Chops by the River - Restaurant & Grill
| Restaurant reviews | 32 seen
Chops by the River restaurant and grill is now among my favorite Tskenti restaurants, and allow me to say among Tbilisi restaurants as well. Located in village of Tskneti this restaurant offers single priced grill menus and very pleasant atmosphere.
I have heard of this place by some friend before, but the circumstances that made us actually to visit this restaurant was a little bit strange. As an active outdoor lovers we were off to hiking trip from Tskenti to Turtle lake, unfortunately this route is not anymore accessible, because of landslides near Tskenti. Read more: Failed attempt to complete Tskneti - Turtle lake hiking route
After hiking some 2km in the nowhere we decided to turn back. We agreed, we should visit Chops by the River because we have heard of it and it is located somewhere in Tskenti. We wondered how do Georgians call this place, we came out with - Chopi bai de riveri. I continued our route back to civilization and sung Chops by the river.
We were back on the road (paved) and at start I decided to take a taxi to this place - unfortunately taxi driver thought Chopi bai de riveri…
Drupal IMCE very slow on uploading images - here is how to fix
| Drupal Development | 7 seen
It has been about a year, since I noticed IMCE upload is damn slow when uploading images for my photo stories or just any other articles. For a very long time I was convinced that it's some cdn or JavaScript incompatibility (because sometimes, just sometimes IMCE upload worked just fine)
It was until today, when it started to take more than one minute to properly load that modal window of IMCE upload.
IMCE upload window
I quickly realized, IMCE folder was using about 1GB of memory (default upload folder -/sites/default/files) which stored more than 7,000 images - each time IMCE had to do a check up on all those files. I decided to look on IMCE settings, can I change default upload folder and start fresh? Luckily I was able to that:
From IMCE config - admin/config/media/imce/profile/edit/1 - create a new upload directory for IMCE
IMCE upload directory
Woila - after applying new settings - IMCE was blasting fast again. Hope this helps.
Postcards from Modena, Italy
| | 15 seen
Modena is a little charming town in the middle of Italy. Known as the birthplace of Worlds famous Ferrari car.
We spent a few days in vicinity of Modena (during our recent trip to Italy), enjoyed a colorful facades of houses, narrow streets, a lot of prosciutto and of course great Italian coffee.
Back at the time - I was tired of photography and made just a few random shots here:
Colored residential buildings and window shutters in Modena
An ancient town, and seat of an archbishop, it is now known as "the capital of engines", since the factories of the famous Italian sports car makers Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati are, or were, located here and all, except Lamborghini, have headquarters in the city or nearby. One of Ferrari's cars, the 360 Modena, was named after the town itself.
Prosciutto
Modena has a rich and diversified cuisine, often including meats, hams and salamis.
Narrow cobbled streets of Modena
Architecture in Modena
Piazza Grande square in Modena
Juliet's House in Verona, Italy
| Tourism objects | 37 seen
As testified by the coat of arms on the internal arch-way of the court-yard, this house belonged to the “Dal Cappello” or “Cappelletti”. The building, dating back to the 13th and renovated in the last century, features the balcony where Romeo promised his beloved Juliet eternal love in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
I had a chance to visit World famous Juliet's balcony on January 2nd, 2016 - it was a very rainy and cold day In Verona
Juliet's Balcony in Verona
Well - balcony as balcony right? But:
Young couples are still very moved by the right of this house and unmarried people touch Juliet’s statue (a kind of good-luck ritual) in the hope of finding the love of their life. How many hopes and desires has this court-yard witnessed over the ages?
Crowd gathering at Juliet's House
The interior of the house can be visited and you can stand on Juliet’s balcony and re-live the “ high-light” of the earthly life, as well as admire the furniture and the beautiful velvet costumes worn by the actors in the Metro Goldwyn Meyer’s colossal “ Romeo and Juliet”.
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8,30-19,30 – Monday 13,30-19,…
Let's Encrypt to fix HTTPS Certificate incompatibility with Windows XP and Google Chrome
| Servers | 33 seen
It was about a month ago - when I successfully installed secure https pages for my blog, I opted for using free certificate provided by Let's Encrypt certificate authority. I first heard Let's Encrypt certificate authority from KeyCDN.
It was super easy and fast to create SSL certificates for my Linode powered Nginx box. Unfortunately - just a few days later I noticed a deadly screen - Your connection is not private
Your connection is not private Google Chrome screen
I was using Windows XP machine with Google Chrome. I panicked, stressed - then I opened my blog on my default laptop (Windows 8) - everything was fine - green bar was visible, not any problems with connection. I went back to the Windows XP machine - deadly screen.
I googled - https windows xp - and soon I ended on Let's Encrypt community forums - there were many folks just as me complaining about the same issue - Let' s encrypt certificate does not validates on Windows XP machines.
...there is some information suggesting that the Name Constraints on our cross-signed certificate from IdenTrust are the reason IE and…
Number of Passengers served in Georgian Airports (2010-2015)
| Airports | 16 seen
Civil aviation is slowly but for certain growing in Republic of Georgia. There were in total four airports in Georgia in 2016. Tbilisi International Airport, Kutaisi David the Builder International Airport, Batumi International Airport and Mestia Queen Tamara Airport.
As a frequent air traveler I have used two of Georgian airports very often, Tbilisi airport and Kutaisi airport, I have been at Batumi airport but never have flied from there and I haven't yet ever been to Mestia airport, thus I once almost booked a flight from Tbilisi to Mestia. Read more: Flights to Mestia from Tbilisi will resume starting July 18th by Service Air
Now, the biggest miracle of these four airports have been Kutaisi airport, opened for public just at the end of 2012, mainly served by low cost airlines - Wizz Air. Just recently Wizz Air announced it will use Kutaisi as its base and will open seven new routes to mainland Europe (Germany, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria) from here. So I decided to see how passenger statistics have changed over last couple of years. Back at then end of October 2013 I did my first examination of statistics - see: …
New Design and Upgraded Security for Lari (GEL) Banknotes
| Living in Georgia | 9 seen
On February 1st, 2016 the National Bank of Georgia issued upgraded Lari banknotes. It was mid February when first upgraded banknote ended up im my hands, I got it at local Procredit ATM.
My first thought was that I have probably by accident pressed EUR account instead of GEL and have taken my money from EUR account, but then I realized it's a new upgraded currency. After I took the following photo I shortly spent it on groceries at local Dezerteer Bazaar.
New 50 GEL banknote
According to National Bank of Georgia - Firstly, upgraded banknotes in denominations of 20 and 50 Lari will be gradually issued into circulation. As for the upgraded 100 Lari banknotes, they will be issued into circulation later this year. National Bank of Georgia will inform society beforehand.
Original and well-known Lari banknote themes have been preserved on upgraded banknotes, but at the same time, histories featured on the banknotes have been diversified with distinct, new elements. The modified design presents Georgian cultural and historical heritage with more precision and modern appearance.
The upgraded Lari…
Guest House Hapi in Jūrmala
| Hotel reviews | 9 seen
If there is a reason I will remember Hapi guest house in Jūrmala, then probably its green walls and super unprofessional staff attitude will be among top of them.
Hapi guesthouse in Jūrmala
We stayed here for one night back in August 2015 and ... I can not even express my disappointment in words how unprofessional and meanwhile expensive this so called guest house was. We paid about EUR 40 for stay in this place... EUR 40 is not much, I agree - but you can stay for the same price in much more reputable Jūrmala hotels, yes that's right - hotels are not expensive in Jūrmala. Take for example hotel Dzintars (were I stayed a few months prior to stay at this guest house.)
Thus we had a confirmed reservation from Booking.com (and printed) after arrival at this place the person working there( it's hard to call him a receptionist, more some parking guard) informed that all rooms are already reserved, no more rooms for us. I showed him our printed paper, he scratched his nape and took some room keys from a desk. The room he gave us was small, bad ventilated with God knows what anything but bed.
At Hapi…
Lawn Mowing - The Never Ending Story Continues
| Home Remodeling | 6 seen
Our roof works were still in the middle, and I noticed that grass have grown again. It was just recently when I trimmed backyard territory, but this time I decided it's time to completely trim all our land (about 0.57 hectares).
I asked to our worker, could he handle this task in one day. He agreed, so in the next day - I took a day off from any home remodeling works, instead did some work for customers and photographed how grass is falling.
Our veggie garden
Some time ago we planted some plants in wooden boxes (to save water) - and now our cabbages ripens. See: Our First Veggie Garden: Planting Plants in Boxes
Trimmer guy in action
Trimming around our small fish pond
Landscape beauty
Having such a wonderful views makes you to forget about all the hardships
Our rural house and new metal roof in front of it
See: Roof Works, Part 4 - Metal Roofing Arrives
Failed attempt to complete Tskneti - Turtle lake hiking route
| Outdoor Activities | 39 seen
About a year ago I discovered very cool hiking route in Tbilisi, heading from Turtle lake to Tskneti town. The total distance for this route was about 7 km and it offered very spectacular landscape views.
I have completed this route several times - last time together with my dad in May, 2015.
At the start of February I decided to offer this route as a possible photo / hike route for Georgia Expat Photographer club members, but before that I decided to check is it safe there (because of Tbilisi Floods 2015, I have heard that in Tskenti area there are landfalls. And just another reason - since I felt my photographer skills have improved a lot lately, I decided it would be a great experience to capture better photographs here. You can take a look of my previous photographs from this route here: Hiking Trails in Tbilisi - Turtle Lake (Kus Tba) - Tskneti
We decided to start hiking from Tskenti instead from Turtle lake, just to make sure - if there are any landslides - it would be better if we face them at the start of our trip and can turn back faster, instead of facing insurmountable obstacles at the end of our route and…
Cafe Laboratory Review in Tbilisi
| Restaurant reviews | 16 seen
Cafe Laboratory is located at the top floor at the high end shopping and business center Merani on Rustaveli avenue, Tbilisi.
I was doing some photography in Vere neighborhood, when I received a call and invitation from my beloved one, she insisted we should meet at this place, enjoy some cup of tea/coffee, also she knew I'm with camera so most probably something good for my Tbilisi restaurant review series might happen
So I walked Rustaveli avenue to the Merani shopping center, got to the top floor - and there she was already. Story can be told now.
Stylish interior
This cafeteria/restaurant features stylish interior, another great feature is an outdoor large terrace (not the rooftop, but still)
Menu at Laboratory cafe
Another great feature - very simple and straightforward menus - basically here you get - main dishes, crepes and sushi. Thus the prices are well above than in more casual Tbilisi restaurants. Cup of Turkish coffee - 4.5 GEL? No, thanks!
Large terrace
Got some ideas for our upcoming home remodeling tasks here.
Napkin holder -…
Restaurant Greppia in Verona
| Restaurant reviews | 36 seen
It was a very cold, grey and rainy day in Verona, when on the way finding Juliet's Balcony I realized it would be great to find some local restaurant, order some meal and what's important to warm up.
I noticed a few signboards with direction arrows located around streets of Verona, when I decided to take the bait and actually followed those arrows. (A smart marketing from Greppia restaurant)
Greppia restaurant in Verona
We were not the only tourists following arrows, there was a queue in front of the restaurant entrance when we finally arrived. Luckily we got our table served fast.
Italian mineral water
I believe it's common to every mineral water producing nation, to serve their national mineral waters, Italy is no exception. Although I still prefer Georgian Nabeghlavi or Borjomi, but S.Pellegrino will be fine.
Pasta with octopus - or something like that
Ravioli soup
The Bottom LineRestaurant Greppia is a tourist friendly, mid priced place in heart of Verona. We paid around EUR 50 for a main course and dessert (tiramisu) for two persons. It would be fun to return here in…
Rainy day in Verona
| | 19 seen
It was a damn cold, rainy and very grey day when we arrived to Verona, Italy. I was looking to photograph some nice looking pictures but found it very difficult to make any decent exposure today at all.
Calendar told us it is January 2nd, 2016. We had made a long Italy trip and arrived here from Venice (where celebrated New Years eve). Our goal was to reach Juliet's balcony... We had not a single clue where actually in city it is located.
Temperature was around zero (Celsius) - to keep us warm a little bit, we made a shopping in Verona.
Square in Verona
The weather was against us today. I installed a tripod at one of the street corners in Verona, but rain a freezing hands didn't hold me long there
Verona Arena
Now I know, there is at least one other major tourist attraction in Verona besides Juliet's Balcony - The Verona Arena built in 1st century AD.
Verona Arena
The Verona Arena (Arena di Verona) is a Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy built in 1st century. It is still in use today and is…
Lurji (Blue) Monastery
| Churches and Monasteries | 31 seen
The Lurji Monastery also known as "Blue Monastery", is a 12th-century Georgian Orthodox church built in the name of Saint Andrew in the Vere neighborhood of Tbilisi, Georgia. The popular historical name lurji ("blue") is derived from its roof, adorned with glazed blue tile.
I first discovered this church by accident after went photographing another church (Russian Orthodox Church of St. John the Theologian in Tbilisi) and just on site I noticed there is a smaller Georgian church just across the street in distance of few meters from Russian church.
Blue monastery church in Tbilisi
The church stands in the central part of Tbilisi, at the Vere Park, on the right bank of the Mtkvari, not far from the mouth of the Vere River. The original edifice of the Lurji Monastery was built in the 1180s, in the reign of Queen Tamar. It was a domed cross-in-square design, with a pair of dome-bearing columns and an extended apse.
Signboard at Lurji monastery, written in Georgian and Russian
Bell tower and garden
A lengthy inscription in…
Russian Orthodox Church of St. John the Theologian in Tbilisi
| Churches and Monasteries | 110 seen
Church of St. John the Theologian (Russian: Церковь Иоанна Богослова) is located in Vere neighborhood, Tbilisi. Tis was already second Russian Orthodox church I have visited in Tbilisi. Read more about Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church in Tbilisi, and I know for sure there is another Russian church (at least in Tbilisi). I didn't enter inside this church, just tried to make some panorama photos here.
Located at the end of L. Kiacheli Street, a few meters away from the Blue Monastery (Lurji monastery). It was constructed with the order of the governor-general Golicin in 1898-1901. According to the saying, the St. John The theologian main temple (founded in the 7th century) was constructed on the very same place.
On the left side Blue Monastery
It was pretty hard to make a full frame picture here of St. John the Theologian church, so I decided to give it a try for panoramic photo, unfortunately tower is missing here.
The church belonged to Mtskheta-Tbilisi eparchy, though the liturgical ceremonies were conducted in Russian. Nowadays the liturgical ceremonies are conducted in Georgian. The brick church is…
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