Top 5 Luxury & Spa Hotels in Kvareli, Georgia

9 November, 2018 | Hotel reviews | 16 seen

Here are the top 3 reasons to visit and stay in Kvareli - health spas, culturally diverse food & beautiful forests.

Kvareli is one of the most popular SPA hotel destinations in Georgia, or at least in the region of Kakheti.

I've stayed in several hotels in or near the town of Kakheti. With Royal Batoni being my favorite so far.

In today's article, I've listed top 5 Luxury & SPA hotels in Kvareli, Georgia. See Indie travel guides to plan your trip to the region of Kakheti

Disclosure: hotels listed below 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.

Read my review here: Hotel Kvareli Eden Review

Kvareli Eden Hotel is located in Kvarteli town center, on the right bank of the Bursa River. It features an indoor swimming pool and a wine therapy spa center. Free Wi-Fi and free private parking are provided.

All elegant rooms come with air-conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a safety deposit box and a mini-bar. Free toiletries and…

Hryshko National Botanical Garden in Kiev

8 November, 2018 | Tourism objects | 20 seen

Turns out there are at least two botanical gardens in Kiev. In today's article, I will write and provide photographs from Hryshko National Botanical Garden taken back in Summer 2017.

Apparently, we got here by a taxi from our hotel (Hotel Ukraine), and as far as I remember we got back to the city center by trolleybus. 

The M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

Cash desks at Kievs Botanical garden

I don't remember exactly what was the price for entrance, but it was really cheap (compared to Western Europe)

The M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden is a botanical garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. It is namedafter the Soviet botanist Mykola Hryshko who was born in Poltava. Founded in 1936, the garden covers 1.3 km² (120 hectares) and contains 13,000 types of trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants from all over the world. It has many coniferous trees and honey locusts, and flowers such as peonies, roses, magnolias, and bushes including lilacs.

Shio-Mgvime monastery

7 November, 2018 | Churches and Monasteries | 14 seen

The Shio-Mgvime monastery is a medieval monastic complex in Georgia, near the town of Mtskheta. It is located in a narrow limestone canyon on the northern bank of the Kura River, some 30 km from Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.

It took me more than seven years since I've been living in Georgia and  60 GEL to get here.

Long story short: At the start of November 2018, we booked a 4-star hotel Gino Wellness in Mtskheta and the girl from hotels front desk organized us a taxi for 60 GEL. Now, this is really expensive actually for such a short drive, but it's OK just for one time. 

According to a historic tradition, the first monastic community at this place was founded by the 6th-century monk Shio, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who came to Georgia as Christian missionaries.

Shio Mgvime monastery complex

St. Shio is said to have spent his last years as a hermit in a deep cave near Mtskheta subsequently named Shiomghvime ("the Cave of Shio") after him. The earliest building – the Monastery of St. John the Baptist – a cruciform church, very plain and strict in…

Hotel Gino Wellness Mtskheta Review

6 November, 2018 | Hotel reviews | 12 seen

There are at least two Gino Wellness hotels in Georgia (probably more), one is located in the Rabati Fortress in the town of Akhaltsikhe and the other one is located really close to Tbilisi, in Mtskheta. In today's article, I will speak about the one in Mtskheta.

Offering free WiFi, a sun terrace with a swimming pool, spa and wellness center and garden, Hotel Gino Wellness Mtskheta is located in Mtskheta. Each accommodation at the 4-star hotel has mountain views, and guests can enjoy access to a children's playground and to a hot spring bath.

We booked this hotel at the start of November 2018, in the frames of Georgian Discount Week. Stayed here two nights at the deluxe room and paid for that GEL 270 + two evenings at the local hotel's restaurant ~ 130 GEL. It's interesting to note, that almost 4 years ago we paid the identical price for a stay at Rabati hotel:

For a two night stay we paid in total 260 GEL (USD140.00/EUR 115.00), in price was included breakfast and a visit to spa centre for 2 hours each day.

We paid around 60 GEL for supper at first night on Hotels restaurant. Other day we went to local Akhaltsikhe…

October 2018 Dividend Income Report - $168.10

4 November, 2018 | Investments | 10 seen

Welcome to the eighteenth (#18) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks, peer to peer lending (both fiat and cryptocurrencies) in October 2018. 

In case you are wondering why I'm sharing online my earnings - the answer is pretty simple - I like transparency and these reports help me to observe my progress or bounces. Hopefully, my reports can give some inspiration to you as well. (If so, please leave a short comment below) Also, I have a goal to reach one million dollars in my bank account by the time I will turn 60 (27 years still to go). 

In short, last October turned better than expected - mostly because I received two dividend payments which were missing in September, plus interest received on Mintos.com platform increased if compared to the previous month.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to mintos.com peer to peer lending website, by clicking on links on this page and by making an investment on mintos.com, I might earn affiliate income at no cost to you. Also…

Halloween 2018

3 November, 2018 | Living in Georgia | 6 seen

Halloween 2018, was celebrated on Wednesday, October 31.

This was our first Halloween together with our newborn baby and we made some really cool photos and video's in our new Tbilisi apt.

But as each year,it's all about carving the pumpkin and having a lot of fun.

How To Carve a Pumpkin and Make Stunning Halloween Photos

Halloween pumpkin 2018

I bought this one at local Tbilisi market and paid 9GEL for it (2 gel/kg). Turns out this was a 4 and a half kilos.

Pumpkin carved

Apple prepared for baking

Filled with yolk/sour cream filling

Halloween 2018

Top 10 Hotels in Mtskheta, Georgia

2 November, 2018 | Hotel reviews | 17 seen

Here are the top 3 reasons why visit Mtshekta, an ancient Georgian capital Georgia - old town, history & architecture. 

Independent Travel Guide to Mtskheta

In 2018, there are no 5-star hotels in Mtsheta (as its really close, think top 5-star hotels in Tbilisi),but there are some 4-star and many decent no-star hotels available in Mtshketa.

In today's article, I've listed top 10 hotels in Mtshkheta, Georgia, alternatively see 11 Near Perfect Guesthouses and Hotels in Mtskheta (Georgia) With Free Breakfasts

Disclosure: hotels listed below 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.

Read my review here: Hotel Gino Wellness Mtskheta Review

Providing free WiFi, a sun terrace with a swimming pool, spa and wellness center and garden, Hotel Gino Wellness Mtskheta is located in Mtskheta. Each room at the 4-star hotel has mountain views, and guests can enjoy access to a playground and to a hot spring bath. Guests can have a…

Tbilisi by day (New Apartment Version)

31 October, 2018 | Living in Georgia | 16 seen

It has been already more than 10 days since we have moved into our new Tbilisi apartment.

For today's article in the series Living in Georgia,  I just wanted to share some picture with surrounding views towards mount Mtatsminda, TV Tower and other.

For the first part, please visit: Tbilisi by night (New apartment version)

View towards mount Mtatsminda and TV tower in Tbilisi

No doubts,best viewed during night time. This is one of my favorite spots in the apartment to take daughter on the shoulder and tell stories. Quite impressive.

Rooftops of Tbilisi

Rooftops of Tbilisi

Street in Tbilisi

Next probably will be golden hour photography(HDR)

Istanbul Airport

30 October, 2018 | Airports | 23 seen

Istanbul Airport will be the main international airport serving Istanbul. It is based in the Arnavutköy district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey.

The opening ceremony took place on 29 October 2018, scheduled so as to coincide with the 95th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic.

On November 1 2018, five daily flights will start to arrive and depart from the airport: Ankara, Antalya, Baku, Ercan, İzmir.These flights will all be operated by Turkish Airlines. Regularly scheduled flights to these destinations will still depart from Atatürk and Sabiha Gökçen airports alongside these trial flights. On December 31 2018, all equipment from Atatürk Airport will be transferred by truck to the new airport via the O-7 Motorway.

Atatürk Airport, Istanbul's current main airport, is located in the Yeşilköy neighbourhood of the Bakırköy district and is surrounded by urban Istanbul. Additionally, there is an increasing problem of air traffic congestion. Atatürk Airport is one of the busiest airports in Europe. Since 2013, it has ranked among the…

An Inconvenient Border: Where China Meets North Korea

27 October, 2018 | Documentaries | 4 seen

An Inconvenient Border: Where China Meets North Korea is a great documentary by ABC news I would highly recommend to all interested in North Korea / China.

Both North Korea and China has been on my radar for the last decade at least. 

Bob Woodruff’s daring 880-mile journey along the China-North Korea border examines the delicate relationship between the two countries and the United States. 

Watch it on YouTube

Traveling to Madrid? Here are Top 14 5-star Luxury Hotels in City Center

26 October, 2018 | Hotel reviews | 11 seen

After two great week-long travels to the regions of Catalonia (2014) and Andalusia (2016) in Spain, Madrid is planned as our next destination in Spain.

To prepare better I decided to explore what are our options, this time staying in the city center.

Planning a Trip to Spain: How to Get a Prepaid SIM Card in Spain

Madrid City Center is a great choice for travelers interested in tapas, architecture, and parks.

In today's article, I've listed top 14 5-star luxury hotels in Madrid, Spain

Disclosure: hotels listed below 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.

Located on Paseo del Prado Boulevard and offering wonderful views of the Neptune Fountains, NH Collection Madrid Paseo del Prado offers free WiFi, an on-site restaurant, and gym with city views.

Spacious, air-conditioned rooms feature a flat-screen TV and Nespresso coffee machine. Their Indian marble bathroom comes with a rain-…

Tbilisi Office 2.0.

23 October, 2018 | Living in Georgia | 14 seen

In October 2018, we changed not only apartments but also offices as well. In short, we moved from Agmanashabeli avenue to Vake district in Tbilisi.

There is a little change compared to previous years when trying to find a new office in Tbilisi. Let's say this, this time we got lucky. See: Renting an Office in Tbilisi

See pictures from the previous office here: Audio & Video Transcription Service by Caucasus Translations

Working space in the new Tbilisi office

The office is located on the tenth floor in a residential / office/aparthotel building in Vake

Interior at the new office

We bought furniture (shelf, table, and chairs) at local Jysk store, paying about $1,000 for it

Second  room

It's planned to equip this space as a meeting room

View from the balcony

The dwelling house in the front kind of reminds me of the ones I have seen a lot in Turkey. 

View from the balcony

As you can see, construction is booming in Tbilisi  (at least in 2018). If I would have a spare couple of millions I would most probably invest…

TP-Link TL-WN725N 150Mbps Wireless N Nano USB Adapter Review

22 October, 2018 | Gadget Reviews | 25 seen

TP-Link is a popular brand in Georgia, and most probably in CIS region, manufacturing Wireless routers and wireless adapters (probably a lot of other useful gadgets as well).

I remember about 10 years ago I used a PCI WIFI adapter to have a WiFi functionality for a desktop PC.

Now, in 2018, when moving into a new office, I decided it would be cool to get rid of at least some of the wiring for or desktop computers. And here comes miniature, I would even say nano-sized TP-Link Wireless adapter

• Sleek miniature design so small that once plugged in, can be left in a Laptop’s USB port
• Speedy wireless transmission at up to 150Mbps ideal for video streaming or internet calls
• Advanced Security: Supports 64/128 WEP, WPA, PA2/WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK(TKIP/AES)
• Connect in no time with easy setup utility in 14 languages

I was amazed I even didn't have to run any installation, once plugged in the PC's USB port, it just worked out of the box

Office Computers Equipped with WIFI USB adapters

Audio & Video Transcription Service by Caucasus Translations

TL-WN725N in the box…

Tbilisi by night (New apartment version)

21 October, 2018 | Living in Georgia | 9 seen

It has been a while since I last time did a night photography (one of my favorite photography techniques).

The thing is, recently we moved in to a new apartment here in Tbilisi, which offers a very fantastic views towards Mtatsminda, TV tower and other..

Back in the night of October 21, 2018 I took out my tripod, put it on one out of three huge balconies and here you go:

Tbilisi by night - long exposure

What's really great, the next time I will want make those cool stripes I won't even need to leave my apt. Everything I can get from the balcony. Awesome.

See: Practicing Photography: Doing Night Shots - Tbilisi By Night

View towards mount Mtatsminda

Guess what? I now have the best spot in the city to make New Years fireworks photography. Ha.

• Old New Year's fireworks in Tbilisi
• Happy New Year! Fireworks Photography from Tbilisi 2018

View towards Tbilisi Railway station

Here I'm playing with long exposures, high ISO and wide aperture.

Old and New

King David tower in the background. Been documented for the last 5 years. See…

Growing Blog Audience to 200,000/mo users in next 365 days

20 October, 2018 | Blogging | 14 seen

Five years ago I started this blog with an experiment - Can you blog 365 days in a row? Now, five years later I know for sure, yes you can, you even can blog 5 X 365 days in a row. At least that what I just did.

Now, five years ago, when started this experiment I was looking to get a blog traffic of 6,000 users/mo at the end. 

Here was my motivation five years ago:

The reason I'm asking this question is - when starting something new - it all seems so exciting, so adventurous. But then comes routine, especially for blogging thing - you see that results are not so great.

In the past five year's blog has attracted more than 3 million users and generated more than 4.2 million page views. 

Blog traffic October 2013 - October 2018 (Data source: Google Analytics)

For the past five years, I have been writing every single day - that's more than 1800 days not missing an article (Ok, I missed two days back in 2014 actually)  - consecutive writing has been my corner strategy.

Since the second half of 2017, the average blog's audience has been more than…