Latvian National Opera
The Latvian National Opera and Ballet is an opera house and opera company at Aspazijas boulevard 3 in Riga.
Its repertoire includes performances of opera and ballet presented during the season which lasts from mid-September to the end of May.
During a typical season, LNOB presents almost 200 performances, including, on average, 6 new productions. The largest is the Great Hall which houses 946 seats, while the smaller ones – the New Hall, the Dress Circle Hall (Beletāžas zāle) and the Red Hall – have a maximum seating capacity of 338, 170 and 100 respectively.
The building is located on the bank of the Riga Canal, near the Freedom Monument.
The origins of the Latvian National…
How to Rotate a video in Adobe Premiere Pro (Portrait to Landscape)
Sometimes when filming with a mobile phone, I shoot in portrait mode. Portrait mode is Okay for social media posts, but not really cool looking on larger screens.
Recently, when working on a larger home video in Adobe Premiere Pro, I discovered a few scenes shot in portrait mode, but actually where meant to be landscape.
Without further ado, here is how to rotate a video in Adobe Premiere Pro
Upload your clip, from the timeline select clip, and click on the effects control, from there under Motion click Rotate and change to 90 degrees
Hope it helps. For a Youtube, tutorial check out this video: How to Rotate a video in Premiere Pro (Portrait to Landscape)
Vilgāle apt update: Hallway, Sauna and more
It has been a few weeks already since the works with Vilgāle apt have been restarted, finishing the hallway, kitchen and sauna. more wiring were done, additional drywall constructions, some plumbing and a lot of sauna works.
Hopefully the works could be done by the end of the year, but more realistic I'm looking on Spring 2022. Will see.
There is built a closet for storing wooden pellets, boiler and wood pellet stove itself.
Looks bit tidy, but will see
Still a lot to do, but the good thing, most of the plumbing is already done. Next tiles and wooden boards for sauna
here is planned to install little electric stove for sauna
Cost so far:
Water plumbing: EUR 60
Sadales Tīkls…
Tskaltubo - Former Soviet Spa Resort
Tskaltubo is a spa resort town in west-central Georgia. The resort was especially popular in the Soviet era, attracting around 125,000 visitors a year. Bathhouse 9 features a frieze of Stalin, and visitors can see the private pool where he bathed on his visits.
Just like Chiatura cable car town, Tskaltubo is very interesting to visit and see the brutalist and futuristic Soviet architecture.
In today's Piece of Life series - Tskalubo - former Soviet Spa Resort town
The resort's focus is on balneotherapy for circulatory, nervous, musculo-skeletal, gynaecological and skin diseases, but since the 1970s its repertoire has included "speleotherapy", in which the cool dust-free environment…
The Grand Documentary of 2019
Almost 38.8 GB (676 clips short clips per year) footage resulted in almost 2 hours of film. (1h 56 m).
As every year - documentary cinema - in the style of home video, but we have thought about your vestibular aparatus - trying to avoid the tremors of the hands and the desire to work with and around the zoom as much as possible (undoubtedly, the couple places ar filmed in a manual mode). Filming with a tripod and a baby on the move is difficult
The length of the film is determined by its main character - Renee. One year in our baby's life - running around, crawling, getting up and finally taking the first steps.
Kilogram of a cake for a birthday, farewell to Richard (white cat)
Travel…
Chreli Abano Sulfur Bath in Tbilisi
Chreli Abano is a sulfur bath located in the Tbilisi Bath district of Abanotubani.
We have been heading to these baths a lot in the past (back in 2011-2013), since then we have changed our location, visiting other, not so fancy ones on Kyiv street, but lately again, we have started to visit sulfur bathhouses in the old town district.
As they are many, I will try to give a quick recap of all of them, though after revisiting Chreli Abano sufur bath in Tbilisi, seems I will stick with it for awhile.
Located at the eastern bank of the Mtkvari River at the foot of Narikala fort across Metekhisubani, Abanotubani is an important historic part of the city — the place, where according…
Vilgāle apt update: Drywall for Bathroom, Kitchen and Hallway, Building Sauna
It has been a while since I posted the latest updates from our Vilgāle apartment renovation, the active construction works have been paused since March, except some minor plastering was done by mid-June.
In the Summer months in Latvia, it is hard to find contractors. I was left with no other option than to wait for the fall/ winter season.
Without further ado, works have resumed with lightning speed and there is a hope we will finish this apt by the end of this year (2021), at least the major construction works.
Rock wool, wiring. In the hallway there is going to be installed a wood pellet central heating stove.
We already started to look on Ikea store for some cabinets to install…
Le Meridien Batumi Hotel Review
Le Meridan hotel is one of many 5-star hotels in Batumi I've stayed in so far.
We booked a one-night stay here in August 2021 to celebrate my 36 birthday. For this stay, we paid about $340, and this seems a bit overpriced. I still prefer Radisson or Hilton, but if money is no obstacle, why not?
We arrived bit late in the evening from Batumi international airport (flight from Tbilisi). It was already getting late, but I managed to capture the above sunset .
Beach reachable within only 656 feet, Le Meridien Batumi is a 5-star hotel and features 105 tastefully decorated and furnished rooms and suites with stunning Black Sea views. Guests can take a dip in an indoor swimming pool, work out…
Halloween 2021
Our spooky Halloween short. From the mist-covered Sighnaghi to Bazaleti lake. Trick or treat!
Chateau Bruale Tkhilistskaro
Chateau Bruale offers accommodations in Tkhilistskaro. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant. Free WiFi is available throughout the property and free private parking is available on site.
We booked a one-night stay at this place at the end of August 2021 and paid about EUR 30. Additionally, we ordered some dinner and breakfast, for an additional GEL 120
Chateau is located in the middle of vineyards and hazelnut grove. I actually bought some 5 kilos with hazelnut, paying about GEL 8 per kilo.
I held a small talk with the owner of the chateau, a retired colonel, and I was told that a good land for sale in Kakhetia cost about $20,000 per ha (albeit they are not selling to foreigners)…
Autumn in Laidi
Laidi is a village in Laidi parish, Kuldīga municipality, Latvia. The village is located some 28 km from the county center of Kuldiga and 167 km from Riga.
One of the most interesting objects to see: Laidi manor - Built in the early 19th century by the local German nobility, it has housed the Laidi primary school since 1921.
In today's Piece of Life series - Autumn in Laidi
Beautiful scenary with colourful trees
The Grand Documentary of 2018
2018 was very special. Here is a brief recap in a 25-minute long documentary.
Some shorts from Tbilisi, relocating to Jūrmala. A lot of snow. Building a baby crib, chilling. chilling a lot. Picking up a baby name. First meeting with a little person. First bathing. Many things were done for the first time. Relocating back to Georgia. And many more. Enjoy!
Prometheus Epic Hotel & Spa near Tskaltubo
Located just some 500 meters from Prometheus Cave, Prometheus Epic Hotel & Spa provides accommodations with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool, and a bar.
We booked this hotel for a 2-night stay at the start of September during our Kutaisi and area trip. This was a pretty affordable stay, in total we paid about EUR 110 for a two-day stay.
With a garden, the property also has a terrace. The property features a spa center, free WiFi throughout the property and a 24-hour front desk.
Unfortunetly during our stay here (September) there was some heavy rain, but still we enjoyed the hot pools.
Prometheus Epic Hotel & Spa offers 4-star accommodations…
Kļavu Lapas Laidos
Kļavu lapas Laidos - an attempt to catch some falling colorful leaves. Laidi manor and more. October 17, 2021 Dji Mavic Air 2, Galaxy A52
Eagle Canyon / Gorge
Eagle Canyon also Eagle Gorge or Artsivi Gorge is located close to the town of Dedoplitskaro in Georgia.
The natural monument represents a unique complex consisting of two sites. The first one is a limestone rock canyon, while the other is an adjacent forested area, where the Khornabuji fortress was built (V c).
I first discovered this great canyon at the start of June 2021, during a Vashlovani trip.
There is a little rangers cabin at the main entrance inside the canyon
The canyon with a picturesque landscape is a home to several birds of prey (eagle, vulture etc.). Looking at the hanging cliffs from the rocky slopes of the gorge, it is possible to observe nests of eagles and…
Lake Zvirgzdu
Lake Zvirgzdu is located in Kurzeme historical region on the border of Kuldīga and Alsunga municipalities.
There are several campsites available at Lake Zvirgzdu, with one of the most popular being - Ezermaļi.
I discovered this place by a chance, back in September 2021, while randomly driving around the area
There are 6 farmsteads on the shore of the lake, the V1264 highway runs along the western end.
In 1976, the Latvian feature film "Lake Sonata" was shot on the shore of the lake.
Valmiera & Cēsis 2021
Valmiera & Cēsis from a drone flight.
Took a quick day trip from Riga on January 2, 2021, to visit some lesser-known places
DJI Mavic Air 2, music by Scott Holmes - Discovery
Big Shiraki Abandoned Soviet Airfield in Georgia
If you are into military heritage or have some interest in Soviet history - Big Shiraki airfield in the Georgian dessert (steppe) might be an interesting object to visit in Georgia.
I had not a single idea there even exsit such place here in Georgia, but at the astart of June, during a Vashlovani trip, a German friend took us to this place.
Not an expert on Soviet or any other military I was told that during the Soviet Era Sukhoi figher jets were based here. At start it looked bit unrealistic, as the small angars looked capable of storing some smaller aircraft not a figherjet, but latter I learned the Sukhoi airplane could actually be stored here.
Around 1950, the Soviet government…
Restaurant Lakeside Tskaltubo
Restaurant Lakeside is located in the town of Tskaltubo, Georgia on the lake Tsivi.
First discovered and visited at the start of September 2021
In the evening life music was performed. Really chill atmosphere. Food was good.
Surami Fortress
Surami Fortress is located in the town of Surami, not far from Khashuri. The fortress itself is located on a rocky mountain.
If you have been traveling arund Georgia, especially by the Tbilisi - Kutaisi - Batumi road, you probably have noticed this fortress, as I do. Actually I've been passing by this place quite often, but bever actually visited. Now, I decided to change that, and when returining from Kutaisi made a quick stop here, to fly a drone around, and learn that Surami is quite an interesting little town.
The fortress is an important work of historical, monumental art. Surami Castle is located at the crossroads of two main roads; One goes west through the Likhi Passes and…