10 Years in Georgia

1 April, 2021 | Living in Georgia | 4 seen

Ten years ago I first landed at the Tbilisi airport and for the first time took a step on Georgian land.

That happened on April 1st, 2011 - I like this data - it's known Worldwide as a Fool's day.  With this article, I'm celebrating my ten years in Georgia. Unlike in previous year anniversary posts, today I'm going to re-post one day in my life from April 1, 2021 as seen on my Facebook wall

10 years ago on this date, I first put my foot on the holly Georgian Land. alone. now 10 years later returning as a family. awesome. in the cage the 4 passenger - Tīģeris

Waiting to depart from Riga airport 

Good morning from Tbilisi. The weather is a bit chill. systems are all up and running. delivery guys still delivering. Alexa still talking.

Mount Mtatsminda and Tbilisi TV tower as seen from our apt

after some 8 hours in a cage Tiger can enjoy his King Size bed

Tiger in a king size bed

my lovely home office / traders hut

my lovely home office / traders hut

I've been trading…

Vilgāle apt update: Window Casing, Drywall ceiling

30 March, 2021 | Home Remodeling | 11 seen

Now, when the floor is poured in and hardened enough, contractors continued works.

As usual, we spent these days in Jūrmala and communicated with contractors only via phone. I really love it. Next month we are planning to leave for Georgia, and I hope all will keep going as smooth.

The only thing that concerns me - I have a little cash drag now, all funds are almost dried up and new ones are not yet coming in. The biggest problem I have a negative cash balance in the stock market and cannot take out my profit, Hope to solve this in coming months.

Anyhow, here are the latest pics from the renovation project

Kitchen corner

In the future, here will be a modern kitchenm area, with cabinets, fridge, oven, dishwasher, sink and of course a nice dinning table, but for now some gaps are filled, windows casing is built and drywall ceiling with rock wool is installed 

Preparing to install drywall wall

here a central heating wood pellet stove will be installed, and storage for wooden pellets will be built. 

Living room

Now, this looks awesome already

Living room…

Former Archaeological Museum Building in Tbilisi from a Drone Flight

26 March, 2021 | Tourism objects | 16 seen

The former Archeological Museum Building in Tbilisi is a great example of Soviet architecture in Georgia.

I was first introduced to this place by amazing Brutal Tours back in 2017.

Music by: Scott Holmes - Inspirational Outlook

Filmed and post-processed: September 20. 2020

Vilgāle Apt Update: Windows replaced, New Floor with underfloor heating installed

23 March, 2021 | Home Remodeling | 7 seen

At the end of February, I got a call from the windows guys, informing me that windows are fabricated (in Poland), delivered to Latvia and they are ready to install them.

We agreed they will install them on Monday morning. As we kept spending our days in another part of Latvia, I asked to send me the final images.

After windows were replaced, a new concrete floor with an underfloor heating system was installed. Here are some pictures

New windows installed

These are so-called 6-pane glass windows

Plastic windows from the inside

This one is the kitchen window

Once the windows were installed, contractors moved on and started preparing the floor for dry concrete (Estrich) with underfloor heating

Preparing floors for dry concrete

The pipes visible outside from the floor in the future will be the backbone of the heating system

Master bedroom under construction

In the future, it's planned to install here hardwood flooring (parquet)

Pipes for underfloor heating

Bathroom. during the construction process, we decided to install a small sauna…

Narikala Fortress & Mother Georgia from a Drone flight

19 March, 2021 | Tourism objects | 17 seen

Narikala Fortress and Mother Georgia are one of the most visible tourist attractions in Tbilisi.

It was at the end of August 2020 - I made a sort but lovely drone footage (DJI Mavic Mini) at both of these places.
Narikala Fortress & Mother Georgia
Circuit cinematic flight around St. Nicholas church
Music by: Scott Holmes - Together we stand
Made with Love in Adobe Premiere Pro, Tbilisi August 23, 2020
 

The White Dune At Saulkrasti

18 March, 2021 | Tourism objects | 18 seen

The White Dune is one of the landmarks of Saulkrasti, on the Vidzeme gulf coast. The dune offers a splendid view of the sea, the mouth of the Inčupe River and the vast beach.

Probably, best visited in Summer, we made a short visit here in February 2021

The White Dune formed as the wind drove beach sand over the clay silt of Baltic Ice Lake. Its white 18 meters high sand outcrop once helped local fishermen find their way home. The dune got its name from its white, hardened layers of sand which look like sandstone.

Baltic sea near Saulkrasti

Landscaping has been conducted in the area, and the slopes of the dune have been reinforced. Although the dune is covered by a pine tree forest, its steep slope, which faces the sea, is still visible.

The White Dune from a drone flight

On your way to the White Dune you will see linden trees named after Russian Empress Catherine II. Legend has it that Catherine II planted the trees while vacationing at Pabazi seaside.

The White Dune at Saulkrasti

The approximately 4 kilometers long Sunset Trail winds from the White Dune to the center of Saulkrasti. By…

Gergeti Trinity Church from a drone flight

12 March, 2021 | Tourism objects | 11 seen

Gergeti Trinity Church is a must-have to visit destination in Georgia. The church is located at an elevation of 2170 meters, under Mount Kazbegi some 160 km North of the nation's capital Tbilisi

Gergeti is one of our favorite spots in Georgia, as a rule of thumb, we try to get there at least twice a year. Many thanks to Nata Avsa and Johann Kritzinger for hosting us at their little Paradise
Music by Scott Holmes: Never Miss a moment!

Taken with DJI Mavic Mini
 

Vilgāle Apt update: Wall plastering, Wiring, Preparing to Install Drywall for Ceiling

11 March, 2021 | Home Remodeling | 6 seen

Here comes another quick update from renovation works at our Vilgāle apartment

This week contractors have plastered most of the walls, finished wiring, and have started to prepare to install drywall for the ceiling.

Just like in the previous weeks - I was absent from the works and spent our days in Jūrmala

Master bedroom under construction

Almost done here, except just windows, drywall ceiling and flooring is missing (should be done in the next few weeks)

Living room

walls are plastered here

Kitchen / dining area

most of the upcoming works will be in kitchen/bathroom

Renovation works

a huge accent has been put for the max comfort of the electricity plugs and switchs (the more, the better)

Vilgāle apt renovation works

for the next week it's planned to replace windows and pour in new floor

Cost so far:

• Water plumbing: EUR 60
• Sadales Tīkls: EUR 60
• Electrician: EUR 155
• Architect: EUR 800
• Removing walls and floor: EUR 750
• Chalk removing, / wiring: EUR 500
…

Batumi Botanical Garden from a Drone flight

5 March, 2021 | Living in Georgia | 15 seen

Batumi Botanical Garden is a must-have to visit tourism attraction site when in Batumi.

Botanical Garden is actually located at the place called Mtsvane Kontskhi ("The Green Cape") within a distance of some 10 km from Batumi city on the Black Sea shore, it is one of the largest botanical gardens in the former Soviet Union.

With kiddo at the kindergarten, I now have some time to post-process some older files. Taken with DJI Mavic mini, August, 2020
Music by Scott Holmes: Positive energy
More to come
 

Ice Fishing on Lielupe River

4 March, 2021 | | 13 seen

It has been already the second winter we are spending in Jūrmala, and there is one cool thing we have noticed while driving to Riga via Lielupe bridge (next to Rimi) - Ice Fishing on the Lielupe River

Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities.

In today's Piece of Life series - Ice fishing on Lielupe River taken with DJI Mavic Air 2 drone, February 17, 2021

ice fishing on Lielupe River

Bridge over Lielupe river

February 2021 Dividend Income Report - $62.69

4 March, 2021 | Stock Portfolio | 48 seen

Welcome to the forty-sixt (#46) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks and peer-to-peer lending in February 2021.

The last February we spent in Latvia, did some huge progress with our apartment renovation works in Vilgāle. Torn down walls, get electricity wiring, new windows installed and new floor with underfloor heating installed. Huge progress. 

Vilgāle apt renovation works

From the perspective of dividend income - Last February was not bad nor good. The thing is it is about a year already I'm not focusing on dividends at all, instead, I'm growing my total portfolio using options trades.   In total, we took just shy  $62.69 in dividend income last month. 

Compared to the previous February in 2020, when we took $251.15 in dividend income, our monthly dividend has decreased by -75.04%  (-$188.46). A year ago we did set a goal to take at least $320 this month, now this didn't happen. 

Luckily, an additional $4,808.86 was made from options trading.  …

Guest House Laidi

2 March, 2021 | Hotel reviews | 11 seen

Guesthouse "Laidi" is located in a beautiful place in the Kuldiga region. The guest house will welcome everyone who wants to relax from the daily rush, enjoy a swim in the beautiful pond or organize any important celebrations.

We found this awesome place as it offers a sauna rental for just EUR 40 for about 3 hours

Guesthouse Laidi

Situated next to the private Saulieši lake, guest house Laidi offers a guest, house, boat rental, sauna, camping.

Sauna house at Guest house Laidi

We have agreed to come here for more sauna for the next few Saturday's

Kobuleti Beach, Georgia

26 February, 2021 | Tourism objects | 20 seen

Kobuleti is a town in Adjara, western Georgia, situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea

Finally got some free time to edit some unprocessed files.
More to come. Taken with DJI Mavic Mini drone, August 2020
Music by Scott Holmes - Driven to Success
 

Minimum Wages in European Union 2021

23 February, 2021 | Macroeconomics | 59 seen

In 2021 there were 21 out of 27 European Union member states with an official minimum wage set by the government.

Turns out this is already the eighth (#8) article about minimum wages in European Union featured on the blog. To keep it up, here is the raw data for minimum wages across European Union in 2021.

Update: Minimum Wages in European Union 2022

Please don't judge too hard, data are taken from this article on Wikipedia, and applied some basic calculations for yearly growth.

Embūte Nature Park 4K. Ancient Curonian Land. Latvia . DJI MAVIC AIR 2

19 February, 2021 | Tourism objects | 8 seen

Made a quick drone video from Embūte, quite an awesome ancient land of Curonians. Got a feeling some old Curonian might come out of the woods with a wooden sword and ...

If you happen to be in this area - make sure to visit this place. One of our favorites now

• Music by Scott Holmes: The Edge of Nowhere
• Taken December 13, 2020