Cinnamon Island, Sri Lanka

21 February, 2022 | Tourism objects | 304 seen

Cinnamon Island is situated in Bentota in Sri Lanka. This is a little, but a charming island that offers a few fun activities for you. Here you will be able to learn about cinnamon cultivation and if lucky will meet a monkey or at least a dog.

We visited Cinnamon Island at the start of January 2022, during our trip to Sri Lanka, and in particular during the Madu Ganga River Boat Safari.

Cinnamon Island is situated in the Southern Province in Sri Lanka. This is the place where you will be able to learn about the cinnamon harvesting and even the whole process of cinnamon cultivation. You can even visit this place with your friends and family as this is a very informative place and there’s so much you can learn

You can plan a trip to Cinnamon Island where you will be able to visit a family that runs a cinnamon plantation. You will gain a lot of knowledge here such as the process of peeling cinnamon, harvesting cinnamon, growing cinnamon, and how to obtain oil from cinnamon. This is a very unique experience you and your loved ones can get.

Learn more:  Cinnamon Island

Sri Lanka Chronicles: A Tropical Escape to Colombo, Bentota, and Galle

18 February, 2022 | Travel guides | 25 seen

Ahoy, fellow wanderers! Join me in this travelogue as I take you on a sun-kissed journey through the gem of the Indian Ocean – Sri Lanka. In January 2022, the island nation unveiled its wonders as I explored the vibrant cityscape of Colombo, basked in the coastal bliss of Bentota, and wandered through the historic charm of Galle. With the Indian Ocean as our constant companion, infinity swimming pools beckoning, and a myriad of flavors to savor, this was a trip to remember. Buckle up for tales of exotic fruits, fish curry feasts, encounters with elephants and varans, tuk-tuk adventures, and the warmth of +38°C. Welcome to the tropical paradise that is Sri Lanka!

Our adventure kicked off in Colombo, the bustling capital that seamlessly blends modernity with its rich cultural tapestry. The city's vibrant markets, colonial architecture, and the soothing Indian Ocean breeze set the stage for an enchanting journey.

Next on our itinerary was Bentota, where the Indian Ocean waves gently kissed the shores of…

Taj Bentota Resort & Spa Hotel Review in Sri Lanka

17 February, 2022 | Hotel reviews | 44 seen

Taj Bentota Resort & Spa -  is located in Sri Lanka's Galle District, offering breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean. Pampering spa services, an outdoor pool, and 5 dining options are provided.

We booked this 5-star hotel for a 3-night stay at the start of January 2022, while traveling near the Ocean in Sri Lanka. For a 3 night stay here we paid about USD 580.

The room seemed a bit small at the first glance, but after all it was quite perfect (as most of the time we did spent near the Indian Ocean or at the swimming pool)

The property's well-lit rooms come equipped with a minibar and tea/coffee maker. It provides a cable TV and safety deposit boxes. Private balconies have outdoor seating areas and overlook the sea.

Taj Bentota Resort & Spa is 60 km from South Colombo. It is approximately 90 km from Bandaranaike International Airport. Guests who drive can enjoy free parking.

For getting here we arranged a transfer from our hotel in Colombo, see Hilton Colombo Residence Apartment Review and paid about $60 fpr the shuttle service

The Palms 24-hour restaurant serves international cuisine, while authentic Chinese…

Royal House Gori

16 February, 2022 | Hotel reviews | 15 seen

The Royal house is said to be a 4-star hotel located in Gori, Georgia.

I booked this place for a one-night stay at the end of January 2022.  The pictures on Booking.com and reality are totally different.  Luckily the price I paid was just GEL 64 (that's about EUR 20) and the stay was only one night.

Now, the so-called hotel is decent, there is a bed (a lot of beds) heating, shower. Just hard to call it a 4-star hotel, more like a hostel or a guest house.

As we had a lot of wine that night, the stay was OK. 

ideally suited for backpackers or you get what you paid for. Really I was hopiing to get a 4-star hotel for 20 EUR? LOL

If you are looking for a cheap and decent stay in Gori - google for Royal House. As I was actually looking for at least 4-star hotel when booking it, I cannot unfortunetly recomend this time. 

Galle Face Green

15 February, 2022 | Tourism objects | 17 seen

Galle Face is a 5 ha (12 acres) ocean-side urban park, which stretches for 500 m (1,600 ft) along the coast, in the heart of Colombo, the financial and business capital of Sri Lanka.

The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although the original Galle Face Green extended over a much larger area than is seen today. The Galle Face Green was initially used for horse racing and as a golf course, but was also used for cricket, polo, football, tennis and rugby.

i had a chance to visit Galle Face green park at the start of January 2022, during our 11 day trip in Sri Lanka. To get here I was using the tuk-tuk service.

We our Tuk - Tuk driver at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, he agreed to show us top 10 Colombo places for just 1,000 Sri Lankam Rupees

Galle Face Green originally extended over a much larger area than exists today. Records indicate that it was bounded to the north by Beira Lake, the ramparts of Colombo Fort and the city's cemetery (established in 1803), to the west by the Indian Ocean, whilst to the south by the Galle Face Hotel (established in 1864, although the original building on the site was a…

Sulfur Bath N5 in Tbilisi

14 February, 2022 | Health & Wellness | 168 seen

Sulfur Bath N5 is located in the Tbilisi Bath district of Abanotubani. 

We have been heading to these bathhouses 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.

Chreli Abano Sulfur Bath in Tbilisi

This time we visited Bath house N5

The bathhouse is located near the Heydar Aliyev park

We got this small but deep sulfur bath for about GEL 70. 

Tea with jam after or during the bath. 

Place seems bit neglected, but also price for private rooms is bit lower. I guess they also have public bath available both for men and women (seperetly)

Experienced my second Earth Quake in Tbilisi

14 February, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 11 seen

On February 13, 2022, late evening for the second time in my life, I felt tremors of an earthquake and they happened in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. According to the sources the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.4 with the epicenter in Armenia.

My previous experience with earthquakes dates back to June 2014, when I experienced tremours from a 4.8 magnitudes strong earthquake.

We were watching a TV show, when the tremours started, the bed was shacking quite well. I bit panicked, ran to the child room and quickly thought how to evacuate in case of something serious, but couldn't figure nothing better than just to cover our child with my body. Luckly the tremours soon stopped, but I still felt concerned for a few more hours.

M 5.4 - 19 km WSW of Metsavan, Armenia
2022-02-13 18:25:55 (UTC)41.160°N 44.001°E10.0 km depth

Stay safe and take into consideration - time by time - earthquakes happen in Georgia.

Bakuriani ski resort in Georgia

11 February, 2022 | Living in Georgia | 20 seen

Bakuriani COOL - another awesome weekend has been on our tapes. The little one for the first time on skates and skis. Paragliding, chariot riding, and some investment opportunities. Enjoy the video and thumbs up!

Independence Memorial Hall in Colombo

10 February, 2022 | Tourism objects | 27 seen

Independence Memorial Hall is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from British rule with the restoration of full governing responsibility to a Ceylonese-elected legislature on February 4, 1948.

It is located in Independence Square (formally Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo. It also houses the Independence Memorial Museum.

I first visited it at the start of January 2022 during our first sightseeing trip around Colombo. Got here by a tuk-tuk.

The monument was built at the location where the formal ceremony marking the start of self-rule, with the opening of the first parliament by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester occurred at a special podium February 4, 1948.

Located at the head of the monument is the statue of the first prime minister of the country Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake "The Father of the Nation". Most of the annual National Independence Day celebrations have been held here. Apart from a monument it served as the ceremonial assembly hall for the Senate of Ceylon and the House of Representatives of Ceylon until the parliament was moved to the new parliament complex…

Restaurant at Georgia Gold Hotel in Gori

9 February, 2022 | Restaurant reviews | 37 seen

Georgia Gold is a 4-star hotel located just in the heart of Gori, Georgia. Seems this place has been opened to the public just recently. 

Anyhow, we didn't stay here for a night, but come for a breakfast and got some of the most delicious ones. 

We stayed overnight in Gori at another,  Royal house hotel, but in the morning decided to check out early and look for some fancy breakfast place. I remembered about this place and here we come.

We were greated by English speaking and very firendly staff. After a brief thinking we ordered some cafe lates, omeletes and juices.

We were served with traditional Georgian cheses, salads and more.

Awesome place. If there is a reason to visit Gori, then one of them might be having a cup of coffee or plate with omelete at Georgia Gold hotel. 

Our check about GEL 75

Galle Fort in Sri Lanka

8 February, 2022 | Military Heritage | 40 seen

Galle Fort is located in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. The port was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological, and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than 432 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work done by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka.

We first visited Galle Fort and Galle city at the start of January 2022, during our 11 day trip to Sri Lanka. We arrived here by a taxi from our hotel in Beruwala (Cinnamon Bey Beruwala Hotel)

The fort has a colourful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world.

The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv, for its unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European…

Gori Railway Station

7 February, 2022 | Railway / Bus / Ferry | 63 seen

Gori Railway Station, a small stop on the Georgian Railway line, is an intermediate station on the Tbilisi-Batumi route which sees more than a dozen trains passing through each day. 

Whether you are looking to travel to Gori from Tbilisi by train or just prefer wandering about Soviet Architecture, the Gori railway station might be the answer. 

The train station is located in southern Gori, 2 kilometers from the city center and away from all of the tourist sights.

There were several taxis located in the fron of the railway building, so this shoudn;t eb a problem to get to the city center, or if you prefer, you can always walk.

Gori Railway station building reflects a Soviet classicist style, complete with columns, and since the interior has not undergone any major renovations it exudes a nostalgic atmosphere. Inside are ticket booths, a luggage storage area and a small waiting room.

According to Advantour A large statue of Joseph Stalin, who was born in Gori, still stands in its own separate wing inside Gori Railway Station. As I havent been inside the building - cannot confirm or deny!

Cinnamon Bey Beruwala Hotel Review

3 February, 2022 | Hotel reviews | 104 seen

Surrounded by coconut trees and vast green lawns, Cinnamon Bey features bright and spacious rooms with a private balcony. It provides an outdoor pool and 6 on-site food and beverage options.

We booked this 5-star hotel at the start of January 2022, and for a 3-night stay here we paid about $540. By accident, we booked a superior room, but I was able to get a free upgrade to a deluxe room, which was amazing and included access to deluxe pool.

The sea-facing rooms are air-conditioned and include a minibar, a safe and satellite TV. The private bathrooms have a shower and a hairdryer.

It was a pleasure swimming here, just a few meters away from the Indian Ocean. 

In the beach next to the hotel, there are local tour sellers. We booked a boat trip to the Barbaryn lighthouse from here. 

Bandaranaike International Airport is approximately 34 miles from Cinnamon Bey.

Decent hotel, bit expensive, despite it feature 5-stars, I would give it 4 with a minuss, and the biggest drawback being staff, if we wouldn't get that free upgrade I would be pretty unhappy, but after having great room with a private pool I was left pretty happy…

Viharamahadevi Park Colombo

1 February, 2022 | Tourism objects | 36 seen

Viharamahadevi Park, formerly Victoria Park, is a public park located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, situated in front of the colonial-era Town Hall in Sri Lanka.

We had a chance to discover this lovely park and try some mango drinks in the park at the start of January 2022, when a tuk-tuk driver showed us some of the top sightseeing places in Colombo.

It was built by the British colonial administration and is the oldest and largest park of Colombo. The park was originally named "Victoria Park" after Queen Victoria but was renamed after Queen Viharamahadevi, the mother of King Dutugamunu on July 18, 1958.

The park features include a huge Buddha statue which replaced the statue of Queen Victoria which originally stood there, and a series of water fountains. It also includes a mini zoo, a children's play area and a BAC Jet Provost. There are Muscovy ducks in the park. They swim in the artificial lake and walk on the grass beside it.

Viharamahadevi Park is the only large-scale public park in Colombo, and is maintained by the Colombo Municipal Council. Located at its western end is the Cenotaph War Memorial, Colombo and the Colombo…

Gorijvari

31 January, 2022 | Churches and Monasteries | 20 seen

The ancient church called ‘’Gorijvari’’ stands between the Trialeti Mountains and the river bank of Mtkvari close to the Gori town in Georgia.

The church was named after Saint Georges, which was originally built in the 12th century.  It was burned down by the Turks, rebuilt, and destroyed again by an earthquake in 1920. The current church was built in the 1980s.

It was at the end of January 2022, we were traveling around Gori town and were looking for some interesting sightseeing objects  - and Gori Jvari popped on our radar. Unfortunately, we were not able (didn't try) to actually reach the monastery complex, instead, I was using a drone to film and photograph this place from a distance. Impressive!

I would call this place as awesome as Gergeti church near Kazbegi. Great touristic potential. The views from the top should be awesome. I guess a hotel like Rooms Hotel in Kazbegi in the footsteps would help Shida Karli region to boost tourism. 

Gorijvari church is located in Shida Kartli region, Gori Municipality, in the village of Didi Gorijvari, 4 km away from Gori. The road goes to the church.