Playamar beach in Torremolinos

22 June, 2016 | Tourism objects | 19 seen

Playamar beach was located close to our hotel (Parasol Garden) in Torremolinos. I had a chance to vist this beach (thus no swimming or sunbathing) during a week long travels in Spain.

This beach is characterized by the numerous apartment buildings lining the beachfront. It offers a wide variety of facilities and is very well marked with buoys. A variety of shows and performances are organised here during the summer.

Playamar beach

Whether you are coming direct from the airport or from any other point on the Costa del Sol, the signs for Torremolinos will not let you go wrong. The Mediterranean Expressway and the old N-340, which has now become a boulevard passing through the middle of the city, are this tourist centre’s access routes.

Playamar beach

You can rent a sun bed here for about EUR 3, per day.

Swimming area in Playamar beach

Hotel Parasol Garden Review in Torremolinos, Spain

21 June, 2016 | Hotel reviews | 12 seen

Hotel Parasol Garden in Torremolinos was first hotel we booked during our week long trip in our Costa la Sol trip in Spain. After we landed at Malaga airport and picked up our rental car at Malaga airport we headed to nearby located beach resort town of Torremolinos. 

The hotel offered full board or all inclusive. We booked full board, as it was for about 15 EUR cheaper than all inclusive. Latter we learnt that Full board means all meals, except drinks, including still water during breakfast, dinner and supper. Luckily we got a cup of coffee next morning. 

Hotel Parasol Garden

Parasol Garden is just 51 m from Playamar Beach, in Torremolinos. It offers a free Wi-Fi zone, an outdoor jacuzzi and swimming pools and air conditioned rooms with a private balcony.The Parasol Garden’s bright rooms overlook the swimming pool, sea or mountains. Each room has tiled floors and wooden furniture. All are equipped with satellite TV. 

Speaking of so calleds satellite TV - in our case it was some extra mini TV set just bellow ceilings. 

Bedroom

Nothing fancy here - simple twin…

Holiday Inn Berlin Airport Hotel Review in Schönefeld, Germany

20 June, 2016 | Hotel reviews | 9 seen

We stayed at Holiday Inn Berlin airport hotel between connecting flight to Spain. At start we didn't planned to stay at hotel at all or to use some cheap hostel in Berlin city center, but after actually landing here in Berlin and visiting Berlin city center, we agreed a hotel is a must have. I was surprised to learn that hotels are way much expensive in Berlin than it is usually,

This was one of the rare hotels we reached by foot, after arriving at local train station (located close to the airport) we decided to walk there,  Unfortunately we had no idea which direction we should walk and I asked to the first passer by - Excuse me, do you have any idea which direction is located hotel Holiday Inn? The person replied to me - kein englisch, I asked  - Unterkunfte Holiday Inn? - The person replied again - Kein Englisch. We continued our way in the same direction making a fun of "Kein Englisch" phrase, 

Luckily we were on the right track and soon we found Holiday Inn Airport Hotel, We had booked a room here during day, and as I said in introduction I was surprised to learn that a …

Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

19 June, 2016 | Tourism objects | 15 seen

Berlin TV tower is located close to the Alexanderplatz in Berlin, Germany. 

The tower was constructed between 1965 and 1969 by the administration of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was intended as a symbol of Berlin, which it remains today, as it is easily visible throughout the central and some suburban districts of Berlin. With its height of 368 meters, it is the tallest structure in Germany, and the second tallest structure in the European Union (by a half-metre).

I was wondering around Alexanderplatx when noticed this giantic structure. I wasn't prepared good enough to capture this mega-tall structure in one frame, and felt a little bit tired to try harder, made just one panaoramic photo.

Berlin TV tower

The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of the country and is often in the establishing shot of films set in Berlin. Due to its location near Alexanderplatz, it is occasionally called Alex Tower.

The original total height of the tower was 365 metres (1,198 ft), but it rose to 368 metres (1,207 ft) after the installation of a new…

Alexanderplatz

18 June, 2016 | Tourism objects | 12 seen

Alexanderplatz most probably is Berlin's most famous tourist spot. Alexanderplatz is a large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district of Berlin, near the Fernsehturm. Berliners often call it simply Alex, referring to a larger neighborhood stretching from Mollstraße in the northeast to Spandauer Straße and the Rotes Rathaus in the southwest.

I had a chance to visit Alexanderplatz during a layover between flights to Malaga, Spain. We took a local train from airport and visited Alexanderplatz to spend few hours before checking in at hotel near airport latter this evening.

Metro Alexanderplatz

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get there is by using local metro (S-Bahn). Alexanderplatz is also the name of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn stations there. It is one of Berlin's largest and most important transportation hubs, being a cross of 3 subway (U-Bahn) lines, 3 S-Bahn lines, and many tram and bus lines, as well as regional trains.

Tourists at Alexanderpltatz

Alexanderplatz is also a popular shopping…

How to Photograph the Big Dipper

17 June, 2016 | Digital Photography School | 44 seen

Have you ever wanted to photograph the Big Dipper? It is on of the easiest and probably the most famous grouping of stars in the sky.

Fail short using auto mode on your camera? I hear you - I was there buddy. Once I was laying in warm beaches in Turkey (around Izmir) it was night already, the view around me was just amazing, city lights, sea and stars... I spent all night stargazing and trying to photograph at least something using my camera... well... I ended up with nothing. Back then I had little clue of other shooting modes than auto.  Auto mode is not your best friend during night time.

In today's digital photography school tutorial I would love to start a new series of posts in astrophotography. The other day I spent couple of hours in dark night trying to shoot my first star trails. Thus, the result is far from ideal - I understood, star photography is damn interesting. 

Let's start with The Big Dipper photography:

The Big Dipper

Shot in my backyard on May 31, 2016. Shooting settings:18mm (kit lens) f4,5/ ISO 800, 10 seconds. Post processed in Adobe Lightroom.

Now, when…

Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen station (Railway)

16 June, 2016 | Railway / Bus / Ferry | 15 seen

Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen (also named simply as Berlin Schönefeld) is a railway station in Schönefeld next to Berlin-Schönefeld International Airport just outside Berlin. The station is served by the S-Bahn lines S9 and S45 as well as the Regional Bahn.

It's one of the easiest ways to reach Alexanderplatz and Berlin city center if you are traveling via Berlin Schonefeld airport. The single ride ticket price is around EUR 3, and you can buy them at vending machines in tunnel connecting airport to railway station. Make sure you composter them on platform before entering the train. 

Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen station

Berlin-Schönefeld railway station was built within 150 days and opened for the public on 10 July 1951 as part of the Berliner Außenring. On 26 February 1962 an additional platform was added and Schönefeld was connected to the Berlin S-Bahn.

Platform

Berlin Schönefeld Airport

15 June, 2016 | Airports | 24 seen

Berlin Schönefeld Airport ( Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld) )was an international airport near the town of Schönefeld at the southern border of Berlin, the capital of Germany, 18 km (11 mi) southeast of its city centre.

On 25 October 2020 the Schönefeld name and IATA code ceased to exist, marking its closure as an independent airport, with large parts of its infrastructure being incorporated into the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (IATA: BER, ICAO: EDDB) as its Terminal 5 with its sections renamed to K, L, M and Q.

Schönefeld was the major civil airport of East Germany (GDR), and the only airport serving East Berlin. It will be merged into Berlin Brandenburg Airport when it opens in 2019 or later.

Berlin Schonefeld airport

This is already second airport in Germany I have visited (about a year ago I first landed at Frankfurt-Han airport. We get here from Riga using cheap Ryanair flight and used as middle point for further travels to Spain (Malaga).

We had a couple of hours (well more than 12) between our flight…

My First Star Trail Photography

14 June, 2016 | | 8 seen

I have wanted to make star trail photography ever since I saw one. It took me some time to actually get out in the dark and capture one, as I knew it wont be so simple as it was with HDR photography. 

My equipment for this night's adventure - DSLR camera and a tripod. No remote control (not even a duct tape), I pressed shutter release button, after each 30 second long exposure, by hand this night.

It was fun experience, as I choose to shoot from our rural house nearby meadows - distant dog barks, frog noise from pond and a lot of stars. 

My first star trails - didn't had much clue what I'm actually doing here tonight... no remote, no duct tape, manual shutter release after each 30 sec exposure, a little bit light paint
... Adobe Photoshop Stack.... Will do better next time.

First attempt of star trails

It is a combination of 10 30 second long exposures, in one exposure I have used light paint to paint out birch. ISO 200 (I should most probably rise it a bit higher - 800 - 1600, but tonight I was not eager to go with higher ISO numbers)

Second attempt of star trail photography…

How To Stitch Panoramic Photos with Adobe Photoshop (Photomerge)

13 June, 2016 | Digital Photography School | 18 seen

I have wanted to write about panoramic photography technique I have been using for a very long time already, today finally I decided to put my knowledge on paper (blog).

Panoramic photos are cool and easy way to fake a wide angle lens, you don't have to own fancy DSLR camera and super wide angle lens to fit more into frame. For today's tutorial I'm using my Canon Rebel T5 DSLR camera with kit 18mm-55mm lens. I'm always trying to shoot at widest (18mm) to fit more details in frame. 

Tools you will need: A camera, Adobe Photoshop

Let's start with basic photography:

Single landscape photo (f11, ISO 100, 18mm)

Yup, that's my backyard. I trim grass here a lot. For shooting this photography I'm using a tripod from low angle (close to ground). Thus, in daylight you don't need to use a tripod mandatory, but it still helps.

Next, I change my camera on tripod head to portrait mode and shoot 6 separate images (manual focus), rotating tripod head for about 10-15 degrees after each shot. then I will use Adobe Photoshop to stick those 6 images together and will make following panoramic image:

…

Postcards from Riga

12 June, 2016 | | 6 seen

It was still and tranquil (most probably Friday evening) after visiting my dear grandmother in Riga, I decided to take Riga in night pictures.

Experimented with long exposures and HDR photography tonight.

View towards Old Riga from Radisson SAS hotel 

River Daugava

View towards Old Riga

Vansu bridge in Riga

Classical Old Riga photography

River Daugava

Riga: Iron Bridge, TV Tower and National Library

Short Day Trip to Lithuania (Curonian Spit)

11 June, 2016 | Travel guides | 6 seen

At start of May 2016, we went on a short two day trip to Lithuania, we had no goal or destination planned. Just a spontaneous trip idea. Unfortunetly our car broke somewhere in middle of nowhere (Barta- Rucava road) and we had to stay overnight in Liepaja. 

Next morning we booked a rental car and our spontaneous trip started. We visited Palanga, Klaipeda, Juodkrante and Nida on Curonian Spit. 

Apple tree blossoms

10 June, 2016 | | 8 seen

A couple days ago I introduced you with first sprouts in our garden. Today allow me to show first apple tree blossoms from our apple orchard.

Apple orchard in mid-May 2016

Apple tree blossom

Akropolis Shopping Mall in Klaipeda

9 June, 2016 | Shopping Venues | 81 seen

Shopping and entertainment center Akropolis in Klaipeda most probably is the largest shopping venue in the area. Those of you who have traveled to Vilnius most probably will recognize this brand. I first discovered Vilnius Akropolis in 2003 or something. 

Now it is time to put Akropolis Klaipeda on map. We were returning from Curonian Spit and decided to make shopping somewhere in Klaipeda, I noticed few Rimi and Maxima stores when we approached Klaipeda from Liepaja, but after we left Smiltyne Ferry Terminal Akropolis crossed our way. It was time to make a stop.

Akropolis shopping mall in Klaipeda 

I was tired and I even didn't visit this shopping mall actually, instead I spent few hours in parking lot, well, that's a shopping experience also, right?

Parking lot near Akropolis Klaipeda

HyperMaxima, Drogas, Douglas and many other locally known brands here.

My Summer Office 2016

8 June, 2016 | Home Remodeling | 7 seen

Finally I have a good working place, a year ago I had to spend my days in front of house, while two years ago I reported very scenic working place - Turtle Lake in Tbilisi. 

After several days of improve back at our rural house, the room meant to be an office / guest bedroom is finally done, except it asks for some interior decors and other details, which makes overall mood.

Summer office 2016

Well I haven't done much digital work from here yet, but I hope I will spend these Summer nights not only by trimming grass, but hopefully patching some Drupal modules, developing new things, of course blogging, and post processing my photography (Adobe Lightroom, you rock)

As for Digital nomads, the place means nothing until you have good internet connection, well this is a problem a bit, we are using routers built in our phones to connect our laptops to the rest of the world (or in my case with Linode in London data center). The internet is pretty slow or is not available during daytime, thus it is fast as a rocket in night (strange, right).

Ok, enough talking, it's time to trim some more grass!