Blog Archive: December 2015
An ex-pat living in Georgia since 2011, I trade stocks, take photographs, work out at the gym, and many more. Here I write about travel, finance, and other things that might interest me.
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Sieksāte Church and Monastery Complex Under Construction
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28 There is to be constructed a new Lutheran church and a monastery in Sieksāte Latvia. In above image you can see construction works from site from Summer 2015. Let me wish you all the best for next 2016!
Campsite Kurzemes Pērle
Campsite Kurzemes pērle is located in the beautiful and picturesque surroundings just 200 meters from the Sepenes Lake. I discovered this place doing a random driving around spectacular places in Latvia. Just after Podnieku Lake and Pastaiga mākoņos we turned our car and drove here. Kurzemes pērle actually is a campsite with accommodations, which should mean I should tag it under hotel reviews, but since we didn't stay here overnight I'm…
Expo Georgia Exhibition Center in Tbilisi
One of my first memories from Georgia are very related with Expo Georgia Exhibition center, back in April 2011 when I first arrived to Georgia, just shortly I had an opportunity to visit a fair held here - Caucasus Tourism Fair. Back then I realized how important this venue place is for doing business in Georgia. Caucasus Tourism Fair 2014 Georgian - Latvian Business Forum If you are up to meeting new prospects or looking for some strong ties…
Recreation Center Near Tirelu Lake - Pastaiga Mākoņos
We were just randomly driving around beautiful Latvia and headed here just after had a stop at Podnieku lake. This place is pretty popular and well known for locals and huge was our surprise when we noticed a turnpike which stopped our ride in the territory of this recreation center. There were no people or no option to call somebody to open the gates, so we left were we were, I made a few photos and turned our car back. I hope to visit this…
Kafe Bari Zodiako in Telavi
Kafe bari Zodiako, most probably in English would sound as Cafe - bar Zodiako, but I really enjoy the Georgian version. Kafe bari Zodiako is located in town of Telavi (Region of Kakheti) in Republic of Georgia. This place was recommended to us by our driver, when we were on Kakheti tour. Kafe bari Zodiako actually is a khinkali place, the only food you can get there is khinkali and really tasty and delicious khinkali. It is very much…
Operation - Saving Swans
That happened in Summer 2015 on a highway connecting Liepaja with Riga in Latvia. We were returning home from Liepāja and enjoyed a newly constructed (renovated) Liepāja highway, when suddenly we had to stop our car because of a Swan family walked just in the middle of the highway in front of our car. Swans looked confused, they were trying to get somewhere, as we later learned - they were searching for a lake. Swan family walking in the…
East Point Shopping Mall in Tbilisi
There is a new and modern shopping center recently built and opened for public in Tbilisi. Meet East Point. Located in suburbs of Varketili (neighborhood of Tbilisi) next to Kakheti highway on the road to Tbilisi Airport. More than 150 clothing, shoes and accessories fashion retailers under one roof for your unique taste. Bowling and 8-ball pool in a very exquisite environment. A huge entertainment area specially built for children, 10 movie…
Christmas Charity Winter Fair in Tbilisi 2015
Christmas charity Winter Fair was held in Tbilisi's Radisson Blu Iveria hotel on December 5, 2015. Winter fair was organized by International Women's Association Georgia (IWAG) and as in all previous year we paid a visit here and bought a lot of goodies. Money spent on such fairs goes to the charity, Read more: Christmas Charity Winter Fair in Tbilisi Sheraton Hotel (2014) Christmas charity fair in Tbilisi (2013) In this year's Winter fair a…
Minimum Wage Set to Rise in All Baltic States in 2016
There have been some positive improvements for raising the minimum wage in all three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) in recent years. And there are more to come. In 2016 minimum wage is set to rise in all Baltic states. Estonia will have a minimum wage of EUR 430; Latvia - EUR 370 and Lithuania - EUR 350. Update: Minimum Wage Set to Rise in the Baltic States in 2018 Here are my previous articles about minimum wage in Baltic…
Podnieku Lake Near Kalvene in Latvia
Podnieku lake is located close to the Kalvene in Western Latvia. We headed here while returning back from Liepāja (probably we were eating paella's and empanadas at Tex-Mex Klondaika restaurant prior). This lake seems in past has been some popular recreational area, there were a lot of camping sites and rumor has it here even was a cafeteria. Nobody knows for sure what happened to this place and why any development tasks has stopped. I believe…
Akhali (New) Shuamta Monastery Complex
If you are traveling to the region of Kakheti in Georgia and your road is leading through the Telavi town, there are a few interesting tourist sites to visit and one of them is monastery complex Akhali Shuamta. We arrived to this site just shortly we paid a visit to another Dzveli Shuamta monastery. In fact that's a good idea to visit both monastery complexes together. The monastery was founded in the XVI century by the king of Kakheti Leon…
Listening to Classical Music at Tbilisi Baroque Festival
Tbilisi Baroque Festival was held from November 13 till December 6, 2015 in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. There is something in the classical music. I don't know exactly what, but I have found that lately I'm starting to enjoy it. Maybe that was the reason I allowed to convince me to visit a Tbilisi Baroque festival. On December 3rd we visited Sergio Azzolini and Christine Busch concert in Rustaveli Theater. Tbilisi Baroque Festival About…
Visa Free Travel For Georgian Citizens Entering European Union
December 18, 2015 marked another important milestone for Georgia - European Commission agreed to lift visa requirements for Georgian citizens entering European Union. According to record from European Commission visa free travel will enter in force in 2016. I have been following Georgia's aspirations and developments entering and joining European organizations probably since day 1, when first arrived to Georgia back in April, 2011, and I…
Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art in Tbilisi
I don't call myself an art or museum person, thus time by time I visit some exhibition, and that's exactly happened again at start of December, 2015 - For the first time I visited Tbilisi MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). And it happened by accident. It started as a planed visit to classical music event in frames of Tbilisi Baroque Festival. We left our apartment early and had some time to spend on lively Rustaveli avenue, for a starter we headed to …
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Rustaveli Avenue (Tbilisi)
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf seems is a popular coffee shop brand in US. Thus I thought this is some Georgian brand when first noticed (and a lot of times actually visiting) the one located at Tbilisi Mall. In today's article about Tbilisi restaurants I will speak about The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. In this location there were before another great French style pastry Entree. Entree still is in business and you…