Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, Tbilisi
Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem also now known as the Upper Bethlehem Church, is a church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Built as an Armenian church in the 18th century, on the site of an older church, it now operates as a Georgian orthodox church.Discovered by accident while hiking from Mother Georgia monument in mid-August 2020. Returned here a week later to take some aerial photography with a drone.Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, TbilisiThere are at least 3 roads how to get here. The first one is from the Mother Georgia monument using pretty steep stairways, kind of hiking trails. Another one is to come from Gomi street, and the third one is…
Mother of Georgia Monument
The Mother of Georgia or Kartlis Deda monument is located atop of the Sololaki hill in Georgia's capital Tbilisi.The statue was erected on the top of Sololaki hill in 1958, that year Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary. Prominent Georgian sculptor Elguja Amashukeli designed the twenty-meter aluminum figure of a woman in Georgian national dress.Mother of Georgia monument in TbilisiIt's said that statue symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies.In 1966 Elguja Amashukeli was awarded the Shota…
Restaurant Pepo near Dashbashi Canyon
Restaurant Pepo is located in the village of Dashbashi, some 200-300 meters from the Saint George Church.The cafe is an ideal base camp for exploring the famous Dashabshi Canyon. That's actually how we discovered this place in July 2020, during an unplanned trip to Tsalka, we decided to look for the "famous" Dashbahsi Canyon, where we found this lovely cafe/restaurant Pepo.VIsa accepted and traditional Georgian cuisine served. We ordered some mtsvadi, salads, French fries a lot of lemonades, even a khachapuri. Our total bill here about GEL 100. Meal at restaurant Pepo near Dashbashi canyon in GeorgiaI used the territory of this restaurant as a base for drone…
Batumi Boulevard Dancing Fountains
Batumi Boulevard is the main and most visited sightseeing of the city.One of its central elements is the dancing fountains located just in the heart of the city.Batumi fountain square from a drone's flightIt was at the start of August 2020, we visited Batumi once again. I took a drone to make some photos, and one of the aerial shots is from Dancing fountain square.In the summertime, this place can be quite busy.Thanks to the joint efforts of the prominent Georgian architect Giorgi Erkomaishvili and the Armenian engineers, three colorful fountains were installed in the central entrance of Batumi Boulevard in 1977 bringing vibrancy and a new splash of life to the area.In 2007, the fountains…
Djansug Kakhidze Garden
The Djansug Kakhidze Garden is located on Agmashenebeli Avenue (behind the Bank of Georgia building) in Tbilisi. The park is very popular among people living nearby. There is a little kid playground in the park s territory.The park is named after Jansug Kakhidze, the music director of the Georgian State Symphony Orchestra.We have been heading to this park for ages since the times we were living on Tamar Mepe street when discovered this park first time. Now with a toddler girl, we (or a nanny) are spending much time here.Water fountain from a drone's flightThe fountains os one of the central elements of the park, around the fountain there are many roses planted. The…
Pheasant’s Tears Restaurant Sighnahghi
Pheasant's Tears is an awesome and authentic restaurant serving authentic Georgian cuisine. The restaurant is located in Sighnaghi, some 120km from the nation's capital Tbilisi.We have heard a lot about this place in the past but actually visited it for the first time in June 2020, while driving around the region of Kakheti.The little yard at Peasant's Tears restaurant in SighnaghiPheasant’s Tears was born out of a love of authentic tradition, and culture and endless creativity. It is more than a winery, it's about songs, cuisine, art, heritage, tangible and intangible. For wine is born out of a confluence of the spirit of a place, its geology, its history, and the…
Saint George Church in Dashbashi
St. George's Church / Ahalkalaki St. George Church is located close to the Tsalka town in the village of Dashbashi.It was in mid-July 2020, when we discovered this place by accident, during an unplanned trip to Tsalka, we decided to look for the "famous" Dashbahsi Canyon, where we found a little cafe and as I had my DJI mini Mavic drone with I did some flying around the area, just to discover this picturesque church atop of the rock. Awesome.Saint George Church in Dashbashi canyon, GeorgiaIt was a lot of fun flying a drone from the nearby cafe (located some 200 meters) and explore the area from the top.I did some impressive drone video shooting also from this point.Saint…
My First Drone Video / DJI MAVIC MINI
Here comes my first drone video filmed with DJI Mavic Mini drone.
DJI Mini Mavic Drone Review
Filming locations: our Tbilisi apt, Lisi lake, Rike Park, Dashbashi Canyon.
Cinematic music for dramas effect by Scott Holmes / Humanity
Quickly made with Adobe Premiere Pro
July 2020, Tbilisi
Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi
Located within a 3-minute walk from the Black Sea beach in Batumi, this hotel features indoor and outdoor pools, a rooftop restaurant and free WiFi. We booked one night here at the start of August 2020 and paid about $120 for a family room and breakfasts included. It is fun to note that about 8 years ago we rented an apartment in Batumi, in the backyard of this hotel, and spend about $400/mo. Now time flies, things change, but Batumi Radisson stays.Its large rooms include flat-screen TVs, Nespresso coffee machines and sea views. Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi has the Green Key eco-label and also, owns the safety and security certification by the Safehotels.King size…
Cows Cooling off in a lake in Georgia
It was in mid-July, we were heading to the Dashabashi canyon near the Tsalka town in Georgia when suddenly on the roadside we noticed a strange view - cows were cooling off in a small mud lake.Such senses are more typical to Africa, it was the first time I have seen something like that in Georgia. Luckily I had a camera to take a few shots.Cows cooling off in a muddy lake
DJI Mini Mavic Drone Review
DJI Mini Mavic drone has been around for a while already (since the end of 2019). It was at the start of July 2020, when I decided to order a drone for me. As I didn't have any idea what's good and what's not, I just headed to Amazon and looked for best-selling drones/ quadcopters. I did order under $100 SnapTain 650 D, but once it was out for shipping and I started to familiarize better with the product from the description, I understood that this drone most probably is not for me - I was looking for something smarter, something with larger flight radius and something not working from my phones WI-FI.Huge was my surprise when I discovered DJI MINI MAVIC drone for just $399.…
Hotel 'Castello Visconteo' in Cassano dʼAdda, Italy
Castello Visconteo is a 13th-century fortress located in Cassano d'Adda, Italy.We booked a hotel room here for a one night back in November 15, 2019 and paid about EUR 100 for that. We choose to book this hotel as it was pretty close to the Bergamo airport, as on the second day we had a flight back to TbilisiStay at this hotel left an authentic medieval time feeling. Our room at Castello VisconteoRooms at Castello Visconteo are air conditioned and come with parquet floors. Free WiFi is available throughout.View to the nearby square from the hotelSeems this place is very busy during the high-season. During our visit here in November, there were just a couple of guests.…
July 2020 Dividend Income Report - $136.90
Welcome to the thirty-ninth (#39) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks and peer to peer lending in July 2020.Just like the previous months, the last June we also spent in a self-isolation (because of Covid-19) here in Georgia. More of the strict lockdown measurements were lifted (inner tourism, restaurants, and hotels were opened for public) we did a few weekend trips with an overnight stay at local resorts here in Georgia. The baby girl attends her pre-school, she is doing great - talking a lot, putting together sentences, mixing languages, figuring out new words. Awesome. Quite fascinating…
Mziuri Park in Tbilisi
Mziuri Park in Tbilisi is located in the Vere River valley and has two main entrances: one from Chavchavadze Avenue and another from Chabua Amirejibi Highway (also known as the New Road), directly across from the Tbilisi Zoo.The renovated park reopened to the public recently. In mid-July 2020, after receiving my first drone delivery in Tbilisi, I decided to test it out — and Mziuri Park turned out to be an ideal location.Mziuri Park in TbilisiThe photo above is my first HDR shot captured with a drone.The park offers walking paths, an educational center, a sports complex, and various activities for children. In the central area, there is an amphitheater where performances, film screenings,…
Milano Centrale railway station
Milano Centrale is the main railway station of the city of Milan, Italy, and is the largest railway station in Europe by volume. The station is a terminus and located at the northern end of central Milan.It was officially inaugurated in 1931 to replace the old central station (built 1864), which was a transit station but with a limited number of tracks and space, so could not handle the increased traffic caused by the opening of the Simplon tunnel in 1906.It was back in Summer 2003, when I first visited this place, during my hitchhiking / train travel back home from French Foreign legion (from Marseilles, France). Back then I arrived to Milano Centrale…
First DJI Mavic Mini Aerial photography (Lisi Lake / Tbilisi)
At the end of July 2020, I finally received my DJI Mavic Mini here in Tbilisi, Georgia.
I was very eager to test it out, and one of the first spots to test DJI Mavic mini, which come to my mind was the Lisi lake.
As our daughter has a preschool in that area, it was agreed to make the first test flight with this little drone near the Lisi lake.
DJI_0001 officially first drone photography at the Lisi lake
Not the best shot, obliviously, as the first flight was more about learning the controls
Author of this blog captured in action
Flying a drone is a lot of fun, no doubts
Lisi lake in Tbilisi from about 30-40 meter heights
The drone kept saying that…
Vine Yard Restaurant in Kvareli
Restaurant Vine Yard in Kvareli is located just next to the city walls fortress opposite to the Kvareli Public service hall building. This place serves typical Georgian cuisine, VISA accepted. This restaurant has been our radar since late 2018, when we discovered this place while stayed at Kvareli Eden hotel, we have been heading here ever since, when in the area. \Typical Georgian Supra at Restaurant Vine yard in KvareliSimple, tasty, and quite affordable. Our total bill here some GEL 70 for mcvadi, French fries, badrijani, coffees, lemonades and more.
Sevsamora Resort & Spa
Sevsamora Resort & Spa is located in the village/town of Saguramo, some 15 minutes drive from Tbilisi.We booked a family room for a 2-night stay here in the middle of June 2020, paying about GEL 600 (USD 200), with free breakfast included.The main reason for us coming here was the proximity to Tbilisi and the outdoor swimming pool for our baby girl. Sevsamora Resort & SpaAmong the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The property provides both outdoor and indoor pool, a garden and rooms with pool views.Outdoor terrace with spectacular viewsTbilisi City is 30 km from the resort. The nearest…
Restaurant 'Vero Cinese' Milan (via Boscovich)
Restaurant 'Vero Cinese' is located on Boscovich street in Milan, Italy. This place serves Chinese cuisine. We had a chance to dine here in November 2019, during our few day trip to Italy, with stop in Milano. I find it always interesting browsing through the travel photos and finding these places on map. It wasn't hard to map Ristorante Vero Cinese.Restaurant 'Vero Cinese' Milan (via Boscovich)We were traveling with our toddler baby girl, so we ordered something toddler friendly.The staff speaks excellent Italian, but little English. This was not our typical Tbilisi Chinese restaurant, this was totally different. Some dumplings and Chinese teaSoup with egg
Kindzmarauli Church and Monastery
Kindzmarauli church and monastery complex is located in the region of Kakheti, some 3 km off from the main road (Road 43 Telavi - Kvareli)We discovered this small monastery complex while driving from the Lopota lake resort to the town of Kvareli at the start of June 2020. There is a linden tree right at the monastery, my better part gathered some linden flowers to make a tea latter in the winter. The surrounding area of the Kindzmarauli churchRoses, mountains and vineyards.Bell tower at Kindzmarauli churchWe didn't actually visit the church this time.