Blog Archive: September 2023
Svaneti movie
| Living in Georgia | 70 seen
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Last chance workout on the trails around Turtle Lake before Tbilisi Marathon
| Living in Georgia | 29 seen
After our successful start at the Tbilisi Adventure run back in April I gathered everyone from the Caucasus Translations office for the Tbilisi Marathon Run in October (2023).
This time we applied for a 10K distance. To test my limits I started to train for the 10K run at the gym on a treadmill.
Surprisingly my results were quite good, and maybe that's why Olga (Latvian explat), after seeing some of my Facebook posts invited me to join her for a trail run. I was intrigued enough and agreed.
After returning from our Svaneti trip - I sent her a message asking which day and where should we plan our run. We agreed on Thursday morning at 8:00 AM at Turtle Lake.
Said - done! I took our kiddo to the school bus in Vake, and from there took a taxi up to Turtle Lake, where I met Olga and Jerry Lee (dog). Our trail run started.
I followed Olga's lead and enjoyed the run which comes with some very spectacular views. Back in the days we come here a lot for hiking trips. It was my first time actually running here.
Unlike running on a treadmill it was completely different, instead on replying on treadmills screen I had to rely on myself.…
Sweet Home garage apartment in Borjomi
| Hotel reviews | 27 seen
Sweet Home apartment is located on Rustaveli street 51, Borjomi. What really makes this place stand out - this is a kind of garage apartment or more precisely apartment built a top of a garage.
We booked this place for a one-night stay at the end of August 2023 and paid GEL 80, in cash. At the start, I was a bit skeptical about this place, but once I saw the inside interior I was truly fascinated.
Kind owner even offered as a free parking inside the garage. Besides a free garage, lovely apartment with Wi-FI, TV, hot shower and even gas heating (good if you come here in Winter) we also got a huge terrace.
This apartment offers free private parking and free WiFi. The apartment is fitted with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with mountain views. A bicycle rental service is available at the apartment.
The best is yet to come, the bedroom was qeuipoed with bunk bed, which gave a trully amazing feeling during our short, but memorable stay in Borjomi
I did finf a lot of inspiration at this place for our frame house.
Highly…
Champ de Mars
| Tourism objects | 18 seen
The Champ de Mars is a large public greenspace in Paris, France, located in the seventh arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the southeast. The park is named after the Campus Martius ("Mars Field") in Rome, which was dedicated to the god Mars.
The name alludes to the fact that the lawns here were formerly used as drilling and marching grounds by the French military.
We visited Champ de Mars, and had an amazing picnic in the footsteps of the Eiffel Tower at the start of July 2023 during about our 2 weeks trip around France.
Originally, the Champ de Mars was part of a large flat open area called Grenelle, which was reserved for market gardening. Citizens would claim small plots and exploit them by growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers for the local market. However, the plain of Grenelle was not an especially fertile place for farming.
The construction, in 1765, of the École Militaire designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, was the first step toward the Champ de Mars in its present form. Grounds for military drills were originally planned for an area south of the school, the current location of…
Tbilisi's Revitalized Beauty: Aghmashenebeli Avenue and Dry Bridge
| | 27 seen
It was one of the few weekends, at the start of September 2023, when we decided to stay in Tbilisi, instead of traveling around Georgia, and spend quality time in the city.
We agreed to walk by foot to Aghmashenebeli Avenue, and from there visit Dry Bridge and Orbeliani Square, and depending on the mood return home or keep exploring the city.
I remember this area before the great restoration works started, and I love returning here time after time.
New Life for Agmashenebeli avenue, Tbilisi
A few weeks ago, Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze announced that all street cafeterias will need a special license to keep outdoor spaces. During our short walk, most of the outdoor spaces were removed, but a few stayed (apparently with a license)
The major restoration works were performed here back in 2016, with renovating completely all streets and all houses (at least facades)
From here on we headed towards Dry Bridge, spent a few minutes, and headed towards Orbeliani Square, but didn't reach it as met some expat friends in the park opposite the President's Palace and stayed there for a few hours.
Piece of Life after all!
Eiffel Tower
| Tourism objects | 44 seen
The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. Constructed from 1887, it is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
I first visited this iconic place back in 1990 or 1991, together with my mom and brother. back then I was about 5 year old, but I still remmebr that trip from Latvia to France with bus. Quite good memories. One of my first foreign trips.
Now, last time we visited Eiffel tower in Paris back in July 2023, during oour about two week trip in France
Locally nicknamed "La dame de fer" (French for "Iron Lady"), it was constructed from 1887 to 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair.
Although initially criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, it has since become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world.
The tower received 5,889,000 visitors in 2022, up by 197 per cent from 2021, when numbers dropped due to the COVID virus.
The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world: 6.91 million people ascended it in…
ABC Land - Children's party service in Tbilisi
| Entertainment | 150 seen
ABC Land children's party service is located in Saburtalo, Tbilisi on University Street N8.
I first heard about this place some time ago from another expat family here in Georgia, but first visited together at the start of September 2023, when we (our kid) got invited to a birthday party from our class at British International School in Tbilisi.
ABC land is located in a separate 5 or 6-story building, unlike kids' entertainment centers which are quite a few around in Tbilisi, this place is specially designated for kids' parties, like birthdays etc. and seems have to be reserved beforehand
The event we atteneded was 5-year birthday party, event was held in English, there were few attractions, the total time was about 2 hours, with snacks both for kids and grownups
It was a fun time spent together with kiddos and engaging in fun talks with other expat families.
The place seems very professional, especially built or designated for kids' parties, with playrooms, softball etc. At this time I have no idea about pricing, as we were just guests here, but seems might be a little bit pricey, as I hear this place trendy among expat families here in…
Luxembourg Gardens
| Tourism objects | 22 seen
The Jardin du Luxembour, known in English as the Luxembourg Garden, colloquially referred to as the Jardin du Sénat (Senate Garden), is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Creation of the garden began in 1612 when Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, constructed the Luxembourg Palace as her new residence. The garden today is owned by the French Senate, which meets in the Palace. It covers 23 hectares (56.8 acres) and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, tennis courts, flowerbeds, model sailboats on its octagonal Grand Bassin, as well as picturesque Medici Fountain, built in 1620. The name Luxembourg comes from the Latin Mons Lucotitius, the name of the hill where the garden is located.
We first discovered and visited this park in July 2023, as it was conventialy located close to our Boutique Hotel Sainte-Beuve in Paris
There was quite awesome, but paid, kids playground located inside the Luxembourg gardens territory. We paid about EUR 5 for an entrance here, our 4-year old daughter spent some good hour here.
In 1611, Marie de' Medici, the widow of Henry IV and the regent for the King Louis XIII, decided to build…
Hiking and Sulphur baths in Borjomi
| Living in Georgia | 25 seen
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