Photo
Admiral Fish Restaurant near Birtvisi / Algeti
Admiral Fish restaurant is located near Birtvisi canyon literally on Algeti river. We discovered this place a few years ago while hiking at Birtvisi canyon and have returned ever since, They have both a restaurant and fish farm on site, the place seems is run by Russian/Ukrainian business people. Here you can get a wide variety of fish food and caviar. It's said they deliver to Tbilisi fish also. Admiral Fish restaurant There is a…
Husky MotoPark in Tbilisi
Husky moto park is located on the left side of Tbilisi - Kojori highway, not reaching Mtatsminda. I had a chance to spend some 20 minutes at Husky moto park and filming Enduro ride with DJI Drone Active track (unfortunately I failed), so I plan to return here some more. What I know about this place, there is a school, tours and of course a club available. I was told that I could rent an Enduro bike and drive inside the track for…
Aparani Church / Martkopi
Aparani Church of Saint George, Martkopi is located on Vaziani-Martkopi-Norio road, some 30 km from Tbilisi. Our must-go destination for apple twigs around Easter time. Seems this area is nice for some barbeque too. Here is some info I found about this place in Georgian: The single-nave, hall-type church is a late medieval monument. Aparani church near Martkopi The surviving foundation in front of it suggests that in ancient…
10 Years in Georgia
Ten years ago I first landed at the Tbilisi airport and for the first time took a step on Georgian land. That happened on April 1st, 2011 - I like this data - it's known Worldwide as a Fool's day. With this article, I'm celebrating my ten years in Georgia. Unlike in previous year anniversary posts, today I'm going to re-post one day in my life from April 1, 2021 as seen on my Facebook wall 10 years ago on this date, I…
Vilgāle apt update: Window Casing, Drywall ceiling
Now, when the floor is poured in and hardened enough, contractors continued works. As usual, we spent these days in Jūrmala and communicated with contractors only via phone. I really love it. Next month we are planning to leave for Georgia, and I hope all will keep going as smooth. The only thing that concerns me - I have a little cash drag now, all funds are almost dried up and new ones are not yet coming in. The biggest problem I have a…
Vilgāle Apt Update: Windows replaced, New Floor with underfloor heating installed
At the end of February, I got a call from the windows guys, informing me that windows are fabricated (in Poland), delivered to Latvia and they are ready to install them. We agreed they will install them on Monday morning. As we kept spending our days in another part of Latvia, I asked to send me the final images. After windows were replaced, a new concrete floor with an underfloor heating system was installed. Here are some pictures New…
The White Dune At Saulkrasti
The White Dune is one of the landmarks of Saulkrasti, on the Vidzeme gulf coast. The dune offers a splendid view of the sea, the mouth of the Inčupe River and the vast beach. Probably, best visited in Summer, we made a short visit here in February 2021 The White Dune formed as the wind drove beach sand over the clay silt of Baltic Ice Lake. Its white 18 meters high sand outcrop once helped local fishermen find their way home. The dune got its…
Vilgāle Apt update: Wall plastering, Wiring, Preparing to Install Drywall for Ceiling
Here comes another quick update from renovation works at our Vilgāle apartment This week contractors have plastered most of the walls, finished wiring, and have started to prepare to install drywall for the ceiling. Just like in the previous weeks - I was absent from the works and spent our days in Jūrmala Master bedroom under construction Almost done here, except just windows, drywall ceiling and flooring is missing (should be done…
Guest House Laidi
Guesthouse "Laidi" is located in a beautiful place in the Kuldiga region. The guest house will welcome everyone who wants to relax from the daily rush, enjoy a swim in the beautiful pond or organize any important celebrations. We found this awesome place as it offers a sauna rental for just EUR 40 for about 3 hours Guesthouse Laidi Situated next to the private Saulieši lake, guest house Laidi offers a guest, house, boat rental,…
Camping Vērbeļnieki
Guesthouse and camping "Vērbeļnieki" is located on the road Klaipeda - Liepāja, 6 km from the city of Liepāja in Nīca parish (Latvia) We discovered this place by accident, during a random driving around in the area at the start of February 2021. As I had equipped with my DJI Mavic AIr 2 drone I decided to capture some nice golden hour photo here Kids playground at Vērbeļnieki Our toddler girl was very excited Golden hour…
Vilgāle flat Renovation - tearing down walls, removing floors
Welcome, to yet another exciting photo series to our latest renovation project - Vilgāle flat. I bought this flat at an online auction back in September 2020, it took me a few months before all the legal procedures were done and we could actually start renovation works. For actual renovation works, I hired local contractors at Kuldīga town. Not to speak more here are photos from our first "operation" - tearing down the walls and removing…
Property prices for Real Estate in Tosmāre, Liepāja
Tosmāre is a neighborhood of Liepāja, located between Lake Tosmare, the Karosta, and Zaļā Birze. Not as chic as the city center of Liepāja, we still find this a very luring neighborhood and most important - undervaluedIn one of our previous articles, we shared an idea of possible investments in the Karosta / Tosmāre neighborhoods of Liepāja. See: Invest in Liepāja Real Estate / Tosmāre / KarostaToday we decided to visit Tosmāre,…
Cēsis Castle
Cēsis Castle is one of the most iconic and best-preserved medieval castles in Latvia. The foundations of the castle were laid 800 years ago by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. The most prosperous period Cēsis Castle experienced was during its next owners, the Teutonic Order. It became one of the key administrative and economic centers of the Teutonic Order in Livonia and was a seat of Landmeister in Livland. The first…
Piltene Lutheran Church
Piltene Lutheran church is located in Piltene, some 20km from Ventspils. The church was originally built-in 1557. The pride of the Piltene church is gilded wooden altar and pulpit, organ with 9 stops, wooden images of XII century Apostles, benches, and separate lodges with doors with kettle-hinges. I first discovered the Pitlene church at the sart of 2021, while doing random wanderings in the area Pitlene church from a drone flight The…
Gray Dune Area in Ventspils
Gray dune area in Ventspils is a part of “Preserving, Exhibiting and Developing Tourism of Culture History and Nature Heritage of Northern Courland” of the Ventspils Museum project, during which the creation of an infrastructure of the South Western part of the city was carried out, has been completed. A new parking lot and two new entries to the beach are currently available to the residents and guests. I first discovered the Gray…
Saint Simon's Church of Valmiera
Saint Simon's Church in Valmiera is one of the most noticeable objects in the city, located in the heart of the city on Bruņinieku iela 2. The architecture of St Simon's Church combines the Romanesque and Gothic styles. The church boasts 15th-16th century burial plaques of the city's notables, a pipe organ built in 1886 by a well-known European organ builder Friedrich Ladegast, and paintings on the pulpit and the organ loft made back in…
Valmiera Music school
Valmiera music school is located next to the Gauja river banks on Pilskalna street 3 (Valmiera) I had a chance to explore the area at the start of January 2021, while doing a day trip to Valmiera and Cēsis. Discovered by accident, I decided to make some photography from a drone in this area. Here is what I got: Valmiera music school To learn more, please visit https://vms.valmiera.lv/ (in Latvian)
Užava Lighthouse
Užava Lighthouse - a lighthouse located on the Latvian coast of the Baltic Sea. The lighthouse stands in an isolated location, on a 28 metres high sand dune, which is permanently threatened by the Baltic Sea waves' erosion.For this reason, the first coastal reinforcement – a dense log wall was constructed to secure the lighthouse's location in 1910. Later, fir-tree baskets filled…
Vilgāle
Vilgāle (formerly also Saldenieki) is a village in Kurmāle Parish, Kuldīga District, Latvia. Located on the shores of Lake Vilgāle. Distance to Kuldīga 17 km, 181 km from Rīga. Back in September 2020, I bought a flat in this village in an online auction (without actually seeing the flat), see: Today I bought my first flat on online auction site, It took me a couple of months before I actually get inside the flat (after the flat was…
Embūte Castle
The ruins of Embūte Castle are located in Embūte, Latvia, in Embūte Parish, Vaiņode Municipality, not far from an ancient hillfort erected by Curonians. It was an ancient Curonian settlement and is mentioned in ancient chronicles as a place with strong Curonian resistance to German crusaders. The bishop's castle was built as a border castle with Lithuania by Livonian Order…
Zaķu krogs near Jūrkalne
Zaķu krogs is both a restaurant a hotel located near Jūrkalne in Latvia. We discovered this place while driving around Užava, Pāvilosta, and decided to take here a quick stop to order some food for our toddler girl. Just later I learned there is a hotel also located. Zaķu krogs near Jūrkalne Located in Jūrkalne, Zaku Krogs is about 0.9 mi yards away from a Baltic Sea beach. It offers basic rooms with a work desk. Free private…
Devil's Dam Embūte (Joda Dambis)
Devil's Dam of Embūte is an awesome place for hiking and trekking in the Courland region. We first discovered this site at the end of 2020, and plan to return here more often. Devil's Dam from a drone flight Taken with DJI MAVIC AIR 2 Here is what I was able to find about this place (Source: Joda Dambis) At the western foot of the Indulis (or Curonian) castle mound is the Joda Lower Square, where open-air stages have been built…
Embute Church Ruins
The Embūte church is located in the Embūte Nature park, nowadays, there are just remains left from the old day glory. It was in a hazy December 2020 afternoon, I took my DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone and made some nice aerial photography and even a video here, see Embūte Nature Park 4K. Ancient Curonian Land. Latvia . DJI MAVIC AIR 2 Embūte church Here is what I was able to find about this church (source: Embūtes baznīcas drupas) The…
Īvande Manor
Īvande Manor, also called Lielīvande Manor, is a manor house in Īvande parish in Kuldīga municipality in the historical region of Courland, in western Latvia. The manor Groß-Iwanden was created by the merger of several small estates. In the middle of the 16th century the estate was owned by the family of Rudolf Steinrat. Ivande manor Three generations remained the property in the family Steinrat and was…