Blog Archive: October 2016
Green (Mtsvane) Monastery
| Churches and Monasteries | 35 seen
Green Monastery (The Chitakhevi St. George's Monastery) is located in a picturesque place in the Borjomi valley. People called it lovingly “The Green Monastery”, because all the trees in the valley are of a special green color. The stones, with which the church is built, are also green, but some are dark and some are light.
I have visited Green monastery few times, and always have messed up with good photography - last time I visited it (October, 2016) - I was too lazy to switch lenses and ended up with telephoto photography.
Alley leading to the Green Monastery
Make sure you switch your lenses before approaching closer - as to make an ideal photography - you should composite both the tower and church building into one frame - due to my laziness I ended up with two separate images.
Church building
Scientists believe that the church was built by Christopher and Theodore, the disciples of the famous Georgian figure, St. Gregory Khandzteli.
In the 16th century, during the invasions of Shah Thamaz, this monastery was raided. During this time dozens of monks were killed or tortured. The blood which…
Restaurant 'Porto' Near Plunge, Lithuania
| Restaurant reviews | 7 seen
Restaurant 'Porto' near town of Plunge in Lithuania is place were we stopped for about an hour to book a nearby hotel, using restaurants Wi-Fi and of course tried local cuisine.
It turned out that "Porto" is not only a restaurant but hotel as well. Thus, the hotel / restaurant is located next to the highway - it didn't seemed an option for this night, we decided to use online booking to check some other hotels and we ended booking hotel in Telsiai.
Hotel / Restaurant Porto near Plunge, Lithuania
There is a bowling hall located inside - Porto seems very popular place among locals.
Speaking of local cuisine - we ended with Pizza and some mushroom soup.
Pizza with horseradish
At first I was really surprised of horseradish topping, but later I even enjoyed it. Pretty Awesome, not a typical Italian pizza.
Cardinal points indicator
Lovely interior at Porto restaurant.
Žemaitė Memorial Museum, Bukantė Manor Homestead
| Museums | 17 seen
If you love rural tourism, you will love this place, which name is really hard to even spell - but here is the name: Žemaitė Memorial Museum, Bukantė Manor Homestead
Located in the Zemaitojos national park, district of Plunge, Lithuania. As usually we discovered this place by accident, making our trip to Vilnius, after making stops at Mosedis Catholic church and Idol Hill near Salantai we followed some God knows what road signs and found ourselves at this lovely Lithuanian farmstead/ museum
Wood sculpture
Bukantė village is known in Lithuania as the place of birth of the writer Žemaitė. Presently homestead was reopened (2012) and reconstructed with new expositions which offer:
- New exposition of writer`s belongings;
- Exposition of wooden art of S. Riauba;
- Cross-works. Folk art exposition of region Plungė.
Lithuanian farmstead
If you are fond of wooden architecture - you will enjoy it.
Zemaite Memorial Museum
Žemaitė (literally female Samogitian) – a pen name of…
Best of Armenia in Two days (Yerevan and Beyond)
| Travel guides | 9 seen
Armenia has been on my travel map since 2014 when I first visited it on a day when Visa-Free travel was enabled for European Union pass holders.
I arrived from Georgia (the country I have been living since 2011). Since then I have visited Armenia several more times, and all of them have turned out to be just another great trip experience.
See how I started a blog series on celebrating a birthday each year in another country: Celebrating Birthday in Yerevan, Armenia - Roundup or One Day Trip To Armenia (Lori Province)
Today I will tell a story (list places) I visited during my latest two day trip to Armenia in mid-March 2016. Here are top three places that impressed me most: Khor Virap monastery, the Temple of Garni and Geghard monastery complex.
Alternatively, take a look at my Yerevan Restaurant reviews or see a complete map of tourism objects I have discovered in Armenia.
Dear travelers, Armenian friends or expats living in Armenia, leave me a comment - which sites should I visit during my next trip to Armenia - as I will return very soon!
Three Year Blog Anniversary
| Blogging | 3 seen
On October 10th, we are celebrating already third blog anniversary of ReinisFischer.com. What have started as a simple experiment have turned out to be a successful business venture.
It's just amazing how fast time can fly, it feels just yesterday I wrote an article on second blog anniversary and day before yesterday I wrote summary for the first blogging anniversary, and just last week I launched this blog. Three years, three freaking years. Amazing and scary.
If I launched my blog from my Cozy Tbilisi apartment, reviews for the first and second year reviews I wrote from the same apartments (just different rooms), then now I'm finishing an article at Riga international airport, waiting for my flight back home to Tbilisi. That's actually strange, because most of my articles I produce either back in Tbilisi or at our lovely country house - see home remodeling. I don't like to write or even think about blogging when on travels - and I have developed a nice cheat - scheduled posts. Unfortunately I'm missing a post on October 10th, and double bad is - that's a blog's birthday. So here you go:
I started this blog thing with a simple goal - To…
Idol Hill (Alkakalnis) near Salantai, Lithuania
| Tourism objects | 10 seen
God's path are untraceable, without a strong reason we made our first stop in Lithuania at Mosedis catholic church, then left Mosedis and continued our road just straight (without any directions yet in our minds), when we noticed a road sign "Alka Kalnis 2km" and decided to take that turn and visit ancient Lithuanian pagan ritual place. Well what else could Alka Kalnis stand for? From my short Lithuanian knowledge Alka could mean Idol and kalnis goes for hill. Turns out an Idol Hill.
This place is located close to Salantai, and actually from the top of the hill pretty spectacular scene can be seen towards Salantai.
Alkakalnis
A small altar
Parking lot near Alkakalnis
You can get more info about this object on Lithuanian Wikipedia using Google Translate, see: Alko alkakalnis
Q3 2016 Blog Traffic & Income Report - 171,985 Users / $5,296.40
| Blogging | 13 seen
Welcome to the third quarterly traffic and income report update covering third (Q3) quarter of 2016 (July, August, September), in which I will reveal some secrets on how I made more that $5,000 and got traffic more than 170,000 unique users. Here is the link to the archive for previous online income reports.
If you are new to my blog, here is a brief explanation on sharing data on traffic and income:
I have been collecting and sharing data for my online success or failures since January 2014, back then my blog was 3 month old and I decided to start an online experiment - can someone actually make money through blogging? Now, I know it for sure - yes, you can, but it takes a time and determination. Back at January 2014, I made enormous eight dollars. Online income reports helps me to track my success or failures, and hopefully can inspire you as well.
Most of the time in third quarter of 2016 I spent on home remodeling works doing brick and mortar stuff (more on that in close future). My 31st birthday was on August and I took few days off to celebrate it abroad (again, more on that soon). As…
St. Michael Archangel Church in Mosėdis
| Churches and Monasteries | 7 seen
This church is located in the town of Mosėdis, Lithuania. St. Michael Archangel Church represents late Baroque style.
I visited this church in frames of my three days birthday trip across Lithuania (For the third year in a row I have a tradition to greet my birthday abroad in some country's capital, this year it was turn for Vilnius. Although Lithuania is already featured to my blog already with few interesting tourism objects - at the end of this trip I hope to supplement my collections list with many more cool sights). Mosedis was our first stop, after we crossed Latvian/ Lithuanian border through town of Ezere (Latvia).
The church of the late Baroque style is cross-planned, with two towers. There are 4 altars. The churchyard is fenced with high stone masonry.
St. Michael Archangel Church in Mosėdis
Monument of Lithuania's Architecture
Oliva Italian Restaurant in Yerevan
| Restaurant reviews | 9 seen
If you are looking for an authentic Italian cuisine, here is the simple advice - visit Italy, but if in case in place of Italy you have found yourself in Yerevan, Armenia - here is a good Italian Restaurant Oliva, which is worth to visit and enjoy really good Italian cuisine in pretty authentic atmosphere - live music in evenings or tasty tiramisu cake are just a few to name.
I first discovered Oliva restaurant back in 2014, when found they are serving breakfast brunch - more from my first impressions from Yereven restaurants see this article: Fine Dining Places In Yerevan
Located on Yeznik Koghbatsi street, Oliva turned out to be just a few meters from our Park Hotel Yerevan (we stayed here for couple of nights)
Oliva restaurant in Yerevan
Here you can taste common Italian dishes made of high - quality products. The tastes typical of Italy will take you to this wonderful country.
Tiramisu cake and cup of morning coffee
Simple, elegant and affordable Italian restaurant in the heart of Yerevan, visit oliva.am to learn more.
Artashi Mot Restaurant on Moskovyan Street in Yerevan
| Restaurant reviews | 27 seen
Artashi Mot restaurant was a recommendation from our friend and taxi driver Tom, shortly we returned from the trip to the temple of Garni and Geghard monastery back to Yerevan, we asked Tom for a good local restaurant he would suggest us, and he shortly took us to Moskovyan street and the tasty Armenian cuisine experience started.
Make sure you check out other Yerevan restaurant recommendations as well
Entrance at Artashi Mot on Moscovyan street
Interior at Artashi Mot
grilled meat - gharsy khorovats
A really great alternative to Georgian kababs.
My favorite salads - plain cucumber and tomato salads
About Artashi MotThis grill house is unique for its famous “Gharsy Khorovats” (roasted meat), which is made by experienced chefs only from fresh, ecologically pure meat on natural coal. You can also taste the same meals that are offered in the grill house “Artashi Mot”. One portion will cost to You 600 AMD, which is a fantastically low price for such a tasty dish. We have also delivery service for 300-500 AMD per order, no matter what the size. Visit “Artashi Mot” and You will…
Geghard Monastery Complex in Armenia
| Churches and Monasteries | 97 seen
Geghard is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I first heard about this monastery in some Travel Channel series on Armenia, I remember I was surprised when journalist told that this church is actually cut into the rock. At start of the March (2016) I visited Armenia again, and this time I decided to visit some of the most interesting tourism objects in Armenia.
My biggest discoveries during this trip to Armenia were following - Khor Virap, the Temple of Garni and Geghrard monastery - the last two are recommended to visit together, as they are located on the same route.
I really love church photography, and if you have been following my blog for a while - you have noticed I have created a separate churches and monasteries category listing my notes and photography.
Geghard monastery
From Wikipedia - While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the…
Temple of Garni, Armenia
| Churches and Monasteries | 33 seen
The Temple of Garni is a classical Hellenistic temple in Garni, Armenia. It is perhaps the best-known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia. It was probably built by king Tiridates I in the first century AD as a temple to the sun god Mihr.
We visited the Temple of Garni the next morning after our beautiful visit to Khor Virap monastery complex near border of Turkey. I called to my good old friend Tom (a taxi driver) and he picked us at our Park Hotel Yerevan, and off we were for the Temple of Garni and the nearby medieval monastery of Geghard. It was just later I learnt that both the Temple of Garni and monastery of Geghard are one of the main tourism objects in Armenia. Amazing. If I had a chance to add a must have attractions while in Armenia, I would suggest to visit Khor Virap monastery also.
The Temple of Garni
I was equipped with a tripod and some lens, no surprise I made a panoramic photography here.
After Armenia's conversion to Christianity in the early fourth century, it was converted into a royal summer house of Khosrovidukht…
How to List Related Tags on Drupal Taxonomy Pages Using Views
| Drupal Development | 28 seen
Make sure you check out my previous article How to List Drupal Child Terms on Taxonomy Pages with Views as today I will extend a little bit my previous tutorial and at the end we will add related tags on taxonomy pages using views.
Tools (modules) you will need: Views module and taxonomy module enabled.
Here is the print screen:
Listing related tags on Drupal taxonomy page
Or see live example at Drupal development (or any tag on this blog)
This will work with simple one taxonomy per content type enabled and it will work with multiple taxonomy fields enabled per content type. I'm using two level taxonomy fields - first I have a pre-defined taxonomy fields including child levels, second I have second taxonomy field with tagging enabled in free format. Which basically means following - each article is listed into pre-defined category, like this one goes into Drupal Development, and second tags are added in free format, for example Views, Drupal tutorial...
In following example we are going to use the power of Views attachments:
Drupal view with attachment…