Top 20 Gaming Laptops with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB Graphics card

| Laptop Reviews | 116 seen

RTX 2070 graphics card is from the GeForce 20 series, a  family of graphics processing units developed by Nvidia.

Serving as the successor to the GeForce 10 series, the 20 series marked the introduction of Nvidia's Turing microarchitecture, and the first generation of RTX cards, the first in the industry to implement realtime hardware ray tracing in a consumer product. On July 2, 2019, the GeForce RTX Super line of cards was announced, which comprises higher-spec versions of the 2060, 2070 and 2080. In a departure from Nvidia's usual strategy, the 20 series doesn't have an entry level range, leaving it to the 16 series to cover this segment of the market. 

In today's article, I've listed the top 20 gaming laptops powered with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB graphics card available on Amazon

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a purchase on Amazon site, I will earn an affiliate income at no cost to you. Prices for laptops listed on this page are retrieved using Amazon Product  Advertising API and is updated daily. For actual prices please refer to the product page on Amazon.

CUK ASUS ROG Strix Scar III G531GW Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 2TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB, 15.6" Full HD IPS 240Hz 3ms, Windows 10 Home) Gamer Notebook Computer

With a streamlined, focused design, the ROG Strix SCAR III melds the latest 9th Gen Intel Core processors and GeForce RTX graphics into an impactful core gaming experience, with ample additional power to slice through serious content creation and everyday multi-tasking. Boasting up to a 240Hz refresh rate display with ultra-narrow bezel and PCIe SSD, the ROG STRIX SCAR III has all the power needed to conquer the latest game titles without breaking a sweat.

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-9750H Six Core Processor (12MB Cache, 2.6GHz-4.5GHz) 45W
  • RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 2TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
  • Keyboard: ASUS AURA SYNC Customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 | Display: 15.6" Full HD 240Hz 3ms IPS-Level Display (1920 x 1080)
  • 32GB RAM / 2TB NVMe SSD / 2TB HDD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty 

List price: [amazon B07SJHLDRT listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

CUK Omen 15t Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 2TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB Max-Q, 15.6" FHD 240Hz IPS, Windows 10 Home) Gamers Notebook Computer

Play at your best from anywhere — without sacrificing performance. The OMEN 15 Laptop keeps you moving and improving, with desktop-class graphics performance, immersion, and upgradability.

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-9750H Six Core Processor (12MB Cache, 2.6GHz-4.5GHz) 45W
  • RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 2TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
  • Keyboard: Full-Size Backlit Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and N-Key Rollover (White Legend) | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q 8GB GDDR6 | Display: 15.6" Diagonal Full HD 240Hz IPS Anti-Glare Micro-Edge WLED-Backlit (1920 x 1080)
  • 32GB RAM / 2TB NVMe SSD / 2TB HDD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty 

List price: [amazon B07PGJXTQQ listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Asus ROG Strix Scar II Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type Full HD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe Nvme SSD, RGB KB, Windows 10, GL504GW-DS74

ROG Strix Scar II sharpens your PC gaming experience thanks to a 144Hz narrow-bezel display with an ultrafast 3ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time. Paired with GeForce RTX 20-series graphics, Scar II offers amazing energy efficiency, innovative gaming technologies, and breakthrough VR immersion.

  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 (base: 1215 MHz, Boost: 1440 MHz; TDP: 115W)
  • Intel Core i7 8750H Hexa Core processor
  • 144Hz 3ms 15.6” 1920x1080 IPS Type Display
  • 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | 512GB PCIe SSD | Windows 10 Home
  • Gigabit wave 2 Wi Fi 5 (802.11AC) | Quad antennas and ROG RangeBoost technology provides up to 30% wider coverage. Bluetooth 5.0

List price: [amazon B07MDDNCH2 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H Processor, GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB, 32 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, VR Ready, Windows 10 Home (15-dc1047nr, Black)

  • Hyper-realistic Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (8 GB GDDR5 dedicated). enjoy new levels of gaming realism and performance with real-time ray-tracing technologies. Vr/mr ready. 15.6-Inch diagonal FHD IPS Anti-Glare micro-edge WLED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) with 144Hz refresh rate
  • Cutting-edge gaming performance: play The latest games, including Fortnight, PUBG, and Overwatch, from anywhere—without sacrificing performance
  • Omen command center: easily turn up your performance with included software that enables control over your CPU overclocking settings and prioritizes your gaming traffic to minimize latency
  • Super Fast Processor: 9th Generation intel(r) core(tm) i7-9750h Processor, 6-Core, 2.6GHz up to 4.5GHz for superior gaming performance
  • Memory and storage: 32 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (upgradable with 2 accessible Memory Slots) and Fast boot-up, file transfer and a snappier experience with the internal 512 GB pcie(r) nvme(tm) M.2 Solid State Drive
  • Bios recovery and protection: automatically checks the health of your PC, protects against unauthorized access, secures local storage and recovers itself from boot-up issues
  • Ports: headphone/Microphone combo, Microphone jack, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (side), 1 RJ-45 (rear), 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (rear), 1 HDMI 2.0 (rear), 1 Mini displayport(tm) (rear), 1 USB 3.1 Type-C(tm) (rear), 1 media card Reader

List price: [amazon B07SRXV9LG listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA RTX 2070 8 GB, 16 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, 1 TB HDD, VR Ready, Windows 10 Home (15-dc1040nr, Black)

  • Hyper-realistic Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with MAX-Q design for cooler and quieter efficiency (6 GB GDDR6 dedicated). enjoy new levels of gaming realism, speed, power efficiency and immersion with real-time ray-tracing technologies. Vr Ready. 15.6-Inch diagonal FHD IPS Anti-Glare micro-edge WLED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) with 144Hz refresh rate
  • Omen command Canter: easily turn up your performance with included software that enables control over your CPU overclocking settings and prioritizes your gaming traffic to minimize latency
  • Cutting-edge gaming performance: play The latest games, including Fortnight, PUBG, and Overwatch, from anywhere—without sacrificing performance
  • Super Fast Processor: 8th Generation intel(r) core(tm) i7-8750H Processor, 6-Core, 2.2GHz up to 4.1GHz for superior gaming performance
  • Memory: 16 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (upgradable with 2 accessible Memory Slots)
  • Hard Drive and storage: 128 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, and 1 TB 7200 RPM SATA HDD
  • Ports: headphone/Microphone combo, Microphone jack, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (side), 1 RJ-45 (rear), 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (rear), 1 HDMI 2.0 (rear), 1 Mini displayport(tm) (rear), 1 USB 3.1 Type-C(tm) (rear), 1 media card Reader

List price: [amazon B07NDYF45F listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Asus ROG Strix Scar II Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 144Hz IPS-Type FHD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB, Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD + 1TB SSHD, RGB KB, Windows 10 - GL704GW-DS76

ROG Strix GL704 sharpens your PC gaming experience thanks to a 144Hz narrow-bezel display with an ultrafast 3ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time. Paired with GeForce RTX 20-series graphics, SCAR II offers amazing energy efficiency, innovative new gaming technologies, and breakthrough VR immersion.

  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6
  • Intel Core i7-8750H Hexa-Core Processor
  • 144Hz 3ms 17.3” FHD (1920x1080) IPS Type Display
  • 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD + 1TB FireCuda HDD | Windows 10 Home
  • 802.11AC Wave 2 Gigabit Wi-Fi | Quad antennas and ROG RangeBoost technology provides up to 30% wider coverage
  • Hypercool Pro thermal system with dual 12V fans, Triple radiators and heatsink, anti-dust technology
  • Rog aura Sync system with RGB Keyboard, RGB logo, and RGB Light bar.Power:230V power adaptor

List price: [amazon B07N3LGZL9 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

ASUS ROG Zephyrus S Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type FHD, GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, Aura Sync RGB, Windows 10 64-bit, GX531GW-AS76 .62” Thin

The ROG Zephyrus S is redefining ultra-slim gaming laptops yet again with innovative engineering to cool its 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and up to GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q design, so you can immerse yourself in its no-compromise 144Hz/3ms display.

  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB (base: 1080 MHz, Boost: 1305 MHz; TDP: 90W)
  • Intel Core i7 8750H Hex Core Processor
  • 15.6” 144Hz 3ms IPS Type full HD (1920x1080) Display
  • 16GB 2666Hz DDR4 | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD | Windows 10 Home
  • 0.62” thin, 4.6 lbs. Ultraportable military grade magnesium alloy body gaming laptop with premium metal cover

List price: [amazon B07KS1JF2H listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Omen by HP 2019 17-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H Processor, NVIDIA RTX 2070 8 GB, 16 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, VR Ready, Windows 10 Home (17-cb0040nr, Black)

  • Desktop-grade power in a portable laptop with hyper-realistic Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (8 GB GDDR6 dedicated). enjoy new levels of gaming realism, speed, power efficiency and immersion with real-time ray-tracing technologies. Vr/mr ready. 17.3-Inch diagonal FHD IPS Anti-Glare micro-edge WLED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) with 144Hz refresh rate
  • Cutting-edge gaming performance: play The latest games, including Fortnight, PUBG, and Overwatch, from anywhere—without sacrificing performance
  • Omen command center: easily turn up your performance with included software that enables control over your CPU overclocking settings and prioritizes your gaming traffic to minimize latency
  • Super Fast Processor: 9th Generation intel(r) core(tm) i7-9750h Processor, 6-Core, 2.6GHz up to 4.5GHz for superior gaming performance
  • Memory and storage: 16 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (upgradable with 2 accessible Memory Slots) plus the storage capacity and snappy responsiveness of a dual storage solution with 256 GB pcie(r) nvme(tm) M.2 SSD, and 1 TB 7200 RPM SATA HDD
  • Bios recovery and protection: automatically checks the health of your PC, protects against unauthorized access, secures local storage and recovers itself from boot-up issues
  • Ports: headphone/Microphone combo, Microphone jack, 3 USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 RJ-45, 1 HDMI, 1 Mini displayport(tm), 1 USB 3.1 Type-C(tm), 1 media card Reader

List price: [amazon B07T7R73G7 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Asus ROG Strix Hero III Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 144Hz IPS Type Full HD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Core i7-9750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD + 1TB FireCuda, Per-Key RGB KB, Windows 10, G731GW-DB76

Lead the charge with the ROG Strix Hero III sculpted for a streamlined and impactful core gaming experience. A 144Hz screen delivers smooth frame rates, help you conquer in games, content creation, and everyday multitasking.

  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 (base: 1215 MHz, Boost: 1440 MHz; TDP: 115W)
  • Latest 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750h Processor
  • 144Hz 3ms 17.3” Full HD 1920x1080 IPS Type Display
  • 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | 512GB PCIe SSD + 1TB FireCuda SSHD | Windows 10 Home | Gigabit wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11AC)
  • Rog intelligent cooling Thermal system with dual 12V fans, anti-dust technology, and adjustable fan modes

List price: [amazon B07QNMFR4V listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Alienware M17 Gaming Notebook | 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6-Core | 17.3 Inch FHD 1920x1080 60Hz IPS | 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 RAM | 512GB SSD| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max Q

Survival of the thinnest: Defeat every opponent with a machine that’s engineered to be our thinnest and lightest 17” gaming notebooks yet. Manufactured with strict build tolerances and high-end materials, it ensures optimal performance without ever sacrificing power.

  • Staggering visuals. Slim design
  • Deliberately slim and light
  • Commanding performance
  • Seamless Graphics
  • Our thinnest 17 inch gaming laptop
  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB max Q
  • Less than 6 pounds, the m17 is engineered for an amazing battery life with a 60WHr battery and optional 90WHr upgrade

List price: [amazon B07P2JH6MS listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 15.6" FHD 144Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Chroma RGB Keyboard, Thunderbolt 3, 0.70" thin, CNC Aluminum

The Razer Blade 15 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design graphics provides the ultimate PC gaming experience. Powered by an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 6 core processor and featuring a 15.6" 144Hz Full HD display, housed in a precision crafted, compact CNC aluminum chassis just 0.70" thin

  • Zero Compromise Powerhouse: Built for gaming and creative work in a compact 0.70" thin CNC aluminum unibody with high-performance, vapor chamber cooling
  • Futureproof Design: Thunderbolt 3 enabled, compatible with Razer Core external GPU enclosures for additional graphics power; supports SSD and dual-channel memory upgradeability
  • Perfect Display for Work or Play: An edge-to-edge 15.6" Full HD, 100% sRGB, factory-calibrated matte screen with a 144Hz refresh rate offers the best experience both creative tasks and intense gaming sessions
  • Biometric Security: Supports Windows Hello instant facial unlock
  • Customizable RGB Individual Key Lighting: Includes 16.8 million colors available with multiple preset profiles
  • Summary: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 core processor w/ 4.1GHz turbo, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 w/ Max-Q, 15.6" FHD 144Hz matte display, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD

List price: [amazon B07MNGBM5Z listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Asus ROG Strix Scar III (2019) Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 240Hz IPS Type FHD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, Intel Core i7-9750H, 16GB DDR4, 1TB PCIe Nvme SSD, Per-Key RGB KB, Windows 10, G531GV-DB76

Aim to win with our premium gaming laptop engineered for esports . This gunmetal grey powerhouse gets you an edge in fast-paced FPS professional play by pushing out high frame rates on a blisteringly fast 240Hz/3ms display.

  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 (base: 1110MHz, Boost: 1335MHz, TDP: 80W)
  • Latest 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750h Processor
  • 240Hz 15.6” Full HD 1920x1080 IPS Type Display
  • 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | 1TB PCIe SSD | Windows 10 Home | Gigabit wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11AC 2x2)
  • Rog intelligent cooling Thermal system with dual 12V fans, anti-dust technology, and adjustable fan modes

List price: [amazon B07S3L9LPT listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-8750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB Nvme SSD, NVIDIA RTX 2070 8GB, 17.3" Full HD IPS 144Hz 3ms, Windows 10) Gamer Notebook Computer, 17-30.99"

Hot on the heels of its groundbreaking predecessor, The ROG Strix SCAR II features a unique Kevlar weave and camouflage-inspired markings around the keyboard that epitomizes life on the battlefield. A special eight-step in-mold roller process is used to achieve a unique 3D-weave and color overlay.

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2Ghz-3.9GHz) 45W
  • Ram: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 512GB NVMe solid state Drive
  • Keyboard: ASUS Aura Sync customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 | Display: 17.3" Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS-Level Display (1920 x 1080)
  • Up to 1-year limited manufacturer hardware warranty

List price: [amazon B07MM677Q5 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

MSI GE63 Raider RGB-608 15.6" Gaming Laptop, 144Hz Display, Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070, 16GB, 256GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX delivers a powerful laptop gaming experience. These sleek, powerful gaming rigs are powered by the NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture and the revolutionary RTX platform. RTX graphics bring together real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence, and programmable shading.

  • Display: 15.6" Fhd, IPS-Level 144Hz 3ms 72%NTSC, 100%sRGB 1920x1080 16: 9
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 8G GDDR6
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-9750h 2.6 - 4.5GHz
  • Memory: 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets; Max Memory 64GB
  • Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD + 1TB (7200Rpm)

List price: [amazon B07Q6BKLBG listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

CUK Mechanical Keyboard Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 2TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB, 15.6" FHD IPS 144Hz, RGB Keyboard, Windows 10 Home) Slim Gamer Notebook Computer

The CUK Model Z offers a stunning 15.6" Full HD 144Hz display in the frame of a 14" chassis thanks to its exceptionally thin narrow bezel design. A quiet mechanical keyboard with per-key RGB backlighting provides tactile response in the most extreme gaming scenarios.

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-9750H Hexa Core Processor (2.6GHz-4.5GHz) 45W
  • RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 2TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 in Max-Q Design | Display: 15.6" Full HD 144Hz IPS Slim Bezel Display (1920 x 1080)
  • Wireless: 802.11 AC Wireless with Bluetooth 4.2 | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
  • 32GB RAM / 2TB NVMe SSD / 2TB HDD / 230W AC Adapter Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

List price: [amazon B07V39N9PV listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Sager NP8957 0.78 Inches Thin & Light Gaming Laptop, 15.6 Inches FHD 144Hz Display, Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA RTX 2070 8GB DDR6, 16GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD, Windows 10 Home

  • Display: 15.6” Full HD 144Hz, Wide View Angle, 72% NTSC (1920x 1080) Matte Display
  • Processor: 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core Processor | Operating System: Windows 10 Home
  • Graphic Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 (Max-Q design)
  • Ram: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz | Storage: 500GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Full color RGB illuminated keyboard with numeric pad, Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 9560 + Bluetooth

List price: [amazon B07SYF46YL listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

Gigabyte AERO 15-X9-RT5P 15" Thin Bezel FHD 144Hz IPS, Intel i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, 2666MHz 16GB RAM, M.2 PCIe 1TB SSD, RGB Keyboard, Win10 Pro, 94Wh Metal Chassis Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop

On The Keynote from NVIDIA in CES 2018 & 2019, the CEO Jensen Huang held the GIGABYTE laptop AERO 15 to show how this amazing machine changes the way people look at thin-and-light performance notebook.

  • 15.6" 3mm Ultra-thin bezel | LG FHD 144Hz 1920x1080 IPS Anti-Glare display LCD | X-Rite Pantone Pantone Certified for color calibration
  • Intel Core i7-8750H (2.2Ghz-4.1GHz) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GDDR6 8GB Supports NVIDIA Optimus technology
  • 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Samsung DRAM module | M.2 NVMe PCIe 1TB Intel 760P SSD | Windows 10 Pro
  • Microsoft Azure AI | all Intel inside | Intel Thunderbolt 3 | Intel Wi-Fi AC adapter
  • 94.24Wh 8hrs Long battery life | per-key RGB backlit programmable keyboard | UHS-II SD card reader
  • Killerdoubleshot Pro | Nahimic 3D Audio
  • 14 x 9.8 x 0.74 inch | 4.49 Ibis | 1 Year Global warranty
  • 3/1/2019-3/31/2019 Get ready for next Gen content for free Samsung DDR4 memory - learn more on GIGABYTE website.Adapter:230W

List price: [amazon B07MW5VL59 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

MSI GS65 Stealth-004 15.6" Razor Thin Bezel Gaming Laptop NVIDIA RTX 2070 8G Max-Q, 144Hz 7ms, Intel i7-8750H (6 cores), 16GB, 256GB NVMe SSD, TB3, Per Key RGB, Win10P, Matte Black w/ Gold Diamond cut

  • Display: 15.6" 144Hz 7ms, 4.9mm 4-sided Razor Thin Bezel Display, FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle, 72%NTSC
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 8G Max-Q GDDR6 w/ New Ray Tracing Technology
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H 2.2 - 4.1GHz
  • Memory: 16GB (16G*1) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets; Max Memory 32GB
  • Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
  • Cooling: 3 fans, up to 47 fans each, 6 copper heat pipes
  • Special Features: Silky Glass Touch Pad 10+ gestures 35% larger, Thunderbolt 3, 28% slimmer power adaptor, MSI App Player

List price: [amazon B07MH2FKDY listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

CUK ASUS ROG Hero III G731GW Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB, 17.3" Full HD IPS 144Hz 3ms, Windows 10 Pro) Gamer Notebook Computer

The sleek and streamlined Strix Hero III is engineered for esports and peak Windows 10 gaming performance. Intelligent Cooling unleashes the raw power of the 9th Gen Intel Core CPU and GeForce RTX graphics, and makes full use of the ultrafast gaming display. Jump into multiplayer matches anywhere with stronger RangeBoost Wi-Fi, show off your personality with the wraparound Aura Sync light bar, and gain privacy for personal data with the new ROG Keystone.

  • Processor: Intel i7-9750H Six Core Processor (12MB Cache, 2.6MHz-4.5GHz) 45W
  • RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 1TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
  • Keyboard: ASUS AURA SYNC Customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard | Operating System: Windows 10 Pro x64
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 | Display: 17.3" Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS-Level Display (1920 x 1080)
  • 32GB RAM + 1TB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty 

List price: [amazon B07M7PN4QL listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)

CUK ASUS ROG Strix Scar III G531GW Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 2TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB, 15.6" Full HD IPS 240Hz 3ms, Windows 10 Home) Gamer Notebook Computer

Processor: Intel Core i7-9750H Six Core Processor (12MB Cache, 2.6GHz-4.5GHz) 45W
RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 2TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
Keyboard: ASUS AURA SYNC Customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 | Display: 15.6" Full HD 240Hz 3ms IPS-Level Display (1920 x 1080)
32GB RAM / 2TB NVMe SSD / 2TB HDD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

List price: [amazon B07SJHLDRT listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon (Paid link)


Patara Tba near Dedoplis Tskaro

| Lakes | 23 seen

Patara Tba or Little lake is located near the town of Dedoplis Tskaro in the region on Kakheti, Georgia.

We tried to visit this lake at the end of June 2019 but as the road heading here turned into an offroad turned our car back - as a rule of thumb in Georgia - once you are of from the main highway - the road turns into offroad. 

Off road driving in Georgia

Patara Tba from distance


Yanar Dag / Burning Mountain in Azerbaijan

| Tourism objects | 31 seen

Yanar Dag literally meaning "burning mountain" is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea near Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

Flames could jet into the air 3 meters (9.8 ft) from a thin, porous sandstone layer.

I had a chance to visit Yanar Dag for the first in August 2019, during a weekend trip to Baku. To get here we ordered a taxi from Bolt and paid about AZN 20 for a roundtrip from our hotel room at Flame towers and back to the old town.

 Once on the site, I had to pay 9 AZN / ~ 5USD, but local can enjoy the entrance for just 2 AZN . ~ 1USD (VISA card is accepted here) to enter the territory. 

Yanar Dag in Azerbaijan

A good place to take a selfie, right? 

Unlike mud volcanoes, the Yanar Dag flame burns fairly steadily, as it involves a steady seep of gas from the subsurface. It is claimed that the Yanar Dag flame was only noted when accidentally lit by a shepherd in the 1950s. There is no seepage of mud or liquid, which distinguishes it from the nearby mud volcanoes of Lökbatan or Gobustan.

Horseback riding near Yanar Dag in Azerbaijan

On the territory of Yanar Dag, State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve was established by the Presidential decree dated 2 May 2007 which operates under the control of State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan. After major overhaul between 2017-2019, Yanardag Museum and Yanardag Cromlech Stone Exhibition were launched in the area of the Reserve.

Amphitheater at Yanar Dag

The Yanar Dag fire is never extinguished. Around this open fireplace the atmosphere is filled with the smell of gas. The flames emanate from vents in sandstone formations and rise to a height of 10 metres (33 ft) (different figures are mentioned in other references) at the base of a 10-metre-wide (33 ft) scarp below a hillside. Yanar Dag is described by the Geological Survey of Azerbaijan as "Intensive flames, to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high, develop for 15 metres (49 ft) along the base of a 2–4-metre-high (6.6–13.1 ft) and 200-metre-long (660 ft) tectonic scarp."The surface flames result from the steady gas emissions from underlying soils.

The reason offered for the Yanar Dag fires is the result of hydrocarbon gases emanating from below the earth's surface. Apart from Yanar Dag, the most famous site of such a fire is the Fire Temple near Baku, off the Greater Caucasus, which is a religious site known as an ateshgah, meaning temple of fire. It has also been inferred that such fires could be the cause for "thermal metamorphism.


Monadire Dedoplis Tskaro Restaurant

| Restaurant reviews | 16 seen

Monadire is a small roadside restaurant located in the town of Dedoplis Tskaro, we made a stop here at the end of June during our explorations in the area.

The places look bit abandoned or not well maintained, but despite first looks - the place is quite good. They may not have all ingredients on-site, but they will figure it out to go to the nearby hop to buy missing ingredients.

As we learned-  Monadire means hunter. The places serve typical Georgian cuisine. 

Ostri and salads

Despite the overall feeling was that the place is bit abandoned and we were the only guests, the meal was good

Monadire restaurant in Dedoplis Tsaro


Six Year Blog Anniversary

| Blogging | 9 seen

Today, on October 10th, 2019, ReinisFischer.com website is celebrating its 6th birthday. Each blog anniversary is a huge milestone for me and the 6th birthday is no exception.

What has started as a simple experiment has turned out to be a successful online business venture!

It was just yet another Autumn evening when back on October 10, 2013, I registered domain name www.ReinisFischer.com, and the journey could started.

I started this blog as an experiment - To blog 365 consecutive days and when I launched I was looking to reach about 6,000 monthly users by the end of my first blogging year.

The fact is, after the first year of consecutive blogging I reached just 3,364 monthly users, which was just half of my goal. Now 6 years later I'm reaching an audience of 80,000 and more users monthly. Amazing, though it has been a long road.

Blog traffic October 2013 - October 2019 (Data source: Google Analytics)

In the past six years blog has attracted more than 4 million users and generated more than 5.7 million page views.

For the past six years, I have been writing every single day - that's more than 2190 days not missing an article (Ok, I missed two days back in 2014 actually)  - consecutive writing has been my corner strategy.

Writing an article per day for six consecutive years is not an easy task. That's why I've decided starting now I will limit my writing to just 6 articles per week. It's not an easy task to find a qualitative article for every day. It was around mid-Summer 2019 when I decided if I will be able to pull from the financial markets at least $1,000/mo I will limit my writing to 6 days a week. The goal doesn't stop here, for every additional $1,000 I plan to limit my writing for another day in a week.

For the future, I can see that I will keep writing about my travels (in and out Georgia), investments (crypto, peer to peer lending and stocks), and some technical geek stuff about Drupal website development, for example.

My latest and greatest discovery for the last year has been options trading (puts, calls, iron condors e.t.c) - and content related to financial topics are planned just to increase,


September 2019 Dividend Income Report - $260.36

| Investments | 18 seen

Welcome to the twenty-ninth (#29) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks and peer to peer lending in September 2019.

Last September we spent in Georgia, traveling around the country a bit, in September the grape harvest time (Rtveli) is celebrated in Georgia.

So we headed off for a weekend to the region of Kakheti and actually for the first time I was eating grapes from the field. 

Luxury stay at Akhasheni Wine Resort in Georgia

It was my pleasure selling covered calls with a view.

The last September was very good in terms of passive income. At the end of the month, I have collected $260.36 from dividend stocks and Mintos peer to peer lending platform.  Compared to the previous September in 2018, that is a quite impressive 298.53% growth ($195.03)

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to mintos.com peer to peer lending and deribit.com options trading websites, by clicking on links on this page and by making investment mintos.com or derbit.com, I might earn affiliate income at no cost to you. Also, I'm not a financial advisor and I don't give you any advice, I'm just sharing my own experience. Investments in stocks, funds, bonds or cryptos are risk investments and you could lose some or all of your money. Do your due diligence before investing in any kind of asset. 

Sign up for Mintos.com here. By using my affiliate link for registration both you and I will receive — 1% of our average daily balance which should be paid in 3 installments for the first 90 days.

An additional $1,387.70 was made from options trading (covered calls, naked puts, iron condors, and vertical spreads), but as options trading is not actually a passive form of making money while you are sleeping it wouldn't be fair to include them in dividend income report. 

Last but not least, last September I traded options on cryptocurrencies using Deribit platform, which resulted in an additional $105.06

When counted all together (dividends + options + crypto options), it seems I have made $1,753.12 in total last month.

Last September was the second month in a row when income from dividends + options + crypto options helped to generate more than a 5% yield from the total value of the portfolio. 

Effective income yield last September was 5.07%  That's about 60.84% annually.  Awesome.

Interest income in September 2019

From the stocks and Mintos.com peer to peer lending  I got following income last month:

Ticker

Earnings

PEI

€48.78

Mintos

€47.95

SFG1T

€23.40

XIN

€21.67

WPG

€17.03

EDF

€13.93

VIE:ATRS

€13.40

USA

€12.10

EDI

€11.70

EPA:VTA

9.38

CLM

€5.56

RA

€4.32

NCV

€3.87

AWP

€3.10

Total: EUR 236.69 / USD 260.39

In total there were 14 great companies paying us dividends in September, that's 9 companies more than in September 2018

Mintos has slipped to second place in terms of interest income generated

Mintos.com Review After 24 Month of Investing in Peer to Peer Lending

The YoY growth rate for my dividend income in September 2019 was + 298.53% or  $195.03 more than a year ago in September 2018. Now, that' s some serious dividend income growth in just one year.

Monthly income

I've been tracking my journey towards million dollars in a savings account since January 2017. The result, so far, looks quite good. Dividends are growing. 

Monthly dividend Income chart as of September 2019

The cumulative earnings for 2019 now are $1,893.24 which is exactly 92.58% from my goal of 2019 ($2,045). On average, it would ask me to generate $50.59 every month for the next 3 months to reach my goal. I believe that I crush this goal at the end of October already. Generating $50/mo now is soooooo easy.

2018 in Review and Financial Goals for 2019

Goals for September 2020

This is my favorite part of the reports - trying to forecast/set goals for the next year. But before setting a goal for 2020, let's see what I forecasted/said a year ago (September 2018)

 When setting goal/forecast for September 2019 I will take that in an account and will set a more humble $120 goal for next year.

Holy smokes, I just smashed that goal. I actually doubled income this September I forecasted a year ago. 

When setting goals for September 2020 - I will be quite optimistic -  I'm looking to crack $400. I hope to get there with more US monthly and quarterly stocks and also might use a dividend capture strategy.


Nukriani Lavender fields in Georgia

| Tourism objects | 323 seen

Nukriani lavender fields are located near Nukriani village in the region of Kakehti, Georgia.

Best way to get here when driving from Tbilisi is to take a shortcut before Chalaubani and drive the road Tsnori - Dedoplitskaro-Kvemi Kedi​.

We took a trip here at the end of June 2019, and almost missed this point, luckily I noticed a tiny signboard on the roadside informing that lavender fields are somewhere here:

Signboard Nukriani Lavender 

The next is kind of offroad driving for some 200 meters to reach the destination.

Free parking in the middle of field

In front of the lavender fields there is a tent, where we met a girl from Moscow selling entrance tickets for GEL 4. At the tent you can buy also some other goodies like lavender oil, dried lavender and so on. Instagramers will enjoy free umbrellas and other accessories for awesome photography in the field

Nukriani lavender field in Georgia


Baku by night

| | 15 seen

I had a chance to explore a little bit from Baku by night after we returned to our hotel room in Flames Tower from a lovely Azerbaijani cuisine restaurant Dolma in early August 2019.

Night photography is one of my favorite topics, and so I raised the ISO level a bit and made some candid street photography in Baku. 

From our short walking distance I was surprised there are many International World brands featured in Baku, like Hard rock cafe or Paul. Not to speak about McDonalds

Hard rock cafe in Baku

I really love Hard Rock cafe which is located in neighboring Tbilisi

Nice outdoor scene in Baku by night

Many outdoor cafeterias in Baku, very European I would say

Paul Bakery in Baku

Fountain square in Baku


Income Plan From Dividends and Option Trading Q4 2019 ($1,000/mo)

| Investments | 11 seen

I have a plan to make at least $1,000 per month for the next 3 months of the year in dividend income + selling options.

Here is the long story short - I've been investing in dividend stocks since early January 2017, fast forward to the first quarter of 2019 and I've started writing puts and calls on dividend stock I own or would mind having in our stock portfolio. Option writing has given a real boost to the monthly income

There has been a tremendous growth both in earnings and knowledge acquired since I originally announced my million dollar saving plan. My focus has shifted away from the simple set and forgot peer to peer lending to dividend growth investing and options trading. With the latest discovery being selling Iron Condors on individual stocks like AMD, HD, and TSLA.

My million dollar growth fund consists of 5 main pillars at the end of September

  • peer to peer lending
  • dividend income from stocks
  • selling options on cryptocurrencies
  • selling options on stocks
  • Selling Iron condors

Income from peer to peer lending and dividends from the stock are true passive income. Which combined on average will make me about $2,500 yearly or $208/mo in 2019. See: 2018 in Review and Financial Goals for 2019

It was at the end of June when I set a goal to reach at least $600/mo from dividends + options trading for the next three months (July, August and September 2019).

For my great surprise, I cracked that goal with ease and actually made way more than planned (August did set an about best with more than $1,700 collected in premiums and dividends). For the past 3 months (Q3 2019) I have never been lower than $1,000

That's why I decided to set goals and make plans for the Q4 2019

I could, of course, raise this number to $1,500 for example, but I have decided to stick with more humble and more realistic numbers, that's why $1,000

Here is the plan:

  • dividend income (from p2p lending and stocks) ~ $250/mo
  • options on cryptocurrencies ~ $250/mo
  • puts and calls ~ $200/mo
  • Iron Condors ~ $300/mo

More or less I don't see any problems reaching my goals with dividend income and selling puts and calls, the huge unknown, for now, is selling options on cryptocurrencies and Iron Condors. But again, in the past months, I've been pulling out from crypto options about $500/mo, that's why I believe reaching at least $250, shouldn't be problematic. 

Regarding Iron Condors - I plan to sell on mini futures (ES), indexes (SPX) and individual stocks. I will experiment a lot, with different days to expiration (DTE), but in general, I plan to make one Iron condor trade per week (probably on Fridays?). If so it would ask me to generate at least $75 weekly to crack $300 goal from Iron Condors. Doesn't sound so scary anymore.

If successfully reached, I have some great plans for 2020 already, they sound like this - to raise income to $1,500 in Q1, $2,000 in Q2, $2,500 in Q3 and $3,000 in Q4. These numbers actually doesn't sound scary to me, I don't feel like I would be lying to myself when talking these numbers, yes $2,500 and $3,000 part sounds a bit scary - but I would like to say - hard but doable. If counted all together -  the total planned income for 2020 would be around $27,000. Now that is some serious boost to the portfolio. I probably could reach that $100,000 goal by the end of 2021?!

Frankly speaking, I would be happy pulling just $1,000/mo for the next 12 months as this is the amount I'm currently investing on a monthly basis to our portfolio.

Anyhow lets trade safely and see if we can get to the $1,000/mo goal for the next 3 months before planning further.


Orbeliani Square

| Tourism objects | 19 seen

Orbeliani square has recently undergone some serious renovations works and has been opened for public.

It's said that about $31 mln has bees spent on renovation works, which took more than two years.

It's interesting to notice President Salome Zurabishvili, moved to the Presidential Palace on the Orbeliani Street when she was  elected to the post in 2019

Renovated Oberliani square in Tbilisi

A couple of years ago similar renovation works were done on the Agmashenebeli avenue, see: New Life for Agmashenebeli avenue, Tbilisi

Work on historic buildings included the removal of irreparably damaged sections, constructive reinforcement, removal of unregulated structures from facades, such as air conditioning units, cleaning and refining brickwork, restoration of architectural details, and repairing damaged roofing. 13 monuments of cultural heritage were preserved. In 2017, water, sewage, and natural gas lines were completely renovated on Orbeliani Square, as they had not been functioning properly for some time.

Renovated buildings near Oberlaini square

In one of these buildings, the former hotel London was located

Tbilisi now has another pedestrian zone, which includes parts of Pkhovi and Atoneli Streets, neighboring Orbeliani Square. The rehabilitated area stretches from Dry Bridge, via Atoneli and Pkhovi Streets, to Alexandre Pushkin Street, including Khazina and Purtseladze streets, as well as part of Grigol Orbeliani Square and 9 April Garden. It is a continuation of the greater tourist route from Mushtaidi Garden to Freedom Square via the renovated David Aghmashenebeli Avenue.

Renovated building on Oberliani square

Now that the Orbeliani Square renovation is completed, some of the major project remaining on the plan through 2020 includes the recently initiated renovation of Chavchavadze Ave., the ongoing renovation of the Dry Bridge and Saarbrucken Square area, renovation of Pirosmani, Gudiashvili, and Purtseladze streets, and a 110 million GEL ($40.15 mln) development of the Mtkvari River area.

See more: Newly Renovated Orbeliani Reopens


Fairmont Baku hotel at Flame Towers

| Hotel reviews | 11 seen

Located in the Flame Towers Complex, just a 3-minute walk from the famous Martyrs' Alley, 5-star Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers features picturesque views of Baku City or Caspian Sea.

We booked a two-night stay at Fairmont Baku in early August, during my birthday trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, for a two-day stay we paid USD 349, which I believe is the lowest amount of money we have paid for a luxury stay at 5-star hotel ever. 

Top 14 Luxury 5-star hotels in Baku, Azerbaijan

For the money paid we got a large (more than 50 m2) hotel room on the 15th floor, with a city view. The price also included unlimited access to the indoor pool and sauna.

A large room at Fairmont hotel inside Flame Towers

Modern air-conditioned rooms at Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers include contemporary décor and a flat-screen TV. A spacious work desk, fully-stocked minibar and panoramic windows are also fitted in all rooms. 

King Size bed

Bathroom

The marble bathrooms come with a glass wall and bidet. Guests are offered rooms with iPod dock station and a coffee machine. Certain rooms offer access to Fairmont Gold Lounge.

View to the city from the hotel's sauna

On a pier in the background, you can see the Baku Crystal Hall, a place where Eurovision song contest 2012 were held.

Luxurious spa treatments are provided in our spa center, including hammam, sauna and massages. Guests can also take a dip into the swimming pool or work out in the fitness centre.

A rich variety of dishes is served in Fairmont's Le Bistro Restaurant featuring International Bistro and Local cuisine. Original and traditional cocktails can be enjoyed at Nur Lounge Bar. A selection of desserts as well as salads, sandwiches and sushi are offered at Balcon Cafe.

With the phenomenal view of Caspian Sea, The Jazz Club seduce saxophone tunes nicely orchestrated with piano melodies, on weekdays, for a cozy Jazz environment. On weekends, talented DJ’s will set an amazing atmosphere all over the dance floor.

You can enjoy a movie at the Baku's only IMAX movie theatre Park Cinema Flame Towers, located in the same building of Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers.


Amazon Alexa Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker Review

| Gadget Reviews | 16 seen

There are more than 50,000 user reviews about Alexa Echo Dot smart speaker on Amazon, and in this article, I wont be very original, but I will write another review from a point of view of a stock trader and a father of a little baby girl.

I purchased our first Echo Dot smart speaker at the end of August 2019, it took more than 2 weeks to get it shipped to Georgia (country) and just in the mid-September, it was finally here. 

Disclosure: This article contains links to Amazon, by clicking on links on this page and by making a purchase on Amazon site, I might earn an affiliate income from that at no cost to you.

How To Order Goodies From US to Georgia - Usa2Georgia.com

Frankly speaking, this was the most awaited gadget I've ever ordered from Amazon. I got that feeling that this device will change our lives forever, as a washing machine did it back in the 50-ies.

The motivation behind this purchase was because of the baby - I wanted to have some smart gadget she could talk with (well she is just 14 months old, and it will take some time, but I can see huge potential here).

As a stock trader, I wanted to check stock prices constantly throughout the day, using a phone is OK, but using Alexa Echo dot is even more OK. You could even set up your brokerage account (There is a skill for Interactive Brokers( with Echo Device and trade voice only.. hmm, not yet ready for this, but in the future why not? Selling options from Alexa device sounds cool.

Echo dot smart speaker

For now, I decided to put it on a kitchen counter.

Echo Dot works best when placed in a central location, at least 8 inches from any walls. You can put Echo Dot in a variety of places - on a kitchen counter, the end table in your living room, or a nightstand.

From Amazon

Our most popular Echo is now even better. With a new speaker and design, Echo Dot is a voice-controlled smart speaker with Alexa, perfect for any room. Just ask for music, news, information, and more. You can also call almost anyone and control compatible smart home devices with your voice.

For making phone calls internationally and local (both cell phones and landlines) we have a Skype Out Subscription (about $9/mo), it was really easy to link Echo Dot With Skype Out. To make a call now is all about saying - Alexa, call ....

Use your voice to play a song, artist, or genre through Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, and others. With compatible Echo devices in different rooms, you can fill your whole home with music. Also listen to Audible, podcasts, radio stations, or pair with Fire TV to voice control movies and entertainment.

Echo Dot owners can enjoy Amazon Music Unlimited just for $3.99/mo (a 30-day trial is available) - just say - Alexa, try Amazon Music Unlimited

Echo Dot smart speaker

Make your life easier at home. Use your voice to set timers, add items to lists, and create calendar events and reminders. You can also check the news, weather, or traffic. Ask for sports scores, movie showtimes, restaurant hours, or information.

Creating a new shopping list is as easy as saying - Alexa, add tomatoes, cucumbers, and pasta to shopping list

Switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, turn on the coffee maker on your way to the kitchen, or dim the lights from the couch to watch a movie—all without lifting a finger.

Control multiple devices with a single voice command, like locking the doors and turning off the lights at night. Learn more about over 10,000 compatible smart home devices, including lights, thermostats, TVs, and more.

You can also enable Alexa Guard to get Smart Alerts if your Echo device detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking.

You should buy separately smart plugs, USB sticks, smart bulbs to control with voice. Cool. One of the next things I'm looking to buy is a smart color-changing bulbs to control with voice and USB stick to control TV

Last, but not least - Echo Dot is great for entertaining kids and toddlers (songs, stories)

Make your Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Plus just for kids at no extra charge by enabling Amazon FreeTime in the Alexa app. Automatically filter explicit songs, add approved contacts, set time limits, or review activity with easy-to-use parental controls in the Amazon Parent Dashboard.

With an Amazon FreeTime Unlimited subscription (starting at $2.99 per month), your kids can access over 1,000 Audible books, premium kids skills from brands like Disney and Nickelodeon, ad-free radio stations and playlists, and more.


Daytrip to Manglisi

| Travel guides | 13 seen

Originally it was planned as a day trip to Dashbashi canyon near Tsalka, but at the end, we reached Buratino lake near Manglisi.

Let me explain, the previous week we headed up to Tskneti and further to Kojori, but discovered there is a road connecting Kojori to Algeti national park up from there, and we agreed to spend one Saturday or Sunday afternoon discovering the area.

From Algeti we are already familiar with Birtvisi canyon and Algeti reservoir. A couple of months ago a friend of mine told me 

Our first stop - Visitor center of Algeti National park, a quick conversation with park rangers, and we are told to head to Buratino lake (at that time we didn't know the name) - not knowing actually where are we driving, we make a stop at some ruins and discover there is an impressive church complex on the other side of the road - Manglisi Sioni, what I find interesting - the coat of arms of Imperial Russia on the facade and Russian Orthodox cross atop of the church. 

Our final stop - Buratino lake - The reason we wanted to get here is quite simple - to have an outdoor barbecue (for that reason we bought meat, barbeque grill and even charcoal while departed Tbilisi, at Tskneti), and to give a little swim to our 13-month old baby girl.(For the baby girl we have a floating ring we bought in Antalya, Turkey) We got both.

It should be noted that Buratino lake (at least during the high season) is for a fee - even for the entrance is asked 1 GEL, parking a car inside the territory some 2 GEL). The best - you can ask the owner (Shoti by the way)  to grill meat for you


Dolma restaurant in Baku

| Restaurant reviews | 128 seen

Dolma restaurant is located on M.Rasulzada street 8 in Baku, this places serves typical Azerbaijani cuisine and is named as of the best Baku restaurants.

This  restaurant was a recommendation from a Tripadvisor, we got here from our hotel room in Flames Tower using Bolt Taxi application

At first, it was hard to find this place, as the restaurant is actually located in a basement, which actually is more like a dungeon

Restaurant Dolma in Baku

I barely noticed the signboard among the many other flashing lights in the city

Traditional Azerbaijani pilaf

Wow, that was really good one. Pilaf is served with apricots, chesnuts, raisins and meat. Spcies from East are used to flavor the taste. Yumm.

Dolma with a yoghurt sauce

If there is a reason to visit Azerbaijan, then it's because of Dolma. The best Dolma I've tried so far. And I love Dolma, even so much I like to prepare at Dolma, see: How to Prepare Traditional Dolma (Grape Leaves Roll)

They make it great at restaurant Dolma (apparently there is a reason restaurant is named after it)

Kebab at restaurant dolma

You could order anything here, it tastes amazing.

 

 


Buratino Lake

| Lakes | 44 seen

Buratino lake is a relatively small, artificial (man-made) water reservoir near Manglisi town in the region of Kvemo Kartli, Georgia.

We first discovered and visited Buratino lake in the mid-August 2019, after getting directions here from the Algeti Visitors center. Just shortly before getting here we made a short stop at Manglisi cathedral.

The road heading to Buratino lake is not in the best shape, an SUV car is recommended, but I noticed locals get here even by taxi - you could probably hike here or take a taxi from Manglisi town to get down to the lake. 

The reason we wanted to get here is quite simple - to have an outdoor barbecue (for that reason we bought meat, barbeque grill and even charcoal while departed Tbilisi, at Tskneti), and to give a little swim to our 13-month old baby girl.(For the baby girl we have floating ring we bough in Antalya, Turkey) We got both.

It should be noted that Buratino lake (at least during the high season) is for a fee - even for the entrance is asked 1 GEL, parking a car inside the territory some 2 GEL). The best - you can ask to the owner (Shoti by the way)  to grill meat for you

Buratino lake near Manglisi

I must admit in photos this place looks better than it actually looks in real life while watching the photo above I even got a feeling this place looks like Lopota lake and SPA which is not true.

Next, to the lake, there is a small stream of Algeti River (probably in another season it's not so small anymore)

Algeti river next to the Buratino lake

We saw an SUV (Nissa XTerra) crossing it with ease.

Boat for rent at Buratino lake

The asking price is 3 lari for 30 minutes. The boat is not in the best shape, well the boat is ok, but dulls are ... not the best dulls I have been used. The lake is so small that 30 minutes is more than enough. As we were floating together with our 13 month old baby we were enough after 5 minutes. 

Meat grilled and served

Mmm,,, yummy - nothing tastes so good as grilled meat outdoors, right? 


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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,…

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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…

Hotel Reviews

Stays & Trails La Maison Hotel Review in Panaji

At the tail end of 2024, just before catching our flight back to Delhi, we decided to book a one-night stay at Stays & Trails La Maison Fontainhas in Panaji, Goa. After weeks staying in Palolem beach, we wanted to wrap up our trip with…

Schuchmann Wines Château: A Long-Awaited Stay in Georgia’s Premier Winery Hotel & Spa

It took us over a decade to finally make it to Schuchmann Wines Château & Spa, and it was well worth the wait! We’ve spent years recommending this stunning winery hotel to visiting friends and business partners, yet somehow, we had…

Hotel Belvedere Prague: A Practical Stay with Easy Access

During our recent trip to Prague in mid-October 2024, we stayed at Hotel Belvedere. My partner attended the MEET Central Europe Translators conference, and we were joined by one of our office employees, so we opted to book two rooms. …

Review: Art Hotel Prague – A Cozy Stay in a Tranquil Part of Prague

During our recent trip to Prague in October 2024, we opted for a one-night stay at the Art Hotel Prague. We arrived at the hotel via Bolt taxi from Václav Havel Airport, which was straightforward and efficient. At about EUR 120 per room…

Toursim objects

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…

Colva Beach: Golden Sands and Tranquility in Goa

Colva Beach, located in South Goa, is known for its expansive golden sands and tranquil atmosphere. Stretching for several kilometers along the Arabian Sea, the beach offers a peaceful escape from the busier tourist hubs in the region. Its wide shoreline, framed by swaying palm trees, provides plenty of space for visitors to relax, stroll, or…

Charles Bridge: A Timeless Landmark in Prague

The Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in Prague is one of the most iconic and historic landmarks in Europe. Built in the 14th century under the reign of King Charles IV, this Gothic stone bridge spans the Vltava River, connecting Prague's Old Town with the Lesser Town (Malá Strana). Adorned with a series of 30 Baroque statues and surrounded by…

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