Surviving Bear Market - Margin Call

12 March, 2020 | Investments | 20 seen

I once read that an investor can call himself a pro after he/she has survived at least 3 bear markets. I just survived one. At least I hope so.

In fact, from my short active investor's career, I feel this is already my second bear market, with first happening back in December 2018,

March 2020 market was scared from Covid-19, Trump travel Ban for EU citizens, Russia- Saudi oil war. Panic, real panic. It took about 3 weeks from all-time highs at the end of February to a 20% drop in mid-March 2020. And nothing is over yet. 

Portfolio value as of March 12, 2020

By March 12, 2020, my total portfolio has lost in value by more than 30%. 30% in 12 days. What a speed.

If counted from my portfolios all-time high at the end of January the drop is even more bearish 37.95% drop. Now these drops are quite Okay for crypto investments but with the stock market, hell this asks a lot of nerves

Entering Negative Value For Ethereum Investment - Crypto Bear Market 2018

For me problems started with my plan buying PFE shares once in a month for my partner, using the so-called wheel strategy. Selling naked puts ask cash locked on margin. About a month ago I took a larger assignment of CSCO stocks and my account balance turned negative, as I was buying on margin. My balance turned to a negative EUR 5,000 which I was able to reduce down to -EUR 3,500 by March 12, 2020, but as the market kept falling with 7% daily I quickly faced liquidity issues

Here is the long story short:

On March 12, 2020, I faced a margin call and the broker closed my positions (with a huge loss) to take my account balance back to positive. As these stocks are a cornerstone strategy for my dividend income, it didn't feel Okay taking an impressive dividend loss.

Here is what was sold:

• Sold 60 RA for $14.85 per share (loss $468.25) / yearly dividend loss $121.80
• Sold 206 PNNT for $3.90 per share (loss $740.07)  / yearly dividend loss $126.07
• Sold 17 CSCO for $33.97  per share (loss $233.26) / yearly dividend loss $20.74
• Sold 100 PBCT for $11.38 per share (loss $504.96) / yearly dividend loss $60.30
• Sold 244 XIN for $2.54 per share (loss $506.83) / yearly dividend loss $78.44
• Sold 15 PFE for $30.40 per share (loss $138.72) / yearly dividend loss $19.35

Total sold shares worth $4,494.65

Total loss after sell: $2,592.19 / dividend loss $426.7

After selling these stocks my account balance was brought back to positive and I decided to close some of the suffering options to buyback  and increase positions from lost shares

Here is what I bought:

• Bought 100 RA for $15.42 per share / yearly dividend $203.00 
• Bought 24 PFE for $30.96 per share / yearly dividend $30.96
• Bought 147 NRZ for $11.28 per share / yearly dividend $243.1
• Bought 100 ET for $6.55 per share  / yearly dividend $76.8
• Bought 100 PEI for $1.05 per share / yearly dividend $71.4

Total spend $4,703 / yearly dividend $625.26

To free up some buying power I additionally deposited EUR 700 and closed put option on PFE, took a loss here $542.80

Additionally, I closed with a loss options trades on SPX and Gold futures, took a loss here $894.60. I don't plan to trade options on indexes or futures. The risk is not worth it.

My dividend income for the rest of the year before the margin call was $2,449.38, which lacks behind my goal for $3,600 in 2020

After I bought back and increased some positions my planned dividend income for the rest of the year raised to $2,594.71, that's a growth of $145. Awesome

With markets recovering I believe I will be able to gain big from today's buys + increased dividend will help to get closer to my yearly dividend income goals ($3,600 for 2020)

My real loss today comes from options trades, in total I lost $1,437 here. Unlike in my previous experience with bad managed options trade when I lost about $5,000 I wouldn't say these were bad managed trades. I just faced margin call and wanted to use cheap stock prices fro future growth. Will I turn right, time will show.

Condohotel 'GVC 217' New Gudauri

7 March, 2020 | Hotel reviews | 14 seen

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 hotels

GVC 217

There is an indoor pool, sauna and ski storage located inside the building. Free parking and ski storage. Pool and sauna was for additional 70 GEL (kids up to 2 years free)

I actually didn't make any indoor inferior photography. What can I say, the stay was OK, the mattress could be better and the shower didn't quite work this time, but as we were more traveling here to spend our time outdoors it didn't matter much - although I would recommend upgrading mattress

It was cool having a kitchenette in the room, so we could prepare some pasta.

View from the balcony

Situated in Gudauri, GVC Luxe New Gudauri 217 offers accommodation with free WiFi. There is a casino on-site and guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.

All units at the aparthotel feature a satellite flat-screen TV, a private bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave. A balcony with mountain views is offered in each unit.

A bicycle rental service and ski-to-door access are provided at GVC Luxe New Gudauri 217.

GoodAura Ski Lift is 80 m from the property.

Launching Semi-Passive Income Portfolio for my Mom

6 March, 2020 | Investments | 48 seen

For the last 3 years, I've been actively building my own,  my kid's and just recently I started my partner's fund, now there is one more people I care whose financial situation should be taken care of - my mom.

She just turned 60, there are still 5 years until her retirement age. It's neither much nor little. 5 years is a timeframe I'm looking to build a semi-sustainable "pension fund" to generate income in the level of average pension in Latvia (EUR 336 in 2020). I believe the average pension in 5 years from now (in 2025) should be around EUR 430 - EUR 500 per month.

I doubt we could get there using only income from dividends (even in the case with high yielding stocks at around 10% per annum it would ask to have a portfolio of about 50,000 EUR  - not that it's impossible in 5 years, but as I'm building several other portfolios for me this would be just too much to take.

That's why I've decided to use options or more precisely sell options on dividend stocks to boost income, the so-called wheel-strategy. 

For my mom's portfolio, I decided to start with writing puts on Wells Fargo (WFC). And more precisely 60-70 DTE puts.

As an account holder at Wells Fargo bank - I feel Okay selling options or owning shares of WFC

How To Open A Bank Account in U.S., As A Non-resident Non - citizen, Wells Fargo Bank

Wells Fargo stock price as of March 6, 2020

Now, at the start of the March with markets tanked well bellow it's 52 weeks high I was able to write the following put:

Sold 1 WFC May 17'20 strike 30 @1.13

Literally this means that I got $113 for the obligation to buy 100 shares of WFC by May 17 if the stock price will drop below $30/per share.

Break-even: $28.87

If I will get assigned by May 17, I will be pretty much happy, as Wells Fargo is a stock I would like to own for the long term, WFC has a track of record of raising its yearly dividend for 8 consecutive years. If assigned my dividend yield for 2020 would be close to 7%. Which is awesome. 

Once assigned I will be able to write covered calls. 

Yes, I'm writing a naked put here, using margin. Just for the reference, I had to lock $400 in the margin to sell this put, If counted my margin impact only, this sell (if expired worthless at the end) would mean a 28% return in 70 days. More than 145% if annualized. 

Despite we got paid upfront ($113) I will use this money only after closing position (adjustment or expiring worthless), I might buy WFC shares or other good dividend stocks from the income generated. The distributions from this fund are planned to start at the earliest in January 2025. Distributions will be made from dividends and options. 

I truly believe that in 5 years we could build an additional and sustainable EUR 500/income month from options + dividends.

Let me know, how your mom's portfolio is doing,

February 2020 Dividend Income Report - $251.15

4 March, 2020 | Investments | 14 seen

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 Riga

They 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%. Our nest egg suffered a lot, but I'm not worried because dividends should provide a stable monthly income.

Speaking of them (dividends) - Last February was brilliant, and for the first time income in February cracked $100 milestone with a huge reserve, reaching pretty solid $251.15.  Compared to the previous February in 2019, that is an increase of +201.68% (+167.90). I wish there were more months with growth like this. 

An additional $500 was made from options trading. I was trading SPX, Gold futures and of course, regular puts and calls on dividend stocks.  As options trading is not a passive form of making money while you are sleeping it wouldn't be fair to include them in dividend income reports. 

Last but not least, last February I traded options on cryptocurrencies using Deribit platform, which resulted in an additional $45.41

When counted all together (dividends + options + crypto options), it seems I have made $796.56 in total last month. That's slightly less than my plan for Q1 2020 (the plan is to make at least $1,200/mo from the market), but I will take it. 

Effective income yield last January was 2.48% (about 29.76% annually) Which is great. One of my monthly goals is to generate at least 2.5% income yield from a portfolio. As longs it's close to it - it's awesome. From dividends + active trading taking 30% year seems quite doable. The first two months of 2020 at least says so (despite uncertainty in the market)

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to mintos.com peer to peer lending and deribit.com options trading websites, by clicking on links on this page and by making investment mintos.com or derbit.com, I might earn affiliate income at no cost to you. Also, I'm not a financial advisor and I don't give you any advice, I'm just sharing my own experience. Investments in stocks, funds, bonds or cryptos are risk investments and you could lose some or all of your money. Do your due diligence before investing in any kind of asset. 

Interest income in February 2020

From the stocks and peer to peer lending I got following income last month:

Ticker

Earnings

BGLF

€60.50

FGB

€44.18

EDF

€20.70

EDI

€19.54

ET

€17.20

NHCBHFFT

€16.80

Mintos

€15.01

PBCT

€13.51

RA

€9.09

NCV

€3.80

AWP

€3.04

T

€2.77

Total: €228.32 / $251.15

In total there were 12 great companies paying us dividends in February 2020, that's double the year ago.

Mintos is not anymore #1 in terms of interest generated, I'm slowly withdrawing money from the platform to re-invest in the stock market.

Mintos.com Review 2020 (36 Month of Investing in Peer to Peer Lending)

Monthly income

I've been tracking my journey towards million dollars in a savings account since January 2017. Three years already. The result, so far, looks quite good. Dividends are growing.

Monthly dividend Income chart as of February 2020

The cumulative earnings for 2020 now are $416.14  which is exactly 11.56% from my goal of 2020 ($3,600). On average, it would ask me to generate $318.39 every month for the next 10 months to reach my goal. Right, now this goal looks very hard, as now I cannot see a single $300 month for 2020, but this should change latter, during the year. It will be tough to get to my $3,600 dividend income goal this year, but I will try even tougher to get there.

2019 in Review and Financial Goals for 2020

Goals for February 2021

This is my favorite part of the reports - trying to forecast/set goals for the next year. But before setting a goal for 2020, let's see what I forecasted/said a year ago (February 2019)

When setting goals for February 2020, I will say - $120 is what I'm looking now. Looks quite possible. Should add/increase few quarterly (Feb, May, Aug, Nov) paying stocks + few monthly stocks. Looking on both now,

Wow, not only I reached this $120 goal but also doubled that. Awesome.

For February 2021 I have a goal to reach $320, to get there will add more quarterly stocks paying dividends in Feb (like FBG, PBCT, and T) + also a few monthly paying dividend stocks. From today's perspective looks quite possible.

New Gudauri Ski Resort in Georgia

29 February, 2020 | Tourism objects | 31 seen

New Gudauri is a rapidly developing ski resort in Georgia developed by REDCO Real estate development company, the resort is located some 120km from the nation's capital Tbilisi in Gudauri.

Surrounded by some of Europe’s most dramatic peaks, Gudauri represents one of the most picturesque winter destinations for both experienced skiers and amateurs.  The resort offers fantastic skiing and snowboarding, as well as paragliding and heli-skiing facilities.

Gudauri - Georgian Winter Capital for skiing, snowboarding, paragliding and heli-skiing

New Gudauri

Ski Resort is both a great destination for holidaymakers as well for investors looking to expose their funds to condo investments. As a stock investor, I don't find such investment interesting, as I could go with a few click and buy some REIT (read - liquidity) - but the stock market is not for everyone and maybe some will find investing in New Gudauri a really lucrative. Before doing that I would recommend doing quality research

Active real estate development in New Gudauri​

Apartments can be purchased as a “white skeleton” or on a “turn-key” basis. We also offer you individual interior design from our architects as well as high-quality European furniture.

The ski resort is located just next to the gondolas, the area features restaurants, pubs, hotels, shops, ski rentals and even a casino

Block 2 at New Gudauri

Each area is marked with names like - Block 1, Block 2, Loft 1, Loft 2 and so on. In Block two we booked a condo hotel for a two night stay and enjoyed an indoor pool and sauna

Lindt Factory Shop Induno Oluno

28 February, 2020 | Shopping Venues | 62 seen

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. We spent here actually EUR 300 for A  LOT OF CANDIES. Our then 14-month old daughter was very excited about Lindt advent calendar (s)

Lindt factory shop in Induno Oluno

According to Wikipedia Lindt & Sprüngli has twelve factories: Kilchberg, Switzerland; Aachen, Germany; Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France; Induno Olona, Italy; Gloggnitz, Austria; and Stratham, New Hampshire, in the United States. The factory in Gloggnitz, Austria, manufactures products under the Hofbauer & Küfferle brand in addition to the Lindt brand. Caffarel's factory is located in Luserna San Giovanni, Italy, and Ghirardelli's factory is located in San Leandro, California, in the United States.

Lindt factory shop in Induno Oluno

The origins of the company date back to 1836, when David Sprüngli-Schwarz and his son Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann bought a small confectionery shop in the old town of Zürich, producing chocolates under the name David Sprüngli & Son. Before they moved to Paradeplatz in 1845, they established a small factory where they produced their chocolate in solidified form in 1838.

When Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann retired in 1892, he gave two equal parts of the business to his sons. The younger brother David Robert received two confectionery stores that became known under the name Confiserie Sprüngli. The elder brother Johann Rudolf received the chocolate factory. To raise the necessary finances for his expansion plans, Johann Rudolf then converted his private company into "Chocolat Sprüngli AG" in 1899. In that same year, he acquired the chocolate factory of Rodolphe Lindt in Bern, and the company changed its name to "Aktiengesellschaft Vereinigte Berner und Züricher Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli" (United Bern and Zurich Lindt and Sprungli Chocolate Factory Ltd.).

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

27 February, 2020 | Bookshelf | 14 seen

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 started to read. 

Everyone wants to succeed in life. But what causes some of us to be more successful than others? Is it really down to skill and strategy; or something altogether more unpredictable? This book is the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about business and the world. It is all about luck: more precisely, how we perceive luck in our personal and professional experiences. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the markets we hear an entrepreneur has a vision or a trader is talented, but all too often their performance is down to chance rather than skill. It is only because we fail to understand probability that we continue to believe events are non-random, finding reasons where none exist. This irreverent bestseller has shattered the illusions of people around the world by teaching them how to recognize randomness. Now it can do the same for you.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb  is a Lebanese-American (of Antiochian Greek descent) essayist, scholar, statistician, and former option trader and risk analyst, whose work concerns problems of randomness, probability, and uncertainty. His 2007 book The Black Swan has been described by The Sunday Times as one of the twelve most influential books since World War II.

Taleb is the author of the Incerto, a five volume philosophical essay on uncertainty published between 2001 and 2018 (of which the most known books are The Black Swan and Antifragile). He has been a professor at several universities, serving as a Distinguished Professor of Risk Engineering at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering since September 2008.He has been co-editor-in-chief of the academic journal Risk and Decision Analysis since September 2014. He has also been a practitioner of mathematical finance, a hedge fund manager, and a derivatives trader, and is currently listed as a scientific adviser at Universa Investments.

He criticized the risk management methods used by the finance industry and warned about financial crises, subsequently profiting from the late-2000s financial crisis. He advocates what he calls a "black swan robust" society, meaning a society that can withstand difficult-to-predict events. He proposes antifragility in systems, that is, an ability to benefit and grow from a certain class of random events, errors, and volatility as well as "convex tinkering" as a method of scientific discovery, by which he means that decentralized experimentation outperforms directed research

TOP 10 Laptops with NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics Card (Entry Level Gaming)

24 February, 2020 | Laptop Reviews | 46 seen

The Nvidia GeForce MX230 is an entry-level dedicated laptop graphics card with DirectX 12 support (FL 12_1) based (most likely) on the Pascal architecture (and not Maxwell as the older MX130). Similar to the faster MX250, the MX230 is based on the GP108 chip.

Most of the new laptops with MX230 graphic card wear Dell or Lenovo brand name. As MX230 is a relatively new graphics card, it's not rare to find it together with the latest 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor laptop models

Keep reading to learn more about TOP 10 Laptops with NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics Card

Disclosure: 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 is updated daily. For actual prices please refer on the product page on Amazon

2020 Dell Inspiron 3793 17.3 Inch FHD 1080P Laptop| Intel Core i7-1065G7 up to 3.9GHz| GeForce MX230 2GB| 16GB DDR4 RAM| 256GB SSD| DVD| WiFi| Windows 10 + NexiGo Wireless Mouse

• 10th Generation Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor (1.3 GHz base frequency up to 3.9 GHz, 8MB cache, 4 cores)
• RAM is upgraded to 16GB DDR4 memory for multitasking Adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once
• Hard Drive is upgraded to 256GB SSD provides massive storage space for huge files, so that you can store important digital data and work your way through it with ease. Enhance the overall performance of the laptop for business, student, daily usage
• Bundled with NexiGo 2.4GHz Wireless Mouse, Easy Connection, 1 AA battery needed (not included in the package), Authorized Sellers ONLY. 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Media Card Reader, 1 x Combo Headphone/Microphone Jack, 1 x RJ-45

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Dell Inspiron 2020 Premium 17.3” FHD Laptop Computer, 4-Core Intel i7-1065G7 1.3 GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD + 2TB HDD, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230, DVD, Webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI, Windows 10 / 500GB External HDD

• 16GB for DDR4 Ram for Multitasking, 256GB SSD for Fast Boot-up and Program Running, 2TB HDD for Larger Storage
• Intel Core i7-1065G7 1.3 GHz, Turbo to 3.90 GHz, 8MB Cache, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, NVIDIA GeForce MX230 2GB Graphics
• 17.3" Full HD Widescreen LED Display. The 1920 x 1080 resolution boasts impressive color and clarity. WVA technology. Energy-efficient LED backlight. Built-in HD webcam with dual array microphone
• Bonus 500GB Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive, a $49.99 additional value
• DVD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Windows 10 1x USB 2.0 Type A, 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3.0 Type A, 1x USB 3.1 Type C, 1x Headphone output/Microphone input combo

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Lenovo Flex 15 15.6" FHD Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop Computer, 8th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7-8565U Up to 4.6GHz, 8GB DDR4, 512GB PCIE SSD, MX230, HDMI, USB 3.0, Windows 10 Home

• Powered by Latest 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U Processor @ 1.80GHz(4 Core, 8M Cache, up to 4.60 GHz): Ultra-low-voltage platform. Quad-core, eight-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go.
• With a beautiful 15.6" Touchscreen LED-Backlit Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display; 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics; On-processor graphics with shared video memory provide everyday image quality for Internet use, basic photo editing and casual gaming.
• 8GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 512GB PCIE SSD offers a compact warehouse for storing all your favourite movies, music, photos, and more in one convenient place
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C; 2x USB 3.1; 1x HDMI-out; 1x Combination Audio Jack；4-in-1 media card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC)
• Windows 10 Home 64-bit brings back the Start Menu from Windows 7 and introduces new features, like the Edge Web browser that lets you markup Web pages on your screen.; No Optical Drive；Dimensions: 14.33" x 9.84" x 0.81"

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Dell Inspiron 15 5593, i5593-7039SLV-PUS, 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7, 15.6-Inch Fhd(1920X1080), 8GB, 512SSD, NVIDIA GeForce MX230

• 10th Generation Intel Core i7-1065g7 Processor (8MB Cache, up to 3. 9 GHz)
• 8GB, 8Gx1, DDR4, 2666MHz
• Nvidia GeForce MX230 4GB GDDR5
• 512GB M. 2 PCIe NVMe solid state Drive
• Sd card reader and USB 3. 1, 2. 0, Type-C
• 15. 6-Inch Fhd(1920x1080) anti-glare LED-Backlit Non-Touch Display narrow Border

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2020 Lenovo Flex 15 2-in-1 Laptop Computer: 15.6" FHD Touchscreen, 8th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7-8565U Up to 4.6GHz, 20GB DDR4, 1TB PCIE SSD, MX230, Windows 10 + EST External DVD+ Accessories

• Powerful 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U Processor @ 1.80GHz(4 Core, 8M Cache, up to 4.60 GHz): Ultra-low-voltage platform. Quad-core, eight-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go.
• Beautiful 15.6" 15" Touchscreen LED-Backlit Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display; 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics; On-processor graphics with shared video memory provide everyday image quality for Internet use, basic photo editing and casual gaming.
• 20GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 1TB PCIE SSD offers a compact warehouse for storing all your favourite movies, music, photos, and more in one convenient place
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C; 2x USB 3.1; 1x HDMI-out; 1x Combination Audio Jack；4-in-1 media card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC)
• Windows 10 Home 64-bit; No Optical Drive；Dimensions: 14.33" x 9.84" x 0.81" Approximate Weight: 4.4lbs；Up to 8 Hours;With Accessories EST External DVD drive + USB extension cord 6ft, HDMI cable 6ft and Mouse Pad

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2020 Dell Inspiron 17.3” FHD Laptop Computer, 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7 1065G7, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 2TB HDD + 1TB PCIe SSD, DVDRW, NVIDIA GeForce MX230 2GB, Windows 10, YZAKKA 500GB External Hard Drive

• 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor @ 1.30GHz (4 Cores, 8M Cache, up to 3.90 GHz)
• 17.3" Anti-Glare LED-Backlit FHD (1920 x 1080) Display; 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics
• 32GB DDR4 at 2666MHz SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 2TB 5400 RPM SATA HDD + 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive save files fast and store more data. dual drives ensure faster performance and better reliability; DVD-RW (Writes to DVD/CD)
• 802.11 Wireless-AC Qualcomm DW1810 LAN + Bluetooth 4.1; 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C with Data Transition Only, 1x USB 2.0, 1x RJ-45, 1x HDMI Out 1.4b, 1x Combination Headphone/Microphone Jack, 1x Media Card Reader
• Windows 10 Home (64-bit); YZAKKA 500GB External Hard Drive Portable

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2020 Dell Inspiron Laptop Computer| 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7 1065G7 up to 3.9GHz| 16GB DDR4 RAM| 2TB HDD+ 256GB PCIe SSD| 17.3" FHD| DVDRW| NVIDIA GeForce MX230| Bluetooth| Windows 10

• 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor @ 1.30GHz (4 Cores, 8M Cache, up to 3.90 GHz)
• 17.3" Anti-Glare LED-Backlit FHD (1920 x 1080) Display; 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics
• 16GB DDR4 at 2666MHz SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking;2TB 5400 RPM SATA HDD + 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive save files fast and store more data. dual drives ensure faster performance and better reliability; DVD-RW (Writes to DVD/CD)
• 802.11 Wireless-AC Qualcomm DW1810 LAN + Bluetooth 4.1; 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C with Data Transition Only, 1x USB 2.0, 1x RJ-45, 1x HDMI Out 1.4b, 1x Combination Headphone/Microphone Jack, 1x Media Card Reader
•  Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

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Lenovo Flex 15 Series 15.6" 2-in-1 Touchscreen Laptop, 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics

• Lenovo Flex 15 touchscreen 2-in-1 laptop with Backlit Keyboard and builtin Fingerprint Reader
• 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10510U Processor at 1.8GHz, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory, 512GB M.2 NVMe Solid State Drive
• 15.6" Touchscreen LED-Backlit Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 discrete Graphics
• 1 USB 3.1 Type C, 2 UBS 3.1, 1 HDMI, 1 Media Card Reader (4 in 1)
• Windows 10 Home 64bit

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Dell Inspiron 17 17.3" i3793-7275SLV-PUS 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 16GB RAM 2TB HDD + 256GB SSD DVD-RW 2GB NVIDIA MX230 (1920 x 1080) Display Windows 10 Home

• 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor 1.3GHz
• 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 RAM
• 2.0TB SATA 5400 RPM Hard Drive + 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive
• DVD-RW (Writes to DVD/CD)
• 17.3" Anti-Glare LED-Backlit FHD (1920 x 1080) Display and 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics

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Dell Inspiron i3793 17.3" LED-Backlit Full HD Laptop - 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 4-Core up to 3.90 GHz CPU, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 4TB SSD, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics, Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)

• 10th Generation Intel Core i7-1065G7 Quad-Core 1.30 GHz Processor (8MB SmartCache, up to 3.90 GHz)
• 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory, 4TB Solid State Drive, DVD-RW (Writes to DVD/CD), Windows 10 Professional
• 17.3" Anti-Glare LED-Backlit FHD (1920 x 1080) Display, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Graphics
• Wi-Fi 802.11 + Bluetooth 4.1, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI Out 1.4b
• 2-Year Warranty by Techno Intelligence, MaxxAudio Pro Stereo Speakers, Widescreen HD 720p Webcam

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Winter in Georgia: Gombori Pass

22 February, 2020 | | 23 seen

Some call Gombori pass - A Picturesque Road To Kakheti, here at  Piece of Life we can only agree. The road indeed is spectacular

If 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, our road us via Gombori pass, and it started to snow.

Snow in Gombori pass

The Tsiv-Gombori is a mountain range in the Georgian section of Greater Caucasus mountains. It is located in the province of Kakheti, eastern Georgia, and stretches to the distance of 107 km, with the highest mountain being at 1,991 m above sea level.

The Gombori range serves as a watershed, separating the Alazani and Iori river valleys, thereby dividing Kakheti into two traditional regions: inner (Shida) and outer (Gare). The slopes of the range are traversed by several smaller river gorges. The Alazani passes through the mountain range affecting the overall climatic conditions in the region. Mariamjvari Strict Nature Reserve is located in the southern side of the range. Both northern and southern slopes are home to pine forests.

Gombori pass

Villa Porro Pirelli, Induno Oluno, Italy

21 February, 2020 | Hotel reviews | 20 seen

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 in the restored 18th-century greenhouse and offering views of the surrounding park. Open for lunch and dinner, it specialises in Italian cuisine.

Our booking didn't include breakfast, so we used our rental car to drive around and shop at local Carrefour shop, also we found a Lindt factory shop located in town

Simple room at Villa Porro Pirelli

Lake Lugano is reachable by car in around 10 minutes. On request, a shuttle is available to Malpensa Airport, 45 km away. On-site parking is free.

Restaurant Wineland Telavi

15 February, 2020 | Restaurant reviews | 26 seen

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 restaurants

Restaurant Wineland near Telavi

As 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 restaurant just shortly New Year, so there were still left decorations from Christmas. 

Dinner at Wineland restaurant near Telavi

Restaurant Wineland serves typical Georgian cuisine, mcvadi, khachapuri, salads, some lemonades, and coffees. Really cozy place (despite lack of other people)

Resort Collina d'Oro - Hotel & Spa in Agra, Switzerland

14 February, 2020 | Hotel reviews | 15 seen

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 & Spa

An elegant restaurant, and a spa area with an indoor and an outdoor pool are at guests´ disposal. Free WiFi and a 24-hour concierge service are available.

Hotels restaurant

The restaurant includes a sun terrace and a pool bar during summer and serves refined dishes made from regional products, as well as a wide selection of wines. It has its own vineyard and organic garden.

We ordered some pasta and rabbit (?) here. Our total bill some EUR 40

Pasta served

Good food experience

Apartment with a kitchenette

The spacious, air-conditioned rooms at Resort Collina d'Oro - Hotel & Spa are elegantly furnished and decorated with fine stone and woods, wooden floors, and high-quality fabrics. They come with a flat-screen satellite TV with 100 channels, an electric kettle, and a large bathroom with bathrobes, slippers, and a multifunctional shower head. A pillow menu is available and mineral water is provided.

Agra Bus Stop is 200 m from the resort. The Hermann Hesse Museum is 1 km away, and 8 golf courses are between 10 and 50 km away

Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate Georgia

8 February, 2020 | Hotel reviews | 25 seen

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 Georgia

All 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, Tsinandali Estate Georgia feature air conditioning and a wardrobe. Each room includes a flat-screen TV with satellite channels.

Wine tasting gallery

The project was developed by Silk Road Group with the financial support of Partnership Fund and TBC Bank. 

JSC Partnership Fund is a state-owned investment fund, established in 2011. 

Library bar

The daily breakfast offers continental and buffet options. Guests can enjoy their meal at À la carte restaurant and the kid-friendly buffet is available. Property features a shared lounge and a library with a reading area.

Outdoor space

Boasting a 24-hour front desk, a staff speaks Georgian, English and Russian languages.

Top 13 Luxury Hotels in Lugano, Switzerland

7 February, 2020 | Hotel reviews | 30 seen

Lugano is a tranquil city located in southern Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Ticino region.

Its Swiss-Mediterranean mix of cultures is closely related to that of Italy’s northern Lombardy region. This mix is reflected in its architecture and cuisine. The city stands on the northern shore of glacial Lake Lugano, surrounded by mountains.

We traveled to Lugano, Switzerland at the end of 2019, thus we didn't stay overnight in Lugano, instead we stayed in Resort Collina d'Oro - Hotel & Spa in Agra,

For a comfortable stay in Lugano, you should be ready to pay about $200-$250 per night, thus for spoiled ones Lugano has luxury hotels averaging $500 for night

Disclosure: this article contains links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you

Villa Principe Leopoldo

Villa Principe Leopoldo can be found amid a large park above Lugano, offering panoramic views of Lake Lugano and the mountains, and featuring leisure, sport and wellness facilities, as well as exquisite dining options. WiFi is available for free.

A Member of Relais & Chateaux, Villa Principe Leopoldo is a harmonious blend of Italian charm and Swiss excellence.

The historical villa, once a prince's residence, provides views of the lake and the garden, and the nearby park

The Kiso Spa offers a relaxing ambience made with personalised treatments based on the Villa Principe's own top-quality cosmetic line. Hot tub, sauna and steam bath facilities are also featured.

The Principe Leopoldo Restaurant received excellent reviews in the most important international guides. The Piano Bar & Lounge offers an exclusive selection of cocktails and wines, champagne and malt whiskies, all accompanied by live music. A breakfast room is located in each building.

The spacious and stylishly decorated guest rooms are all air-conditioned. Bathrobes and slippers can be found in the luxurious bathrooms.

Villa Principe Leopoldo is 2 km from the city centre of Lugano. Private outdoor parking is available on site for free. Garage parking is possible at an additional cost.

Price: ~ $ 254 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel Splendide Royal

Established in 1887, the 5-star Splendide Royal with its turn-of-the-century character is Lugano's most fashionable hotel, located on Lugano's lakeside main street. Free WiFi is available throughout the entirely non-smoking property.

With its elegant guest rooms, fine cuisine and a staff of 100 employees who provide meticulous personal service, the Splendide Royal hotel inspires loyalty among its clients. Usually more than half the guests are repeat visitors.

The executive chef of the hotel's own restaurant I Due Sud has been rewarded by Gault et Millau with the Rising Star title for the cuisine combining traditional flavours from southern Switzerland and southern Italy. This restaurant serves dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays (reservation highly recommended), while the La Veranda restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, offering Mediterranean dishes with local and seasonal produce.

The on-site Splendide Lifestyle Spa includes a pool, a sun terrace, a gym, as well as various saunas and steam baths. Beauty treatments and hairstyling sessions can be booked.

Aperitifs and cocktails, as well as a selection of international hors d'oeuvres and snacks is available in the Belle Epoque bar until 00:30 in the night.

Price: ~ $ 311 Book this hotel on Booking.com

The View Lugano

Located in Lugano-Paradiso, a 5-minute walk from Lake Lugano and the Monte San Salvatore Park, The View Lugano offers modern suites with free WiFi and free air conditioning, a wellness area and a restaurant. The centre of Lugano is a 5-minute drive away.

All rooms at The View come with a furnished balcony with lake views, a flat-screen TV, and a minibar. Additionally, they feature an elegant bathroom with free toiletries, a hairdryer and bathrobes.

A rich breakfast is served every morning, and dinner can be enjoyed at the in-house à la carte restaurant. Several shops and bars can be found within a few minutes' walking distance.

The wellness area comprises a sauna, a hammam, an indoor swimming pool, and a fitness area. Massages can be organized on request and for an extra charge.

E-bikes and electric smart cars are available free of charge. Several cycling trails start directly on the premises.

Private parking spaces are available on site for an extra charge, and Lugano Train Station is 2 km away.

The Magliaso Golf Course is situated 5 km from the property, while the Swiss Miniature Adventure Park is reachable within a 5-minute drive. Agno Airport is 4 km away

Price: ~ $ 533 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & Spa

Surrounded by a large park, Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & Spa offers a spacious spa area and panoramic views over Lugano, Lake Lugano, and the surrounding mountains. It is only a 15-minute walk from the city centre.

Each of the comfortable rooms comes with a balcony, satellite TV, a minibar and a safety deposit box. The bathrooms come with a bath or shower, toilet and amenities such as free toiletries, a hairdryer and bathrobes.

The Villa Sassa’s 3,000 m² Spa and Wellness Club includes heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a hot tub, a sauna, a Turkish bath, a relaxation area, and a fitness centre. There is a wide range of beauty treatments and massages.

The restaurant Ai Giardini di Sassa serves Swiss, Italian, and international cuisine, and in fine weather, guests can dine on the terrace. A bar is also on site.

Price: ~ $ 202 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Suitenhotel Parco Paradiso

Offering impressive views of Lake Lugano, Hotel Parco Paradiso is located on the foothills of the San Salvatore Mountain. You can use the pool and the fitness room free of charge. Free WiFi is available and free private parking is possible on spot.

Renovated in 2018, all spacious and elegantly furnished units at the Parco Paradiso comprise air conditioning, a balcony or a terrace, flat-screen TVs and a minibar. A safety deposit box is also provided and the private bathroom is fitted with a bathtub, a hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers.

An American buffet breakfast, comprising waffles, pancakes and Prosecco, is available every day. Guests can dine in the Mediterranean restaurant La Favola and in the Tsukimi Tei, the only Japanese teppanyaki and robaayaki restaurant in Ticino with show kitchen or unwind in the unique smoking lounge Havana Deck. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated upon request.

The Cuban bar in the Suitenhotel Parco Paradiso offers cocktails, music, views of the lake, and Havana cigars. Guests can enjoy the terrace offering lake views.

Price: ~$ 200 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel Admiral Lugano

Hotel Admiral Lugano is located in the Paradiso neighbourhood, within walking distance from the shores of Lake Lugano and the San Salvatore funicular station. Guests can enjoy free access to the indoor and outdoor swimming pools and the fitness room.

The modern rooms feature a minimalist design and come with a flat-screen TV, minibar, and air conditioning. The private bathrooms are fitted with a bathtub, hairdryer and free toiletries. Free WiFi access is provided throughout the property and guests can also take advantage of a free digital newsstand.

Breakfast is available every morning.

Within easy reach are the casino of Lugano (1.5 km) and the casino of Campione (6 km), as well as many shops and well-known restaurants. The Swissminiatur Park, showing the most picturesque sites of the country at a 1:25 scale, and the Modern Art Museum are also nearby.

Price: ~$ 251 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel City Lugano

Located 800 m from the Lugano Exhibition Centre and 1 km from the lake, Hotel City Lugano is a modern, non-smoking building with stylish and air-conditioned rooms. Free WiFi is available in all areas, and underground parking is available on site for an extra charge.

The modern, soundproofed rooms at Lugano City Hotel are all fitted with an LED TV, LED lighting, universal sockets, a minibar with free non-alcoholic drinks, a safe, a desk and a kettle with a coffee/tea maker. The private bathrooms come with a shower, hairdryer and free toiletries. Printers and coffee machines are provided on every floor.

The lobby features a bar, a breakfast area, and access to a terrace.

Price: ~$ 224 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Park Hotel Principe

Set amidst a peaceful garden on top of the Collina d´Oro Hill, the Park Hotel Principe offers a heated outdoor pool and 2 tennis courts. Free WiFi is available in all areas and free outdoor parking spaces are featured, as well.

Each unit at the property is spacious and elegantly furnished and comes with air conditioning and satellite TV with pay-per-view channels. Some feature a terrace, while others feature a veranda with a small private garden.

During peak season, the Park Hotel Principe offers a courtesy shuttle into town and to the train station several times a day. A private, covered car park is available for an extra charge.

Guests at the property can access the heated outdoor swimming pool free of charge. Further amenities include a fitness room, a sauna and a solarium. A bicycle rental is available on site, as well.

A varied breakfast featuring home-made pastries is provided all year long.

Price: ~$233 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel De La Paix

The Hotel de la Paix is housed in a stylish 18th-century building near Lake Lugano, about 1 km from the city centre and the train station. It offers an outdoor pool, free WiFi, free parking on site and free minibar use.

The 2 restaurants at the Hotel de la Paix offer Italian and international cuisine. The Neptune opens to the garden terrace and offers a refined and relaxing atmosphere. Here guests can start their day with a varied buffet breakfast. The Al Barilotto, designed in the rustic and casual local style, is well known for its Italian specialities, grilled dishes and pizzas.

All rooms feature air conditioning, satellite TV, and a bathroom with a hairdryer.

Price: ~$ 197 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Novotel Lugano Paradiso

Novotel Lugano Paradiso is a four star hotel, just 200 m from Lake Lugano and the centre of Lugano can be reached within 5 minutes by bus. The on-site swimming pool is heated and open from May until the end of September. The property also offers a pool bar, a fitness centre, and a video game area. Free WiFi is available.

The air-conditioned rooms at the Lugano-Paradiso Novotel feature a flat-screen cable TV, minibar, seating area, and bathroom with a hairdryer.

The air-conditioned restaurant and bar GourmetBar includes a terrace.

The private parking garage can be used at an additional cost. Lugano Train Station is 2 km away.

Price: ~ $238 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel Nassa Garni

Hotel Nassa Garni is located in the south part of Switzerland, in the „heart“ of Ticino. It has a magnificent view of the lake and is right in the center of Lugano.

The hotel includes a terrace and 24-hour reception desk, as well as internet access and parking (at an additional cost). Close to the hotel you will find many places to shop at the shopping centre and the lake offers a variety of activities.

Price: ~ $ 208 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Locanda Del Conventino

Located in the hills above Lugano, Locanda Del Conventino features a restaurant with a garden terrace. All guest rooms feature free WiFi and coffee/tea making facilities.

Set between Lake Lugano and the peaks of the Denti della Vecchia Mountain Range, Locanda Del Conventino is a convenient base for exploring the area on the numerous hiking tracks.

Upon request, and against a surcharge, lunch or dinner can be arranged on site.

The Ligaino Bus Stop is 100 m away, and within a 10-minute walk guests can reach the Suvigliana station of the Monte Bre Funicular Railway Line. The centre of Lugano is 3 km away. The property is a 10-minute drive from the motorway exit Chiasso-San Gottardo.

Price: ~ $ 311 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hotel Gabbani

Offering stylish rooms with free WiFi, the design Hotel Gabbani is centrally set on Lugano‘s Piazza Cioccaro Square. The Main Train Station is reachable by the city cable car, only 50 m away. Civico Park and the shores of Lake Lugano are only 2 minutes’ walk away.

The designer Sven Panzera blended warm oak furnishings and classic Danish-design armchairs with marble illuminated elements to create a unique ambience in every room. Each unit features pastel-toned or bright-contrasted decor.

Clear lines, soft shapes and ad hoc elements like a bathtub next to the bed or a small staircase will add up to the atmosphere. Room amenities include air-conditioning, minibar and a flat-screen TV.

The à la carte gourmet restaurant Gabbani and a bar can be enjoyed on the ground floor of this Mediterranean-style building. The Ikobani restaurant additionally offers Japanese specialities and drinks that can be enjoyed on the rooftop terrace with a city view during spring and summer.

Also a gourmet shop with a selected choice of regional delicacies is available on site.

Price: ~$ 210 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Amazon Fire Tablet 7 Review

6 February, 2020 | Gadget Reviews | 12 seen

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 Review

And that's how I decided to go with Amazon Fire Tablet 7

Now was time to unpack and see what's inside. 

Package has arrived in Georgia

For shipments to Georgia we are using a neat delivery service called Usa2Georgia, see: How To Order Goodies From US to Georgia - Usa2Georgia.com

Fire 7 tablet in package

Here is what inside

• 7" IPS display; 16 or 32 GB of internal storage (add up to 512 GB with microSD)
• Faster 1.3 GHz quad-core processor
• Up to 7 hours of reading, browsing the web, watching video, and listening to music
• Now Alexa hands-free
• 1 GB of RAM
• 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording
• Dual-band Wi-Fi

I opted for default 16 GB internal storage as we are just starting out, in case we will need more storage I can add up to 512GB microSD

Fire 7 Tablet with Alexa

That's all - just a tablet and a charger 

Booting up Fire 7 tablet

It took some time to configure Fire 7 tablet to connect to our home WIFI network,but nothing complicated

Engineered and tested by Amazon, Fire 7 is our best-selling tablet—now 2X the storage, faster quad-core processor, hands-free with Alexa, and 2X as durable as the latest iPad mini. Complete tasks, enjoy movies on the go, browse recipes, or ask Alexa for the weather—making your every day easier.