Bond Market Overview in Georgia (Fixed Income) 2017
| Living in Georgia | 64 seen
Investments in Georgia, have been on my focus, probably since the day one since I relocated here (see: Living in Georgia), back in 2011. Unfortunately, it was hard to find a transparent and easy to understand stock exchange.
Sure, I found Georgia Stock exchange website, but what I saw there a few years ago, didn't give me a lot of confidence to trust the platform and investigate more, On the other hand, I was more interested in buying stocks, rather investing in bonds. For me, bonds have always sounded kind of boring, and in fact, I haven't yet invested in bonds.
Now, at the end of 2017, some things have changed, I've started to build my million dollar investment fund, and I have been heavily investing in Georgian peer to peer lending, aka paydays loans. See: Invest in Georgia - Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending - Mintos.com.
For a short period of time (2014/2015), I invested in compound savings account in Georgia in national GEL currency, thus when Lari depreciated against both EUR and USD currencies for more than -15% I stopped my activities with savings accounts. See: My February Savings Report - GEL Loses Another 16.5%…
How To Add a Custom Token Balance in MyEtherWallet.com
| Crypto | 6 seen
MyEtherWallet.com is a free, open-source, client-side tool for easily & securely interacting with the Ethereum network.
I'm not an expert in MyEtherWallet usage, in fact, I discovered it just recently, when faced a need to swap tokens from Waves platform.
Around the middle of August, I decided to take participation in my first ico, and I opted for a Golden Fleece tokens, which back then were served on Wavesvallet.io, see: Invest in Georgia - First Georgian Crypto Currency - "Golden Fleece Token" ICO
By the end of September, developers of Golden Fleece project announced about a swap
We switch from Waves to Ethereum platform with a purpose to improve ICO process and reach a larger group of investors.
At the start, I mistakenly sent my tokens to Coinbase account, but with the help of Golden Fleece dev team we figured it out, and guys agreed to fix this if I will provide MyEtherWallet address:
coinbase doesnt support Tokens, unless they give you private key of that wallet, which they will not :) there is some recovery tool if you use there multisig, but we havent dealt with that
https://support.coinbase.com/…
4 Year Blog Anniversary
| Blogging | 7 seen
Today, on October 10th, 2017, ReinisFischer.com website is celebrating its 4th birthday. Each blog anniversary is a huge milestone for me and the 4th birthday is no exception. What has started as a simple experiment has turned out to be a successful online business venture!
It was just yet another Autumn evening when back on October 10, 2013, I registered domain name www.ReinisFischer.com, but in fact, I started this blog some 7 days earlier on October 3rd, 2013. I had blog been set up and it already was filled with a few articles, before it was actually launched. Yes, such strange behavior probably can be explained that geeks do geek things, though I don't see a geek in me.
Make sure to check out these great articles on historical blog's birthdays below:
- Blog One Year Anniversary
- Two Year Blog Anniversary
- Three Year Blog Anniversary
I started a blog with a simple goal - To blog 365 consecutive days in a row, and when launched, I was looking to reach about 6,000 monthly users by the end of first blogging year. Now, four years latter blog proudly…
Colorful Autumn Tour to the Region of Samtskhe-Javakheti in Georgia
| Travel guides | 11 seen
It is no surprise that Georgia is a diverse country that in its run can be divided into regions.
Samtskhe-Javakheti, situated in the south of Georgia is really interesting to explore not only from the perspective of a traveler who encounters the extraordinary beauty of the place. Samtskhe-Javakheti is a historical place full of mysteries and legends connected with early Georgian monarchs like Queen Tamar. Lakes hidden in the mountains, dormant volcanoes, and enigmatic forests will not leave you indifferent. On the contrary, people say that they feel an inexplicable burst of energy during their journeys in the mountains of Samtskhe-Javakheti.
When planning your trip to Samtskhe-Javakheti don’t forget to visit Borjomi first. This small town is a picturesque resort which is close to Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. If you decide to stay there for a couple of days don’t miss your chance to take an easy trail in the Park and merge with nature. The entrance to the National Park is free of charge and no matter the season and whether you will enjoy your stay there. It is not highly recommended for the beginners to stay out there in cold…
Top Five-star and Luxury Hotels in Kiev, Ukraine
| Hotel reviews | 41 seen
For a luxury stay in Kiev's top-end hotels, you should be ready to spend about EUR 200-300 per night.
I first visited Kiev and Ukraine at the end of 2016, during a connecting flight to New York City, while waiting for a connecting flight, it was announced that our flight is delayed by some 10 hours. Decided to use these 10 hours and visit the city. See: Short Day Trip To Kiev, Ukraine
After a short unplanned day-trip to Kiev, we decided it's worth to return here again, most probably in Summer, and so we did. Returned to Kiev for a couple of days in August to celebrate my birthday here. During our 3 or 4 days stay in Kiev we stayed at hotel Ukraine which is a very centrally located (just behind the Independence Square) 4-star hotel. It was good, I even got a small complimentary gift on my birthday.
In this article, I've listed top 5-star and luxury hotels in Kiev, according to Booking.com
Please note: hotels listed below may contain links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you.
Premier Palace…Mintos.com Peer To Peer Lending Review After 9 Month of Investing
| Peer to Peer Lending | 12 seen
Mintos is a Latvian made peer-to-peer lending marketplace operating Globally, it connects investors with borrowers of non-bank lenders.
It is an easy and transparent alternative to the traditional banking system. At Mintos both retail and institutional investors can invest in fractions of loans originated in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Currently, they serve agricultural loans, business loans, invoice financing, mortgage loans, personal loans, pawnbroking loans, car loans and short-term loans. The minimum investment in one loan is EUR 10.
Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or third countries currently considered to have AML/CFT systems equivalent to the EU, and have their identity successfully verified by Mintos. At the moment, US citizens or taxpayers cannot register as investors at Mintos.
Affiliate link here: Signup to Mintos.com here. By using this affiliate link for registration both you and I will receive — 1% of our average daily balance which should be paid in 3…
October - Perfect Time for Rtveli in Kakheti (Grape Gathering in Georgia)
| Travel guides | 16 seen
Grape harvest gathering is a big occasion in Georgia when the whole nation comes together to honor ancient traditions of winemaking.
See: Grape Harvest Rtveli in Georgia (Region of Kakheti)
Regions like Kakheti, Racha and Imereti are famous for grape-gathering. In Georgian the process is called ‘rtveli’ that literally means plucking ripe grapes from the vine. The flavors and colors differ depending on the region where grapes were picked.
The names of the most famous grapes like Rkatsiteli, Tsolikauri, Tsitska, Saperavi, Aladasturi, Usakhelouri and many others are known to lots of tourists who visit Georgia. Tasting the whole list of all Georgian wines may be on the list of any foreign ‘sommelier’ that is ready to enrich their knowledge of refined wine.
In Georgia grape is picked late in August till the middle of November. There is no certain date when to begin gathering harvest- it all depends on the variety of grapes. The main point is not to miss the precise moment when a grape is full of miraculous nectar and not let it wither. The process of grape gathering is a long and…
Investments in Cryptocurrencies, Review After 3 Months (BTC/ETH/LTC/XRP)
| Crypto | 17 seen
End of the September marked a small anniversary - it has been already 3 months since I've been investing in crypto-currencies. In today's article, I will be sharing my experience and thoughts.
Make sure to read my thoughts after first-month of investing in cryptocurrencies: Invest in Cryptocurrencies - Review After One Month
It all started in Crete, Greece, we were chilling on a lovely balcony, at one of Agia Marina beach hotels, when a friend contacted me online and asked what do I think about cryptos? I didn't know much then, sure I knew in general, I had heard something about bitcoins, but that's all. After this conversation, I decided to explore more, and soon I experience my first FOMO (Fears of Missing Out).
Indeed, it felt I'm missing out the greatest opportunity of this decade. I've been investing in both stocks and peer to peer lending. The idea of having a small part of a portfolio in cryptocurrencies sounded like a missing part of my portfolio.
Sure, I understood the high risk involved here, possible ponzi scheme, tulip bulb scam you name it. Still, I decided to opt…
September 2017 Dividend Income Report - $55.08
| Investments | 12 seen
Welcome to the fifth (#5) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks, peer to peer lending (both fiat and cryptocurrencies) in September 2017.
If you are new to my dividend income report series, where I'm sharing my progress towards financial freedom, here is the backstory in short - I started my wealth building adventure (portfolio) in January 2017 with a simple goal to invest $8,561 this year in several batches. First months of the year generated me nothing much, but starting May it has started slowly and steady to increase
September was a decent in terms of dividend income, in total I managed to earn $55.08 by doing nothing much, just investing in great companies, playing a little bit with cryptocurrencies and lending out money via peer to peer marketplace.
About Portfolio September 2017At the end of September, I've invested a total of $9,463.62 what already greatly exceed my initial plan for investments in 2017 and equals to 110.54% from this…
10 Things to Do in Tbilisi in October
| Travel guides | 65 seen
Autumn is a perfect time to spend your holidays in Georgia as long as the unbearable heat has declined and it is more than pleasant to walk in the daytime through busy avenues and narrow streets of charming Tbilisi.
Still, you may think that no matter what time of the year it is Tbilisi keeps hosting lots of tourists exploring its vicinity and suburban areas as well.
Activities that could interest you include not only leisure days and lazy walks in the avenues so be ready for long walking tours and wear appropriate clothes as the weather is extremely changeable in late September and early October.
Let’s make at least 10 points that could make your journey to Tbilisi colorful and enthralling. (scroll down for itinerary and map info)
Visit Pantheon and Mama Davit Church that is situated right under Mtatsminda Park. The place is an amazing spot for making striking pictures of Tbilisi and the city seems to be put in the palm of your hand. You can walk through the Pantheon and ask the caretakers about famous Georgian writers, poets, dancers, and…
Top 20 Apartments in Agia Marina Beach, Crete (Aparthotels, Villas & Hotels)
| Hotel reviews | 19 seen
Agia Marina is a popular resort town on the island of Crete in Greece, located just some 10 km west from Chania.
Frankly speaking, I didn't know of the existence of such place before our last trip to the island of Crete during the month of June 2017. Now I can only regret about it. Agia Marina beach is amazing, hotels, resorts, villas, you name it are good, service is amazing and prices are affordable. No wonder why it's so popular among Scandinavian tourists.
During our about month-long trip around the island of Crete, we stayed at Agia Marina twice - for about 2 nights at trips start and about 5 days at the end of the trip. For the start, we chose Vergina beach hotel which was good and for the end, we stayed at Eden Beach hotel apartment - which was amazing.
Agia Marina beach is a really cool, tranquil and I would even say pretty romantic place. See: Mild Summer Evenings at Agia Marina Beach in Crete
You should be ready to spend about 30-100 EUR for a good apartment/hotel/villa - which IMHO is fantastic. Alternatively see: Top…
Google Spreadsheet To Track BTC/Altcoin Trading on Monthly Basis
| Macroeconomics | 62 seen
Track your altcoin/BTC investment portfolio with Google Spreadsheets
Investments in crypto-currencies are among one of the most interesting findings for me this year (2017). I decided to give them a try just a few months ago, see: First Investment In Crypto Currencies - Bought 0.2 ETH for EUR 50
For support please visit the Terramatris website: Custom Google Spreadsheet Development for Crypto Currency Portfolio Tracking
Soon I decided to use dollar cost averaging to acquire four different crypto-currencies once a month, no matter the price. I've been investing in cryptos for about 3 months now, and I can tell you for sure, investments here are like a roller coaster, my crypto portfolio has lost in some periods more than -50%, and in some periods it has grown in value by +50%. Right now (as of writing this, it says +7% growth.). Dollar-cost averaging helps a lot.
For tracking long-term investments in crypto I've developed a simple crypto-currency tracking Google Spreadsheet, you can read more about it and get a free download here: How To Track Your CryptoCurrencies Portfolio Automatically…
Beata's Orange Juice Bar, Crete
| Restaurant reviews | 67 seen
It was on our third-day trip around Crete, when we discovered an interesting roadside cafeteria promising breathtaking views, just later, post-processing photos with the help of Google Maps I was able to track down coordinates and name for this place - Beata's Orange Juice Bar, Crete.
Indeed - views here was lovely, though the most interesting "tourist attraction" was a donkey. A kind owner suddenly got a donkey out of nowhere and here you go - fresh orange juice, donkey, and panoramic views.
Outdoor deck with great views
Could be cool on a cloudy day, walk in the clouds feeling, see my photography from walk in the clouds in Georgia: 5 Days In Georgia Itinerary List - Make Most Of Your Trip
Orange juice
Indeed, they serve orange juice here. What a surprise.
The Donkey
Indeed - great feature.
Back to the Gym - Get Under 99kg Beard Challenge
| Health & Wellness | 13 seen
Getting fit is cool, getting heart rate normal is awesome. Visiting a gym can be really addictive. For the second time this year I'm taking beard growing challenge - not to shave it under I will get under 99 kilos.
Let me explain, back at the start of 2017 I applied for a gym membership at Tbilisi's Champions Academy, my weight was 105 kg, I made a challenge to grow a beard until I will weight less than 100kg. I reached my goal in less than 2 months. My best result was 97.2 kg on March 23rd, 2017. Then starting April I took a pause from a gym for 6 months (obstacles, relocating to another country without access to the gym). I gained weight back.
Tip: Losing weight is a lifetime experience, to stay sharp - access to the gym or a lot of physical activities is a must have.
Now I'm back, renewed my membership and had my first training session (cardio, dumbbells) - first session was hard, sure. I barely managed a 30-minute session on the treadmill - few sit-ups and that's all.
Now my weight is 104kg - to reach my goal, to get under 99kg, it will ask me to loose 5kg weight. It should be achievable in a month or…
Floating Block for Drupal 8
| Drupal Development | 27 seen
The Floating block is a nice helper module which allows you to keep HTML blocks, selected using jquery selectors in a fixed position on the page as you scroll. I've been using Floating block mostly for my personal blog to feature related content (you can see floating module while browsing this web page from a desktop computer.)
In fact, I stop using floating block module a couple of years ago, but recently I was contacted by another Drupal webmaster, regarding my tutorial on Floating Block module for Drupal 7 site and taking a fresh look at this module, I understood - Floating block module helps UI by filling up sidebar, so it's never empty.
When speaking about Floating block module for Drupal 8, there is not yet a stable release (as of writing this), but there is a dev version, which actually works out of the box.
Configure Floating Blocks for Drupal 8 websiteAs usual, let's start with download
- Download and enable floating block module
- Configure floating block from admin/config/user-interface/floating-block
In my example, I'm looking to make one block from the…
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