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Skrunda Open-Air Stage and Park
I just love Skrunda, like I have dedicated a lot of posts to this lovely small Latvian town in Western Latvia. So today is no exception - meet another tourist attraction in this marvelous town - Open air stage and park. You will just love this place. Skrunda park with an open-air stage and the viewing platform. The park is developed on top of the Skrunda castle mound and features four public art objects made by wood carver Ģirts Burvis – seats…
Saint George Church and Monastery (Borjomi/Georgia)
I was not familiar with the name of this place, until during a recent hiking trip in Georgia and latter at home using Google Maps I learned this place is known as Saint George Church. The name I used to knew it - was something like this - there is that lovely women monastery up there in Borjomi. And I'm still preferring this name of describing this place instead of Saint George Church. The Sadgeri St. George Church is the XV…
Skrunda Manor and Hotel
Skrunda Manor is an attractive final destination in the culturally historical region of Kurzeme (Courland) in Latvia. What's use to been a manor house now is turned into a boutique hotel in Western Latvia. I know for sure they have restaurant on site and after midnight you can get a take away coffee at reception (well, don't forget about tips to the receptionist). I visited this place at the start of June 2015, since I was a little bit in rush…
Brethren Cemetery ensemble in Nīkrāce (Latvia)
It was hard for me to decide should I put this place as a tourist attraction or as a military heritage, I opted for the second one. You see, things related to WW2, especially like Brethren Cemeteries is hard to call tourist attractions, right? So, here is another one interesting place in Latvia, region of Courland you should visit some day - a memorial dedicated to fatalities of WW2. Some locals call this place just as a Mother (Latvian: Māmuļa…
Simple Homemade Hamburger Recipe With Photos
What happens when bloggers, who are trying out some new photo equipment and who loves to cook comes together? Right, they do a food blog. This time blogger here is just one (I do have a lovely assistant) and strong jury although. So, lets make a really simple hamburger today. For ingredients you will need to have those lovely buns (you can try to buy them at your local shop), for patties I'm going to use ground meat (minced meat) out…
Lēnas Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church (Latvia)
Lēnu church (Latvian: Lēnu baznīca) is located in Latvia, historical region of Courland in Skrunda municipality. I first discovered this place either in 2013, or 2014, and in fact I was surprised to learn than in Western Latvia (Courland) there are actually Catholic churches (turns out - there are, and a lot) Lenu church At time (On June 6, 2015) I visited this church a festival called Night of Churches happened, which…
Temple of Saint Seraphim of Sarov (Borjomi/Georgia)
Temple of Saint Seraphim of Sarov is located close to Borjomi (some 1.5km) in Georgia. You can get here either by car or as I prefer - by foot using Borjomi - Baghi - Tba - Tsemi road. That's actually exactly we did at the end of September during our hiking tour in Borjomi. I must admit this was not the first time for me at this place, but prior to that I didn't know the name and meaning of this place. Now I know, so the place is actually called…
Actual Price Index in Tbilisi Market (Georgia) - At Start of October 2015
Right, this might probably sound as yet another hipster style article and probably you are right. The thing is - during month of October I have decided to write down my everyday expenses and in the next month I will provide article on Cost of Living in Tbilisi (Georgia). Since it was start of October, I headed to Google Play store to download first expense tracking app and started to write down my expenses. I had to visit Tbilisi…
Barbecue Festival in Akhtala (Armenia)
At the start of September 2015, we booked a one day tour to Armenia. This trip took us to Lori province in Armenia, which actually is pretty close to Georgian border. During this trip we had a stops at Haghpat monastery, Sanahin monastery and Akhtala monastey. It turned out that at our final destination place - the Akhtala monastery, a barbecue festival was held. At start I did find it a bit strange - a barbeque and a monastery? Well...…
Borjomi Cable Car (Aerial Tram)
One of the most interesting attractions in Georgian resort town of Borjomi is a cable car leaving from Mineral Water Park and heading uphill offering lovely and scenery views of Mineral Water park. Sometimes it's just enough to take that ride here to enjoy those scenery and beautiful views of Borjomi. Cable car station in Borjomi There is actually just one cable car available at this station. Price for a ride per person 3 GEL…
First Georgia Expat Photographer Club Meeting
On September 19th, 2015 First meeting of Georgia Expat Photographers Club happened. As some of you already know - in the middle of this Summer Johann approached me with his idea to create a photo/travel club, and back then we established a community on Facebook. Read more on that here: Georgia Expat Photography Club Since our community was established on Facebook (if you are up to for something in Georgia, then Facebook is your best…
Super moon Total Lunar Eclipse 2015: Tbilisi, Georgia
Total lunar eclipse was fully visible in Tbilisi, Georgia on September 28, 2015 between 05:07 and 06:55 (Tbilisi time). I must admit that I really enjoy photography, but I had never ever done anything like this (photographing lunar eclipse) before. This night was one of the strangest and mysterious nights I have experienced this year (at least) - what was meant to be just a photography turned ou to be a man's rescue from cold…
Rhododendron Garden in Cirava (Latvia)
If you are heading to a remote Latvian village Cirava, you have few options to make your visit pleasant here, like there are very interesting but abandoned manor complex and a lovely church.However, local residents at Cirava has something else to offer for both local and foreign travelers - a rhododendron garden located in territory of cemetery. Well, if you are hoping to see here something like Keukenhofs tulip gardens, then .. then go to…
Akhtala Monastery in Armenia
Akhtala monastery was our third and last stop during our short one day trip to Armenia, before returning to Tbilisi. Prior to Akhtala monastery we visited Haghpat monastery and Sanahin monastery. The truth is - our trip was made especially to visit Akhtala because of a barbeque festival was held here. I will cover some details (and photos) about that festival in some of the next blog posts, but today I decided to share some photography I…
Sanahin Monastery in Armenia
Sanahin monastery is located in province of Lori in Armenia, close to Georgian border. Sanahin monastery was second site we visited during our short one day trip to Armenia, just shortly after we visited Haghpat monastery. I was so eager to master a photography using my DSLR camera and a tripod (it's damn hard to use a tripod in 30 minutes sightseeing tour) so I didn't actually paid much attention on history a local guides were telling about…
Haghpat Monastery in Armenia
Haghpat monastery, together with Sanahin monastery, are placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1996. At the start of September we booked a one day tour from Tbilisi to Armenia, and I had chance to visit both Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries. Since this time I was less into history, more into photography, that's what I exactly did - I photographed both places. Today I will start with photography of Haghpat Monastery…
Gardenia Shevardnadze - Flower Garden in Tbilisi
Gardenia Shevardnadze is a lovely garden of ornamental plants, located close to the Tbilisi Sea, where you can buy seedlings for your yard, balcony, terrace, home, or office. Or just enjoy a tranquil afternoon. I first discovered Gardenia Shevardnadze back in 2014 while Cycling to Tbilisi sea and back We have been returning to this place ever since. Sometimes with a tripod, sometimes not. Sometimes for macro photography,…
Cirava Evangelic Lutheran Church
Cirava Evangelic Lutheran Church is located in historical region of Courland in Latvia. Cirava church is closely located to Cirava manor complex, those of you traveling to Latvia and especially to Courland, it's woth to pay a visit to Cirava as well. Cirava Church This massive church has been built in 1780-1781, and had been rebuilt in 1876 and 1888. The church is known for its exquisite Rococo altar, pulpit and organ. Read more (…
Abandoned Manor Complex in Cirava (Latvia)
Now, this was a quite interesting experience discovering a small village in western Latvia (region of Courland) - Cirava. I was so fascinated about this place that I decided to make two separate articles - one for the manor complex and the second for the church. Today I will write about the manor complex which actually seemed abandoned for me, but as it turns out it's actually sold to some Italian investor for about EUR 700 000 back in…
Monument to the Sailors and Fishermen Perished in the Sea (Liepāja)
Although this monument in Liepaja (in seaside park) is dedicated to the sailors and fishermen perished in the sea I decided to add this place in military heritage category, because for me it kinda reminds something from Soviet military. Well actually this is a great example of Latvian architecture, as it turns out it's designed by local Latvian designers Alberts Terpilovskis and Gunārs Asaris. Anyway - once in Liepaja, this place is a worth of…
Practicing Photography: Doing Night Shots - Tbilisi By Night
Tonight was one, a really great evening, it was the first time I started to understand how ISO actually works. I took my DSLR camera, a tripod and a friend of mine and we headed to Zaarbrucken Square (Dry Bridge) in Tbilisi. At start I was planing to make some photos at Rose Garden (I actually did) but latter, when post-processed, I understood they don't look so interesting as images attached bellow. Sameba Cathedral in Tbilisi by…
Liepāja Seaside Park and Blue Flag Beach
I'm continuing my Latvia travel guide notes I have taken (photographed) at start of the June 2015. This time I visited a lovely Liepaja Seaside Park and Blue Flag Beach. Map of the Liepaja seaside park According to the official Latvia Travel guide - This is the Latvia's largest dendrological park, now extending for about 50 ha, was gradually developed from 1870 to the early 20th century. The park boasts more than 140 different…
Asus X552M Laptop Review
For a long time I have been making laptop reviews, since yesterday I bought a brand new ASUS X552M laptop on a local Georgian Carrefour shop I decided to describe my first impressions and a few photos of my new best buddy. This model I believe is only available in Europe, for North American customers I believe there is an ASUS D550MAV or something. I could probably buy this one or even a better one for even a cheaper price…
New Orleans - Most Unique in United States
I'm continuing to summarize my memories from my latest trip to US back in Summer of 2013. Finally we have arrived at the city I probably like a lot - New Orleans. City of alternative cuisine, Jazz birthplace a lot of Voodoo and ... most interesting emotions from US. Although we spent some week or even more here, we actually settled in a another much smaller and much quiet town of Gretna. We did spent our nights at Gretna while our days…