Tsikhisdziri & Batumi Botanical Garden
After returning from our amazing trip to Thessaloniki, we decided to extend our holiday a bit longer — this time in beautiful Tsikhisdziri. Huge thanks to Eto for kindly offering her cozy apartments at Bambo Beach, where we enjoyed a full week of relaxation by the sea.During our stay, we explored local gems like Shukura Tsikhisdziri (შუქურა ციხისძირი), savored delicious Georgian food, and took a peaceful stroll through the Batumi Botanical Garden.The result? A short travel movie that captures the essence of our Tsikhisdziri escape — sun, sea, good food, and great vibes.
Unique newsreel footage of the Battle in the Courland Pocket. ‘The Baltic Verdun’ (1944–1945)
Earlier today, YouTube unexpectedly recommended a Russian-language documentary titled “The Baltic Verdun (1944–1945)”, produced by Frontline Chronicles. The film presents rare archival footage from the Battle in the Courland Pocket, a series of fierce engagements fought in western Latvia during the final months of World War II.It seems the algorithm did its job remarkably well — because this documentary touches directly on places connected to my own family history. My grandfather, Solomon Fischer (1913–1995) — a Holocaust survivor who later served in the Red Army (1941-1945)— fought in several of the very locations mentioned in the film: Blīdene, Saldus, and nearby areas.The documentary…
Summer in Latvia 2025
Summer in Latvia movie is out - Join us on our July (2025) journey through Latvia: installing a bathtub in our countryside cottage, setting up a pop-up store at Bangotnes, celebrating a birthday in Vērbeļnieki, traveling via Riga to Jaunpiebalga, Vecpiebalga, Smiltene, and Valka. From sipping sparkling wine with swallows to running 4K morning runs, and so much more, this film captures the essence of a vibrant Latvian summer. Enjoy the video and thumbs up!
How To incorporate an LLC in Wyoming for a Crypto Hedge Fund
When setting up Terramatris, our crypto hedge fund, one of the earliest strategic decisions we faced was choosing the right jurisdiction for incorporation. After weighing options like the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands or Panama, we ultimately decided on Wyoming, USA. Here’s why.Many hedge funds gravitate toward Caribbean jurisdictions because of their established offshore structures and global recognition. However, for Terramatris, Wyoming offered three key advantages:Speed and Ease of Incorporation – Setting up an LLC in Wyoming is straightforward and fast.Cost-Effectiveness – Incorporation and annual fees are lower compared to traditional offshore hubs.Strong Legal Framework –…
Chateau Ateni. Gori
This time (May 2025), our journey takes us to Gori and the enchanting Chateau Ateni - a hidden gem where authentic Georgian cuisine blends seamlessly with avant-garde natural wines, soulful traditional dance, and even the charming surprise of a small chick farm.What makes this trip extra special is sharing it with our Latvian/Georgian friends, Soso and Ilva, whose warm hospitality turned the visit into a memory to treasure. We stayed in their lovely cottages, cozy retreats surrounded by nature, and had the joy of sipping on their very own pet-nat wine under the Georgian skies. It was a weekend filled with laughter, storytelling, and the simple pleasures of food, and wine - proof…
Birthday in Thessaloniki, Greece
Turning 40 is a milestone worth celebrating in style, and what better way than in Thessaloniki — a city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and cuisine. From affordable flights and boutique stays to seafood feasts and hidden beaches, our journey turned into an unforgettable week-long adventure.Getting There: Kutaisi to ThessalonikiOur adventure began in Kutaisi, Georgia, with a direct Wizzair flight to Thessaloniki. Wizzair’s budget-friendly routes made the trip smooth and convenient, a reminder that Europe’s treasures are often closer (and cheaper) than we think. Just a couple of hours in the air, and we landed in the heart of northern Greece — the gateway to the Mediterranean.Where…
Azeula Fortress, Tbilisi Sea, and Ateni Sioni
August ended with yet another packed and memorable weekend in Georgia. This time, our journey took us from the hills near Kojori to the refreshing waters of the Tbilisi Sea, and finally to the historical town of Gori, where we enjoyed a hearty Sunday brunch and paid a visit to the ancient Ateni Sioni Church.I had heard so much about Azeula Fortress (also known as Kojori Fortress) over the years, yet for some reason, I had never actually made the trip. That changed at the end of August, when we finally decided to explore it.Perched high above Kojori, just a short drive from Tbilisi, the fortress is a fascinating blend of medieval history and natural beauty. The hike up is moderately…
Israel & Cyprus 2025
At the beginning of May 2025, we embarked on a 4-day trip to Israel to reconnect with the Fischer family. We explored beautiful beaches, savored delicious local cuisine, and enjoyed quality time together. From Tel Aviv, we continued our journey to Cyprus to attend one of the largest conferences in the translation industry. While Sandra was actively engaged in networking at the event, we spent our time relaxing by the pools, making the most of the sunny Mediterranean atmosphere.Also see: Israel Movie 2022 / 2023
12 Rounds Boxing Club in Tbilisi
Sometimes even the most loyal gym-goers need to shake things up—and that's exactly what I did this month. After years of training at the "luxurious Axis Tower gym", I decided to take a short break. Not because I had any complaints about the quality or experience—quite the opposite—but because the price difference was just too significant to ignore. Enter: 12 Rounds Boxing Club.Let’s talk numbers. My monthly Axis Tower gym membership runs at GEL 700 (they do have frequent discount and sometimes you can get there at 500 GEL). While it’s worth every lari for the facilities, environment, and perks like sauna, pool, and networking, I was curious to explore more cost-effective alternatives.So for…
Spring Break in Latvia 2025
Every year, it’s become a beloved tradition for us to head to Latvia during the Easter school holidays—our special spring break getaway. This isn’t just any vacation; it’s a hands-on family adventure packed with progress, nature, and unforgettable memories.In this year’s Spring Break movie, we take you behind the scenes of our latest trip. One of the highlights? We finally installed those massive 3x3 meter windows in our frame house—an upgrade that’s truly transforming the space! But we didn’t stop there. With shovels in hand and spring in the air, we also planted a dozen vibrant new plants, adding life and color to the surroundings.Of course, there’s more to see—moments of laughter, hard…
Larnaca International Airport
This spring, I took a memorable trip that involved connecting through three countries in less than two weeks—starting in Tbilisi, Georgia, spending a few days in Israel, and finally heading to Cyprus for a short but enriching stay. What stood out most was just how short and easy the flight was between Israel and Cyprus—a route I had never seriously considered before.Our journey began in Tbilisi, flying to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, where we stayed for several days to visit relatives. These family moments added a personal and grounding start to what would soon shift into a more exploratory leg of the trip.After spending quality time in Israel, we boarded a short flight from Tel Aviv to…
Frame House Upgrades: Big Windows, New Porch, and Apple Trees Planted in Latvia
In mid-April, during our kiddo’s Easter school break, we traveled to Latvia for about 10 days — a trip packed with projects, energy, and transformation. A lot of pre-planning had gone into it before we even arrived: we ordered the windows, sourced the plants, and mapped out the main tasks. Once we landed, it was all about execution — and we got a lot done.One of the most transformative updates was installing our huge 3x3 meter windows. In the end I decided to split them into 1X3X3These oversized panes completely changed the feel of the house — flooding the space with natural light and giving us panoramic views of the land. Now, no matter where you stand, the outdoors feels just a step away…
Pūre Horticultural Research Station
In mid-April 2025, we took an exciting step toward our vision of a Latvian craft cider brewery by purchasing several Antonovka apple trees and other varieties from the renowned Pūre Horticultural Experimental Station (Latvian: Pūres dārzkopības izmēģinājumu stacija).This wasn’t a random choice. Pūre is one of Latvia’s most respected institutions in plant cultivation and horticultural research. With decades of hands-on experience in the Latvian climate, they offer proven expertise in selecting trees and plants that can thrive through our seasons — cold winters, unpredictable springs, and all.Their staff provided solid recommendations not only for Antonovka, which is famous for its hardiness…
Samshvilde Canyon Hiking
Our go-to hiking spot in Georgia has always been Birtvisi Canyon. With its striking rock formations, narrow passages, and unbeatable views, it’s a place we return to again and again. But last Sunday, we felt like trying something new.So we picked a place we’d heard about but never explored properly: Samshvilde Canyon.In fact we almost find it few years ago, but turned our car around because the road didn't seem proper. See: Hiking at Birtvisi Canyon. This time we risked bit more. Located not far from the town of Tetritskaro, Samshvilde is known for its quiet trails and historic ruins, including the remains of the ancient Samshvilde Fortress. We packed up for a casual day hike,…
How I Upgraded XTRF on Ubuntu with PostgreSQL 14 (and Fixed Every Broken Dependency)
Upgrading an XTRF instance—especially one that has aged alongside older OS and database stacks—is never a walk in the park. In this article, I’ll walk you through the real-world path I took, upgrading from Ubuntu 18.04 all the way to 22.04, aligning PostgreSQL to a supported version, and overcoming the nuanced issues involved in deploying XTRF on Jboss. Most importantly, I’ll highlight how AI—specifically ChatGPT—helped me tackle the hard problems, including log file analysis and patching .war deployments.XTRF is a popular Translation management system we use at our Translation company in TbilisiOur system was running on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with PostgreSQL 11, which shipped by default with…
David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia and Georgian-Jewish Relations
Tbilisi is a city full of hidden corners, rich history, and quiet treasures, one of which I recently discovered: the David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia and Georgian-Jewish Relations.Over the years, I've gradually learned that Georgia has a deeply rooted Jewish presence. There's even a Jewish Quarter in Tbilisi, which I came across during my many walks through the city's charming old streets. Historically, Jewish communities have lived in Georgia for centuries — a fact that, at first, surprised me. My curiosity about this history grew even stronger after meeting a Georgian Jew during a visit to Israel, a moment that further highlighted the global and interconnected nature…
Postcards from Marseille
It’s been nearly two years since our last trip to Marseille, a sun-drenched jewel on France’s southern coast that left an indelible mark on our memories. That summer of 2023, we set out to explore the city’s vibrant beaches and winding old town, arriving and departing through the bustling hub of Marseille St. Charles train station. As I sit down to write this, the sights, sounds, and scents of that journey come flooding back—postcards from a city that effortlessly blends grit, charm, and Mediterranean allure.Our adventure began at Marseille St. Charles, a grand station perched atop a hill, its wide steps offering a sweeping view of the city sprawling toward the sea. The station itself…
Fish Market near Gori
This Fish Market is located about 2 kilometers outside Gori, right off the Tbilisi highway, that we hit up at the end of March 2025. Me and a few friends drove over from Kabitskhevi because someone swore the smoked fish there was worth it. Spoiler: they weren’t wrong.The place isn’t hard to spot—just a little setup with a fish farm, a small shop, and a restaurant tucked in there too. We didn’t wander in by accident; we came straight for it. The shop was packed with good stuff: smoked fish that smelled amazing, jars of salmon caviar, some local nuts, and—get this—frozen octopus. I don’t even know where they got that, but we bought it anyway.The smoked fish was the main draw. Tasted fresh,…
Plage des Catalans: A Shrinking Memory in Marseille
Plage des Catalans, a sandy crescent tucked along Marseille’s coastline, holds a special place in my travel tapestry. I first visited this beach in the summer of 2003, a carefree stop during my early adventures in the city. Back then, it felt like a haven—close to the bustling port yet offering a slice of Mediterranean calm. When I returned 20 years later, in the summer of 2023, I was taken aback by how small it seemed. Had my memory inflated its size, or had something changed? I stood there, puzzled, wondering if I’d mixed up the location or if real estate projects had nibbled away at its edges. Over two decades, it seems the developers have claimed their share, shrinking what once…
From Paris to Marseille by High Speed Ouigo Train
Traveling from Paris to Marseille is a rite of passage for anyone craving the thrill of France’s high-speed rails. Twenty years ago, in the summer of 2003, I first made the 900-kilometer journey by TGV, marveling as the countryside blurred past in just three hours. That memory—of speed, comfort, and the promise of Marseille—stuck with me. So, during our latest trip to France in the summer of 2023, I suggested we relive it. This time, we snagged cheap tickets on Ouigo, the budget-friendly arm of TGV, and set off from Gare de Lyon.We arrived early at the iconic station, where I did my best to navigate conversations with the French personnel—my rusty language skills put to the test.…