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.
Latest articles
#8 Coin of the Week: BTC (Bitcoin)
I keep growing the Terramatris crypto hedge fund bit after bit by selling put options on Ethereum and Bitcoin. Every week we choose one crypto coin and invest all premium in it. In the last weeks, we have already invested in XLM, ETH, USDC, and BTC. I have decided to stick with these 4 tickers until we grow the portfolio to at least 0.1 ETH or 0.01 BTC, thus enabling covered call writing on these positions. On week 8th, we are returning to…
Tbilisi Marathon 2023 & Tbilisoba
October 2023 witnessed the dynamic convergence of two major events in the heart of Georgia - the Tbilisi Marathon and the Tbilisi City Festival, famously known as Tbilisoba. As proud participants in both celebrations, we embarked on a journey that encapsulated the spirit, diversity, and unity that defines this vibrant city. Buckle up as we share our firsthand experience, offering you a glimpse into the exhilarating festivities that unfolded.The…
10K Challenge: Conquering Tbilisi Marathon with Caucasus Translations and Terramatris
On October 1st, 2023 Tbilisi Marathon was held (organized by Heildebergcement and I participated in running 10 kilometer distance setting my personal record, finishing in 1 hour 10 minutes, and 1 second. After our successful start at Tbilisi Fun Run in early spring, we decided to challenge ourselves one more time and most team members from Caucasus Translations joined the race. Before the race, I took 4 training sessions on running 10K,…
Bitcoin Contango Trade with potential 12% return in 28 days
While working on the Terramatris crypto hedge fund I came up with an idea once in a month to re-invest the total value of the fund into the so-called Bitcoin contango trades. As the total value of the fund was about $74 at the end of September that's capital I put in work with bitcoin futures. Without further ado: On September 29, 2023, I bought Bitcoin perpetual futures worth 0.135 BTC at $27,162.50 per Bitcoin and simultaneously sold October…
Art Cafe Qartuli in Khashuri / The Georgian
Ar Cafe Qartuli also called The Georgian is a lovely roadside restaurant near the town of Khashuri (located next to Khashuri - Borjomi highway) which serves typical Georgian cuisine. The pricing is quite affordable, the cuisine is delicious and the interior is nice. When traveling form Tbilisi to Borjomi, I highly recomend to take a stop here, just after finished the Khashuri circle. they have it all - khinkali, khachapuri, badrijaani, even…
#7 Coin of the Week: USDC
I keep growing the Terramatris crypto hedge fund bit after bit by selling put options on Ethereum. Every week we choose one crypto coin and invest all premium in it. In the last weeks, we have already invested in XLM, ETH, USDC, and BTC. I have decided to stick with these 4 tickers until we grow the portfolio to at least 0.1 ETH or 0.01 BTC, thus enabling covered call writing on these positions. On week 7th, we are returning to USDC coin -…
Svaneti movie
After over a decade in exile, the moment finally arrived – I set foot in the enchanting region of Svaneti last weekend, and the experience was nothing short of magical. Accompanied by our trusted friend, Vazha, we embarked on a road trip that traced the scenic route from Kutaisi to Mestia and Ushguli, with a return via Leteknhi. This four-day sojourn unfolded like a cinematic narrative, with each stop revealing the rich tapestry of Svaneti's…
Last chance workout on the trails around Turtle Lake before Tbilisi Marathon
After our successful start at the Tbilisi Adventure run back in April I gathered everyone from the Caucasus Translations office for the Tbilisi Marathon Run in October (2023). This time we applied for a 10K distance. To test my limits I started to train for the 10K run at the gym on a treadmill. Surprisingly my results were quite good, and maybe that's why Olga (Latvian explat), after seeing some of my Facebook posts invited me to join her for…
All in Crypto
On September 27, 2023, I decided to withdraw all funds available from my stock brokerage account and put them to work at Terramatris crypto hedge fund. I have been thinking about this move for ages, and finally just did it. All the funds are used for writing put options on Ethereum, thus growing the total portfolio. Today's withdrawal will give about a $40/mo boost to our hedge fund. Not much, not little. Taking into account that I'm growing…
Sweet Home garage apartment in Borjomi
Sweet Home apartment is located on Rustaveli street 51, Borjomi. What really makes this place stand out - this is a kind of garage apartment or more precisely apartment built a top of a garage. We booked this place for a one-night stay at the end of August 2023 and paid GEL 80, in cash. At the start, I was a bit skeptical about this place, but once I saw the inside interior I was truly fascinated. Kind owner even offered as a free parking…
#6 Coin of the Week: Ethereum (ETH)
I've been working on the Terramatris crypto hedge fund, growing the portfolio from scratch by selling put options on Ethereum. Every week we choose one crypto coin and invest all premium in it. In the last weeks, we have already invested in XLM, ETH, USDC, and BTC. I have decided to stick with these 4 tickers until we grow the portfolio to at least 0.1 ETH or 0.01 BTC, thus enabling covered call writing on these positions. On week 6th, we are…
Capturing Contango with Gold Futures Spread
On September 21, 2023, I bought 1 October 27, 2023 expiry long Gold futures contract at 1,919.30 and sold 1 November 28, 2023 expiry short Gold futures contract at 1928.4. The difference between both legs is -9.1. To make any profit the spreads of the legs should be less than -9.1 by October 27, 2023. I have been observing Gold Futres for most of September and in fact, I already opened one such trade in my other stock portfolio, but the reason…
Capturing Bitcoin Contango Trade with Perpetual Futures
There are several ways to trade and invest with cryptocurrencies. During the several years since I've been exposed to the crypto market, I have learned quite a lot. Starting simple buy and hold, margin trading, lending, short selling, crypto options, crypto futures, and more. In today's article, I will share some lesser-known, market-neutral, and almost zero risk trade, we use at Terramatris crypto hedge fund to grow our portfolio. Meet - The…
Champ de Mars
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,…
Tbilisi's Revitalized Beauty: Aghmashenebeli Avenue and Dry Bridge
It was one of the few weekends, at the start of September 2023, when we decided to stay in Tbilisi, instead of traveling around Georgia, and spend quality time in the city. We agreed to walk by foot to Aghmashenebeli Avenue, and from there visit Dry Bridge and Orbeliani Square, and depending on the mood return home or keep exploring the city. I remember this area before the great restoration works started, and I love returning here time after…