Japanese Easter


As I said in some of my previous posts, there's no need to move too much to feel like traveling...and this post proves it one more time.
I had just come back from my one month and a half unforgettable trip through India, Hong Kong and Seychelles, and I was taking a nice walk downtown Rome to feel finally back home when I ran into these crazy guys from a japanese TV network. Komatsubara was standing in the middle of Piazza Navona with a sign saying "I'm Japanese...do you want to be my friend?" and I just couldn't resist from stopping and trying to talk to him. I could never imagine that he was from a TV show and that hiding somewhere were his fellows with cameras and a translator.
The chat among the four of us was going just great, I was happy to bring some of my life experience into the show, when I suddenly thought about inviting them over my house for our family Easter lunch...and they accepted!!!
That's the way it all happened. We all ended up on Nippon Television Inc on a show called "Waratte Koraete".
I still can't believe my eyes!
Enjoy*

Er sor Mario e la sua dolce Teresa

I'm sorry for my english speaking followers, but this is gonna be a post in Italian and it wouldn't be fair translating it due to it's spontaneity when it first came out of my mind. I hope you'll get it translated from someone...and I'm sure you'll love it!

Sono le 6.30 e sono già in macchina. Er sor Mario alle 5.30 mi' sveglia chiedendomi "sei sveglio bene?!?!" ed io, per non risultare distrutto agli occhi di un vispo ottantenne mattiniero, faccio finta di essere già sveglio quando in effetti chi gli risponde si è una mummia sonnambula incapace di articolare i suoi gesti. A tentoni disfo il letto e piego tutti i lenzuolini, per scendere giù dove c'è... Mario con la gamba tremarella che mi fa col suo accento toscano, il baffetto hitleriano bianco tagliato tutto storto e asimmetrico :"siamo in ritardo sulla tabella di marcia!!!". In quel momento suonano le campane che rintoccano le 6, quelle stesse campane che ieri notte fino alle 00 hanno tuonato nelle mie orecchie con il campanile proprio di fianco alla mia finestra. Siamo in ritardo?!?! Mi ripeto autisticamente Mentre il rintocco ancora rimbomba tra un neurone e l'altro del mio cervello spappolato. Nella mia vita di tutti i giorni quando sono in ritardo sono le 11...cazzo, fra 5 ore?!?! Mentre tutti questi pensieri (tutti...è uno solo ma a quest'ora il mio Pentium cerebron ha le performance di un pallottoliere) mi passano per la testa, mi volto e guardo Mario muovere le labbra e gesticolare senza però emettere suoni; È li che racconta dei suoi viaggi in macchina con la sua dolce Teresa, che snocciola numeri manco fosse Berlusconi...ma sono numeri che fanno tenerezza perché sono la loro storia. 1973, 23 ottobre, orari, vie, nomi di paesi assurdi!?! Ho davanti a me due persone che hanno un energia tale da avergli fatto girare in macchina, fino a poco fa, mezza Europa. Addirittura ad Amsterdam sono andati! E Mi immagino Mario, tra quei canali, con un bel cannone che spunta da quei baffi smozzicati...si perché loro so gajardi! Torna l'audio e i labiali di Mario riacquistano un senso...bene, il mio cervello ha finalmente ripreso a funzionare. Teresa mi fa strada e scendiamo x le scalette della loro casetta, la più in alto di tutta Roccatederighi piace dire a Mario. Fuori è buio!!!! Ma non quel buio pallido di quando uscivo per andare a scuola, il buio nero quello pesto. Mario continua a raccontare e Teresa ogni tanto fa dei ridolini squisiti che riecheggiano fra le viette deserte del XII secolo, mentre io fra me e me penso che vorrei un giorno essere come loro.
E così iniziò la mia seconda giornata di un week end di novembre alla ricerca del mio terreno perfetto.

Tuscany set

Behehehehehe
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No words

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Sleeping Vineyard

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Colourful

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Fingers like

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Harvest under the sun
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Cut in the sky
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San Quirico d'Orcia



Traveling doesn't mean only taking planes and going to far away places, traveling is a way of living, a way of exepriencing any kind of situation and that's what I've been doing lately. Italy is probably one of the nicest country in the world (talking about beauties to see) and Tuscany is hands down the region which has the most to offer.
This post is about the part of Tuscany I like the most (and I know Tuscany very well since I spend more time there then in my hometown Rome): the Orcia valley (Val d'Orcia in Italian).
In one of my older posts you might have read about Pienza, or you might have run into a post about a trekking I did in this area...well, this time I'm gonna talk about San Quirico d'Orcia and again I'm gonna give you some great tips on how to explore the surroundings being sure not to miss the best part of it.
Starting from the accomodation, my lovely girlfriend invited me to stay over a fabulous Relais called Palazzo del Capitano. The hotel is in an ancient building perfectly restored just behind the majestic Palazzo Chigi (the city hall bulding), and here you can be sure to spend a delightfull vacation either enjoying the wellness center after a long day out or just chilling out on the marvelous terrace on a shiny sunny day. The restaurant, then, is just supreme. The Trattoria il Vecchio Forno is one of those few things in life you can count on, from the menu, to the wines, to the great service you get in a cozy location (during winter time is jsut sweet to have dinner in front of their powerful fire place) everything is just perfect and the only thing you can do once you're finished eating is to wait for the next culinary experience you'll have there.
And what's better then a nice walk after such a great meal?! You're only few steps away from the main square and the astonishing Horti Leonini from the 15th century; here you'll be able to walk through history deeped into a blinding green (check my pics in the post) surrounded by the powerful walls of the town and a sense of peace. But this amazing mediaval center has much more to offer: the "Collegiata" is another thing you can't miss visiting, because here is where you reach the highest level of beauty. I was speachless the first time I faced such a masterpiece and if you're so lucky (like I was) you might have the chance to attend a classical night concert in it depending on the events the town organize every once in a while.

But San Quirico is not only what's inside the walls. Even better is the outside, with its worldwide famouse surroundings and the many path leading you to hidden castles or colourful vineyards. What I did was to buy a detailed map of the many trails and start walking from early in the morning till down and get "lost" with my heart into such amazing locations and colors.
The first day my girlfriend and I had a 16 kilometers walk follwing the "Bagno Vignoni ring", an easy walk going through dirt roads, woods and follwing for a short time the river giving the name to the valley (the Orcia river indeed).
The following day, to rest from the great effort, we enjoyed the day visiting the many wine producers tasting and buying fresh squeezed olive oil and above the average wines (Poggio Grande is defenatly worth a visit especially for their Sesterzo wine).
The third day we totally challenged ourself and had a 30 kilometers trek starting from San Quirico to the Sant'Antimo abbey and back to Castello di Ripa d'Orcia getting lost few times but happy for that beacuse we saw things otherwise we would have never.
It's quite useless to speak to much about what we experienced during these walks and what we saw, it's better to let the pictures speak, and if you have any questions I will be more then happy to reply as fast as I can and in an accurate way.
Hope you enjoyed the post but above all I hope you'll visit these places.


Sfizi di mare, San Foca, Salento



Together with my older post, this one is intended to enrich the possibility to have an unfrogettable experience in southern Italy and to be more precise in an area called Salento (Puglia).
My girlfriend and I were so lucky to run into Sfizi di mare right at the beginning of our short vacation, that all our staying turned into a culinary orgasm!
Right on the road following the coast of San Foca, you don't have to put to much effort to discover this place, first because of the chalkboard on the street capturing your attention and second because of the people coming out of this place with a big smile on their face. You must be a seafood lover but above all a raw seafood lover to enjoy it, beacuse all you get here is super fresh dishes coming right from the Adriatic sea.
The place is not that cozy, wiht plastic tables and palastic chairs, but that is the main value since here you're free to be yourself and no formality is required at all.
If you'll ever go here beacuse you followed my sugestion, please let me know what you think.
Enjoy*

The Cool Hunter



How can I miss the opportunity to publish a post pointing at a site with such a cool name!?!?!
Plus this is actually one of my many sides (check on the homepage), and the guy who put this site on the net really caught the inner sense of such a way of being. It doesn't pretend to be posh, but just share with the rest of the world everything beautiful (in every way), or just a brilliant idea.
The Cool Hunter is totally worth a visit.
Enjoy.

Ryanair. Trapani's Birgi airport, a short cut to Levanzo.

Wow, I've just realized that it's been quite a lot I haven't posted anything on my blog, but that's mainly because I've been busy at work to get ready for my vacation...and then with my vacation itself!
But I'm back again, more motivated then ever to tell you about great places to visit and maybe let you dream a bit.
This summer my choice was Sicily again, but to be more precise we decided to stay in Levanzo island.
From Rome (as from any other city with where Ryanair flies from), is really a piece of cake to get there: fly to Trapani, take a public bus to the port, a ferry...and in 20 minutes you're set!!!

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
This is not the place for night life, shopping or anything compared to Ibiza or even the eolian island Panarea...this island is for true nature lovers, for those who love the wild, the quiet of a small town still looking like 50 years ago but above all for those who like laying on the rocks while sunbathing (and we're two of them!!!).
The main point here is that there's no sand beaches, but if you look at the bright side of the thing, during peak season you might run into little bays where you're gonna be the only one there to enjoy the amazing waters. That's what happend right the first day we challenged the island (beacuse you gotta "fight" against nature a bit to be alone) and got to "Cala Calcara" on the east side. Not only the bay is breathles, but on the way you have to go through a land property with a huge abbandoned villa inside where there no sounds at all around you and the time seams it has stopped. Villa Florio is the name, and on one side there's an ancient Saracena tower giving that special mystic touch to the place makin' it even more unbelievable!

One more hot spot you gotta reach with a tough walk is "Cala Tramontana", on the very north side of Levanzo. There's only one road on the island (and half of it is dirt road) and to get there you gotta walk all the way to the end of it (we're talking about a small island though) and then face a damn steep path into a canyon to finaly feel relased...but it's worth every single step, I assure you!
Let's have a break with hard places to reach, and let's talk about the place where you can enjoy one of the best sunset ever: "Il faraglione". From downtown (lol, this makes me laugh!!!) it's just a 5 minuts walk and to tell you the truth I think this is the best spot on the all island (actually on the way there there's another one, but I'm not gonna tell you since it's alway empty and I don't want it to get crowded).
"Cala Fridda", Cala Minnola" and "Cala Nucidda" are ont the east side of the island as well and are all pretty easy to reach, but it gets dark around 5 o'clock there (the sun sets on the opposite side and they're all underneeth a hill) so you'd better go there early in the morning if you want to enjoy them for a quite amount of hours.

Talking about the town, it's very easy to get lost in the many alleys forming sort of a labirinth, so be careful because you might run into some wild dogs very dangerous especially if their hungry!!!
Ahahahahahahah! Did you believe me?!?! Oh please! This is the safest place on earth, where you could leave your kid out till 3 o'clock in the morning and be sure they come back happy and with a big smile on their face. Life here is very simple and so is the night life...just be sure they can swim, because the only thing that could happen to them is to fall into the water.

The day we left, we were super sad and wanted to stay 2 more weeks there at least, and this thanks also to our wonderful house we rented where we had great moments and bbqs always chilled by the wind typical of a house on top of a 600 meters freaking stepp hill.
Though to walk up there, but unforgetable once you face that view!
Levanzo is totally among the three best islands I've seen in Itlay!

We miss you...but we will come back soon for sure!

Four Season



Four Season is one of those site I'd recommend to anyone in love with trekking, biking or anything related to an healthy lifestyle. The range of offers is unbelievable, prices are fair and really easy to use to customize your own perfect vacation.
It's both in english and italian, and the section I like the most is the "Yes week end" part, where you can find lots of ideas for a different way of spending your spare time. I think this week end I'll go for IL CAMMINO DI SAN FRANCESCO
I don't get paid by these guys, trust me, but it's just one of those discovery driving me crazy around the web.

Cargo Ship Voyages



Ok guys...have a seat and take a deep breath because this could be the time of your life!!!
I've just found out about the Cargo Ship Voyages and I'm totally crazy for it! I've just sent an email to gather informations on my next journey which will be from Europe to South America (to be more precise I'd love to reach Buenos Aires where I have planty of friends living there!).
Reading on forums about this kind of experience, I found many people just crazy for the kind of trip and that would recommend it to anyone (of course anyone with an adventurous soul).
I'm really looking forward to receive a reply from these guys and I will keep you updated as soon as I know more.
Stay tuned buddies!!!!
Cheers*

The Wild Path


Maybe this is not one of the best site ever (in terms of interface), but here you can find planty of paths for trekking, cross-country skiing or anything related to mountains! What I like the most is the number of huts mentioned in each section (the Italian mountains are divided by category) and the infos you need to eventually book them for a reasonable price!
My country has always something new and unbelievable to offer...you just need to be brave and curious.
Enjoy.

Indie Travel Podcast



There we go with another amazing discovery on the net!!!
Indie Travel Podcast might be more uncomfortable then a classic guide, but during a long bus ride or a train trip might be a good company.
Any mp3 player should do for it, but obviously the world wide famous iPod is certainly the best way to listen to them.
My next departure is still pretty ahead, but I'm probably gonna download the one concerning my next moves and try to figure out what's best to do in this or that region of the world.

The Venice carnival


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It happened few years ago now, but still this images are very clear in my mind.
The Venice carnival is an experience you should try at least once in your life, because this city during those days turns into a carousel and each corner is the ideal place for a small party or a dj set. It happened to me to find a dance hall with the dj playing from a floating platform in the middle of a canal!!!
But beside all this, the masks (as you can see form the pictures) are something astonishing. They're master pieces, people rent them from hundred years experienced manufacturers and sometimes spend plenty of money just for the pleasure to have the most admired mask and be captured on a film. Even dogs get their own masks, and sometimes they're the funniest ones.
I was very lucky to be there on sunny and warm days and that's when the shiny colors of the masks give their best.
It's not Rio de Janeiro for sure, it's not samba and naked women but you won't believe your eyes anyway, especially because the city itself, the stage of such an event, is the second most beautiful city in the world (Rome is definitely beyond)!
Go, go, goooooooooo to Venice for the carnival!


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You can donate for these pictures as shown in the "DONATE FOR THESE PICTURES" link, but this time please attach to the mail a snapshot of the one you wish to receive due to the big amount of them or it might be hard for me to understand which one it is.
Thanx in advance!

Fishermen's cove


So far I've been traveling quite a lot in my life and to tell you the truth the Fishermen's cove is one of those places I would reccomend to anyone. Giuseppe is the owner and you can totally rely on him and his staff for a high quality holiday in one of those country not so many people ever consider for their vacation (at least italians...but we're the best to be second in everything). Philippinos are just lovely, the crystal waters are something unforgettable and if you're a scuba diver...well, this is the place to go! The infrastructure has been improving since the first time I was there, and the swiming pool is the perfect place to relax after a long day on board of the amazing typical boat you'll be cruising everyday to go visit secluded bays or after one of the many entertaining activities they can arrange for you.
The first time I was there was back in 2000 and 7 years later (you can check some pics and read more about it clicking here) I decided to go back there to prove myself my mind wasn't playing tricks on me...thank god it was alll true, and even better.
Not to mention the cusine!!! Delightful, blessing, unbelievable. The catch of the day is gonna be the highlight of the dinner for sure, but if you're not in the fish mood Giuseppe will be more then happy to satify any of your needs.
To make it short...100% happy to go back there again and again and again.
Hope to see you soon Peppe!
Take care.

LPCover Lover


Here's what I found looking through my old bookmarks!
LPCover Lover is a stylish archive for nostalgics and people in love with vintage desing, but also for those in search of records they forgot or never knew about.
It's a pleasure to go through this site...give it a try.
Enjoy!

Skyscanner

Skyscanner

God knows how many trips I've planned on my own since I discovered Skyscanner.
Easy to use, comprehensive and user friendly I've never found a better way to look for a flight.
Hope it's gonna be the same for you.
Cheers my traveler friends!!!

Central America set

Sleeping Beauty

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Playa Negra

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Real Estate Costa Rica

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One Arm Shoe Shine in Nicaragua

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Egg Adv.

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Happy 5th Bday Espresso Yourself!!!


This post is not meant to give usefull informations about the cities I'm about to mention, but with it I want to celebrate the fifth birthday of a video project I invented on a hot summer night.
It was back in 2006 when I decided to leave for a european tour of my Espresso Yourself project. The budget was 1000 euros and a month free to touch Prague, Berlin and Oslo. Everything started from a crazy idea I had a couple of days before, and right away I found out that a friend of mine (Matteo) was driving up to Verona. I couldn't miss the chance to get a lift and reach the city where I would have taken the train to go to Prague from. After a quick stop over a wonderul restaurant somewhere in Veneto (can't recall the name and location), I finally jumped on the train and met right away two sweet irish friends that wanted to take part to the project and joined me in my adventure. From Verona to Prague is a one night trip...and that night we really had a party! The day after we finally reached Prague central station and as soon as we jumped off the train a nice man approached the three of us and took us to a sweet hotel right behind the clock square. One room with private bathroom for three crazy guys at a ridiculous price.
I didn't get to see the city that much, since from the first moment we were all so busy to set everything up, from drawing the logo, to testing the coffee machines, but once ready we headed to the main square and sit there to start dreaming.The People seamed enthusiastic right away, and I couldn't believe my eyes how many stoped by to have a coffee with us or just for being curious about the event. In a couple of days we had guests from all over the world and I left Prague with a great feeling: Berlin was gonna be even better! The fab three split at this point since the girls were heading to A'dam.

Same as for Prague, it was my first time in Berlin but my staying here didn't start as well since during the trip on the train to Germany my video camera broke and the first two days were spent looking for a Canon center to get it fixed. But with no results! It would have taken too long and too much money...and that's when I decide to spend the rest of my budget on dj sets, tasty dinners and everything this city had to offer just to turn the bad luck into a crazy week. And that's what happend!
The whole thing ended up with me taking the wrong train on the way back to Rome, so I had to stop in Florence for the night where a friend of mine (the mighty Daniele from Montezuma) was supposed to live. Supposed, right...he was on vacation somewhere else, so my only choice was to spend another party night there waiting for the next morning and sleep on a bench in a park on a augost rainy night.
What a great experience!I really miss those days.

Cheers*

The concept

When I first started this blog my only goal was to have a diary always available wherever I was and to look at it as you might look at a real photo album...with that kind of feeling that you get from the old good memories.
Little by little I started realizing that Flamingshoe was becoming more then it was meant to be, and as my ideas towards life were evolving the blog started to turn into something else as well. Traveling has played a big role in my life, and from my journeys I learned more then I could learn in any school or university; that's when I started to think at my blog like a place where I could share my experiences, my approach to a way of traveling that led me to meet thousands of people, a simple way of moving around that took me to places I wouldn't have known.
My next step now is to take my blog beyond (to the infinity and beyond), a level where my love for traveling is not only the expression of the pleasure for staying on a secluded island and get to know any of its hidden corner, or to simply spot an interesting web site useful to the travelers community. I want this blog to help me to feel useful to the world, to the environment, to the poor children I met along the way. Because the pictures I'm selling on my blog are not a way to make money, but to save enough money to try to accomplish a lifestyle that will get my hands dirty and be active on this planet. Some people feel released sending an sms and donating money for some natural disaster or to adopt a small kid on the other side of the earth, some others do volunteering during the week end. I get the greatest emotions from being there, maybe cleaning up a beach from our wastes or giving my old cloth to a poor man sleeping on a street of Varanasi, but either ways I can't stay still (that's where the name Flamingshoe comes from) and keep wasting my time, because from all this I get back something my normal life will never give me: the impression that I'm really giving (not only in a material way) something.

How to buy my pictures

I'm so glad you like my pictures!
In the section "The photographer" you can find many more...don't miss the chance to check them all out!
The minimum donation for each photo is 5 Euro. However, if you like my work and enjoy the information you can find here on my website, please feel free to donate more. Any extra money I make from selling these pictures will be used to improve the lives of the local people I meet while traveling.
Once you have completed the donation process, please send me an email at elcapesino@gmail.com with the name of the picture you purchased and a snapshot and I'll get right back to you with an email and the high res file attached.

These pictures are not intended for commercial use.
Thanx in advance.

Traveler at work



My dear travelers friends, here's a terrific web site where you can find lots of job opportunities (and cool infos concernig the work issue) if you're in Australia at the moment or you're planning a long stay there in the coming up months!!!
Any kind of job is available here...all you need to do now is to get a work and holiday visa (and of course a plain ticket) and start searching the site. Let me know if helped.
Have a blast in OZ!

Avaaz.org



Please guys have some time to visit this site, read carefully about the many activities and petitions these people put together and then try to be active on this planet. The reason why I heard about this organization is because of the signatures they're collecting for a crazy law in Brazil that is gonna put in serious danger the Amazon forest. I've always been sensitive about this issue and right away I decided to sign and take part to this movement. Once in the site I took some time to visit it all and find out these guys are very active and serious people. From social matters to environmental ones they try to do their best to be heard from the people that count!
Please have a look at it.
Cheers*

Swiss Alps



It happens sometimes that I check my adds on the right side bar of my blog and run into some amazing places.
That's how I found out about this incredible spot in the Swiss alps, a brilliant idea on how to restore and turn into wonderful houses some old style barns where you can spend a romantic week end or a whole vacation taking advantage of the many activities these guys organize.
The prices (considering the beauty of the place and the structures) are high but not scary, so if were you I'd give it a chance in case you're planning to spend your summer holidays away from the crowded beaches.
Check it out here and let me know what you think.
Cheers!

Interactive traveling

From Flamingshoe
Let's suppose I leave for a long journey on a low budget.
Would you be the ones supporting me deciding what I should do, where I should go and how should I get there (and much more)?!
My idea is to become the first reality (human) interactive show on the net, with you having the chance to lead me somewhere and somehow, and supporting my adventures. Not all places will allow me to connect and interact every single day with you, but for sure as soon as I will have the possibility I'll do so and update you with every thing, and posting a new poll letting you decide what my next move will be.
Being a photographer and a video editor I'll try to prove that I acted as you wanted and will show you the consequences through pictures or short videos. Little by little I'll try to make the project the more interactive I can, and you're ideas will be more then welcome as long as they're not dangerous for my health.
Please answer the poll on the right bar of the blog, and if you have any idea on what the name of the game should be please leave a comment.
Thanx in advance for your interest.

Mongol Rally



Oh well...this is not for everyone, but at least I try to post this amazing site to see if anyone has the guts to take the challenge.
Mongolia is not in my dreams (at least not in the top 10), but this is really a cool idea and to tell you the truth if any of my readers writes and tells me he'd go for it and needs a buddy...I might think about it.
The site is very well done and very comprehensive as well, so please take your time and try to find out the most you can about this adventure...and then take your decision.
Hope you enjoy it.

The Harvest Moon


Last year, in the area of Val d'Orcia in Tuscany, I organized the first of the many events I would like to set up in the coming up seasons. The location was just perfect, the weather a bit chilly at night, but with the help of some quality fire places and a huge amount of tasty local wine we overcame those "problems" and had a blast.
The sound system was working fine with Giulio on the mixer and everybody's mood was just ideal for an unforgettable time; and that's why this year most of the people who joined us in tuscany were at the Rokkette castle.
Highlight of the event was the photography session Michele had with his brand new Harley...I totally laughed my stomach off and it was a great pleasure to see the results!!! You can tell from the frames we were having a great time.Can't ya?!

Feel free to ask anything about the place and how to get there. I will put you in contact with the owner of the place, and you won't be disappointed at all.
And don't forget to leave comments!!!!
Cheers.

Isla de Bastimento (Panama)


Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
Crossing the border between Costa Rica and Panama after traveling for miles has been someting unfrogetable. An iron bridge crossing a river in the total silence of the area, with workers going back home after a though day in the banana fields and the water flowing under your feet while birds sing in some unheard melody.
In the arcipelago of Bocas del Toro (Panama), Bastimento was by that time one of the best places I've ever visited and where I felt the wildest atmosphere ever! 2/3 of the territory is a natural park where tribes have their own land and live there in their humble houses made of woods and palm leaves. They mostly survive thanks to cows and agricolture (as it happens pretty much everytime for this rural cultures). The enviroment is wild as I said, but the most beutiful thing is the varitety of situations. From hills facing astonishing views, to pristine beaches with crystal waters. Little rivers flow here and there and the only area where man has built some houses is on the inside of the bay, on that side facing the biggest island of the arcipelago and where Bocas del Toro is. Apart from some basic shops and guest houses, there's nothing in Bastimetos town, so if you're feeling like cooking some vegetables or buy a pineapple, or you're runnig out of money and need an ATM...then you have to take a "lancia" and reach the main city (Bocas del Toro). You can still feel the carabean mood here, but clubs and bars are available here...but I was looking for something totally different.

My hammock was set underneeth a house owned by a POrtorican old man. I could use his kitchen and bathroom, and I had my own shower outside next to the forest taking waters from the creek right next to it. But the highlight of that place would take place at night, when thousands of fireflies would start dancing in the dark and while the weirdest sound would come from the forest.
I had to walk 20 minutes everyday to reach the closest and most beautiful beach of the island. Great surf, empty spaces wild nature. I can't really remember the name of it, but it's one of the very few beaches reachable by land. Otherwise you have to walk even more...but then the scenary you'll be facing would take your breath away.
Remember to bring water with you, beacuse you'll be away from everything everytime you'll be discovering the island.
I will neve, ever forget such situations.



I miss you Bastimentos.

Green Style



There we go with another well done internet site about being green.
I've always been sensitive about this issue and always wondered what I could do to be more liable on this matter, and here's where a lot of my questions find an answer.
Please give a look to Green Style and try to do your best.

TrekEarth



I'm always searching the internet for cool sites making it easy for me to travel with my mind or to gather information about my real next journey. Oh well, this time I got to the perfect corner of the many streets crossing on the web and found this marvelous melting pot of two of my greatest passions: travels and photography.
On TreakEarth places are told trough images shot by high quality photographers, and nice discussions grow around these pictures.
Thumbs up!

Country Walker



For those with the passion for trekking, here's a cool site planning your vacations according to your needs.
I haven't tested it yet, but to tell you the truth I thought about applying for a career.
Who knows...maybe one day.

Don't waste


Too bad it's only in Italian, but I'm sure the net is full of these kind of sites. If you know anything similar in your language, please write in the comments. Meanwhile enjoy it and try to follow the few easy rules they suggest.
Click here to visit the site.

Andaman & Nicobar islands


It was back in 2009 when my sweet E and I went to the Andaman islands and to be precise to the incredible Havelock.
The trip was exhausting since we were coming from an endless (and sleepless) night spent in the Calcutta airport (one of the ugliest and most uncomfortable I've ever seen), then a flight to a hot Port Blair (little tour of the main attractions such as the cellular jail), a short visit to Ross island (fantastic military reserve with old colonial building being swallowed by the surrounding nature) and finally a ferry to our last destination.
The arrival at Pristine Resort (10 euros per night for a deluxe hut!!!) was very nice thanx to Subi and Macca offering us a fresh juice and showing us right away our humble hut. The place is completely eco, all made of natural materials and settled right next to a wonderful and endless beach called beach #5. Here beaches are named by numbers (they also have indian names but this is the easiest way to get oriented a bit), and probably this island is world famous for its beach #7 (a.k.a Radhanagar Beach).
After getting comfortable with our place, we changed and headed straight to the beach to rest a bit and hang our hammock on some palm trees. Beach #5 is a huge, thin and long beach with crystal shallow waters thanx to the reef you have about a hundred meters out. To be honest this is not the best place for snorkeling or swimming (expecially if low tide is going on), but for that purpose you'd better head to beach #7. I suggest to rent a motorcycle to move around; they're cheap and most of the times in good conditions (indians fix everything very well) and the only two gas stations on the island will never disappoint you.

As I was saying Radhanagar Beach (let's call things with their name) is breathless! Most of the people (especially locals) tend to stop where the path to the beach ends, but I can assure you there's plenty of space both on the left side and the right one. If you like walking and want to discover a little bit more of the island, at the very end of the beach on the right side, just behind a hidden corner, there's a small lagoon with a sweet bay and some reef where you can have some decent snorkel, but if you're too lazy that day place your towel on the divine white thin sand anywhere, enjoy the amazing refreshing waters and wait for one of the best sunset you'll ever experience in your life. If you're lucky enough you might be able to see elephants walking on the beach or in the forest right behind it...but those are not wild ones, and they're always with some man next to them.
But our favorite beach among all was Elephant beach! On the way to beach #7, pretty much half way from where we staid, there's a path starting, and that's where you gotta drop you vehicle and start a nice trek (about 40 minutes walk) in the jungle leading you to a huge deserted mangrove field. Careful with the tides or you might get stuck either in the mangroves (muddy and sticky) or on the beach on the way back! The reason why we loved this beach, was beacause of the tsunami effects and its privacy. Since it's not so easy to reach unless you take part to one of those sad boat tours with hundreds of people, this area of the island is the wildest and most fascinating. The huge trees killed by the tsunami back in time are still there lying on the beach forming a labyrinth you have to go through and scaring you with their massive roots sometimes 3 or 4 times higher then you.
Once you pass this pretty rough area you finally get to a deserted part of the beach where a small river flows into the ocean. That's where you have to stop!!! The beach gets larger and probably you'll be the only one around there for the whole day, and if you're a snorkeling addicted, jump in the water and go find the big reef you have in front of you to spot some amazing fishes.
We also had a one day boat tour to a tiny island called Button island...you if can, go for it! Only Seychelles gave me such feelings in front of such a huge amount of colorful fishes.

I don't know if things have changed a lot since last time I was there (things in India move pretty fast lately), but the island was still quite pristine, with a wonderful rural area in the inside, friendly and not annoying people (people who have visited India know what I'm talking about), and cheap like no other islands around the world with that kind of beaches and natural beauties! I suggest you to try the local restaurants and not to stick around western resorts or diving centers...this is not where you get the real taste of an area and most of the times the quality is not necessary higher then in the small characteristic eateries.
Keep the Andamans clean and enjoy them!

Rokkette Castle

From Rokkette Castle
Last year was the Harvest Moon in Val d'Orcia, this year I rented a whole castle for me and my friends, and with the help of Roby we organized one of the most relaxing, funny, tasty and ejoyable event I've ever planned. Not too far from Rome (an hour and a half by car) in an area called Tuscia, this fantastic castle can host up to 40 people and has got it all; from a real swimming pool with all the necessary around it, to a volleyball court, a table tennis, a pool...and a fusball!!! If you're that kind of person that can't stay still for a second this is the right place for you, and if you're the laziest person on this planet...this is the right place as well!
Don't know where and when I'm gonna rent the next unbeliavable set for another quality reunion, but please stay tuned on my blog for more stuff coming up, and if you want more infos about this place, please don't hesitate to ask leaving a comment on this post.
Cheers buddies!

Nice Type



There we go! After Art of the Tittle, another cool site with plenty of animations playing with typography.
Graphic designers of the wolrd...enjoy clicking here.

The Photographer



From last year classes over the ISFCI to today my passion in this field has grown exponentially. The school gave me the bases I was missing and the love for this art did the rest.
All the pictures you'll see in my blog were shot from the beginning with different compact cameras (mostly with a Panasonic Lumix), till the latest ones with a Nikon D90. The reflex world is a more demanding one since you have to go through a whole bunch of settings, but once the concepts of photography are in your DNA you'll be totally satisfied with the results.

Moonar and the tea plantations

And here are some astonishing views of the Moonar area from my faithful Royoal Enfield.
Enjoy.

Mudumalai National Park

This is a short video of me riding my Royal Enfield through this amazing wild reserve. It's unbelievable how this environment reminds of a savanna: the colors, the kind of trees, the temperature. I was actually a bit scared to go through it all alone on a bike...you're in the middle of a wild tigers reserve and you might look to them just like a gazelle (and I was not riding so fast to enjoy the moment).
Just a little story.
Few days before then I was pretty sick with my stomach and by that time I didn't recover so well...to make it short, I had to take a dump right away and couldn't wait any longer, so all I could do was to go behind a bush and do it. Only then I thought how humiliating would have been to be killed by a tiger while taking a shit!
Enjoy.

Il Grande Anello dei Sibillini

From sibillini_giorno02

It was just a couple of weeks ago, but this experience is still alive in my heart and still can smell the thousands flower we met on our way.
Monti Sibillini natural park is the name and it's right on the boarder of two of the many amazing regions Italy has...Umbria and Marche. Just a couple of hrs from my home town, this place was new to me and my sweet E. but as usual we were greedy of new adventures and wanted to face the challenge. Three days and two nights, walking for 30 Kms and sleeping with our tent in a wild environment.
DAY 1

At first I planned everything and decided to start our path of the Great Sibillini ring from Colle le Cese hut, a sweet refugee in the area of Forca Canapine. We arrived there late at night after a nice stop at Narni for a delicious dinner over Cavallino restaurant, and put our tent in the fields right in front of the hostel; it was a pleasure to have two foxes watching us pitching our tent just few steps away from us.
The day after we walked form Forca Canapine to the A.N.A. hut for about 2 hrs and a half in the middle of no where , crossing endless fields full of flowers and birds of any kind, following a path part of the great ring leading to the base of the Vettore mountain. The walk is breathless as the valley underneath and the scenery you get are unbelievable especially once the huge mountain shows up suddenly behind the smooth hills you're stepping on.
At A.N.A. refuge (Forca di Presta area) is where we met Michele, one of the park's guide (you can contact him through his site www.quattropassi.org). We had a delicious lunch together made of great fresh food and refreshed our throats with an above the average local red wine. He is incredibly nice and competent and gave us so many good tips about our walk, since the weather was getting quite bad and our plan to reach the top of the mountain was not such a great idea for that day.That's why we headed towards Castelluccio through its flatland, to go up again to 1500 mtrs till capanna Ghezzi and pitch our tent for the night. The whole thing is a 15 kilometers walk, but for the first day is a great training for the day after, when you'll have to climb up to 2400 mtrs and experience the real trekking.

DAY 2


Oh well! We will never forget what we saw that day and how tired we were by the end of the day. From the beginning to the last meter it's a big fat tough walk, but walking on the edge of those mountains, with the whole valley opened up on one side and the Pilato lake on the other is something i will definitely tell the kids one day. As the forecast said, the weather was just awesome, with a bright shiny sun in a deep blue sky. Once in a while some fat clouds showed up from one side of the mountain making it a foggy situation...but just the time for the wind and the heat to clean up everything and give back the scenery the proper colors for that kind of light. Every once in a while we would stop for a little rest, a drink or a sandwich, but basically the day was just walking and walking and walking pushed by the beauties of the area.
From capanna Ghezzi, going through Forca Viola, to Ziliolii refuge is a 6 hrs walk, one of the best ones I've ever had, but don't do it unless you're well trained and wear the proper equipment.
Looking forward to do some other trekkings in the area, since there's plenty to see and do and because it's not only super hard walks, but also comfortable ones with great towns to visit and restaurants to try!

Art of the Title


This is a field of the computer graphic in constant development, and here you can have kind of an anthology of what has been produced over the years in the movie industry...the best of the best.
Good references for graphic designers but also just some bites of beauty taken to its highest level.
Click here an enjoy wisely.

Shoe(t) the world


How many times you've thrown away a pair of shoes just because they're not on fashion anymore?! Or just because they had some scratches or a little hole where your toe is?!
And what about your kids' shoes?!?! They grow up so fast that in a few months you're not able to fit them on your kid's feet anymore, and most of the times these shoes end up in a box in a closet or in the worst case in the garbage.
During my journeys around the world's poorest countries, I've noticed many little kids walking barefoot getting infections or skin disease just because they're parents can't afford to buy shoes in order to feed them or send them to school (this is the luckiest option!). Some other times I took part to soccer games with locals where I was the only one with shoes on both feet...well, this is when I came to the point to develop a project to bring this people our shoes. The ones we don't even think about fixing them or don't like them anymore.
Shoe(t) the world is my own (crazy) idea to bring these items to these far countries (maybe taking advantage of the many people sailing in the oceans) and organize events to bring joy to these people giving them our shoes for free and recording everything on a picture (here comes the word game).
Maybe one day I'll have so many pictures to publish a book and do some fundraising to help the world in some other way. Maybe this will be a one shot challenge, but at least I wonna give it a try....

Otranto, lu salentu, lu sule, lu mare, lu ientu.


What an amazing area of Italy!!! Il Salento.
This has been the stage for some of the most unbelievable vacations I've ever had in my whole life. Camping at Frassanito is something you gotta experience at least once in your life, and the bar Giro di boa right on the sand is the perfect place to hang out during a arsh day under the strong sothern sun. There's not so many words to describe the feeling you get from watching that coastline, the countless bays waiting for you to discover them and enjoy their wildnes, the crystal flat water shining for you just like two deep blue eyes belonging to a charminig norwegian lady. I'll let the pictures talk and the day you'll be roaming around the Otranto area and will be looking for "i laghi di Alimini", remember about this post and try to get lost the same way I did, because this is the place where no maps are welcome, no GPS, no nothing...just you and the unbeatable nature to make one thing.
There's one place in particular I want to mention in case you're a food lover and a special place hunter. L'osteria degli amici in Giurdignano. I've never seen and tasted something like that.
And if you're looking for a special place to stay and go back home with that special feeling only this land is capable to feed the people with, try the B&B Rauccio (http://www.bbrauccio.it/)
Alè!

Amsterdam...aka A'dam


This is hands down the city in Europe I visited the most. Since my first time back in 1998, I think I went to Holland more then 20 times in any way: by car, by train, by plan...actually I'm missing hitchiking...gotta do it soon.
Not only I experienced the capital city but also Utrecht (probably nicer then A'dam and more cozy), Haarlem (that was my very first city I visited during an unforgettable new year), Nijmegen (the unbeatable Van der Drift family lives there in a tiny town next to it called Molenhoek) and the surroundings, Arnhem (you gotta stop there as soon as you cross the border with Germany coming from Itlay by car) and the quite island of Marken with its lonely lighthouse.
Of course the first times I'was there was just for getting wasted and stoned (and I defenatly tried lots of coffeeshops), but the more I use to go there, the more I fell in love with the atmosphere you can breath riding a bike and ringin the bell around the canals. From winter to summer I tried 'em all, and to tell you the truth this country gives its best with a butt cold weather...and if you're lucky enough with the snow. It's a waste of time to try to explain what you feel when you're walking around this peacefull streets and some snowflakes start to fall from the flat grey sky (this is mostly the color of the sky you get during cold seasons) and the whole area surrounding you turns into a fairy tale. Everything gets quiet and the bikes riding on the narrow streets of the canals ring their bells just like a bunch of elf's cart. The inhabitants and their smoky mouths look all like comic strips from a romantic drawer helped by such a perfect architetcure for such a setting. Fearless of the icy roads people face this temperatures with total confidence, even if sometimes you see someone crashing on the ground for stepping on a camouflaged block of ice. And once you're too cold to keep walking around and admiring the bending buildings (it's them bending not you stoned!), you can easly walk in any bar, coffeshop or tearoom and you'll get the best out of it.

But let's talk about places to visit in A'dam. First of all try not to stick around Dam square and the red light district...this is the most anoying and crowded and sad area of the town. It's ok to give it a try just to say you've been there, but trust me the rest of Amsterdam is way better then what you get here.
Taking central station as the starting point (if you're coming from Schipol there's frequent trains connecting the airport to the city), if you head right you'll run into Single (the first of concentric canals giving Amsterdam that special look) and here you can already stop at my favourite coffeshop called Rokerij. This is already a sparkling area and you can get a lot out of it if you spend some time walking around and being a bit courious. The famouse bar "The Doors" is there and just around the corner there's Frederic with its bed and breakfast and bike rental shop. If you visit Amsterdam, you can't miss the opportunity to rent a bike, because that is the best way to move around and feel like a local...and what place other then Frederic to rent it?!?! He's sweet, gentle and always ready to help you...he loves grappa, so if you're kind enough show up with a bottle and he will be so thankful!
If you're looking for a cheap place to stay, but with a great location and close to the most wonderful area of Amsterdam (De 9 Straatjes and the Joordan area), then on Keisersgracth there's the Keisersgracth hotel, a budget place but with an easygoing staff and a decent standard.
De 9 Straatjes is the ideal place for relaxing if you're in the mood of it, or doing the best shopping downtown, since this is the area where most of the emerging stylist have their base and atelier.
In the same area you also get the world famouse Anne Frank museum , but be ready to face long lines since this is one of the main attractions of the city.
Keep walking south on one of these canals and you'll get to Leidseplein (consider moving around by tram as well...you can reach almost anywhere and be warm at the same time if you end up there during the coldest months) where plenty of restaurants, bars and discos are. The most popular hang out place around here is the Paradiso with its many concerts ranging from techno music to Hard rock (for sure you'll ben listening quality stuff!!!), but if you're looking for something more particular and where mostly locals go, then head to Lijnbaansgracht and look for a place Korsakoff. I think I had some of the best times in my life here, and it's easy to make some goodfriends since everyone is here to enjoy it and and dance like hell. But if you're not that kind of person (here you mostly get very loud music but excellent), and you're more into blues or softer rock in general, then just outside the door there's Maloe Melo.
Among the many places of interests you'll also be able to spot on any turistic guide, I want to mention Vondel Park, an exquisite green area where A'damers like to fully enjoy either riding their bikes (there's more bikes in Holland then in any other place on earth I think) or just taking a nap on a blanket during sunny days. Right next to the park there's another budget hostel (the Stayok hostel) where I spent few nights, and to tell you the truth I would reccomend this place to any backpacker for its price, cozyness and level of level of cleanliness.
Let's cut it with usless information you could easily find anywhere (the Van Gogh museum, the Rijksmuseum and the many other culutar places of interests) and let's talk about Marken.

It's quite a long ride by bus from Amsterdam (buy the Waterland ticket for abot 7 euros) but once you get there you get a rare taste of Holland with its wooden and colorful houses all around the fisherman harbor. During summer time I heard is possible to see people dressing in the typical way, but since I was there during a 20 degrees below zero day the best option was to take an ufrogettable walk in the countryside to reach the light house stuck in the middle of a frozen sea (check out the pics...that is a freaking amazing place!).
A place in Holland you can easly and in a cheap way reach with a low cost flight landing at Weeze airport in Dussendolf is Nijmegen.

The beloved Van der Drift family hosted few times me and my sweet Elena in the past years and so many good memories will stay with me forever. The city itself is not so charming, but still has got some highlight in the very center and some other natural attractions in the area. It's hard for me to remember the names of the places Pieter, Manon and their wonderful 4 kids took us, but I can assure you there's things to do and see if you're in love with trekkings, iceskating and wellness SPA. Molenhoek is not that kind of town mentioned so many times on the internet and that's why I take advantage of this blog to remember our homebase in this tiny place on the border with Germany.Just sweet!
Well, Utrecht is the last town I want to talk about shortly in this post. Everytime I ended up here I felt like to be in a special place, one of those places you can feel that special vibe. It's small and all concentrated around two canals, but the cathedral in first place and the many students living there (there's one of the best universities in Holland here) make it a little jewel to visit and spend a wonderful day coming from Amsterdam (it's very well connected by train and it takes only 30 minutes to get there).

And if you're to stoned or drunk to head back to your place in Amsterdam, you can stay at the best hostel I've ever stayed in my life. It's called Strowis and if you go there you'll thank me for the rest of your life!
All right, I'm out of here now, but if you're interested in knowing more about other places to visit (unconventional ones I mean) or thiings to do, please leave a comment and I'll be right back at you.
Enjoy wisely.

Da San Quirico a Castelluccio


This is quite a demanding walk (click here for more infos) but as the one suggested in my recent post it's something you gotta experience if you visit the Val d'Orcia. For a small part it intersect the "Anello di Bagno Vignoni" trail, but for the rest it's a good mixture of paved roads and the tipical white country street framed by cipresso trees and views you will never forget. The end of the hike is in Castelluccio, one of those little medieval towns that made Tuscany world wide famous, but you'll also be facing sweet towns on the way such as Castiglione d'Orcia with it's massive Rocca d'Orcia. Be aware! In the first part of the path you'll be stepping on the "Via Francigena".
Respect bro!

L'anello di Bagno Vignoni


As hiking is one of my favourites hobbies and this area is hands down one of the most beautiful you will be able to find in Italy in general, I totally reccomend some trails you will never forget. L'anello di Bagno Vignoni is the one I experienced lately (you can take a look at the map here) and for sure this is affordable even for non trained people. It takes about 4 hrs taking it easy, and it's half in the shade and half under the sun (depending on the period of the year you go to this area). The path has got it all: form astonishing views to silent walks in the woods and at a certain point you will totally be breathless when you'll be facing the Orcia river and you'll be able to admire the ancient bridge crossing it (you can see some pics from my post called Val d'Orcia. It's worth to stop there for a rest and to enjoy the enchanting atmosphere (and maybe take a bath) and, depending where you started from, then head to the next town to refresh with a freezing beer (or a glass of wine since you're in the cradle of good taste).
Highlights of the walk are the Ripa d'Orcia castle and Vignoni alta, beside all the rest of course.Don't forget to deep your feet into the the natural thermal pools you run into when you'll be passing underneath the town of Bagno Vignoni
Please give it a try and then let me know what you think about it.
Comin' up more hiking trails I've tested just for you...stay tuned!
Enjoy.