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Eiffel Tower
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,…
ABC Land - Children's party service in Tbilisi
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…
Luxembourg Gardens
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…
La Fregate French Restaurant in Paris
La Frégate is set on the Left Bank of the Seine in central Paris between the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens and the Musee d'Orsay. This stylish brasserie is said to be built on the site of the house occupied by Field Marshal D'Artagnan, the character that inspired Alexandre Dumas to write The Three Musketeers. La Frégate has a lovely décor with ornate frescoed ceilings, pale lemon Louis XVI chairs, tables laid with crisp white linen while soft…
Boutique Hotel Sainte-Beuve in Paris
Boutique Hotel Sainte-Beuve is located in the heart of Paris on a small and quiet street of Rue Sainte-Beuve 9 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. The hotel is conventionally located within walking distance of neighborhoods Montparnasse and Saint Germain Des Prés, 200m from the Luxembourg Gardens. We booked about a 2-night stay here at the start of July 2023. Paying about EUR 700. For getting here we used the Bolt ride-sharing app from Paris…
Louvre
The Louvre or the Louvre Museum, is a national art museum in Paris, France. A central landmark of the city, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement (district or ward) and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II. Remnants of the Medieval…
Shumi winery and vineyards near Tsinandali in Kakheti, Georgia
Founded in 2001, Shumi Winery is a leading producer of high-quality Georgian wines. Its large estate is located in the Kakheti wine region’s famous Tsinandali village. A nice stop when traveling to the region of Kakheti. There is a wineshop, restaurant, and of course vineyards at the territory complex. Shumi Winery takes its name from an old Georgian word that means authentic, undiluted wine. The winery’s griffin logo refers to “Phaskunji”, a…
Latvian Villa Kursa near Sighnaghi in Georgia
Villa Kursa offers friendly accommodation near Sighnaghi, in the village of Anaga, some 6 km from Sighnaghi center and 9 km from Bodbe Monastery. The property features a large terrace, a garden as well as a shared lounge area. Guests can enjoy a mountain view from Villa Kursa. Family rooms at the property come with free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning. We booked a two-night stay here at the end of July 2023, paying GEL 200 via booking.com I've…
Swimming Pool and Spa at Tbilisi Biltmore Hotel
The Biltmore Hotel is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue. For the past few years, we have been heading here for its indoor swimming pool. There is also a small gym and a simple spa center with a Steam room and Finnish sauna. Small and cozy swimming pool with whirpool and few waterfalls. Not very deep, maybe 1 meter 20 or even less. Kid friendly There is an outfoor restaurnat next to the pool, offering great…
From Riga to Disaster: Repairing Our Wind Damaged Frame House in Latvia
Just after we finished most of the framing for our frame house in Latvia, we left for a weekend in Riga. After spending good 4 or 5 days in the nation's capital we found a huge surprise when returned - high wind, the storm has damaged our building and the looks were not good. Our frame house has suffered significant damage due to the strong winds I called to my assistant and together we fixed most of the damage in just a few couple of hours.…