The Old Brick Bridge Across The Venta River In Kuldīga
| Tourism objects | 48 seen
Brick bridge in Kuldīga over the river of Venta according to some sources is the longest of its kind bridge in Europe.
I believe nobody actually pays attention to the lengths of this bridge instead I believe the reason everyone enjoys it - it just looks great. Since it looks great I spent some time here to improve my DSLR photography, I actually made here some 180 photos, but just 5 have made it to you.
Brick bridge over Venta River in Kuldīga
Turns out river Venta is a kind of popular place for local fisherman, I met many of them today.
Bridge over Venta River
This bridge is opened both for motorized vehicles and pedestrians.
According to the road building standards of its time, the bridge has been built wide enough for two carriages to pass each other. The 'race of the naked' over the bridge has become an annual tradition for Midsummer nights. Read: Kuldīga
The Brick Bridge in Kuldīga
I was not lazy and made a small walk to make another shot from another side of this bridge.
Palace guards house near this brick bridge
I didn't find…
Bistro 'Elvi' In Skrunda
| Restaurant reviews | 12 seen
Seems this place is out of the business in 2021, instead there is a liquor store
Bistro Elvi is a restaurant-style catering place offering a home-style cuisine, today I will speak about one located in the town of Skrunda.
Bistro Elvi in Skrunda town is located in a local shopping centre also called Elvi and actually is part of Elvi chain. Close to this bistro is located Skrunda bus station, were buses from Rīga and Liepāja makes a stop.
Elvi Bistro in Skrunda
Solyanka at Elvi Bistro
Solyanka which actually is a traditional Russian soup, is one of the most popular soups at Latvian Bistro places. Once I red it was called a hotch-potch soup. Well, I would call this soup actually more hotch-potch than solyanka, because I don't find a soup made from leftover sausages and a tomato sauce anything close to Russian Solyanka. But it tasted good.
A Royal Pork Chop at Bistro Elvi
I messed with my camera settings unfortunately and didn't make any decent photo of this food.
Desert at Elvi Bistro
It was some apple based cream in a jelly, the jelly was way too much synthetic…
Bakery Lāči
| Restaurant reviews | 38 seen
Some Latvians prefer to call Bakery Lāči a top notch place for foreigners to visit. So I decided to visit this place and make some short review of it.
This bakery is located outside the capital Riga and you can reach it by driving route A9 (which is a highway connecting Riga to Liepāja) - in case you are up for a Courland tour, you can make a stop here and enjoy some local brunch/lunch and/or to buy Lāči bread. And don't be surprised if a Latvian brings you a gift from Latvia exactly the Lāči bread. This is the phenomena I never could understood truly, but hey this article is not about that, right?
Bakery Lāči
Parking lot near Bakery Lāči
Parking lot is located just near route A9
Lunch menu at Bakery Lāči
Exterior at Bakery Lāči
Interior at Bakery Lāči
Shop at Bakery Lāči
You can buy here some smoked sausages, cheese, sprats e.t.c.
Simple table at Lāči bakery
Coffee at this place
Coffee tasted good, the price for a cup of coffee here - EUR 1.80
Sorrel soup with pearl barley
This soup was…
Neighbourhoods of Riga: Iļģuciems
| Tourism objects | 60 seen
Iļģuciems is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Riga. History of this neighborhood dates back to the early 13th century. Back in 1236 a small manor was built here and given the name of Hiligen geest hove (Heiligen Geist Hof) in English meaning - "Holy Spirit Convent", from which latter originated name Iļģuciems in Latvian - at first Hilgzeem, then Ilgezeem and finally Iļģuciems.
Unfortunately less has left over from those days. In our days much of Iļguciems is dominated by Soviet-style block house architecture, with rare 19th centuries wooden houses. I took my DSLR camera and decided to practice a little bit photography here. Well, speaking of images - I found them rather average, not to say nothing special - a tripod is a must-have for such landscapes, unfortunately, I did all of these photos from hand in a pretty rainy April's day.
Dagmāras street in Iļģuciems
Tram Nr 5 connects Ilģuciems to Vecmilgrāvis passing city Centre near Riga central market
Soviet-style block houses in Iļguciems
Recently built dwelling house in Iļģuciems
Iļģuciema polyclinic
Iļģuciema bakery shop…
Bakuzi cemetery
| Tourism objects | 12 seen
Bakuzi cemetery (Latvian: Bākūžu kapsēta) is located in region of Courland (Latvia) in parish of Rudbarzi, Skrunda Municipality. The history of this cemetery dates back to at least to mid 18th century (I found old grave cross with dates of 176o-ties). I believe back in those dates some German nobles were buried here. In history of Courland and Latvia German nobles plays a major role. The cemetery is really small - I doubt there are more than 100 burials on this cemetery.
Frankly speaking I was not expecting to ad a cemetery as a tourist object on my blog - but hey - what's wrong with that? As long as you are quiet and still in places like that - and you pay a proper honor to the deceased souls - it's perfectly fine with me, and cemeteries are great place to do some photography. A bit sad photography, but it's still a photography, right?
So I took my DSLR camera and made a few shots at this cemetery:
Old alley at this cemetery
A lot of moss here
Bakuzi cemetery
Sign in Latvian: Bākūžu kapsēta
Chapel at this cemetery
Grave crosses at Bakuzi cemetery…
Riga Airport
| Airports | 24 seen
Riga International Airport, also know as RIX is a largest airport in the Baltic states located in capital of Latvia. Airport is located some 13km distance from city centre of Riga. I was agreeably surprised by noticing it was quiet and still here at Riga airport comparing it to Tbilisi airport.
I decided to add a few photos taken at Riga airport travelling with two cats on board.
Cat just landed at Riga airport
Two cats just landed at Tbilisi airport
Parking lot at Riga airport
airBaltic banner at Riga Airport
Riga airport is a main hub and base for airBaltic aircraft-carrier.
About Riga International AirportRiga International Airport is the international airport of Riga, the capital of Latvia, and the largest airport in the Baltic states with direct flights to over 80 destinations in 30 countries. It serves as a hub for airBaltic, SmartLynx Airlines, RAF-Avia, Vip Avia and Inversija and as one of the base airports for Wizz Air. Latvian national air carrier airBaltic at the biggest in the airport, with Ryanair being the second largest. The airport is located in the Mārupe…
Tbilisi Aerial Tram
| Tourism objects | 23 seen
Tbilisi aerial tram is just in recent years built cable cars in Tbilisi connecting Rike Park (or more precisely Europe Square) to the fortress of Narikala. It eases your travel up to the Narikala fortress in huge. Prior to this cable car the one and only way to get to Narikala fortress was just by climbing up in the hill. For some that climb can make a lot of troubles.
View from Narikala footsteps to Tbilisi city
You can get a nice and lovely access for views like in above picture taking aerial tram up to the Narikala Fortress. In above image: The Bridge of Peace, Rike Park and Presidential Office.
Cable car station at Narikala
Tbilisi aerial tram
You can see the church of Sameba in background.
The cost for a drive is relatively cheap: 2GEL ($0.89/ EUR 0.83) for a single ride - you should have to buy a Tbilisi Metro Card before you can use this cable car. It's not a problem to get one on site at cable car station. The price for metro card is again around GEL 2.00. You can deposit on your metro card some more money and you can use it for as many passengers you wish for (just make sure there is money…
Flea Market Near Dry Bridge In Tbilisi
| Shopping Venues | 71 seen
The Flea market near Dry Bridge in Tbilisi is an interesting place to visit, just to look on old Soviet time relict's, starting medals, belt buckles from Soviet military, ending movie posters of famous Soviet day films.
As well you can find here a lot of old tableware (some might be even antique). Most of the items you will find here is pretty much useless but they still can give you some fun if bought as an souvenir. Well that's why we call it a flea market right?
On the lovely afternoon at the start of April I went to Saarbrucken square to buy a minced meat (they have one of the best meat in the town on a small shop some 100 meters from restaurant Tiflisi) I decided to make a detour and visited Dry Bridge's flea market to practice more my photography skills and to show you, how this place looks like. The result you can see bellow:
Saarbrucken Square in Tbilisi
The Dry Bridge is located close to Saarbrucken Square, you will notice first merchants just right on the bridge
At Flea market
A horn, miniature clay pot or some surgical equipment? Sure, you will find that on Dry Bridge's…
Tbilisi By Night - Cycling Old Town To Didube
| Outdoor Activities | 7 seen
The other day we took again our bikes and made a pretty lovely night ride in Tbilisi. From Old Tbilisi to Didube and back. For some reason my GPS tracker (MapMyRide) didn't worked properly, it missed at least first 2 km from this route. Another thing to mention - I have a pretty bad camera for night vision shots back at the time I didn't know how to shoot night photography the right way, please don't judge too hard my shots of nightly Tbilisi.
Speaking from cycling's view of point - this route is pretty easy and it's hard to call it a real workout, speaking from Tbilisi by night view of point - this route offers really spectacular views - and if you are into cycling or at least walking I can just suggest you to take this route.
You can take shorter versions of this route as well. Read: Cycling Tbilisi Embankment - evening ride - Dinamo Arena - Didube or Cycling Tbilisi - Night Ride - Tbilisi Old Town
This is a 14.74 km route in Tbilisi, Georgia. The route has a total ascent of 61.76 m and has a maximum elevation of 418.56 m.
Tbilisi bridge in night
…
Rike Park In Tbilisi
| Tourism objects | 33 seen
Rike park is a landscaped territory located close to the Tbilisi Old Town.
You can enter Rike park either crossing the pedestrian bridge of Peace or from the opposite side using stairways from the Avlabari district. There is an aerial tram in the territory of the park which will bring you up to the fortress of Narikala.
The Bridge of Peace
The Bridge of Peace is a pedestrian bridge used to enter Rike park from Tbilisi old town, in the opposite side at the park you can climb down or up stairways to or from Avlabari district of Tbilisi
Aerial tram station at Rike Park
You can take an aerial ride from Rike Park (tram station is actually located near Europe Square) up to Narikala fortress.
The building that was meant to become a Tbilisi Philharmonic and Presidential Office at top
I'm not sure regarding future development plans of this Philharmonic Building - the rumor has it... well there is always some rumor...But you should agree - it looks just amazing.
The bridge of Peace from parkside
Tbilisi Philharmonic building
…
Coffee Bar 'Entree' Review In Tbilisi (Agmashenebeli Avenue 86)
| Restaurant reviews | 24 seen
Entrée is a popular chain of coffee bars located in Tbilisi which serves great coffee, pastry, sweets and even bakes a bread. Today I will write about Entrée located on Agmashenebeli Avenue 86 (close to Marjanishvili square) in Tbilisi.
As usual for taking photographs I'm using my Samsung phone and using Instagram (then taking them from Instagram and adding to posts - you can read a blog post on how I turned my Instagram account into a photo blog
Sandwich bar at Entrée
Salad bar at Entrée
Desert bar at Entrée
Macaroon at Entrée
Mmm, really delicious macaroni here, though they have named them as Pasta
Éclair at Entrée coffee bar
Now - I definitely prefer éclair over some macaroon
Coffee a latte at Entrée
Table at this coffee bar
Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor
The Bottom LineCoffee bar Entrée is one of the rare places in Tbilisi were smoking is not permitted and that's huge if you aren't into smoking. Pastry, sweets and coffee here is just…
Chashnagiri Restaurant Review in Natakhtari
| Restaurant reviews | 40 seen
For many hearing a name of Natakhtari first associations might be related to those tasty Georgian lemonades branded under 'Natakhtari' name. Well, turns out Natakhtari actually is village located in Georgia's region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, pretty close to nations capital Tbilisi. This village is advanced enough to have pretty sold restaurants located here, and today I will wrote about one of them - Chashnagiri Restaurant.
This restaurant was recommended by a friend of mine, and recently by doing together a short Jvari monastery - Château Mukhrani tour (Be sure to check those posts and learn how with help of friend of mine I tried to became a better photographer) we decided to head here to have a meal.
Chashnagiri Natakhtari restaurant view from Gudauri - Pasanauri highway
You can park your car in front of this restaurant
Opposite side of Chashnagiri Natakhtari restaurant
I was pretty eagger to test my brand new DSLR camera and I couldn't resist to photograph this fog
Chashnagiri Natakhtari restaurant
They have a nice patio / outdoor terrace here, best enjoyed in summertime…
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