Georgia / Turkey Border crossing at Sarpi

16 May, 2023 | Travel guides | 168 seen

Sarpi is a small village on the coast of the Black Sea of Georgia, on the border with Turkey. There is a border crossing point between Georgia and Turkey.

Sarpi is the main land border crossing between the two countries and a major conduit for business travel, especially for Turkish companies doing business in Batumi. Sarpi is located about 12 km south of Batumi and about 20 km northeast of Hopa, Turkey.

I used this border crossing quite often about a decade ago, first crossed it back in August 2011, when hitchhiked in Turkey. Quite awesome memories. Most of the time I've crossed this border on foot, even when going on a bus. Once I was driving Batumi - Istanbul, and even then all passengers where asked to cross the border by foot. I suppose the service is more convenient if you travel in your own vehicle. 

There is public bus service and marshrutkas available to travel to nearby Batumi from Sarpi village. Back in 2012 we lived for some 6 month in Batumi, back then we were using public bus to come to the Sarpi beach, just to enjoy a bottle of Georgian or Turkish bear (Argo/Efes)

For EU nationals crossing both the Georgian and Turkish border…

From Hot Pools to Frame Houses: Our Adventure in Kavtiskhevi

12 May, 2023 | Living in Georgia | 36 seen

From fishing to flying drones, trying Georgian beer, and staying at a beautiful resort with hot pools, there's no shortage of exciting things to do in this picturesque region of Georgia.

One of the highlights of your trip was undoubtedly the opportunity to visit Ekaterina Jinoridze's village and explore some of the best places nearby. With its stunning scenery, charming architecture, and friendly locals, Kavtiskhevi is truly a hidden gem that more travelers should know about.

After experiencing all the area has to offer, you even joked about buying a plot of land and putting up another Frame house just for fun! And who knows, with its natural beauty and peaceful way of life, Kavtiskhevi might just be the perfect place for a vacation home or even a permanent residence.

So if you're looking for an off-the-beaten-path destination that offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure, cultural immersion, and relaxation, Kavtiskhevi should definitely be at the top of your list. Watch the video of your trip and give it a thumbs up to show your appreciation for the unforgettable experience!

Shopping in Batumi: Metrocity Mall

11 May, 2023 | Shopping Venues | 380 seen

Metro City Forum is one of the largest shopping and entertainment centers in Batumi in terms of its area. The building, with an area of over 35,000 sqm, with a unique design is becoming a new landmark for the area. 

A located bit outside of the city center, the shopping mall is reachable by public transport, taxi or if you prefer by walk. 

I wouldnt call it a shoppers paradise, more like an outlet with lower priced items and few dining options. But it can change with time. We headed here to look for kinds entertainmnt center, which we found, and it was quite decent.

Travelling with little kids its always important to find such places. Trampoline, softplay, racing cars and more. Quite decent. 

Mostly Turkish fashion brands are featured here, and it is said a large Carefour store also is located here (Didn't notice last time visiting in Mid april 2023, but I was not looking also)

Tbilisi Hills Golf Resort with Residences

10 May, 2023 | Restaurant reviews | 34 seen

As the name suggests - Tbilisi Hills Golf & Residences is a place that offers golf and real estate. Kind of a millionaires oasis. But you don't have to be a millionaire to enjoy the perks of this place - playing the golf or at least having brunch or a menu at the restaurant. Price per gold seesions are quite afforable and you don't even have to be a club member to play some. 

Owned by an Estonian / Russian businessman Oleg Ossinovski, Tbilisi Hills is a place where the Estonian flag stands together with the Georgian and European.

We keep coming here time after time to enjoy dinner , beautiful views towards Tbilisi city or Shanbadaba monastery. or as one of our friends told -  to have that British colonial feeling. LOL. 

Restaurant serves typical European cuisine, with french fries, hamburgers, and if you are lucky enough - Estonain Saku beer can be ordered.

Tbilisi Hills has a professional 18-hole golf course. The golf facilities occupy 110 hectares, fully comply with European standards and are ready to host international tournaments. Golf is very popular all over the world, because people…

Batumi international Airport

9 May, 2023 | Airports | 15 seen

Alexander Kartveli Batumi International Airport is an airport located 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Batumi, a city on the Black Sea coast and the capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia.

The airport is named after Alexander Kartveli, an aeronautical engineer and aviation pioneer. 

I have been traveling back and forth via this airport mostly for domestic Tbilisi or Natakhtari flights by Vanilla Sky. ]This airport is not very busy, it seems it is more like a seasonal airport, with its passenger peak reaching in Summer months. 

Neverthless, the airport served more than 600,000 passengers in 2022, that woul be about 1,643 daily.  

Batumi is one of three international airports in operation in Georgia (along with Tbilisi International Airport serving the Georgian capital and David the Builder International Airport in Georgia's second largest city Kutaisi).

The new airport terminal has been in operation since 26 May 2007. With a total area of 4,256 square meters (45,810 sq ft), it is capable of handling 600,000 passengers a year.

The ir a public pus and taxis available for getting to the city center,…

Herods Boutique Hotel in Eilat Review

3 May, 2023 | Hotel reviews | 35 seen

Herods Boutique Eilat a Premium collection by Fattal Hotels is a 5-star superior hotel located at the end of Eilat's promenade, on the shores of the Red Sea in Israel. It offers luxurious rooms with a balcony, a swimming pool, and a spa. Free WiFi is available in the lobby.

We booked this hotel for a New Year's celebration of 2023 for about 2 nights and paid quite a hefty price of about USD 735 for a stay here.

Was it worth the price? Well, the weather could be better, but if was quite Okay, it maybe a little overpriced, but due to the fact it is actually located in a desert and we had a bathtub with super fast running water, which was quite awesome.

We come here by taxi from the Ramon airport during Sabbath. Flying here from Tel Aviv. It was about a 20-minute drive from the airport. 

The rooms offer views of the New Lagoon and the Edom Mountains. Each comes with air conditioning, an LCD TV, and a seating area equipped with a minibar. The private bathrooms are complete with spa baths, bathrobes, and slippers.

We had a desert view towards the border of Jordan. 

Quite decent breakfast…

Tbilisi Adventure Run Fun Race with Caucasus Translations Team

2 May, 2023 | Living in Georgia | 24 seen

On April 23, 2023, we run our first adventure race in Tbilisi through the spectacular mountains close to Mtstasminda Park.

The run turned out a bit harder than I expected, but the result still was awesome and everyone from the team finished.

I come up with the idea to have custom print T-shirts for every team member at Caucasus Translations

I made this design in Canva, the idea was to raise awareness of the brand name via QR code. We didn't raise much awareness in the end, but still looks awesome! 

In total there 11 runners (9 grownups, 2 kids) for the 7km fun run distance.

Later that day we went searching poppy fields to Marneuli, and Bolnis, unfortunately, we didn't find them. Just when post-processing the photos I realized, the most poppies that day were at Mtatsminda Park.

The route of all the distances started and finished in Mtatsminda Park. The route was marked, participants had BIB numbers and water, and snacks were offered during the race.

My time for the 7km adventure run was 1.03:23 which gave me 98th place among 129 participants. The best time was 31.52. Wow

Every participant finished, also…

Top 10 Best Selling Gaming Laptops with RTX 3050 Ti Graphics Card

1 May, 2023 | Laptop Reviews | 44 seen

In this article, I've listed 10 top-selling gaming laptops with  Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 TI graphics card, available to purchase on Amazon. 

A quick note: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon, 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.

• ASUS VivoBook Pro 16 laptop comes with 16” WUXGA (1920 x 1200) 16:10 aspect ratio with ultra-slim NanoEdge bezels
• Latest Intel Core i7-12650H Processor (24M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 6P cores + 4E cores) with Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU, with 4GB GDDR6 - Studio Ready
• Fast storage and memory featuring 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD and 16GB DDR4 on board RAM, Windows 11 Home
• …

Tbilisi Adventure Run

28 April, 2023 | Living in Georgia | 16 seen

The video titled "Next time I will be a referee or our latest Tbilisi Adventure Run video is out!" features a fun and adventurous 7km run that took place in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The video showcases the team of Caucasus Translations as they embark on this exciting journey through the beautiful trails of Tbilisi. The video captures stunning footage of the runners as they navigate through the hills and valleys, providing viewers with a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery along the way.

The video also includes humorous moments, as one of the team members jokingly expresses a desire to become a referee next time.

Overall, the video is a great representation of the fun and excitement that can be had while participating in a team adventure run. The creators encourage viewers to enjoy the video, give it a thumbs up, and look forward to their next adventure on the trails.

Easter Picnic at Birtvisi Canyon

27 April, 2023 | | 13 seen

On Sunday, April 9, Easter 2023 was celebrated, and this year we decided to spend it in Tbilisi and Birtvisi canyon.

Our day started early in the morning as we prepared for the festivities by experimenting with a new dough and making a Jewish-style pie with eggs (inspired by a similar dish we had tried in Israel), coloring eggs, and baking cinnamon rolls.

To make the day even more special, we invited our friends - a Greek-Latvian family - to join us for an Easter picnic at Birtvisi canyon. It was the perfect way to spend the day, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the joy of spending time with loved ones.

My better part did some good job preparing the dough. Egg filling covered with cheese. Just delicous!

A special tradition we have following for many years already. Kiddo loves!

Sprinkled with powdered sugar. yum!

Here we made a quick stop at Tskenti, to buy some missing items at Nikora store.

For our picnic just the bare minimum - two baskets with food, twigs for fire place, a tent, a few bottles of wine.

Quite awesome picnic area, just before the start of the hiking trails inside the canyon.

Piece of…

Top Places to Visit in Georgia and Tbilisi in May

26 April, 2023 | Travel guides | 43 seen

Georgia is a country with a rich history, diverse culture, stunning natural landscapes and delicous cuisine.

May is a great time to visit as the weather is warm and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy.

In this article I have listed some ideas and top places to visit in Georgia and Tbilisi in the month of May:

Explore the cobblestone streets of Tbilisi's Old Town and admire the mix of architectural styles, including Persian, Byzantine, and European. Visit the Narikala Fortress for stunning views of the city and take a relaxing sulfur bath in one of the historic bathhouses.

Visit the ancient city of Mtskheta, which was the former capital of Georgia and is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Jvari Monastery and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

Take a day trip to the picturesque town of Kazbegi, located in the stunning Caucasus Mountains. Hike up to the Gergeti Trinity Church for panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.

Relax on the beaches of Batumi, a seaside resort town on the Black Sea. Visit the Batumi Botanical Garden, the Gonio Fortress, and Batumi Boulevard for a taste of the local…

Strada Mosashvili near Vake Park

25 April, 2023 | Restaurant reviews | 25 seen

Strada is a chain of restaurants in Tbilisi, serving contemporary American and Asian cuisine, created by an international team of chefs. 

We love coming here for a glass of wine, meatballs, seabass, or tom yum soup. 

Located on Mosashvili street 11 in lively Vake neighbourhood close to the Vake park, Strada seems is a popular choice among lcoals and expats.

There is one more Strada I know about located on Marjanishvili area. 

There are many good restaurants and cafeteris located on this street and Strada is among them

One of our favorite latelty is Georgian white desert Tvishi wine 

Tvishi is an appellation for wines produced in a 15 km2 (3,700 acres) zone around Tvishi village in northwestern Georgia. The zone is on the right bank of the Rioni River and includes Alpana village.

Tvishi is a dry to semi-sweet, still white wine made from Tsolikouri grapes. 

Makes sense why I prefer this wine - as my favorite still is Khvanchakra wine, also from the region of Racha.

Delicous tom yum soup rich with shrimp and coconut milk. Yummy

Being vegetarian…

Batumi. Easter. 2023

21 April, 2023 | Living in Georgia | 13 seen

The Great Easter Movie is Out - Another Awesome Weekend in Batumi!

Batumi, the coastal city of Georgia, has always been a favorite destination for tourists all over the world. It is a perfect blend of nature, culture, and modernization that leaves everyone in awe. This year, we visited Batumi once again and had an amazing time exploring the city's hidden gems.

We decided to stay in the Old Town and booked a boutique hotel O. Galogre that gave us a taste of the old-world charm with modern amenities. The narrow streets, the colorful buildings, and the architecture all contributed to making us feel like we were transported back in time. The hotel was cozy and comfortable, and we enjoyed the hospitality of the staff.

During our trip, we visited the Batumi Botanical Garden, which is a natural wonderland filled with diverse flora and fauna. The garden is vast and offers stunning views of the Black Sea. We took a leisurely stroll and admired the beauty of the plants and flowers. It was a peaceful experience that allowed us to connect with nature.

We also decided to visit the Georgia-Turkey border at Sarpi, which was just a short drive away from Batumi…

Sevanavank Monastery Complex on the shores of Lake Sevan

20 April, 2023 | Churches and Monasteries | 38 seen

Sevanavank is a monastic complex located on a peninsula at the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, not far from the town of Sevan. Initially, the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, which started in the era of Joseph Stalin, the water level fell about 20 metres, and the island transformed into a peninsula.

At the southern shore of this newly created peninsula, a guesthouse of the Armenian Writers' Union was built. The eastern shore is occupied by the Armenian president's summer residence, while the monastery's still active seminary moved to newly constructed buildings at the northern shore of the peninsula.

I first learned about this beautiful place during our business trip to Yerevan back in February 2023, when we made a short stop here and I took my DJI Mavic Air 2 to fly around. One thing I remember was freezing. 5 minute piloting with bare hands was very extreme. 

Due to easier accessibility (once it became a peninsula), good highway and railway connections with the Armenian capital Yerevan, a well-developed tourist industry in the nearby…

Khedi Restaurant Tbilisi

19 April, 2023 | Restaurant reviews | 100 seen

In today's article, I am excited to announce the resumption of my restaurant reviews series, with a special focus on Tbilisi restaurants. I recently discovered a trendy restaurant called Khedi on Ketevan Samebuli avenue, and I cannot wait to share my experience with you.

On a rainy day in early April, my partner and I were searching for a decent dining place near the Tbilisi sea but were unable to find anything in the area. My partner suggested we consult her WhatsApp chat groups, where some expats highly recommended Khedi Restaurant, citing its incredible view of Tbilisi.

Upon arriving at the location and parking our car on a nearby street, we were a bit confused to find a hotel called Khedi instead of a restaurant. Nevertheless, we ventured inside and inquired with the receptionists about the restaurant's location. To our delight, they confirmed the existence of the restaurant and directed us to the 7th floor.

If you're fortunate enough to secure a window-side table, you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the old town.

After being a vegetarian for over a year, I have found myself gravitating towards soups like this one.

Badrijani…