Blog Archive: May 2023
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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How to Get around Istanbul for cheap with this ride-sharing Taxi app
I have traveled back and forth to Istanbul for dozen times, sometimes just by a connecting flight, sometimes just to spend a day or two in Istanbul. Most of the time, I have relied on shuttle services ordered from hotels or using public transportation. The last time when we visited Istanbul, via Sabiha Gokcen airport (May 2023) I noticed the price for one way transfer to the city center was EUR 60 (a few years ago I paid USD 40 for the same…
Week #24 Ethereum Options Trading Results (+0.058 ETH)
Greetings from Istanbul, Turkey. We come here for a short weekend trip to visit some kid's amusement parks, try the local cuisine and just to spend some good time together. For the past few days, I've been trading mostly from my iPhone. And I'm trading a lot, buying both Bitcoin and Ethereum perpetual future contracts. At the moment managing 5 portfolios on the Deribit platform. On Friday, May 26, 2023, 1 ETH traded at $1,829 while the total…
Jerusalem - Tel Aviv Train via Ben Gurion Airport in Israel
The highly anticipated new high-speed train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv via Ben Gurion Airport is now operating. The final destination of the Jerusalem train is Tel Aviv. The new Jerusalem to Tel Aviv train service is officially called King David Line. I have traveled by train from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem on New Year's Eve of 2023. The ticket price per passenger was about ISL 15. The train station is actually located inside the terminal…
Statue of Medea in Batumi
The Statue of Medea is located at Europe square in the Batumi city center. The Statue is dedicated to Medea, Colchian Princess from Greek mythology. Statue was opened to the public back in 2007. I have visited for many times Europe square and the statue of Medea, especially in the recent years when a McDonalds is opened next to the monument, so I decided add this pictursque place to the blog. A must have place to visiti once in Batumi: It is…
Grill Town Restaurant in Batumi
Grill Town restaurant in Batumi is among one of my best finds in recent years. Located close to the Sheraton Hotel on Rustaveli Avenue in Batumi. We first discovered this restaurant in some of our previous Batumi trips, so this time it was a no-brainer to visit this place. During our latest visit here in April 2023, it turned out to be the restaurant 1 year anniversary and we got some free Sangrias and very smiling staff members. Grill town…
Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport, is the main international airport of Israel. Situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod, it is the busiest airport in the country. It is located 45 kilometers (28 mi) to the northwest of Jerusalem and 20 kilometers (12 mi) to the southeast of Tel Aviv. I first visited it back in 2009, flying with Turkish Airlines from Riga (via Istanbul), and also have flown a direct flight by EL AL from Tbilisi and…
Investing with Bitcoin Futures and Covered Calls for 52 weeks
About 5 years ago I started a simple, so-called 52-Week Money Saving Challenge. The rules for this challenge are very simple - to deposit in the first week one euro, in the second week - two, third week - three, etc. The amount after each week continues to grow, up to the last week of the year when it is 52 euros. The final sum at the end of the investment period equals 1378. For this year's 52-week challenge, I have decided to scale it up…
How to Sell Covered Calls on Crypto (Ethereum) on Bybit with Futures
Selling covered calls on crypto might sound like a daunting task, but actually is quite easily doable. Unlike in the stock market, where actual shares are delivered when trading put or call options, in crypto things work a bit differently. The main difference between stock and crypto options - in crypto, options are settled in crypto itself, meaning there is no actual delivery of shares or crypto, just settlement. One way to trade covered…
Panorama Restaurant Batumi
Panorama Restaurant Batumi is located on the 36th floor of the Orbi skyscraper on 15b Sherif Khimshiashvili Street. We come here by recommendation in Mid-April 2023. Panorama Batumi is highly recommended because of the views, though the cuisine also is excellent. Places serve typical Georgian and European cuisine. Prices seem a bit above average but are still quite reasonable, for the service received. I believe the place is stunning for…
Ramon International Airport near Eilat in Israel
Ramon Airport, named after Ilan and Assaf Ramon, also known as Eilat-Ramon Airport, is an international airport located in the Timna Valley in southern Israel. Ramon Airport is the second busiest in Israel (after Ben Gurion Airport) and has replaced the former Eilat Airport and Ovda Airport for civilian traffic. It also serves as the primary diversion airport in Israel. The airport is located 18 km (11 mi) north of Eilat, next to Be'er Ora.…
Georgia / Turkey Border crossing at Sarpi
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…
Cash and Carry Trade with ETH on Deribit platform
Time after time I like to test some new trade ideas, and this time I decided to give it a try and test the so-called cash and carry trade with Ethereum. A cash-and-carry trade is an arbitrage strategy that exploits the mispricing between the underlying asset and its corresponding derivative. The key to profiting from this strategy is the eventual correction in that mispricing. Long story short, for the past couple of years I trade options with…
From Hot Pools to Frame Houses: Our Adventure in Kavtiskhevi
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…
Shopping in Batumi: Metrocity Mall
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…
Tbilisi Hills Golf Resort with Residences
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,…