Natakhtari Airfield / Airport
| Airports | 78 seen
Natakhtari Airfield is a small domestic airport located in Natakhtari, close to Tbilisi, Georgia.
It is privately owned and operated by the parent company of Vanilla Sky Airlines, Service Air. Domestic flights to Batumi, Mestia, and Ambrolauri are served from here. Free shuttle service is available from Tbilisi city center for Vanilla Sky flights.
We have been huge fans of Vanilla sky airlines, for Tbilisi - Batumi flights, which previously were scheduled from Tbilisi international airport, but seem to have been rerouted via Natakhtari airport (at least in 2022), and that's how we discovered this small, cozy airport.
Free parking spaces in front of the temrinal building. Also free shuttle service available to the Tbilisi city center. A taxi ride with Bolt cost about 25 GEL to get here. (prices as of 2022)
Natakhtari Airfield is located about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) north of Georgia's historic capital, Mtskheta, a popular tourist destination. Located in the Mukhrani Valley, it serves private flights and a number of small scale charter and scheduled domestic flights by Vanilla Sky Airlines.
I'm huge fan of this cozy airport. 45…
Scouting Potential Apartment Investment in Tbilisi (Samgori Ecocity)
| Real Estate | 53 seen
For the past couple of weeks and months, I have been working toward my Tbilisi real estate investment idea.
Now I have a potential co-investor and we are looking to buy one apartment in Tbilisi (or Batumi) under construction, wait until it is completed, and sell it for a profit (hopefully).
As I had done initial market research for some potential value deals in Tbilisi, I found this quite an interesting offer located in the city outskirts but meantime well connected to the rest of the city - Samgori Ecocity project by Meti developer company.
Invest in Tbilisi Real Estate - New Projects under construction
I held initial talks with the developers and was quite satisfied with the offered terms for apartments at Samgori Ecocity, Now was the right time to go and see all for myself. I was offered a $650 price per m2 - white frame. 0% interest monthly installments up to 20 months.
This morning I was in the gym when decided to shout out a message to Ralph, a German friend here in Tbilisi. I just didn't want to go alone but wanted to have good company. Also, we weren't met for some time. Ralph agreed, and in a couple of hours, we were wandering…
Invest in Tbilisi Real Estate - New Projects under construction
| Real Estate | 53 seen
A few months ago, I came up with an idea to crowdfund a real estate under construction in Batumi and sell it for profit once completed. I was contacted by a potential investor from Canada, and we kept shaping this idea more and more until we are already ready to make our first co-investment.
High Risk / High Return Investment Opportunity in Batumi Real Estate
A few weeks ago I went again to Batumi, to re-check the situation with Batumi real estate, and did some findings, some were good and some were not so good, I raised my concerns to the potential investor.
Because myself being located in Tbilisi, I decided to make a quick look at Tbilisi real estate market with a focus on new projects under construction.
For this focus, I decided to look at a few properties across Tbilisi city, not prime locations, but lower prices. Because of the lower price we could afford to buy a more spacious apartment, which we could sell with a good profit margin to families with kids or rent it out for long term or Airbnb.
For this quick research, I was using korter.ge website, the more digging in would be required, contacting developer companies or dealing…
Blog 9-year anniversary
| | 4 seen
Wow, time flies, today on October 10, 2022, we are already celebrating 9 years since I launched my personal blog at ReinisFischer.com
Over the years the blog has grown into something big and had become a part of my daily life - many topics have been covered, many more will be covered, many friendships have been established, and many more will be established.
Almost 6 million users have visited this blog over the past 9 years. With 20% coming from the US, 10% from India, 6% United Kingdom, 4% Philippines and 3% from Canada.
The top 10 articles are about some of the best-selling laptops and average salaries across the European Union.
For the years to come, I will focus more on my investing adventures with crypto and stocks, photography, and video.
My body weight this morning was 108kg - I hope I will be under 100, before turning 10
To the next 99 years.
Batumi and Tbilisoba
| Living in Georgia | 7 seen
A quick day trip to Batumi and back by Vanilla Sky from Natakhtari airfield, stay at the Hilton hotel with heated swimming pool + some bits of real estate investing, returned back to Tbilisi and voted at Latvian Parliament elections 2022 at the embassy, the next day visited Tbilisi city festival.
Enjoy the show and thumbs up!
MyHeritage DNA test result
| Genealogy | 620 seen
Today I finally received the DNA test result from MyHeritage. The result was quite surprising - I learned I have 56% Baltic, 18.8% Ashkenazi Jewish, 15.85% Balkan, and 8.7% North and West European DNA.
Before the test, I assumed my Baltic (Latvian) heritage will be about 75%, maybe 60%, but seeing 56% left me quite surprised.
I knew about Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (my grandfather), so no surprise here, the biggest surprise though comes from the 15.8% Balkan ancestry.
Knowing that 18% Ashkenazi Jewish comes from my paternal grandfather I was left wondering, that probably 15% Balkans also comes from one of my paternal grandparents. I was left wondering, from whom then, as I had no idea about Balkan heritage before.
I have my thoughts - thinking either my grandmother (from my father's side) or my great-granmother from my mother's side has Balkan ancestry.
The DNA test revealed a few matches, I was surprised not to see zillions of Jewish relatives here, just a few very distant relatives, which leads me to think that for tracking Jewish ancestry I should use another service, service…
Dumas Restaurant Tbilisi / Axis Tower
| Restaurant reviews | 127 seen
Dumas is a French Restaurant with a Southern European accent, located on the 36th floor of the landmark Axis Tower in Tbilisi.
Looking to impress your date, business partner, or simply good coffee - Dumas restaurant is the way to go.
Named after the famous French writer Alexander Dumas, the restaurant offers guests an authentic food and beverage experience that is fresh and flavorful. The ‘Dumas’ open kitchen serves up French and Mediterranean cuisine transitioning its menus throughout the day to please the most discerning gourmet palate, complimented by incredible panoramic views of the city.
with seating areas both next to the window and away from it
I bet sunsets are just magnificent here
Being vegetarian for already a year I try out strange soups, even pumpkin soups, and this one was just brilliant
One of the fancoest places I have latelty discovered in Tbilisi.
Minimum Wages Set to Increase in Baltic States in 2023
| Macroeconomics | 94 seen
In 2023 minimum wage is set to increase in all Baltic states. Estonia will have a minimum wage of EUR 725; Latvia - EUR 620 and Lithuania - EUR 800.
During the past 5 years minimum wages across the Baltics have experienced a steep increase, and in some cases even doubled. When compared to 2018, Estonia's minimum wage has increased by EUR 225, Latvia's by EUR 220, and Lithuania's by a whooping EUR 400.
Despite pretty decent increases in the Baltic States, minimum wages here are still among the lowest in the European Union. See: Minimum Wages in European Union 2022
On the other hand, it seems that the Baltics will reach EUR 1,000 gross minimum wage in the next 3-5 years. It seems either Lithuania or Estonia will get there first.
Also, I believe the minimum wage will double in all three countries by 2033. And my bet is Estonia EUR 1,500, Latvia EUR 1,300, and Lithuania EUR 1,600.
Now, let's see if I'll be able to take at least the Latvian minimum wage from dividend stocks and options trading by the end of 2023.
Basilica of the Assumption, Aglona
| Churches and Monasteries | 19 seen
The Aglona Roman Catholic Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Aglona is one of the most important Catholic spiritual centers in Latvia.
I have visited Aglona cathedral several times and always have left quite inspired. If there is a reason to visit Latgale,then Aglona Catholoc cathedral is atop of them.
Construction of the present church, which is in the Italian Baroque style, began in 1768 and was completed in 1780. Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, it was consecrated in 1800 by Bishop J. Benislavski.
The church was the seat of the bishop of Riga from 1920 to 1924, when the newly promoted archbishop Antonijs Springovičs moved to the Cathedral of St. James in Riga. Springovičs was consecrated bishop there on 22 August 1920 by Kaunas auxiliary bishop Juozapas Skvireckas.
Every year thousands of pilgrims flock to the Basilica on 15 August, the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is one of the eight international shrines recognized by the Holy See[6] and its religious events were attended by around 300,000 pilgrims.
In 1980 the Basilica of the Assumption celebrated its 200th…
Invest in Batumi Real Estate with a business partner - Joint Ownership
| Real Estate | 28 seen
Back in Spring 2022, I come up with an idea - launching a crypto token for investing in Batumi real estate. The original idea was to issue about 100 tokens over Ethereum smart chain, collect the funds, buy the property, sell it for a profit, and buy back tokens at an increased price.
I still like this idea, and I'm still looking to go forward with it. During the past 6 months my idea didn't raise much interest, yes I had a talk with a few investors, but most were not aware of what a smart token is, so I stopped actively pushing this idea.
- High Risk / High Return Investment Opportunity in Batumi Real Estate
- Invest in Batumi Real Estate (Buying Black Frame Projects)
Recently I got contacted by a Canadian citizen showing interest in this project, but in a more traditional way, the FIAT way - I was offered to establish some kind of business partnership, with me owning 10% and partner 90% in such partnership
I'm interested in knowing more about investing in a couple of studio apartments at a bargain price working with you. If things work out okay, then I'll be able to pump $20,000 immediately and…
I'm making $0.21/daily* by selling covered calls on Solana coin
| Crypto | 39 seen
It has been several days since I'm playing again with crypto options, more precisely selling covered calls with Solana coin on the deribit trading platform.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to deribit.com bitcoin options trading website, by clicking on links on this page and by investing with deribit, I will 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.
Seems I have learned my lesson from the mistakes I've made in the past, and now I'm trading fully funded covered calls, not naked, the ones powered by leverage. When trading Solana coin, it's enough with just one coin to start selling covered call options. Sure it won't get you far, as premiums are too small, but if you want to dip your feet in the water, why not?
Book my Covered Calls Course | How to Generate Income from Options
On September 12, 2022, I bought 1…
Top 20 Hot Laptop Releases To Buy In 2023
| Laptop Reviews | 69 seen
In 2023 we will use more powerful and more affordable laptops than ever. It seems the Apple Macbook Air will be the best-selling laptop #1 in 2023
It seems that HDD will get replaced by a much faster SSD, but that comes with a price attached and less storage. Let's hope that SSD will increase in size and decrease in price in 2023
That said, here you go - Top 20 hot laptop models to buy in 2023
A quick note: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a purchase on the Amazon site, I might earn an affiliate income from that. The prices for laptop computers listed on this page are retrieved using Amazon Product Advertising API and are updated daily. For actual prices please refer to the product page on Amazon.
2022 Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip: 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, 1080p FaceTime HD Camera. Works with iPhone and iPad; Midnight- TRIKINGLY THIN DESIGN — The redesigned MacBook Air is more portable than ever and weighs just 2.7 pounds. It’s the incredibly capable laptop that lets…
Christ The King Mount
| Churches and Monasteries | 19 seen
Christ the King Mount (Kristus Karaļa kalns) is located near the Aglona Basilica in Latgale. This place have been opened to the public in 2006.
Several large wooden sculptures depicting biblical characters can be seen here. This is a great place to visit for pilgrims and rest.
I first visited this place back in 2010, with my latest visit here at the start of August 2022
This is a unique sculpture complex, with orchards of 650 ornamental plants. More than 120 fruit trees, with artificial ponds and two 17 m bridges. Here are located around 500 sculptures of the Biblical stories. As well as the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, the wooden church. The unique sculptural complex was opened in 2006, two kilometers from the Aglona Basilica, on the shore of the lake Egles.
latgale.travel
If you happen to be in area - make sure to visit this place.
Hotel Kopola in Tskneti Review
| Hotel reviews | 15 seen
Hotel Kopola is located in Tskneti, the suburbs of Tbilisi. Kopola Hotel features an indoor pool, a green garden, and a sun terrace with sun beds. There is a bowling alley at the hotel and guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.
I have been familiar with this place for ages, as in the past we come here for playing bowling and having some drinks.
Now, it was at the start of September 2022, we were left with no car (Sold our VW Touareg at the start of June and haven't bought a new one) and decided to take an easy weekend trip to a nearby place with a swimming pool, that's how Kopola hotel made it again on our list. As we enjoy Genius discount on Booking, we paid about GEL 130 for a one-night stay in a Family room. The price without discount was about GEL 170.
Decent 4-star hotel, bit outdated, but for the price we paid - I would say a vaue deal.
The rooms of Kopala Tskneti Hotel include air conditioning, satellite TV and a minibar. All rooms have a private bathroom. There is also a spa bath in some rooms.
This place reminded me but of Keizarmezs in Riga. The place is good, but its golden days have been…
How To Prepare Traditional Borscht Soup at Home
| Food blogger | 19 seen
Borscht is a sour soup common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word "borscht" is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color. The same name, however, is also used for a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht, and cabbage borscht.
In today's Food Blogger series I will share my way of preparing traditional red beetroot borscht at home. For the truth's sake, it was my borscht soup I made, but once you know the trick of how to prepare soups, the rest is just a matter of ingredients.
Ingredients I will use today: 3 beetroots, 1 potato, 1/4 cabbage, carrots, onion, salt, vinegar (optional), greens, garlic
Cooking directions: Boil beetroots for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, then rinse them under running cold water for about 5-10 minutes (that will make beetroot soft). Chop onions and carrots, fry them in the same pot you are going to boil the sup. Grate the beetroot and put it in the pot with some 2 liters of water. Cut cabbage, potato, and…
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