Blog Archive: February 2016
How to Speed up your Drupal site: CDN integration using KeyCDN
| Drupal Development | 10 seen
In today's Drupal development series I will show how easy you can setup a true CDN for your Drupal site using third party CDN provider - KeyCDN.
Get a free $10 bonus by signing up for KeyCDN
About Content delivery networkA content delivery network or content distribution network (CDN) is a globally distributed network of proxy servers deployed in multiple data centers. The goal of a CDN is to serve content to end-users with high availability and high performance. CDNs serve a large fraction of the Internet content today, including web objects (text, graphics and scripts), downloadable objects (media files, software, documents), applications (e-commerce, portals), live streaming media, on-demand streaming media, and social networks.
About KeyCDNKeyCDN is a high-performance Content Delivery Network (CDN) and is one of the most affordable content delivery service on the market. With network spawning in Europe, Americas, Asia and Australia, with more networks planned KeyCDN seems has a very bright future in CDN market.…
Shopping in Tallinn: Ülemiste Mall
| Shopping Venues | 25 seen
Ulemiste shopping mall is the biggest in Estonia, it features more than 210 stores and has a parking lot capable of handling 1300 cars.
I don't remember actually why we chose exactly Ulemiste as our shopping destination in Tallinn, most probably somebody recommended it because of Ulemiste being the largest one. We get here by using public bus leaving somewhere from the city center (Don't remember anymore bus number, but ticket price was about one euro)
Ulemiste shopping mall in Tallinn, Estonia
Bigger and better than ever before, the new Ülemiste Centre is the largest fashion and family centre in Estonia.
ÜLEMISTE HIGHLIGHTS- A modern, spacious and inspiring shopping and entertainment venue
- A wide variety of merchandise, offering a multifaceted shopping experience
- Relaxing areas to eat and meet
- Shops are grouped into zones according to category
- Estonia's largest selection of fashion goods
- Estonia’s largest selection of footwear
- Estonia’s largest selection of children's goods (including clothing)
- Estonia’s largest selection of sporting goods…
China Inn Restaurant in Tallinn
| Restaurant reviews | 29 seen
Are you looking for a Chinese restaurant in Estonian capital city of Tallinn? China Inn restaurant located in Tallinn's Old Town might be the right answer.
First discovered this venue back in Summer of 2015, during a two day trip to Tallinn. Chinese food is among my favorite food of the World - here at China Inn in Tallinn you can get the same you would get in any other regular Chinese restaurant across the Globe. That's one of the reason I love Chinese restaurants - they have developed restaurant standards almost the same as McDonald's have.
China Inn Restaurant is located on the lively Viru street in Tallinn's Old Town
Street Signboard for China Inn restaurant in Tallinn
The menu items are present in Estonian, English and Russian languages. You can get here - soups, starters and salads, pork & beef, also vegetables dishes and combos. We opted for some combos made from shredded beef and noodles + Coke.
Noodles and shredded beef
The Bottom lineChina Inn in Tallinn is a nice and clean place where to have a typical Chinese cuisine. Our bill here about EUR 30. Definitely will…
Italian Cemetery
| | 5 seen
Life is not always about life, sometimes it's about death. Although not a huge fan of cemetery photography, I mus admit - cemeteries are interesting for photography, best if no one you use to loved rests there.
During a week long trip to Italy we made a short stop of some of the Italian cemeteries... Feelings after visiting such cemetery? Like from some Gangster movies... Perhaps it would be even more dramatic if following photographs were done in B&W
Italian cemetery
Ferrari family
At Italian cemetery
At Italian cemetery
Enjoying narrow Italian roads and Dancing Waltz in Town Square
| | 15 seen
It was on the afternoon of January 1st, we had left Venice in the morning and traveled towards Verona, we made a few stops before in some local lovely municipalities. Our car radio was tuned to some Italian radio who played The Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert under the baton of Mariss Jansons.
Janaury 1st is magical, streets are empty and those at the wheel can enjoy empty roads
Empty and narrow Italian road
Town square in Italy
We turned max volume on our car radio and danced for about 5 minutes in this town square. Just lovely, surreal and magical.. Few windows were opened and few curios watched our performance. Thank you Mariss Jansons for great performance.
Lovely architecture
An Italian cat
Postcards from Tallinn
| | 4 seen
Tallinn is a small and cool, naval town in Baltic's. I spent here my 30th birthday back in 2015 and here is how I (we) saw it.
One of the famous Tallinn towers
Tallinn's Old Town
Air balloon flying over Tallinn
Towers of Tallinn
It's just fascinating to see how well old and new architecture blends in here in Tallinn
The times we had
I asked some American tourist to make a capture of us here in Tallinn right next to this lovely wall with inscription - The Times we had. B&W photography seems an excellent choice.
Painter in streets of Tallinn
Estonian War of Independence Victory Column
| Military Heritage | 13 seen
The War of Independence Victory Column is located in Freedom Square, Tallinn,Estonia. It was opened on 23 June 2009 as a memorial for those who fell during the Estonian War of Independence, through which the people of Estonia will be able to commemorate all those who had fought for freedom and independence.
The pillar is 23.5 m high and consists of 143 glass plates. The memorial incorporates the Cross of Liberty, Estonia’s most distinguished award established in 1919.
I visited this site back in Summer 2015, during a short two day trip to Estonian capital city of Tallinn.
For soldiers and civilians killed in action during the Estonian War of Independence between 1918 to 1920
The idea of creating a monument was conceived in 1919, before the end of the war. During the War of Independence in 1918–1920, 4,000 people were killed, and 14,000 wounded on the Estonian side. In 1936, a law was passed to establish a nationwide monument in commemoration of the war. Preparatory work was interrupted by the Second World War and subsequent Soviet occupation. After Estonia…
Blog Income: 289% YoY Increase in Google AdSense Revenue
| Blogging | 11 seen
Learn how I increased revenue from Google AdSense by 289% Year over Year and how you could too.
For a prelude: I have been using Google AdSense for six and a half years by now, from whom first four and a half years generated a really modest sum of EUR 100 ($110 according to exchange rates as of 02/26/2016).from many low traffic and let's be totally honest - thin content websites (I had installed AdSense ad units on dozens of sites).
There was a time when I took a pause from any attempts to build new or maintain existing low value websites of mine for about two years. At the end of 2013 (October)I decided to start fresh (after my second Summer long trip to US I had a feeling I need to launch a blog to share my travel notes, ideas, findings e.t.c.) - and launched this blog (you currently are reading it).
For the first three months I didn't installed any ad units here, but at the start of the New Year of 2014 ad units were back. So did a new section on blog appeared: Online Income reports - In my first month of monetizing this blog I earned whooping eight dollars.
…
Something from the Past - Hotel 'London' in Tbilisi
| | 142 seen
There was a time when after a visit to local literature cafe in Tbilisi, I felt in love with works of Russian poet and writer Mikhail Lermontov. Who knows, maybe it's time to get familiar with another great writer of his time - Knut Hamsun.
In today's Piece of Life photo story series old Hotel "London" in Tbilisi, or about more precisely what's left from old day fame.
Stairways at Hotel London in Tbilisi
I'm amazed of seeing some elements at this building in pretty good shape, despite more than century old history, Soviet times and revolutions. What you can see on walls are very well done 3D paintings probably a century ago.. I wonder how these survived a new facelift from a bucket of floor paint (what's typical for Soviet times)
What's left from old day glory at former hotel London in Tbilisi
Former hotel London in Tbilisi
Visit of this place recalled me memories from seen in movie - A Chef in Love - It stars Pierre Richard and Nino Kirtadze. The movie tells the story of Pascal Ichak, a French opera singer and chef living in Georgia, who…
Saint Ekvtime Takaishvili Church in Tbilisi
| Churches and Monasteries | 101 seen
There is a small church located on Baku street 1, Tbilisi (on the right side from David Aghanashebeli avenue, first cross-street before Tamar Mephe avenue). I have wondered about this church for the couple of the last 3 years, while been living in this neighborhood.
It was day 131/365 from my photo project, when I decided I'll go and photograph exactly this church and probably will learn more about it. So I went...
Saint Ekvtime Takaishvili Church in Tbilisi
I installed a tripod and started to play with panorama techniques (as I couldn't get this building in a horizontal frame), unfortunately weather was not my best friend today and in final image, the skies are totally blown up.
Next I decided to try my luck inside, using some interior photography techniques, so I entered the church and asked the lady (a nun?), who were sitting right next to the entrance - can I photography here? At start she told me, that it's not allowed, but I could try to ask for permission to priest, the lady took me to some other building (outside the church), and I was knocking to the priest door. Priest answered - Modi! (Come in!). I opened…
Georgian Tavern Tbilisi in Tallinn
| Restaurant reviews | 60 seen
Georgian cuisine lovers rejoice - I have just found another restaurant of Georgian food, this time in Estonian Capital city Tallinn. Discovered by accident during wanderings around Tallinn's Old Town, tried once back in Summer 2015.
Shortly I left St Michael's Swedish Church I noticed my darling was sitting on the stairs and finger pointed above her head - I smiled - something so familiar, something close.
Georgia Tavern Tbilisi in Tallinn (Ruutli street)
I entered this place and spoke out loudly: GAMARJOBA! All I was get in return was some cold faced Estonian skinhead waiter, replying me - what? I repeated - GAMARJOBA! and added SAKARTVELOS! The waiter looked at me as some nut guy, and told me that he cannot understand me. So, I asked, how can you name a place Georgian Tavern and not know what "Gamarjoba" means? Cold faced skinhead Estonian waiter mourned something. I continued - do you have a Georgian chef at least? Estonian dude pretended he doesn't understand English anymore and started to speak with me in Estonian. I was a bit pissed - and told him in Russian - позови шефа! (Ask for a chef).
While we we waiting…
St Michael's Swedish Church in Tallinn
| Churches and Monasteries | 25 seen
St Michael's Church or St Michael's Swedish Church is a Lutheran church used by the Swedish congregation in the old town district of Tallinn, Estonia.
We were off in the streets of Old Tallinn wandering what should we see, and I noticed this church and decided to go inside to adjust my church interior photography skills, at this point I didn't yet realized it is a Swedish church nor I had a clue what is the name of this church.
St Michael's Church, Tallinn
So I went inside looking for some best places to take inside photography, when some church lady approached me and in English started a one way conversations with me telling a harsh history of this church during Communist times. I felt dull, it was a surprise attack, I wasn't prepared to talk about church history today, I told her - I'm just a dumb tourist here, enjoying lovely weather in warm August afternoon, but lady was unstoppable. after some 10 minute lecture I asked her - what is the name of this church at first place? She replied that this is a Swedish church. I said, ah Ok. She seemed surprised and repeated - THIS…
Postcards from Este, Italy
| | 8 seen
It was sunny January 1st afternoon when we visited Este in northern Italy. One of our first stops in 2016.
Este, Italy
One of the main sights in Este is the Castle Carrarese of Este
Roundabout in Este
I would say a very piccolo roundabout
Ice rink in Este town square
Castle Carrarese of Este
| Tourism objects | 38 seen
It was January 1st, 2016 when we visited Castle Carrarese of Este, during our drive from Venice to Modena. It was our second stop after we enjoyed a cup of cappuccino at lovely Candiana town. Read more: Bar Rialto in Candiana)
The castle overlooking the town of Este consists of large master towers and massive walls, about a kilometre long, which embraces the extreme southern edge of the Euganean Hills. This mighty monument bears witness to the important role that the territory of Este played in medieval times.
Castle Carrarese of Este
The oldest part of the fortification is located on the elevated side and consists of a circle of walls with the remains of a church and the foundations of a small tower, probably dating to the sixth century AD.
The first evidence of a real castrum in this place dates back to 1115 and connects to the judicial and defensive power of the territory of which the feudal family which took its name from Este was appointed.
Inside view
During the twelfth and early thirteenth century, the Este Marquis enlarged the fortress building a series of curtain walls and residential…
St. Nicholas' Church, Tallinn
| Churches and Monasteries | 22 seen
St. Nicholas' Church is a medieval former church in Tallinn, Estonia. It was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron of the fishermen and sailors. Originally built in the 13th century, it was partially destroyed in Soviet Bombing of Tallinn in World War II. It has since been restored and today houses a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, focusing mainly on ecclesiastical art from the Middle Ages onward. The former church is also used as a concert hall.
St. Nicholas' church of Tallinn is located in the Green area in Harju street, Tallinn
St. Nicholas' Church in Tallinn
I could only wish I had photographer skills back there I have now, thanks to my photography experiments. Read more: Digital photography school
The church was founded and built around 1230–1275 by Westphalian merchants, who came from Gotland in the 13th century. While the city was still unfortified, the church had heavy bars for closing the entrances, loopholes and hiding places for refugees. When the fortifications around Tallinn were finished in the 14th century (the town wall enclosed the church…