablet with a versatile 2 in 1 design that features a 360° hinge; Bring ideas to life on the screen with an included S Pen that feels like a real pen
• UNITE YOUR GALAXY, MULTIPLY THE POSSIBILITIES: All of your Galaxy devices sync to help you do more; Pair them up and take control of an interconnected network of seemingly unlimited possibilities; Access a file, photo or text on any device

List price: [amazon B09R94XYBS listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Razer Blade 17 Gaming Laptop, 17.3 Inches, Windows 11

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU: Play like never before on the new GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, up to 70% faster than RTX 2070 SUPER laptops and delivering up to 100 frames per second at 1440p resolution
• 12th Gen Intel Core i7 14-Core CPU: Experience cutting-edge speed on the all-new Intel Core i7-12800H processor with up to 4.8GHz of Turbo Boost for unrivalled performance to take on the most demanding gaming and creative tasks
• QHD 240Hz Display: High refresh rate meets high resolution to provide a responsive gaming experience that comes with a greater level of detail and no screen-tearing thanks to NVIDIA G-SYNC
• DDR5 4800MHz Memory: 50% faster than the previous generation – enjoy a quicker, smoother experience when loading applications, running games, and performing other everyday tasks
• Next-Gen Vapor Chamber Cooling: Upgraded with more exhaust fins, quieter fans, and a larger liquid capacity, the new Blade 17 performs cooler and quieter than ever before
• Desktop-Grade Connectivity: Never feel the need to compromise on how to accessorize with the built-in HDMI 2.1 port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (2 ports), USB-A (3 ports), 3.5mm audio jack, UHS-II SD card slot, and 2.5GB Ethernet Port

List price: [amazon B09RBHKPJJ listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

MSI Creator M16 Creator M16 A12UD-266 16" Mobile Workstation - QHD+ - 2560 x 1600 - Intel Core i7 12th Gen i7-12700H 1.70 GHz - 16 GB RAM - 512 GB SSD - Black

• intel 12th generation core i7 processor
• nvidia RTX3050Ti graphics
• Ultra-light 4.98lbs, Ultra-slim ?0.943in
• Latest Wi-Fi 6E for low latency and outstanding throughput
• True Pixel QHD+ Display

List price: [amazon B09SVZJKYK listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

2022 MSI Creator M16 A12UD-266 (i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, RTX 3050Ti 4GB, 16" QHD+, Windows 11 Pro) Content Creation Laptop

• Display: 16" QHD+ (2560 x 1600) 60Hz DCI-P3 100%
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti 4GB GDDR6 Graphics Card w/ Up to 1485MHz Boost Clock (60W Maximum TGP)
• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake Core i7-12700H 14 Cores (1.7GHz-4.7GHz, 24MB Intel Smart Cache, 45W)
• RAM: 16GB (2x 8GB) DDR4 3200MHz | Hard Drive: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
• OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro | Warranty: 1-Year MSI USA Warranty Parts & Labor (include 1 Year Global Warranty) + Lifetime Tech Support from EXCaliberPC

List price: [amazon B09RZT1GBD listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU: Realistic ray-traced graphics, critically acclaimed AI-powered NVIDIA DLSS performance acceleration, and support for other must-have technologies such as NVIDIA Broadcast and NVIDIA Reflex
• 12th Gen Intel Core i7 14-Core CPU: Experience cutting-edge power with the newly released Intel Core i7-12800H processor with up to 4.8GHz of Turbo Boost for unrivalled performance to take on the most demanding gaming and creative tasks
• QHD 240Hz Display: High refresh rate meets high resolution to provide a responsive gaming experience that comes with a greater level of detail and no screen-tearing thanks to NVIDIA G-SYNC
• DDR5 4800MHz Memory: 50% faster than the previous genertion, enjoy a quicker, smoother experience when loading applications, running games, and performing other everyday PC tasks
• Next-Gen Vapor Chamber Cooling: Upgraded with more exhaust fins, quiter fans, and a larger liquid capacity, the new Blade 15 performs cooler and quieter than ever before
• Advanced Connectivity: Connect, play, and share effortlessly thanks to the built-in HDMI 2.1 port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, and UHS-III SD card slot plus Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity

List price: [amazon B09RC2J461 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

ASUS TUF Dash 15 Gaming Laptop Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11 Home

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 - Boost up to 1452MHz at 105W (80W + 25W with Dynamic Boost)
• MUX switch - GPU MUX switch lets the GPU communicate directly with the display, increasing performance and decreasing latency
• Latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H Processor - 24M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 10 cores (6 P-cores and 4 E-cores)
• 144Hz 15.6” Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Type Display
• 16GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM | 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | Windows 11 Home
• Durable MIL-STD-810H military standard construction
• Self-cleaning Arc Flow fans with anti-dust technology to extend system longevity

List price: [amazon B09RMH9B6F listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

ASUS TUF Gaming F15 Gaming Laptop Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11 Home

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 - Boost up to 1752MHz at 140W (115W + 25W with Dynamic Boost)
• MUX switch - GPU MUX switch lets the GPU communicate directly with the display, increasing performance and decreasing latency
• Latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H Processor - 24M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 14 cores (6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)
• 300Hz 3ms 15.6” Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Type Display
• 16GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM | 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | Windows 11 Home

List price: [amazon B09RMTNY28 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED Laptop, 14” 2.8K 16:10 Touch Display, Intel Core i7-1260P CPU, NVIDIA GeForce MX550, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 11 Home, Pine Grey, UX5400ZB-DB74T

• Innovative ScreenPad 2.0: 5.65-inch interactive touchscreen trackpad that adapts to your needs for smarter control and multitasking
• 14” 2.8K (2880 x 1800) 16:10 OLED Touch Screen display with ultra-slim 4-sided NanoEdge bezels
• latest 12th generation Intel Core  i7-1260P Processor (18M Cache)
•  discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX550 graphics
•  fast storage and memory featuring 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, with Windows 11 Home

List price: [amazon B09Y184GBG listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

How To Upgrade Drupal 7 to 9 (With Multilingual Support)

19 May, 2022 | Drupal Development | 24 seen

In this article, I will keep notes on how I upgraded the multilingual Drupal 7 site to a multilingual Drupal 9 site.

Turns out I had originally built this website on Drupal 7 more than 10 years ago and it already felt that the exciting website's look and feel is a bit outdated and we wanted to get a fresh look.

I thought it wouldn't do any harm upgrading the database too. As I have already done a few successful upgrades in the past and as the website was not very complicated I didn't spend a lot of time on this.

As I'm using Linode VPS I decide to go the migrate path, and started with creating a new subdomain on the webserver giving it a prefix d9

As I already had configured the server I will walk through the most essential parts only in this article, for configuring a server from scratch, see this article: How to Install Drupal with Nginx, PHP-FPM 7.4, MySQL, phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu 20.04 - Linode Guide

Configure the VirtualHost for Drupal

We will install Drupal 9 in the directory "/srv/www/d9.caucasustranslations.com". Please replace my domain name in your installation with the domain name of the website that you want to use this Drupal installation for. So let's create the directory:

Paste the Nginx configuration for Drupal 9:

CTRL+O and CTRL + X

The Drupal virtual host file has been created, now we have to activate it by creating a symlink to the file in the "sites-enabled" directory:

Test the Nginx configuration and if there are no errors restart Nginx:

Additonaly make sure you have enabled your subdomain via DNS zones (in my case I configured them on Linode, it took some time to get zones activated, to speed it up you could use virtual hosts on Windows)

Install and Configure Drupal

Enter the directory that we created earlier and download Drupal with wget.

I'm using the latest Drupal 9.3.12. release as of May 8, 2022, make sure you are downloading the latest version by visiting the Drupal download page and writing down the last numbers (version)

Now visit your Drupal site in the web browser, you should see the following screen

Next from the phpmyadmin create a new database and you should be good to launch the Drupal 9 website

During the installation process I opted to install a minimal version as I love to take full control of settings enabled, but feel free to choose a standard configuration profile.

Now, let's see how to perform an actual site and content upgrade

Make sure these modules are enabled on your Drupal 9 site: "Migrate," "Migrate Drupal," and "Migrate Drupal UI." A quick note, in Drupal 9, modules are renamed to Extend, though the path still is the same - /admin/modules

For migrating multilingual content from Drupal 7 (i18n) enable Migrate Drupal Multilingual

Definitions

Preparation steps

The upgrade can take some time. It is better to upgrade from a local copy of your site instead of directly from your live site.

Dashbashi Canyon & Waterfall with 240 meter long Glass Bridge

17 May, 2022 | Tourism objects | 99 seen

If there is a reason to visit Dashbasi canyons near the Tsalka in Georgia - the canyons themselves, cascading waterfall and the glass bridge hanging over the gorge should raise some interest.

Dashbashi Canyon Natural Monument is part of Khrami (known as Ktsia at it source) gorge near Dashbashi village, 3 km from the town of Tsalka

I first heard about this place a couple of years ago from an ex-pat friend, back then the place was pretty much not developed and unknown to the broader masses.

We first visited Dashabshi Canyon in 2020, back then it was still a pretty much-underdeveloped area, but some touristic routes were built. Back then we didn't climb down to the cascading waterfalls, but instead, I made some nice drone videography from the nearby restaurant (Restaurant Pepo near Dashbashi Canyon).

See: My First Drone Video / DJI MAVIC MINI

Now, we returned here again at the end of April 2022 and huge improvements are made. There is a good asphalt road, a visitor center, and plenty of tourists. Entrance fee (Gel 19, as of 2021)

I didn't try to cross the glass bridge over the canyon, instead, I got my adrenaline rush from flying the drone over. Here I made a short documentary from our trip to Tsalka and Dashbashi canyon

After a brick climb down into the canyon, we finally reached the waterfall

Beautiful, cascading waterfall

Dashbashi Canyon is known for it astounding cascading waterfalls, that provide chill in the summer. Dashbashi Waterfall takes exotic emerald color and forms dozens of frozen waterfalls in the winter. In waterfall vicinity it is also warmer in the winter than in nearby Tsalka and Dashbashi village. 

Dashbashi canyon is beautiful, easy to reach and must have tourist attraction while in Georgia. Highly recommended. 

Top 9 Best Selling Intel Core i9 12th generation laptops

16 May, 2022 | Laptop Reviews | 98 seen

The 12th Gen Intel® Core™ HX processors utilize desktop-caliber silicon in a mobile package – to deliver high levels of performance for professional workflows like CAD, animation, and visual effects.

The HX processors are unlocked out of the box and available in Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 models.

In this article, I've listed the top 9 best-selling laptops with Intel Core i9 12th generation processors. 

A quick note: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a purchase on the Amazon site, I will earn an affiliate income at no cost to you. Prices for laptops listed on this page are retrieved using Amazon Product Advertising API and are updated daily. For actual prices please refer to the product page on Amazon.

Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU: Bringing the flagship 80 Ti class of GPUs to laptops for the first time, the RTX 3080 Ti features 16GB of the fastest GDDR6 memory ever shipped in a laptop and delivers higher performance than the desktop TITAN RTX
• 12th Gen Intel Core i9 14-Core CPU: Experience cutting-edge power with the newly released Intel Core i9-12900H processor with up to 5.3GHz of Turbo Boost for unrivalled performance to take on the most demanding gaming and creative tasks
• 4K UHD 144Hz Display: Perfect for creators who require true visual clarity so that their creative visions can be brought to life now with a fast 144Hz refresh rate to experience visuals that are buttery smooth
• DDR5 4800MHz Memory: 50% faster than the previous genertion, enjoy a quicker, smoother experience when loading applications, running games, and performing other everyday PC tasks
• Next-Gen Vapor Chamber Cooling: Upgraded with more exhaust fins, quiter fans, and a larger liquid capacity, the new Blade 15 performs cooler and quieter than ever before
• Advanced Connectivity: Connect, play, and share effortlessly thanks to the built-in HDMI 2.1 port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, and UHS-III SD card slot plus Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity

List price: [amazon B09RBHLRDC listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

EXCaliberPC Raider GE66 12UGS Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11

• Display: 15.6" QHD (2560 x 1440) Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 240Hz 2.5ms DCI-P3 100%
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card w/ Up to 1585MHz Boost Clock (150W Maximum TGP w/ Dynamic Boost 2.0)
• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900HK 14 Cores (1.8GHz-5.0GHz, 24MB Intel Smart Cache, 45W)
• RAM: 32GB (2x 16GB) DDR5 4800MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
• OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Home | Warranty: 1-Year MSI USA Warranty Parts & Labor (include 1 Year Global Warranty) + Lifetime Tech Support from EXCaliberPC

List price: [amazon B09SHRRMP8 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Acer Predator Triton 500 SE Gaming/Creator Laptop | 12th Gen Intel i9-12900H | GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | 16" WQXGA 240Hz G-SYNC Display | 32GB LPDDR5 | 1TB Gen 4x4 SSD | Killer Wi-Fi 6E | PT516-52s-99EL

• Extreme Performance: Compete or create with impressive power and speed of the 12th Generation Intel Core i9-12900H processor, featuring 14 cores and 20 threads to divide and conquer any creative task or run your most intensive games
• RTX, It's On: The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (16GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is powered by award-winning Ampere architecture with NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, Ray Tracing Cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate for the ultimate gaming performance
• Blazing-Fast Display: This 16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600) DCI-P3 100% IPS LED-backlit NVIDIA G-SYNC display featuring 16:10 aspect ratio, an incredibly fast 240Hz refresh rate and 500 nit brightness for the gamer or creator who demands the best visual experiences
• Internal Specifications: 32GB LPDDR5 memory (Maximum 32GB); 1TB PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD
• Prioritize Your Speed: Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro with Ethernet E3100 and Wi-Fi 6E AX1675 lets you use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time, and have total control over priority traffic to maximize speed, throughput, and control
• Cooling Perfected: The Triton 500 SE gaming laptop includes only the best: state-of-the-art cooling, custom-engineered 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology, Vortex Flow airflow guidance (with tactfully-placed thermal foam) and the chilling effects of liquid metal thermal material on an already industry-leading 12th Gen Intel CPU.
• Superior Sound: DTS:X Ultra enhances your favorite games, movies, and music with high-end surround sound through the dual speakers, and an authentic audio experience when you use your favorite headphones

List price: [amazon B09TBPWQ34 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Razer Blade 17 Gaming Laptop, 17.3 Inches, Windows 11

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU: The new GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU brings the flagship 80 Ti class of GPUs to laptops for the first time – featuring 16GB of the fastest GDDR6 memory ever shipped in a laptop, the RTX 3080 Ti delivers higher performance than the desktop TITAN RTX
• 12th Gen Intel Core i9 14-Core CPU: Experience cutting-edge speed on the all-new Intel Core i9-12900H processor with up to 5.3GHz of Turbo Boost for unrivalled performance to take on the most demanding gaming and creative tasks
• 4K UHD 144Hz Display: Perfect for creators who require true visual clarity so creative visions can be brought to life with a fast 144Hz refresh rate to experience visuals that are buttery smooth
• DDR5 4800MHz Memory: 50% faster than the previous generation – enjoy a quicker, smoother experience when loading applications, running games, and performing other everyday tasks
• Next-Gen Vapor Chamber Cooling: Upgraded with more exhaust fins, quieter fans, and a larger liquid capacity, the new Blade 17 performs cooler and quieter than ever before
• Desktop-Grade Connectivity: Never feel the need to compromise on how to accessorize with the built-in HDMI 2.1 port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (2 ports), USB-A (3 ports), 3.5mm audio jack, UHS-II SD card slot, and 2.5GB Ethernet Port

List price: [amazon B09RBG6N7Y listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

GIGABYTE AERO 17 YE5 - 17.3" 4K/UHD miniLED 120Hz, Intel Core i9-12900HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU 16GB GDDR6, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 2TB SSD, Win11 Pro, Creator & Gaming Laptop (AERO 17 YE5-94US748HP)

• NVIDIA 30 Series GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6, Boost Clock 1125MHz, Maximum Graphics Power 105 W
• Intel 12th Gen Ready: 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK (2.5GHz~5GHz)
• DDR5 Ready: DDR5 4800 16GB*2, 2x DDR5 Slots - Max 64GB, 2TB Storage
• Cutting-Edge Display: 17.3" Thin Bezel 4K/UHD 3840x2160 miniLED 120Hz Display, VESA DisplayHDR 1000
• Next Gen Interface: Windows 11 Pro, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (Gig+), Bluetooth V5.2
• AERO Hub: External Adaptor with HDMI, miniDP, USB 3.1 Type-A, RJ45
• Dynamic Audio: DTS:X Ultra Audio Technology, Built-in Microphone, 2x 2W Speakers
• I/O: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C), 1x 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC-in Jack

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MSI Raider GE66-15 Gaming & Entertainment Laptop (Intel i9-12900HK 14-Core, 64GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM, 2TB PCIe SSD, RTX 3070 Ti, 15.6" 240Hz 2K Quad HD (2560x1440), WiFi, Win 11 Pro) with Hub

• Seal is opened for Hardware/Software upgrade only to enhance performance. 15.6" 2K Quad HD (2560x1440) 240Hz Refresh Rate QHD Display; Wi-Fi 6E AX1675, Bluetooth 5.2, Ethernet LAN (RJ-45), 1080p Full HD Webcam, RGB Backlit, .
• 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK 2.90GHz Processor (upto 5 GHz, 24MB Cache, 14-Cores, 20-Threads, 6 Performance-cores) ; NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6 Dedicated Graphics, VR Ready .
• 64GB DDR5 SODIMM; 280W Power Supply, 4-Cell 99 WHr Battery; Titanium Blue Color, .
•  2TB PCIe NVMe SSD; 2 USB 3.2 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 mini Display Port, Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C), USB 3.2 Type-C Gen2, SD Reader, No Optical Drive, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack., Windows 11 Pro-64., 1 Year Manufacturer warranty from GreatPriceTech (Professionally upgraded by GreatPriceTech)
• Includes Dockztorm USB Hub(Special Edition Portable Docztorm Data Hub;Super Speedy Data Syn Rate upto 5Gbps)

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New x17 R2 Gaming Laptop 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK up to 5.0GHz GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB Ray Tracing, DLSS. 17.3" FHD 360Hz Non-Touch 1ms Display G-SYNC Gen 4 PCIe 1TB SSD 32GB RAM Win 11 Pro

• Processor 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK (24 MB cache, 14 cores, 20 threads, up to 5.00 GHz Turbo). The perfect combination of performance and responsiveness. Enjoy boundary-breaking performance. Stay productive with fast-charging, long-lasting battery.
• Storage 1TB PCIe SSD, Upgrade PCIe Gen4 technology up to 7000MB/s read speed and up to 5300MB/s write speed Hardware based AES 256 bit encryption
• Memory 32 GB, 2 x 16 GB, DDR5, 4800 MHz, dual-channel. Reams of New high-bandwidth DDR5 RAM to smoothly run your graphics-heavy PC games and video-editing applications
• Graphics Card GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 16 GB GDDR6. Backed by 16GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory for a fast, advanced GPU to fuel your games.
• Display 17.3", FHD 1920x1080, 360Hz, Non-Touch, 1ms, Advanced Optimus, CV+, G-SYNC with native 1080p support to showcase your games and HD movies with impressive color and clarity. Energy-efficient LED backlight.

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ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 Gaming Laptop Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches, Windows 11 Home

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6 - ROG Boost up to 1460 MHz at 150W (125W + 25W with Dynamic Boost)
• MUX switch - GPU MUX switch lets the GPU communicate directly with the display, increasing performance and decreasing latency
• Latest 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H Processor - 24M Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 14 cores (6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)
• 300Hz 3ms 15.6” Full HD (2560 x 1440) IPS Type Display
• 16GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM | 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD | Windows 11 Home
• ROG Intelligent Cooling - Liquid Metal Conductonaut Extreme, Arc Flow fans, and 0dB Ambient Cooling
• Full Connectivity - Wi-Fi 6E with RangeBoost, Bluetooth 5.2, 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen2), 2x USB 3.2 Type-A (Gen1), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack, 1x 2.5 Gbps LAN

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2022 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 G733ZX-DS94 Pro Extreme (i9-12900H, 64GB RAM, 4TB NVMe SSD, RTX 3080Ti 16GB, 17.3" QHD 240Hz 3ms, Windows 11) Gaming Notebook

• Display: 17.3" 240Hz 3ms IPS-Level WQHD (2560 x 1440) Anti-Glare Display
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB GDDR6 Graphics Card w/ ROG Boost up to 1445MHz at 150W (1395MHz Boost Clock+50MHz OC, 125W+25W Dynamic Boost)
• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900H 14 Cores (2.5GHz-5.0GHz, 24MB Intel Smart Cache, 45W)
• RAM: 64GB (2x 32GB) DDR5 4800MHz | Hard Drive: 4TB (2x 2TB) Samsung 980 PRO NVMe SSD (Seq. Read 7000MB/s, Seq. Write 5100MB/s)
• OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Home | Warranty: 1-Year ASUS USA + Global Warranty Parts & Labor + Lifetime Tech Support from EXCaliberPC

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Tsalka lake & Dashbashi canyon with waterfalls

13 May, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 21 seen

 This time, our destination was the mesmerizing Tsalka Lake and Dashbashi Canyon, where nature's beauty unfolds in every corner. From hyper-lapses over the tranquil lake to an adrenaline-pumping drone flight over a 240-meter long glass bridge, this weekend was truly one for the books. Fasten your seatbelts, and let's dive into the magic of Tsalka and Dashbashi!

Our journey began at Tsalka Lake, a hidden gem surrounded by rolling hills and lush greenery. The calm waters mirrored the clear blue sky, creating a serene atmosphere that instantly transported us away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. A-frame houses dotted the landscape, offering a picturesque backdrop for our weekend retreat.

To capture the essence of Tsalka Lake, we embarked on a mesmerizing journey through time with hyper-lapses. The changing hues of the sky, the gentle ripples of the lake, and the play of sunlight on the water – each frame told a unique story of nature's poetry. The resulting footage is a visual symphony that we can now revisit and share with fellow nature enthusiasts.

Next on our itinerary was Dashbashi Canyon, a natural wonder that promised excitement and breathtaking scenery. The canyon, adorned with waterfalls and surrounded by cliffs, provided the perfect setting for an adrenaline rush. Exploring its trails and witnessing the raw power of nature was a truly immersive experience.

The highlight of our weekend escapade was undoubtedly the 240-meter long glass bridge that spanned the canyon. With an adrenaline rush coursing through our veins, we took to the skies with a drone, capturing the sheer beauty and vertigo-inducing perspectives of this architectural marvel. The footage, now immortalized in our tapes, serves as a thrilling reminder of conquering fears and embracing the extraordinary.

Our weekend at Tsalka Lake and Dashbashi Canyon was nothing short of magical. From tranquil lakeside moments to heart-pounding drone flights, every experience added a chapter to our tapestry of adventures. Join us in reliving the excitement through the video, and don't forget to give it a thumbs up! Until the next weekend escape, happy exploring!

Notes from Tbilisi - Crypto Club, Learning Spanish, Could Bitcoin crash $25,000

12 May, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 8 seen

Yesterday I visited the crypto club event at Local Tbilisi. Met a bunch of smart guys, mostly expats, was fun to watch bitcoin love/hate talks, listened to stories about investing in alt-coins. Been there, and seen that. 

As you might already know - I'm neutral on crypto, neither bullish nor bearish. Prefer to trade Bitcoin futures.

With a smile, listened to the crypto talks about where should bitcoin go next, some saying bitcoin will have support at $20,000 some said at $18,000. nevertheless, most of the crypto enthusiasts didn't care about the bitcoin price dropping, as seems they are hodlers or not investing in Bitcoin at all but in some altcoins. 

Belgian guy made a lot of sense, saying bitcoin is open source, vs the rest are just commercial pump and dumps. Makes sense to me.

Too many talks about some Luna coin, which crashed during our meeting. It seemed that most of the crypto enthusiasts believe in crypto taking over the world by storm. Anyhow, I left the meeting with some food for thought. 

Today we had our first Spanish lesson for a kiddo with teacher Eva (Latvian in Tbilisi), she has worked at QSI school some 6 years ago. Really good find. After the first lesson, we learned to count to 10, el perro, el gato and a few verbs. Awesome. Cant wait for our trip to Spanish speaking country anytime soon.

Bitcoin kept falling through the roof and dropped to $25,300 (at one moment it seemed it dropped under $25,000 in intraday trading, but cannot find anymore confirmation)

My Bitcoin futures trading account is literally bleeding, and I keep adding more funds to avoid forced liquidation.

if there is a thing I've learned while trading - leverage, leverage, leverage. 

As long as you are not trading futures with leverage I wouldn't be worried too much - but would buy a few satoshis to beef up long-term bitcoin holdings.

On the other hand, if you were smart enough and entered short positions before the big dip - high five as I'm very proud of you. There are always ways to make money with Bitcoin. 

Interested to learn more about bitcoin futures trading? Join my Bitcoin Futures Trading Course for Beginners

Georgian language classes for Expats in Tbilisi

11 May, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 33 seen

I've been involved in the Georgias ex-pat community for some good time already, a few years ago I helped to launch the Georgian Expat photographer club, and some years later I launched Expats in Georgia Facebook group, and today I'm happily sharing the latest brainchild - Georgian for expats

A couple of weeks ago I helped to start  - the Georgian for an Expats language course. It took us some 72 hours from the idea to realization, as we already had an office in a convenient location, tutors, and even a whiteboard - it was all about marketing texts, and Facebook ads.

After the first 24 hours, we got our first students. 

Here is what it all is about

Learn basic Georgian in 8 lessons with a professional tutor.

Small group sizes. GEL 250 for a full course or GEL 40 per lesson

• 200+ most useful vocabulary words
• The most useful phrases you can use in everyday situations
• Proper Georgian pronunciation
• How to put basic sentences together
• Read and write in Georgian
• Easily order foods and drinks
• Pronounce words correctly without hearing them first
• Greet people and introduce yourself both formally and casually
• The building blocks of Georgian grammar

Interested? Apply here!

So far we have already had 2 lessons learning basic conversation and even shopping at the supermarket. 

Here I made a quick video from our shopping lesson

The classes are run by the Caucasus Translations agency in Vake, Tbilisi

Caucasus Translations is a professional translation and localization agency located in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, established in the year 2008. 

Batumi - city with inspiring Architecture

10 May, 2022 | | 6 seen

I love visiting Batumi once or twice per year, preferably in Spring / Summer season. Back in 2012, we even lived in Batumi for some 6 months. 

We were renting a small soviet time apartment in the city center (next to Radisson Batumi) for about $400/mo and enjoyed walking around the city wandering with many new and exciting buildings. 

What I always love about Batumi - is the never-ending and booming real estate with many great architectural buildings. 

Invest in Batumi Real Estate (Buying Black Frame Projects)

In today's Piece of Life series - my latest discovered from Batumi, from a flight of a drone

Amazing architecture here, towers and squares, boulevards and beaches

The city is expanding at a fast pace

Batumi - city with inspiring architecture

Batumi real estate crypto token

Notes from Tbilisi - Gym, BitcoinGeorgia.Ge, Georgian for Expats and Bitcoin dips under $32,000

9 May, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 9 seen

Wow, what a day it was today - stock futures were opening lower, quite lower, Dow Jones index was failing more than 400 points, extending the stock market bleeding for some sixth or seventh week in a row.

I was holding several long bitcoin positions on Deribit with strike prices above $40,000, and the losses just kept accelerating, to keep my positions above the water I bought more bitcoin and deposited them on Deribit. 

Bitcoin is not for all. Bitcoin futures, definitely are for a few select ones.

Went to the Champions academy for some cardio and dumbell workout. Later worked on my latest brainchild - BitcoinGeorgia.ge (more on that in some of the other blog posts.

In the evening we had our second lesson for Georgian for expats, this time Gvantsa took us shopping to the AgroHub and we had a chance to practice our Georgian. 

The rest of the evening I spent gazing a the bitcoin charts, praying it doesn't fall under $30,000 tonight

What a day!