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Gravel for road surface and rock garden
The other day I first met with one of our closet neighbors, he approached me and told me, that in couple of days he will cover road (we are sharing together) with a gravel. I already mentioned it in my previous post about pond works. I asked what kind of gravel does he is using for road surface, and decided it would be a good idea to have a little bit gravel for upcoming home foundation works (concreting). We agreed that he will give me a…
Building a Rock Garden
Today we made a rock garden from scratch, well almost. The thing is - idea to have a rock garden have always been in our minds, but we hadn't yet figured out how to solve the biggest question - rocks. We had already idea of place were rock garden will be situated (in front of house, were use to had been a dump - see: The Big Spring Territory Cleanup ) Luckily after pond works were done, pond guy told he could help us with his New Holland…
Building a foundation for a garden oven - Part 1
Idea to have a nice garden pizza oven were sit first already last year, together with the works we started shaping a form of our rural house, we recently inherited. Thus we had to wait for more than a year, before actually proceeding. The other day, while the pond guys were finishing digging pond, I dug some soil, to lay in the foundation for garden brick. Laying foundation for garden oven With the help of a shovel, I will dug…
Pond Digging - Part 3 - The Result
This morning started with a surprise, I was still sleeping, when my partner awakened me and told - pond guys are digging. I was surprised, because I didn't heard a sound. Maybe I was too tired from yesterday's pond draining or as it turned latter - the modern excavators are quiet. Anyway, I was not surprised at all - because when pond guys started, they didn't even informed me, see how it started in part 1. I made (more correct, my…
How to drain a pond with a pump and hose - Digging Pond - Part 2
Today I had a chance to excel in pond works - I was left with no choice but to drain the pond. Luckily the pond guys brought an electric pump to make my life much easier. If you are new to home remodeling series, make sure you check out an article on how it all started about a year ago. And of course check out first part on pond digging, when we discovered that pond have been dug without our presence. Surprise pond digging in the middle…
Jurkalne Seashore Bluffs
The Jurkalne Seashore bluffs (Jūrkalnes stāvkrasti) are one of the most picturesque parts of Latvia's Western part seashore, located some 20 km from Pāvilosta.Jūrkanle bluffs are great for photography or quiet walk near the beach. The bluffs in Jurkalne belong to the landslide-landfall type. The largest amount of erosion can be observed in Jurkalne.Seashore near JūrkalneA quiet beach untouched by civilization and bluffs of up to 20 metres…
Rude Manor
Rude manor (Rudes muiža) is located in Laidi parish, Kuldīga district Latvia. According to Kuldīga tourism information center it's one of the best preserved Empire style manors in Kurzeme. Rude manor complex with a simple, but elegant Empire stylemaster’s house, a stable, a few barns and servants’ houses is located on the picturesque Rude hill. Rude manor In 1819 the estate became Firck family’s…
Pond Digging - Part 1
Today come with a huge surprise, we were not on site, when a pond digger called and informed - we are heading toward your house to clean (dig) your pond. The thing is, we negotiated with pond guys such tasks a few week ago, but didn't agree on terms. Huge was our surprise when arrived on site we saw following: Freshly dug pond Well, not completely, pond guys called me and informed me, tey couldn't finish works today as they need to pump of…
Peony Nursery „Ziedoņi”
Peony nursery Ziedoņi is located in the Western Latvia, district of Kuldīga in Pelči village. I had a chance to visit this garden mid June 2016, at time when flowers did bloom. I wouldn't call this a little Latvian Keukenhof, but some great impressions some could get here. In fact more than flowers I actually enjoyed a short conversation with husband of the garden owner and we were talking about grass mowing. Peony display garden In …
Meson del Asador Restaurant review in Jerez de la Frontera
I now have a new personal favorite restaurant (with the other one been located in Izmir, Turkey - I will cover it in future, when will plan a trip to Turkey) - Meson del Asador in Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. We went here just shorty after checked in Hotel Exe Guadalete, located few blocks from this restaurant. At start it looked just like just another restaurant, let's say nothing special. We were brought our menus, we started to…
Hotel Exe Guadalete in Jerez de la Frontera Review
We booked hotel Exe Guadalete in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain for one night at the start of June, 2016. It's a nice, decent hotel with free parking and cozy bed. Right in the heart of Jerez... Is it a hotel with a convention centre or a convention centre with a hotel. Hotel Exe Guadalete in Jerez Set in gardens, Exe Guadalete is located in Jerez de la Frontera, 15 minutes’ drive from the Costa de la Luz. It features an outdoor…
Venta El Loro
Venta El Loro is a small tavern located next to the Barbate - Vejer highway, we got here randomly, just passing by. Turned out to be a nice, little tavern, where with the help of sign language (No English here), we managed to order some really delicious Iberian ham and cheese sandwiches. Located in the Natural Park of La Brena and marshes of Barbate, just 3.5 km from the beaches of Barbate and 5 minutes from Zahara de los…
Zahara de los Atunes beach, Spain
This year our trip in Spain took us to many beaches, and so in today's article, meet another excellent beach - Zahara de los Atunes beach near Barbate. Our today's root started at La Codorniz hotel near Tarifa, followed by visiting Bolonia beach and Duna de Bolonia and most probably will end somewhere in the city of Jerez (thus, we didn't know that yet) Zahara de los Atunes is a village on the Costa de…
Republic Square in Yerevan
Republic Square in Yerevan definitely is the city's one of main landmarks and popular tourist spots. I first discovered it back at the start of January 2014, and have returned to Yerevan city since then a couple of more times. My latest visit here was in mid-March 2016. On my 29th birthday (back in 2014) had a chance to spend a lovely evening near Dancing Fountains, see: Celebrating Birthday in Yerevan, Armenia The Republic Square…
Duna de Bolonia
Duna de Bolonia is located in the Bolonia beach, some 20km west of Tarifa. This dune is over 30 metres high and 200 metres wide, and stands out within the huge system of dunes to which it belongs. Located in the Bolonia Inlet, within the Estrecho Nature Park, this is one of the most unspoilt areas of the Cádiz coast, a vital natural habitat with stunning scenery. Duna de Bolonia The area is called "barjanal" on…
Bolonia Beach near Tarifa
Bolonia beach or Playa Bolonia is located on the shores of Atlantic Ocean some 20 km west of Tarifa. We got here at the start of June, 2016 early in the morning, just after checked out from La Codorniz hotel. The beach and bay is also known as Playa de Bolonia ("Bolonia Beach"), Ensenada de Bolonia ("Bolonia Cove"), or Bolonia Bay. We spent here about a few hours and got the tan for the rest of the Summer. Someone,…
Park Hotel in Yerevan Review
In mid March, 2016 we visited Yerevan again, this time we booked a boutique hotel on Koghbatsi street - Park Hotel. We booked this hotel on booking.com for about EUR 80 per night, and stayed here for two or three nights (don't remember anymore) and used as our base for further Yerevan's exploration. There are two another hotels in Yerevan I can really suggest - Hotel Meg and Republica hotel. Yerevan's boutique hotels are among the best in…
La Codorniz Hotel Review in Tarifa
We were driving around area of Tarifa, it was getting already dark, we hadn't yet booked any hotel. Our hope was that we will easily book some hotel on site. In fact we made a stop at some 3 roadside hotels. hostels but they all were fully booked. At every place I asked could they recommend me something in this area, and La Codrniz was one of the suggestions. We found La Codorniz hotel located just some 300 meters from beaches, about 5 km…
Gibraltar
I have never been to the United Kingdom, today, thus, I had a chance to step a foot on British Overseas territory - Gibraltar. Nope, they are driving the same as in the rest of Europe (left side wheel), but some particles of British taste you can enjoy here definitely. Approaching Gibraltar from Spain (The Rock of Gibraltar) There is a quick border control between Spain and Gibraltar. Passengers are not obligated to leave the vehicle.…
Cafe-Bar El Hacho, Gaucin
Cafe-Bar El Hacho in Gaucin proudly bears hundredth cafe name featured on blog. See all the rest 100 restaurant reviews. We made a quick stop here, just shortly we left Ronda (Ronda Bridge) and took a small tapas and coffee con - lece's here. Inside sun terrace with outdoor pool Outdoor pool Light meal and freshly squeezed orange juice Our bill here - around EUR 10.00 Cafe-Bar El Hacho in Gaucin, Spain
Puente Nuevo (Ronda Bridge)
The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) or as we called it - Ronda Bridge is the newest and largest of three bridges that span the 120-metre (390 ft)-deep chasm that carries the Guadalevín River and divides the city of Ronda, in southern Spain. We had a chance to visit the Puente Nuevo at the start of June (temperature that day was about 40 Celsius), for me, as for an eager excelling photographer this was a nice…
Siempre Igual Tapas Bar in Ronda
We visited Ronda, town in Spain' with one particular goal - to visit and photograph the bridge of Ronda. It was very hot day at start of June. We parked our car in a good distance from our destination and started to explore Ronda. One of our first stops were at Siempre Igual tapas bar. It was already midday, a siesta has been started already so we opted for some tapas. Siempre Igual Tapas Bar in Ronda Mussel tapas For…
Summer Solstice 2016
This is already third Summer Solstice featured on this blog, see how two years ago we made a barbeque on our Tbilisi's balcony and how we celebrated our first Summer Solstice in our newly inherited house, last year. This year we celebrated Summer Solstice second year in a row back in our rural house. I was pleased to apply my recently developed skills in night photography and experimented with long exposures, HDR and panoramic…
Estepona - Flower City in Costa del Sol (Spain)
Our this year's travels in Spain's Cos del Sol region, took us to lovely, I would even say charming flower city - Estepona. It's hard to recall, was it TomTom device what took us here or it was actually planned to make a stop here, but one I can say for sure - If you are planing a trip in Costa del Sol region - plan a trip to Estepona as well. Streets of Estepona Estepona is a town and municipality in the comarca of…