Tourism objects

The Elizabeth Tower is the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. It contains the Great Clock, a striking clock with five bells. The tower is nicknamed "Big Ben", a name which was originally applied only to the largest bell of the clock. The tower was officially called the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Probably one of the most recognizable tourist attractions around the World. I first had a chance to visit it, in…

The Enguri Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Enguri River in Tsalenjikha, Georgia. Currently, it is the world's second-highest concrete arch dam with a height of 271.5 meters (891 ft). It is located north of the town of Jvari. It is part of the Enguri Hydroelectric Power Station (HES) which is partially located in Abkhazia. In the past, I had heard about this damn but didn't expect I will actually visit it during our few-day trip to Svaneti at the end of September 2023.  Construction of the…

Khobi is a small town in western Georgia with a population of 4,242. The settlement of Khobi acquired the status of a town in 1981 and currently functions as an administrative center of the Khobi District within the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. I first visited this small town at the end of September 2023, during a few-day trip to Svaneti, we made a stop at what seems a central square of the city, found a nice cafe, and enjoyed some light breakfast/dinner.  There is an impressive mural…

Dadiani Palace is an interesting site to visit once in Zugdidi, there is actually located the histroy and architecture musem. The Dadiani Palaces History and Architecture Museum is considered to be one of the most eminent palaces in the Caucasus. It is a Neo-Gothic building. I had heard so much about this place, but finally visited and took off my bucket list at the end of September 2023, during a few-day Svaneti trip together with my mom. We were traveling with Vazha, our good old friend and…

The Champ de Mars  is a large public greenspace in Paris, France, located in the seventh arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the southeast. The park is named after the Campus Martius ("Mars Field") in Rome, which was dedicated to the god Mars. The name alludes to the fact that the lawns here were formerly used as drilling and marching grounds by the French military.  We visited Champ de Mars, and had an amazing picnic in the footsteps of the…

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. Constructed from 1887, it is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. I first visited this iconic place back in 1990 or 1991, together with my mom and brother. back then I was about 5 year old, but I still remmebr that trip from Latvia to France with bus. Quite good memories. One of my first foreign trips.  Now, last time we visited Eiffel tower in Paris back in…

The Jardin du Luxembour, known in English as the Luxembourg Garden, colloquially referred to as the Jardin du Sénat (Senate Garden), is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. Creation of the garden began in 1612 when Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, constructed the Luxembourg Palace as her new residence. The garden today is owned by the French Senate, which meets in the Palace. It covers 23 hectares (56.8 acres) and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades,…

Founded in 2001, Shumi Winery is a leading producer of high-quality Georgian wines. Its large estate is located in the Kakheti wine region’s famous Tsinandali village. A nice stop when traveling to the region of Kakheti. There is a wineshop, restaurant, and of course vineyards at the territory complex. Shumi Winery takes its name from an old Georgian word that means authentic, undiluted wine. The winery’s griffin logo refers to “Phaskunji”, a creature from Georgian mythology. Legend has it…

Vialand Theme Park is a huge amusement park and shopping mall located in Istanbul, Turkey. We visited this theme park at the end of May 2023, during our weekend trip to Istanbul. We paid a 240 USD entry fee for a family of three (also kids pay full fare). After visiting the park I was left with the feeling that the price might be way too overpriced for the attractions we actually used.  As we were traveling with our 4-year-old daughter, we were using just the bare minimum. The total price of…

During our latest trip to Sri Lanka at the start of 2022, we visited this small and interesting Moonstone Mine - Beruwalage Gems & Jewelry.  We were taken here by our driver / guide we ordered back in the hotel for the day trip to Galle.  Moonstone is a fascinating gemstone that is found abundantly in Sri Lanka. This gemstone has been revered for centuries for its unique beauty, metaphysical properties, and historical significance. Sri Lanka is one of the world's top producers of…