Travel

Independent travel notes from roads, cities and everyday logistics across the places I visit, with an eye for practical detail and local context.

Travel archive

18 Dec 2020

Embute Church Ruins

The Embūte Church is located in the Embūte Nature Park. Today, only the remnants of its former glory remain.On a hazy afternoon in December 2020, I took my DJI Mavic Air 2 drone and…

11 Dec 2020

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…

4 Dec 2020

Ēdole Castle

Ēdole Castle is a Gothic Revival castle situated on the banks of Ēdole Lake, Ēdole parish, in the historical region of Courland, western Latvia.Originally consisting of two residential buildings linked by a stone wall, the castle is surrounded by a…

3 Dec 2020

Kronvalda Park in Riga

Kronvalda Park (originally Strēlnieku dārzs) is a part of the greenery of the Old Riga canal bank. The total area of the park is 11.92 ha. Kronvalda park which borders Elizabetes and Kr. Valdemāra Street,…

20 Nov 2020

Apriķi Lutheran Church

Apriķi church is located in the Apriķi village, Laža parish, Aizpute district in the Western part of Latvia (Courland).Apriķi church is considered to be the pearl of Courland sacral art because the glory of…

17 Nov 2020

Golden hour at Northern Forts / Liepāja

Northern forts of Liepāja are really cool military history tourism site - Built by Imperial Russia at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of 20th century to provide the protection of…

10 Nov 2020

St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, Karosta / Liepāja

The St Nicholas Naval Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral church located in Karosta in the north of Liepāja, Latvia.I have visited this cathedral just a couple of times, but always have been impressed by the glory of the place. It was at…

6 Nov 2020

Rudbārži Palace

Rudbārži Palace is a palace in Rudbārži parish in Skrunda municipality in the historical region of Courland, in western Latvia.The estate was, from 16th century to 1661, owned by the family of Eberhard von Goes  and from 1778 till 1920 by the von Fircks noble…

29 Oct 2020

Sapara Monastery

Sapara Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery located in the Akhaltsikhe District of Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Georgia.I had a chance to visit this monastery at the end of September 2020 and capture really awesome drone photography / catching colors of the fallSapara monastery…

27 Oct 2020

Ķemeri Forest House

Ķemeri Forest house is really cool outdoors tourism attraction located close to JūrmalaThe park centre is located in Ķemeri, in the “Forest House” . We first discovered this place back in Spring 2018 and made…

15 Oct 2020

Atskuri Fortress

Atskuri is a medieval Georgian fortress located on the right bank of the Mtkvari  River, approximately 30 kilometres from Borjomi, in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region.We discovered this fortress by accident while driving to the town of Akhatiskhe. As I was equipped…

3 Oct 2020

Rike Park Concert Hall - Music Theater and Exhibition

As the name suggests, the Rike Park Concert Hall is located inside the territory of Rike Park, Tbilisi.  The other name Music Theatre and Exhibition hallRike park concert hall in TbilisiThe project site is located inside…

2 Oct 2020

Italy/Switzerland Travel Guide

This is yet another roundup post listing places from our latest trip to Italy and Switzerland at the end of 2019. Long story short - we travel to Italy's Bergamo by Ryanair from Tbilisi…

29 Sep 2020

Rustaveli Borjomi Hotel

Set in Borjomi on Rustaveli street this Hotel has a bar, shared lounge, garden, and free WiFi throughout the property.This 4-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and room service. Free private parking is available…

26 Sep 2020

Carved Stone Sculptures near Sno - Akhaltsikhe - Juta road

Driving into the village on the winding Sno-Akhaltsikhe-Juta road, just before the entrance, you pass a collection of massive stone heads, somewhat reminiscent of Easter Island, carved out of granite.It was in mid-August 2020,…

25 Sep 2020

Orio Center Shopping Mall in Bergamo

Located next to the Bergamo airport, Orio center is one of the largest shopping centers in Italy.We visited this shopping mall in mid-November 2019, a day before departing back to Tbilisi from the Bergamo…

12 Sep 2020

Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography

The open-air Museum of Tbilisi is one of the coolest attractions in Tbilisi, situated in the footsteps of Turtle lake. Many cultural events are held here.The museum is located west to Turtle Lake on a hill overlooking…

29 Aug 2020

Lower Bethlehemi Church

The Lower Bethlemi Church, also known as the Church of Saint Stepanos of the Holy Virgins is a church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Built as an Armenian church, it now operates as a Georgian orthodox church.Discovered by accident while hiking from other, Holy Mother…

28 Aug 2020

Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, Tbilisi

Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem also now known as the Upper Bethlehem Church, is a church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Built as an Armenian church in the 18th century, on the site of an older church, it now operates…