Tbilisi sea

24 February, 2019 | Lakes | 38 seen

The Tbilisi sea or Tbilisi reservoir is an artificial lake in the vicinity of Tbilisi that serves as a reservoir. The lake has a length of 8.75 km and a width of 2.85 km. It was opened in 1953 and has become a popular recreation spot.

There have been plans to develop the Tbilisi sea into a recreational park with various sports facilities.  One of the most active developers in the Tbilisi sea area are Chinese investors from the Hualing group, see Hualing Tbilisi Sea Plaza

I first discovered Tbilisi sea back in the Summer of 2014, when we decided to get here by bikes, see: Cycling to Tbilisi sea and back

Tbilisi reservoir

There are many interesting objects located near the Tbilisi sea, like in the above picture you can see The Chronicle of Georgia, Monument Near Tbilisi Sea

Tbilisi sea is very popular in hot summer for locals and city guests 

Tbilisi sea is situated 650-800 meters above sea level and is a perfect "Get-A-Way" from the hot town in the summer.

Tbilisi sea

Pokaiņi Forest

23 February, 2019 | Tourism objects | 56 seen

The Pokaini Forest, located 80 km south-west of Riga, Latvia near the small town of Dobele is a place where myths, superstition and mysterious events co-exist.

The Pokaini Forest is a picturesque location and an ancient holy site famous for the wondrous legends told about it. Take a walk along the path and find out more about this energetic place.

I first visited Pokaini forest back in 2008 or 2009. A lot has changed (developed) since then. During my latest trip here in May 2018, I did find many things have greatly improved like there is a kind of a tourism information center built, more trails are made and actually, the territory seems much larger than it was some 10 years ago. Not sure about the energetics but for a lazy Sunday walk this is a great place. 

Currently, there are walking paths totaling 15 km in length in the forest. The stone agglomerates have been carefully cleaned, and certain stones were given names.

Trails at Pokaini

Mysterious Pokaini Forest has long been long been shrouded in legends and myths. It is a very special and strange place that many consider being a strong anomalous zone.  Several people who visited the forest say there are ancient rocks here that emit very strong energy. Some think the place was once an ancient healing center. There are also incredible stories about a mysterious hidden object under the rocks, a gateway to a parallel world as well as reports of sightings of mysterious lights haunting the woods. (Source: Is Mysterious Pokaini Forest An Ancient Healing Center And Anomalous Zone?)

A small pond in the Pokaini forest

The Forest was believed to be the seat of ghosts, gods and monsters, or the underworld. It was long believed that forests were places full of magic; they were ‘inhabited’ by diverse mythical beings, all endowed with superhuman powers and characters, often appearing in human form.

Rock at Pokaini forest

Many rocks at Pokaini Forest

Hmm, for some reason kind of remind me the El Torcal in Spain.

Pokaini forest

There are rocks assembled around 30 hills in a particular sequence and frankly no-one really knows where they came from. Archeologists who conducted excavations at the site discovered no burials, so the boulders must have been placed there for some other unknown reason.  Some historians argue that the stones were removed from the fields and brought there by peasants. Others say that stones were needed for the construction of the castle, which had never been built, but there is no evidence for this.

How and Why To Invest in Mintos Secondary market

22 February, 2019 | Peer to Peer Lending | 63 seen

I'm not a huge fan of any secondary markets (Except probably just Tbilisi flea market), but at the end of February 2019 Mintos run out of the GEL loans (the last time it happened at the end of August).

As more than half of my portfolio consists of investments in GEL and I have no plans to exchange them overnight to EUR or any other currency I decided to explore my options.

And here comes in the secondary market.

In the past, I've used Mintos secondary market just twice, first time I used it in March 2017 ( seems just to experiment) and the second time on February 22, 2019, to buy GEL loans from the secondary market.

No loans in the Primary market

A huge was my surprise seeing no GEL loans available.

In short, I believe it's more a temporary issue than a long term problem. On the other hand, I remember from August 2018 GEL loan shortfall I got about half of my loans bought back and one of the loan originators (BIG) left the marketplace.

I hope this is not the case now. As there are just a few GEL loan originators (Creamfinance, Lendo and ID Finance).

Now it was the time to head to the secondary market and see what's in the offer for GEL loans:

Secondary market on Mintos platform

The secondary market for GEL loans was pretty active (almost 2000 loans available). Unfortunately, all come with a premium ranging 0.15%-20% obliviously I filtered out the lowest premium and highest interest rate.

In case of GEL loans, they all are with buyback guarantee by default.

In total I invested in the secondary market this time GEL 220 and paid in premium GEL 0.67, that equals to about 0.03%. Seems OK. 

Confirm investments

Please note, if the loan originator will re-buy loan before its final term, you risk experiencing a loss in the amount up to the premium paid

Top Peer to Peer Lending Sites 2019 (Highest Yields)

20 February, 2019 | Peer to Peer Lending | 14 seen

Peer to peer lending is a hot topic in 2019. Both novice and seasoned investors are putting some serious money into peer to peer lending. 

I've been familiar with this type of investment since 2016, and starting 2017 have actually invested some money. When speaking about me - there is just one peer to peer platform I personally have tried, still, use, and could kind of recommend to others - and I'm talking about Latvian fintech giant - Mintos.

I've written countless articles about my experience with Mintos, you could just follow this topic, or see my latest review here: Mintos.com Review After 24 Month of Investing in Peer to Peer Lending

Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or third countries currently considered to have AML/CFT systems equivalent to the EU, and have their identity successfully verified by Mintos. At the moment, US citizens or taxpayers cannot register as investors at Mintos.

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

Remember - investments are risky, never invest more you can afford to lose.

Now, without Mintos, there is many, many more peer to peer lending platforms out there, in today's article I've listed top 17 peer to peer lending sites ordered by yield. 

Some platforms are trying to attract new members with yields up to 22%, which IMHO isn't sustainable in the long turn, and I believe we will see yields dropping as more money is pouring in.

Most of the platforms originate from Central / Eastern Europe. The lion's share is taken by the Baltic platforms. The real popularity for these platforms is made thanks to the so-called - buy-back guarantees - a promise from the platform, that in case the loan will default, loan originator will buy back the loan and sometimes even pay interest on delayed rates. 

Personally, I'm pretty skeptical regarding peer to peer lending in the long term, and despite I've some investments with Mintos.com I'm ready to lose what I've there (kind of ready), and that's my best advice to you guys looking for high yield peer to peer platforms - invest what you can afford to lose.

Remember your capital is at risk, never invest more you can afford to lose.

I'm not a financial advisor and don't bear any responsibility if you will decide to invest in some or all of the below-listed peer to peer lending platforms. Investments in crowdfunding, peer to peer lending, 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.

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, by clicking on them, and by deciding to invest in peer to peer lending platforms I might earn an affiliate income at no cost to you.

Not to speak more, here is the table with top 17 peer to peer lending sites

*yield rates are approximate and used for informative use only

It is interesting to note that such heavyweights like ZOPA in UK or Lending Club in the US are not offering yields higher than ~ 6% (not to speak about buyback guarantee).

Degusto (Aghmashenebeli avenue 148-150)

19 February, 2019 | Restaurant reviews | 26 seen

Degusto is a popular diving chain in Tbilisi. The food here is sold by weight for very budget-friendly prices. 

They have excellent sweets and really tasty cappuccinos served at Degusto. The one located on Aghmashenebeli avenue 148-150, Tbilisi is just next to the Champions Academy, and sometimes I visit it after the gym.

The food court at Degusto 

There are some cold and hot dishes available, from the cold dishes there are salads, while from the hot ones you can choose to have, sausages, chicken strips, pancakes and more. Sometimes they have a fish.

Caesar salad, cucumber & tomato salad +  fish

Top 20 Best Selling Gaming Laptops / Notebooks with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Graphics card

18 February, 2019 | Laptop Reviews | 20 seen

Take on today's most challenging, graphics-intensive games without missing a beat. The GeForce GTX 1070 Ti and GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards deliver the incredible speed and power of NVIDIA Pascal™—the most advanced gaming GPU architecture ever created. This is the ultimate gaming platform. 

In today's article, I've listed top 20 best selling gaming laptop/notebook computers with NVIDIA GeForce GTRX 1070 8 GB graphics card available for sale on Amazon.com

Most of the top best selling Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 laptops are powered with the latest 8th generation Intel Core i7 8750H processor.

Alternatively, see

• Top 20 Best Selling Gaming Laptops 2019
• Top 20 Gaming Laptops with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB Graphics card

A quick note: 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 on the product page on Amazon.

OMEN by HP 2018 15-inch Gaming Laptop with 144hz GSync Display, Intel i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Max Q, 32 GB RAM DDR4 2666Mhz, 512 GB SSD NVMe SSD, Windows 10 (15-dc0045nr)

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Alienware M15 Thin and Light 15" Gaming Laptop Silver i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max Q, 128GB NVMe SSD + 1TB SSHD, 16GB DDR4 2666Mhz, 17.9mm Thick & 4.78lbs, Magnesium Alloy Chassis

Take on today’s most challenging, graphics-intensive games without missing a beat with a GeForce GTX 1070-powered notebook, driven by the ground breaking NVIDIA Pascal architecture. Now, you can now enjoy truly game-changing notebook performance with captivating sights and sounds, as well as next-generation VR performance.

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ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II Slim Gaming Laptop GL504, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe SSD + 1TB SSHD, Windows 10 Home - GL504GS-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 GTX 10-series graphics, SCAR II offers amazing energy efficiency, innovative new gaming technologies, and breakthrough VR immersion.

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• HyperCool Pro thermal system with dual 12V fans, triple radiators and heatsink, anti-dust technology
• 256GB PCIe NVMe solid state drive + 1TB FireCuda SSHD. 16GB DDR4 2666MHz
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ASUS ROG Zephyrus S Ultra Slim Gaming PC Laptop, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type, Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, GeForce GTX 1070, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD, Military-Grade Metal Chassis, Win 10 Home - GX531GS-AH76

Clever and expert craftsmanship is required to create a slim gaming chassis with high-end components. 12% thinner than the original GX501, the 0.62” thin metal chassis made from a single slab of aluminum and CNC-milled cover make the ROG Zephyrus S portable enough for life on the go but tough enough to survive everyday abuse. The metal body is a symphony of clean lines and refined design. Brush strokes slash the lid, diamond cuts chamfer the edges, and the iconic logo glows ROG red.

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• 15.6” Full HD high refresh rate 144Hz 3ms IPS-Type Display with slim 6.5mm Bezel
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 *(with Max Q technology)
• 8Th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H (up to 3.9GHz) processor
• 0.62” thin, 4.6 lbs. Ultraportable military-grade magnesium alloy body gaming laptop with premium cover CNC-milled from Solid aluminum
• 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD; 16GB 2666Hz DDR4; Windows 10 Home
• Rog active Aerodynamic system (AAs) with upgraded 12V fans and anti-dust tunnels to preserve cooling performance and system stability
• Customizable 4-zone ASUS Aura RGB Gaming Keyboard

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CUK GP73 Leopard VR Ready Gamer Laptop (Intel Core i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 17.3" Full HD 120Hz 3ms, Windows 10) Thin & Light Gaming Notebook Computer

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 500GB NVMe SSD + 1TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
• Wireless: 802.11 AC Wireless with Bluetooth 5 | Display: 17.3" Full HD 120Hz 3ms Wideview 94% NTSC Color Anti-Glare Display (1920 x 1080)
• 32GB RAM + 500GB NVMe SSD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

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CUK GS65 Stealth Thin Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-8750H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 15.6" FHD 144Hz 7ms, Windows 10) Ultra Thin & Light Gamer Notebook Computer

The brand new GS65 comes with Per-Key RGB customization, giving you finest control over keyboard illumination. Program each key with the SteelSeries Engine 3 application and receive real-time game stats through your keyboard.

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive
• Keyboard: Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key (84 Key) | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 | Display: 15.6" Full HD Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 144Hz 7ms 72% NTSC (1920 x 1080)
• 32GB RAM + 1TB NVMe SSD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty (View warranty section below for more details)

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CUK Omen 17 VR Ready Gamer Notebook (Intel i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 17.3" 4K IPS, Windows 10 Home) Gaming Laptop Computer

When the competition is relentless, greatness is achieved by those heroes who rise to the occasion. Equipped with powerful hardware and an aggressive design, the OMEN Laptop takes mobile performance seriously, letting you conquer any challenge in-game from just about anywhere.

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
• Keyboard: Full-Size Island-Style Backlit Keyboard with Numeric Keypad | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 | Display: 17.3" diagonal 4K IPS eDP Anti-Glare WLED-Backlit Display (3840 x 2160)
• 1TB NVMe SSD Upgrade | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

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CUK GE73 Raider RGB VR Ready Gamer Notebook (Intel 8th Gen i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 17.3" Full HD 120Hz 3ms, Windows 10) Gaming Laptop Computer

Take on today’s challenging, graphics-intensive games without missing a beat. GeForce GTX 1070-powered notebooks deliver the incredible speed and power of NVIDIA Pascal—the most advanced GPU architecture ever created—for truly revolutionary gaming and VR performance.

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2400MHz | Hard Drive: 500GB NVMe Solid State Drive + 1TB 7200rpm Hard Disk Drive
• Keyboard: Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Operating System: Windows 10 Home x64
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 | Display: 17.3" FHD 120Hz 3ms Wideview 94% NTSC Color Anti-Glare (1920 x 1080)
• 32GB RAM / 500GB NVMe SSD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty 

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CUK GS73 Stealth Thin & Light Gaming Laptop (Intel i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 17.3" FHD 120Hz Display, Windows 10 Pro) VR Ready Gamers Notebook Computer

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2400MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400rpm Hard Disk Drive
• Keyboard: Steel Series Per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Operating System: Windows 10 Pro x64
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 | Display: 17.3" FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 120Hz 3ms 94% NTSC (1920 x 1080)
• 32GB RAM + 1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

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ASUS ROG Strix Scar Edition Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 144Hz 3ms Full HD, Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe SSD + 1TB FireCuda, Windows 10 - GL703GS-DS74

The new ROG Strix Scar Edition is built for the next generation of gamers looking to take their game to the next level. It’s built for high frame rates in first person shooter games, thanks to a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, GTX graphics, and a high refresh rate gaming display. The 8th-Generation Scar Edition brings several refinements to the series, including: an AURA SYNC RGB keyboard and 12V fans for improved thermal performance.

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• Powerful gaming performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 graphics
• 8th-Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor. 6 cores, up to 3.9GHz (Boost clock)
• 144Hz 17.3” Full HD IPS-Type display. Ultra-fast 3ms response time
• ASUS AURA SYNC customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard. Scar Edition design with kevlar pattern on palm rest
• 256GB PCIe SSD + 1TB FireCuda Hybrid Drive (up to 5x faster performance than traditional HDD) for ideal combination of OS drive speed and storage capacity
• Gigabit Wave 2 WiFi. Up to 1.73Gbps with 2X2 802.11ac. USB 3.1 Type-C. HDMI 2.0. Mini Displayport
• Windows 10 Home Edition

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CUK OMEN 15t VR Ready Gamer Notebook (Intel i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q 8GB, 15.6" 4K 60Hz IPS, Windows 10 Home) Gaming Laptop 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 i7-8750H Six Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 500GB NVMe Solid State Drive + 1TB 7200rpm 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 GTX 1070 8GB Max-Q GDDR5 | Display: 15.6" Diagonal 4K 60Hz IPS Anti-Glare Micro-Edge WLED-Backlit (3840 x 2160)
• 32GB RAM / 500GB NVMe SSD Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty

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Razer Blade 15: World's Smallest 15.6" Gaming Laptop - 144Hz Full HD Thin Bezel - 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD - Windows 10 - CNC Aluminum

The Razer Blade is one of the smallest 15.6” gaming laptops, striking the perfect balance of power and portability. We’ve redesigned the laptop to be more compact yet contain even more power and features. The larger, near-bezeless 15.6” Full HD display stretches edge-to-edge and features 144Hz refresh rates, while the new 8th gen Intel Core i7 6-Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q design graphics deliver amazing performance and frame rates.

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• 15.6” 144Hz Full HD edge-to-edge display (4.9mm bezels), color calibrated
• Thin and compact, durable CNC aluminum unibody (0.68” x 9.25” x 13.98”)
• 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 core processor.Battery - Up to 6 hours
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Acer Predator 17 Gaming Laptop, Core i7, GeForce GTX 1070, 17.3" Full HD G-SYNC, 16GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD, G9-793-79V5

Designed for those with a need to speed, the Predator 17 gaming notebook combines powerful 7th Gen Intel Core processor with high-performance NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics driven by the new NVIDIA Pascal architecture that is VR Ready and a 17.3” Full HD display with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology. Advanced cooling and stellar audio capabilities support intense gaming sessions while the sporting red accents and black chassis with geometric lines adds to the drama.

• 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ Processor (Up to 3.8GHz)
• 17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen IPS display with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with 8 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
• 16GB DDR4 Memory, 256GB SSD RAID 0, 1TB HDD
• Windows 10 Home

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MSI P65 Creator 8RF-450US Ultra Thin Productivity / Gaming Laptop, 15.6" 144Hz Anti-Glare Display, GTX 1070 8GB, i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe, Win 10 Pro 64bit, Backlit Keys, Fingerprint, Metal

• Display: 15.6 144Hz 7ms, IPS-Level FHD,Anti-Glare 1920x1080
• Processor: Core i7-8750H 2.2 - 4.1GHz | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1070 8G GDDR5
• System Memory: 32GB (16G*2) DDR4 2400MHz 2 Sockets; Max Memory 32GB | Storage: 512GB NVME SSD
• Special Features: Designer White Edition | Ultra Thin 4.9mm Bezel | 144Hz 7ms Display | TPM Security | Thunderbolt 3
• Warranty: 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global)

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MSI P65 Creator 8RF-442 Enthusiast (i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB, 15.6" Full HD 144Hz 7ms, Windows 10 Pro) Professional Laptop - White Limited Edition

• Processor: 8th Gen Intel Coffee Lake Core i7-8750H Six Core (2.2GHz-4.1GHz, 9MB Intel Smart Cache, 45W)
• RAM: 32GB (2x 16GB) DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSD (Seq. Read 3500MB/s, Seq. Write 2500MB/s)
• Display: 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 144Hz 7ms 72%NTSC Display | Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 (Max-Q)
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (64-bit) | Warranty: 2-Year MSI USA Warranty Parts & Labor (include 1 Year Global Warranty) + Lifetime Tech Support from XOTIC PC

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ASUS ROG Zephyrus Thin & Light Gaming Laptop, 15.6” Full HD 120Hz, Intel Core i7-7700HQ Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD, Windows 10 Professional – GX501VS-XS71

ROG Zephyrus is a revolutionary gaming laptop born from ROG's persistent dedication to innovation. Despite being thinner than all previous ROG laptops, it has the hardware to rival high-end gaming desktops: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics with Max-Q Design, a 7th Generation Intel Core processor, an optional 120Hz wide-view display, and Windows 10 Professional. ROG slimmed the body to a mere 16.9-17.9mm while maintaining powerful cooling thanks to a clever new air-flow design: Active Aerodynamic System. The sleek chassis also includes an RGB keyboard that will feel familiar to gamers who typically play on desktop PCs.

• Ultra-thin and ultra-light with a thickness of only 0.7" (with the lid closed) and weighing only 4.9 lbs
• Next-generation gaming performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 *(with Max Q Technology) graphics
• 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.8GHz)
• Quiet and cool featuring ROG Active Aerodynamic System which improves airflow by up to 40% and reduces temperatures by up to 20% compared to conventional cooling. *Actual cooling performance varies due to system and environmental conditions
• High refresh rate 120Hz wide view Full-HD display with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology. With HDMI 2.0, you can connect to 4K TVs at 60Hz
• RGB Gaming Keyboard featuring ASUS Aura technology. Adjust the QWER and WASD clusters separately to adapt to MOBA and FPS titles.
• Windows 10 Professional Pre-Installed
• Fast SSD and RAM: featuring 256GB PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD & 16GB DDR4 2400MHz. 802.11ac 2x2 Wi-Fi

List price: [amazon B0731JXL49 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon

Eluktronics P650HS-G 15.6" Full HD Graphic Design Laptop PC - Intel i7-7700HQ Quad Core Win 10 Home 8GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 + G-SYNC VR Ready 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD 16GB DDR4 RAM

• 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad Core Processor, Windows 10 Home 64-Bit; 16GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM
• 8GB GDDR5 VRAM Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 VR Ready Graphics + G-SYNC; An intelligent thermal design with triple cooling fans for the CPU & GPU performs where others fail.
• 15.6" Full HD IPS LED EDP Anti-Glare Display (1920 x 1080); HDMI 2.0b; 2 Mini DisplayPorts v1.4; 2 USB 3.1 Type-C
• 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) + 1TB Storage Hard Drive; Intel Wireless AC 2x2 & Bluetooth v4.2
• Full Size RGB Silver-Lining Backlit Keyboard, Sound Blaster X-FI MB5, Gigabit LAN, 1 Year Warranty

List price: [amazon B01MR67XG4 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon

XPC ROG Strix GL703GS VR Ready Gaming Laptop (Intel 8th Gen i7-8750H, 32GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD + 1TB SSHD, NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB, 17.3" Full HD 144Hz 3ms, Windows 10) Gamers Notebook

• Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core Processor (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz-4.1GHz) 45W
• RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | Hard Drive: 500GB NVMe Solid State Drive + 1TB FireCuda SSHD
• Keyboard: ASUS AURA SYNC Customizable RGB Gaming Keyboard | Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 (64 Bit)
• Display: 17.3" Full HD (1920x1080) 144Hz 3ms Wide View 72% NTSC Anti-Glare Display w/ NVIDIA G-Sync | Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 (VR Ready)
• ✔ 32GB RAM + 500GB NVMe SSD Upgrade| | 3-Year XPC Limited Warranty 

List price: [amazon B07G5DNB34 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon

Razer Blade 15: World's Smallest 15.6" Gaming Laptop - 144Hz Full HD Thin Bezel - 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q - 16GB RAM - 256GB SSD - Windows 10 - CNC Aluminum

The Razer Blade is one of the smallest 15.6” gaming laptops, striking the perfect balance of power and portability. We’ve redesigned the laptop to be more compact yet contain even more power and features. The larger, near-bezeless 15.6” Full HD display stretches edge-to-edge and features 144Hz refresh rates, while the new 8th gen Intel Core i7 6-Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q design graphics deliver amazing performance and frame rates.

• 15.6” 144Hz Full HD edge-to-edge display (4.9mm bezels), color calibrated
• Thin and compact, durable CNC aluminum anybody (0.66” x 9.25” x 13.98”)
• 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 core Processor
• NVidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q design VR Ready Graphics
• Innovative vapor chamber cooling System with gaming Mode power boost

List price: [amazon B07D39S85K listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon

HP OMEN 17t Premium Gaming and Business Laptop (Intel 8th Gen Coffee Lake i7-8750H, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD + 256GB PCIe SSD, 17.3" FHD (1920x1080) G-SYNC, GTX 1070, Thunderbolt 3, Win 10 Home) VR Ready

• 8th Generation Coffee Lake Intel Core i7-8750H (2.2 GHz, up to 4.1 GHz, 9 MB cache, 6 cores) Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB GDDR5 dedicated) Graphics Card
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD 144 Hz IPS anti-glare WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology Display, Intel 802.11ac WLAN and Bluetooth(R) [2x2], No DVD or CD Drive
• 16GB DDR4 SDRAM Memory, HP Wide Vision HD Camera and dual array digital microphone with 1 Thunderbolt 3, Full-size island-style backlit keyboard with numeric keypad
• 1TB HDD + 256GB PCIe SSD, 3 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (1 HP Sleep and Charge); 1 Mini DisplayPort; 1 HDMI v2.0; 1 RJ-45; 1 headphone/microphone combo
• Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 230 W AC power adapter, 8-cell, 86 Wh Battery, 1 Year Manufacture warranty from MichaelElectronics2 (Professionally Upgraded by MichaelElectronics2)

List price: [amazon B07DCG6Q47 listpriceformattedprice] Buy this laptop on Amazon

Rustavi Auto Market (Buying a Car in Georgia)

17 February, 2019 | Shopping Venues | 71 seen

Rustavi auto market is one of the most popular and useful places for buying a used car in Georgia (imported mostly from the US, but probably also from Asia and Europe). 

It was at the end of 2018, we decided to buy a car here in Georgia. After research on the most popular Georgian auto website myauto.ge we decided to stick with a Volkswagen Touareg  car (yes, damn expensive in exploitation, but safe)

To get to the Rustavi I decided to call my old pal - Ramaz, sincere taxi driver. Ramaz helped to inspect cars, translate conversations and at the end even to screw car plates on our new car. Rustavi is really close to Tbilisi, the drive didn't take more than 30-40 minutes.

Rustavi auto market

Turns out Rustavi International Motorpark is located just next to the auto market. 

Buyers from neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan are common guests here, as seems it's cheaper to buy a car in Georgia and then re-export it to Armenia/Azerbaijan. 

The market is divided into kind of sectors starting economy class cars ending high-end premium class vehicles. In the auto markets territory there are several restaurants (we tried Ukrainian restaurant with a super cool offer - business lunch for just 5 GEL), also there is a hotel for international guests located inside the territory. 

Top hotels in Rustavi, Georgia

Buying a car here is a no-brainer here, choosing among the thousand cars and search for the one you like, write down the phone number and call to the owner and start your negotiation.

Ramaz inspects Volkswagen Touareg at Rustavi auto market

We wanted to buy this car, but at the end bought other (the same model though)

The really neat stuff is that you can register your vehicle and get new car plates in ~ 30 minutes, as there is located Service Agency for the Ministry of Internal Affairs inside the  Rustavi car market. 

Representatives of Expert, Revenues Service and Insurance Companies as well as banks are available in all unit of the Service Agency.

That's how we bought our 2004 Volkswagen Touareg here, paying $4,500 + ~ GEL 180 for all the legal procedures + car number plates. We took a trip to Rustavi twice, on the first day we figured out what's offered, and on the second morning, we negotiated to meet with the car seller. Done!

Panorama Riga Observation Deck (Latvian Academy of Sciences)

16 February, 2019 | Tourism objects | 54 seen

The 107-meter tall building is considered the first high-rise in Latvia. It has been a prominent fixture of the Riga cityscape since the 1950s.

There are a total of 766 rooms on the 23 floors, occupied by scientists, researchers, historians, and various companies. 

It was in May 2018, when I first visited the observation deck located in Latvian Academy of Sciences building) and I was really impressed. So impressed that I would call this place actually the Empire State Building of Riga. Instead of paying USD 65 and waiting a couple of hours in the line (like in the NYC) here we paid EUR 5 entry ticket and without any line were taken up to the observation deck. Awesome. 

The Empire State Building & Observation Deck Tour

Latvian Academy of Sciences building

Couldn't fit in a landscape mode, and don't love portraiture. lol

The Academy of Sciences is one of the most notable examples of the so-called Socialist Realism in Latvia. The building was originally meant to become the Kolkhoz Workers’ Building or a hotel and dormitory for collective farm workers who come to Riga – but it was never used for the purpose. Riga residents used to call the buildings “Stalin’s birthday cake”, “Stalin’s baroque”, “Stalin’s tooth”, “Kremlin” and suchlike.

During the tourism season, it costs a few euros to go up to the 17th floor of the building and take in the panorama of the city from the height of 65 metres – the rooftops and church steeples of the Old Town, the bustling life of the Central Market, the unhurried flow of the Daugava River, and the wooden architecture of Maskavas suburb.

The ground floor of the Latvian Academy of Sciences houses concert hall “Rīga”, a venue for popular music concerts and performances for audiences of all kinds. The historic interior design of the concert hall, built in 1955, has just been completely renovated. Seating capacity is 700.

Panorama of Riga

From here you'll see the greatest masterpiece of the 21st century in Latvia – the National Library of Latvia, shaped like the Castle of Light, symbolizing the desire for knowledge so inherent to the Latvian nation. The library building was built in 2014, it was designed by the internationally acclaimed Latvian-born architect Gunnar Birkerts (USA). From the "Panorama Riga" observation deck a wonderful sight meets your eyes to the promenade of the river Daugava with five bridges linking the banks of the Daugava River, known as the “river of fate”, Old Riga and the Central Market, which is one of the oldest in Europe. The need for the Central Market was debated even before World War I - in 1910, and it has historic evidence, for example, the historical market pavilions, where active trading is still taking place. They were built for the needs of World War I, as German army aircraft - Zeppelin - hangars.

Top 5-star hotels in Astana, Kazakhstan

15 February, 2019 | Hotel reviews | 22 seen

Astana took over the role of the capital city from Almaty (the largest city) in December 1998. Now, it is undergoing a transformation costing billions of dollars, where top international architects assist in trying to make Astana a worthy capital - not only of Kazakhstan but of all Central Asia. Thus, Astana presents an interesting and intriguing blend of old Soviet architecture with the modern designs of Norman Foster and the likes.

Astana is growing, but still does not offer the comforts and thrills of its Western counterparts, or Almaty, but has its own charms and pleasures.

According to Booking.com, there are not many 5 star hotels in Astana. In today's article, I've listed the top 5 star hotels in Astana, Kazakhstan

Disclosure: this article contains links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you

Rixos President Hotel Astana

Located in Astana’s government district, this 5-star hotel has 2 elegant restaurants and a large spa with pool. Its air-conditioned rooms and suites include a spa bath and free WiFi.

The bright rooms and suites of the Rixos President Astana also feature flat-screen TVs and in-room safety deposit boxes. The hotel features free international phone calls.

You can relax in the elegant lobby bar, or enjoy live music in the Irish Pub.

Anjana Spa features a sauna, a Turkish steam bath and the Soul Bar. Guests can also work out in the gym or book a massage.

Rixos President Astana offers a paid pick-up and drop-off from Astana International Airport (12 km). Khan-Shatyr Entertainment Centre is 800 m from the hotel, and the Bayterek Monument is 1 km away.

Price: ~ $ 106 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hilton Astana

Set within Expo-2017 exhibition complex in Astana, Hilton Astana welcomes guests with a restaurant, rooftop bar with a city view and indoor swimming pool.

Every room at this hotel is air conditioned and is fitted with a flat-screen TV, minibar and seating area. Certain rooms feature a separate living room and access to the Executive Lounge for complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the day. A private bathroom comes with a shower, hairdryer and slippers. Free toiletries are featured.

There is a 24-hour room service at Hilton Astana. Other facilities include a business centre and a 24-hour fitness room. The on-site wellness spa offers massages, beauty treatments, saunas and a Turkish bath.

Price: ~ $ 99 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Astana Marriott Hotel

This 5-star hotel is located in the centre of Astana, just a minute's walk from Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre. An indoor pool, a sauna and a gym are featured at Astana Marriott Hotel. Free WiFi is provided throughout the property.

The elegant, air-conditioned rooms come with a flat-screen TV. The private bathrooms include bathrobes and slippers.

The on-site Aroma Restaurant serves European cuisine, and Vista restaurant offers International dishes with an Asian touch. A variety of drinks is available at the lobby bar.

Price: ~ $ 119 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Radisson Hotel Astana

Radisson Hotel Astana is located in Astana city centre, 1 km from the Parliament Building and the Congress and Exhibition Centre. Free Wi-Fi and free parking are provided.

All bright, air-conditioned rooms come with a flat-screen TV, a minibar, a safety deposit box and a kettle. Free toiletries, slippers, bathrobes and a hairdryer are available in a bathroom.

Capri Restaurant serves various European and Kazakh dishes. A buffet breakfast is served every morning and guests can have a drink at the bar.

Radisson Hotel Astana offers an indoor swimming pool, a gym, a sauna, a Turkish steam bath and a spa centre.

Price: $ 187 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Beijing Palace Soluxe Hotel Astana

Centrally located in Astana, this 5-star hotel features a Chinese-style façade and a revolving top-floor restaurant with excellent city views. A stylish pool and free valet parking are also offered.

The soundproofed rooms and suites at Beijing Palace Soluxe Hotel Astana each include a flat-screen TV and seating area. Bathrobes and toiletries are provided in the marble bathrooms.

The Great Wall restaurant serves gourmet Chinese cuisine, and European dishes are available in the Madonna restaurant. A light breakfast is provided every morning.

The hotel is located in Astana’s administrative centre, just a 5-minute walk from the House of Ministries and the Ak Orda Presidential Building.

Price: $ 146 Book this hotel on Booking.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Astana

Offering a spa centre and a swimming pool, Ritz Carlton Astana is set in Talan Towers in the heart of Astana's business centre. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant and panoramic views of the city.

Every room at this hotel is air conditioned and is fitted with a flat-screen TV and a minibar. Certain rooms feature a seating area where you can relax. The rooms are fitted with a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find a hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers and free toiletries.

The spa centre at Ritz Carlton Astana offers a variety of beauty treatments, massage and saunas. Guests can energise in the on-site fitness centre.

The hotel also offers car hire, and there is a business centre at the property. Bayterek Monument is 600 m from The Ritz-Carlton, Astana, while Nurzhol Boulevard is 300 m from the property. The nearest airport is Astana International Airport, 13.5 km from the property.

Price: $296 Book this hotel on Booking.com

The St. Regis Astana

The St. Regis Astana is located on the banks of the Ishim River in the heart of Central Park in Kazakhstan's capital. Bayterek Tower, Independence Square and Astana Opera are a 15-minute drive away.

The hotel's interior design combines modern features with references to Kazakhs’ nomadic history. A flat-screen TV with cable channels, as well as an iPod docking station are offered. All rooms have a separate living room and a signature St. Regis Bed. A private bathroom with a bath and bidet, with bathrobes, slippers and free toiletries are provided. Superior rooms include a sauna or a spa bath.

Iridium Spa offers a range of different beauty and wellness treatments. Swimming pool and fitness centre as well as a sauna are offered to guests on site at St. Regis Athletic Club.

Price: ~ $ 315 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Dzveli Duqani

12 February, 2019 | Restaurant reviews | 25 seen

Dzveli Duqani is a typical Georgian cuisine restaurant located next to  Didi Dighomi II  Micro District on Davit Aghmanashabeli avenue's 12th km (you can get here when driving from Tbilisi mall back to the city)

Discovered by accident in January 2019, after returning from Mtskheta. Next, to the restaurant, there is a small parking space under the bridge. 

Prices at Dzveli Duqani is considerably lower than those in the city center, but what's most important, food served here is really delicious. 

Homemade style French fries at Dzveli duqani in Tbilisi

Wow, just amazing, the best portion of French fries you can see above, cost just GEL 5 here (as of January 2019)

Chicken and pork barbecue at Dzveli Duqani

Hualing Tbilisi Sea Plaza

10 February, 2019 | Shopping Venues | 96 seen

Tbilisi Sea Plaza trading center is located in the eastern suburbs of Tbilisi City, near the Tbilisi Sea.

I first heard about this "project" back in 2013 or something, and actually tried to visit it already in 2015, without luck. Turns out this place has been opened for the public just since the end of 2016. Despite been opened for public for a while already this place is not close as popular as Tbilisi Mall or East Point shopping malls located in the suburbs of Tbilisi. I believe the reason is the missing anchor tenant, some large food store

It was at the end of December 2018, we were wandering around Tbilisi in our new Volkswagen Tuareg car, and decided to locate this place finally.

And we succeeded. Unfortunately, at the end of 2018, this place looked more like a ghost town, though after a couple of minutes of wandering here we did find some actual trading inside the main building.

Hualing Tbilisi Sea Plaza

Warehouses on the left, main building on the right. In the background neighborhood of Varketili. 

Total construction area of “Tbilisi Sea Plaza” is 150,000 m2, out of which 24 000 m2 of the grand exhibition hall, 18 000 m2 of the universal hall, 15 000 m2 of bonded area and warehouse area were already completed in 2014. Construction of 110 000 m2 of the main building was completed in 2016.

Concreted pine alley at Tbilisi Sea Plaza

Despite it was a pre-Christmas time we visited this place, there were no people outside, and just a few visitors and dozen of merchants inside the main building. 

Market and commercial facilities include: market zone, processing zone, custom bond zone, warehouse zone, commercial pedestrian streets and many other businesses, which will serve as a motive power for the main body of the commercial area and its economic development. At present, merchants from China, Turkey and Dubai (UAE) have signed agreements to enter Hualing International Trade Center and have already started operating. Their goods include: garments, bags and suitcases, food, furniture, construction materials, decorative lighting, children toys, sanitary products, vehicle spare parts. “Tbilisi Sea Plaza” will also feature catering, banks and other facilities

Main building of Tbilisi Sea Plaza

One I know for sure, this place is great for architecture photography. 

Main building of Tbilisi Sea Plaza

Now, these warehouses actually are interesting for those one looking to set up a startup here in Georgia. Could be a good place for internet shops at least. 

Cafe "Kāpenieki" in Aizpute

9 February, 2019 | Restaurant reviews | 11 seen

Cafe Kāpenieki has been one of my best finds in the Aizpute town in Western Latvia. Tasty, traditional Latvian cuisine for a very decent price. 

The fun fact, at this place in May 2018 I opened my first online brokerage account and soon started to acquire European and the US stocks. Also, they sell tasty Kvass, which is manufactured by a company listed on Nasdaq Baltics (Gubernija). lol

Traditional Latvian Cold soup

The main course at cafe Kāpenieki in Aizpute

Too big to fail, too large to eat in the first attempt. Damn tasty though.

Located inside the old and neglected, but renovated Soviet-era building, Cafe Kāpenieki attracts locals and visitors from nearby towns and cities.

Cafe Kāpenieki

Top 5-star hotels in Tashkent

8 February, 2019 | Hotel reviews | 31 seen

Tashkent is a very Soviet city that has little remaining from its ancient Central Asian past. The city has a mixture of modern new office buildings, hotels, parks, and crumbling Soviet-style apartment blocks. 

Over the last few years, the Uzbek government has embarked on a major reconstruction program in the center of the city. Roads, government buildings and parks are all being reconstructed (many historical buildings and sites are bulldozed in the process). To the visitor, the new city looks very impressive, although many of the local residents have yet to see any improvement in their residential areas. See more on Tashkent Travel guide

Tashkent is waiting for a boom. The infrastructure, hotels, and shops are there but the influx of people and business has failed to materialize. This is caused in part by a combination of government policy and bad publicity. 

According to Booking.com, there are not many 5 star hotels in Tashkent. In today's article, I've listed the top 5 star hotels in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Disclosure: this article contains links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you

International Hotel Tashkent

International Hotel Tashkent is located in a green, central area. Tashkent Expo Centre and International Business Centre are within a 10-minute walk. Free private parking is provided.

All air-conditioned, elegant rooms come with a TV, safety deposit box and minibar. Slippers, a bathrobe and a hairdryer are provided in a bathroom.

International Hotel Tashkent offers an indoor swimming pool and a gym. It is possible to relax in a sauna or to order massage service.

Bodomzor Metro Station is 20 m from the hotel, and Tashkent Central Station is within a 20-minute drive. The distance to Tashkent International airport is 16.5 km, and an airport pick up is provided at surcharge.

Price: ~ $ 171 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Wyndham Tashkent

Set in Tashkent city-centre, this 5-star hotel offers a gym, large indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna and Turkish steam bath. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Wyndham Tashkent hotel. Other amenities include a beauty salon, business center, currency exchange office, travel agency, car parking and luggage storage.

Fully renovated in 2017, the spacious rooms at the Wyndham Tashkent feature classic and modern design. All rooms have individually controlled air-conditioning and include satellite TV, minibar and coffee and tea making facilities.

A buffet breakfast is provided each morning in Turkuaz restaurant where the guests may enjoy the variety of the international and Uzbek cuisine, as well as listen to the live sound of the piano.

Business meetings and corporate events can be held in five fully-equipped hotel's conference halls.

Abdullah Qodiriy Metro Station is a 5-minute walk away. Wyndham Tashkent is 200 m from the Amir Timur Museum and 4 km from the famous Çhorsu Bazaar.

Guests enjoy free on-site parking and a 24-hour reception. Pick up and drop off service to Tashkent International Airport is available upon request.

Price: ~ $ 182 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Ramada Tashkent

Located in the city centre of Tashkent, just a 5-minute walk from the famous Independence Square and opposite to Anhor Locomotiv Park with a carting track, Ramada Tashkent offers on-site cash machines, free WiFi throughout the property and free private parking.

Rooms at the hotel offer a TV with satellite channels, a minibar, an electric kettle, a seating area, a safety deposit box, air conditioning, and a private bathroom. Guests can benefit from a 24-hour room service.

Guests can enjoy Indian, Turkish and European cuisine at the hotel's restaurants, and buffet breakfast is served every morning. Guests can relax in the Ramada's health club with a fitness centre, swimming pool, massage and sauna.

Other property facilities include a 24-hour front desk, billiards, a tour desk, a snack bar, meeting and banquet facilities, luggage storage, an ATM machine and an airport shuttle.

Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, Tashkent Tower is 4 km, and Tashkentland is 3 km away.

Mustaqillik Maydoni Metro Station is a 10-minute walk of Ramada Tashkent, Tashkent Train Station is 5 km away, and Tashkent International Airport is a 15-minute drive from the property.

Price: ~ $ 130 Book this hotel on Booking.com

City Palace Hotel Tashkent

City Palace Hotel Tashkent is 500 m from Amir Temur Square and Amir Timur Museum in the heart of Tashkent city centre. Features include an outdoor pool, indoor pool, and free WiFi.

A minibar, seating area, and refrigerator are provided in each room as well as a satellite TV. City Palace Hotel Tashkent extras include an electric kettle, towels, and linen.

A restaurant is on site, and luggage storage is offered at reception for added convenience. Free parking is provided.

Abdulla Kodiriy metro station is 350 m away. The hotel is also 3.2 km from Pakhtakor Stadium, 6 minutes’ drive from Tashkent Botanical Garden, and 7 km from Tashkent International Airport.

Price: ~ $100 Book this hotel on Booking.com

Hyatt Regency Tashkent

Hyatt Regency Tashkent offers accommodation in the heart of Tashkent. This luxury hotel offers a revolving restaurant, indoor swimming pool and free WiFi.

In the luxurious guest rooms, elegant furnishings and scenic views are offered. A seating area is featured in some rooms where guests can relax with a drink from the minibar while watching satellite TV.

Hyatt Regency’s spa and fitness centre has a modern gym. Spa services with a wide range of relaxing massages are also provided.

Mustaqillik Maydoni Metro Station is a 12-minute walk away. Tashkent International Airport is 7 km from the Hyatt Regency Tashkent.

Price: ~ $ 275 Book this hotel on Booking.com

January 2019 Dividend Income Report - $174.71

6 February, 2019 | Investments | 11 seen

Welcome to the twenty-first (#21) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks, peer to peer lending (both fiat and cryptocurrencies) in January 2019. 

Wow, times flies, the last January disappeared like a flicker, little miss Fischer baby girl turned already 6-month old. This January also marked a small 2 years anniversary since In originally set my goal to have in savings account 1 million dollars by 2045. In general, January was great for most of the investors (except probably just crypto investments) as in January most markets recovered after the sluggish year end of 2018. 

From the point of dividends, last January was awesome, it turned out to be the second largest in terms of income, after July 2018, slightly beating the previous second-best month (December 2017) 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to mintos.com peer to peer lending website, by clicking on links on this page and by making an investment on mintos.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. 

Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or third countries currently considered to have AML/CFT systems equivalent to the EU, and have their identity successfully verified by Mintos. At the moment, US citizens or taxpayers cannot register as investors at Mintos.

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.

Interest income in January 2019

From the stocks, Mintos.com peer to peer lending and from cryptocurrency lending on Poloniex.com I got following income last month:

Ticker

Earnings

SFG1T

€52.00

Mintos

€42.91

USA*

€10.56

NRZ

€10.01

PNTT

€9.47

ATRS

€6.75

EDF

€6.67

CLM

€5.33

EDI

€5.04

VBL1L

€1.70

Poloniex

€1.58

Total: EUR 151.92 / USD 174.71

In total there were 11 great companies paying us dividends in January. I keep investing in peer to peer lending (Mintos.com), see Mintos.com Review After 24 Month of Investing in Peer to Peer Lending, European and Baltic stocks, US stocks and crypto.

The YoY growth rate for my dividend income in January 2019 was + 73.07%. or  $73.76 more than a year ago in January 2018. That's the Growth rate I like and would love to see at least +75$ in the future. 

*I got dividend payment in form of reinvested dividends for USA, not sure if that's what I'm looking for, but don't have any plans to change it in 2019. See: Latest Stock Buy: USA

Monthly income to the date

January 2019 marks already the second anniversary since I started this road to the million dollars in savings account journey. The result, so far, looks quite good.

Monthly Income chart as of January 2019

The cumulative earnings for 2019 now are $174.71  which is exactly 8.54% from my goal of 2019 ($2045). On the average, it would ask me to generate $170.03 every month for the next 11 months to reach my goal. Right, now I'm very confident reaching this goal.

2018 in Review and Financial Goals for 2019

Goals for January 2020

This is my favorite part of the reports - trying to forecast/set goals for the next year.  I have a $220 goal for the January 2020.  From today's perspective looks very possible, sure,  will ask to add a few more monthly/quarterly dividend paying stocks.

Chinese Restaurant Ensemble (Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi)

5 February, 2019 | Restaurant reviews | 37 seen

Chinese Restaurant Ensemble is located in a 5-star hotel "Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi" near the Tbilisi Sea in the so-called - Tbilisi Sea New City. 

I got a recommendation to visit this restaurant from some other Tbilisi expats. So some Saturday afternoon in a company of the same expats we visited this place and I had a chance to try really authentic Chinese cuisine.  

Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi building

Here is what it's all about:

For pure gourmets, the hotel offers an authentic Chinese Restaurant - ENSEMBLE with a masterful blend of ingredients and spices. Enjoy authentic Chinese dishes from various regions and provinces of China; discover Xinjiang delicacies, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine in an exclusive environment, make yourself and friends extra comfortable by reserving one of our private dining rooms for that extra feeling of luxury and service.

Restaurant Ensemble in Tbilisi

Noodles at Ensemble Chinese restaurant in Tbilisi 

Spring-rolls with a sauce

Sliced cold beef meat