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!

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!!!

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*

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!

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!

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.

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.

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....

Skilled immigrants...

Hot weather, laid back lifestyle and a natural environment is what you've always dreamt of.
This could be your chance to make your dreams come true if Australia corresponds to your ideal place to work and live.
Check it out here and give it a try.
Good day mate!
D*

Espresso Yourself...Bologna

Espresso Yourself Bologna from flamingshoe on Vimeo.

This is the last chapter of my creature...the CG and some other fine tunigs must be done in a proper way, but you can defenatly get an idea of the potentiality of the TV format.
Don't you think the world needs more episodes of this freaking show?!?!?!?!
I'm just ready to take off anytime anywhere to make this dream come true, and I will risk my nuts to see more shows like this on air or on the net.
Come on guys let's cheer for "El campesino" and his sis Valeria!!!

AirBnB

Holy cow!!!
This is such a cool site both for low budget traveler and people who want to make some money out of their appartments. Tha't the reason why I totally love internet...its potentiality is almost endless and if you use it in a smart and an honest way you'll get a lot of of it.
It's official this is one of my favourite site ever, along with CouchSurfing and RoadSharing (you can all find 'em in my blog under "my links").
Check it out and I hope you'll find it useful.
Cheers

To & From the airport.com

Clever internet site (but a bit messy in the interface) to find out how to get out of any airport of the world.
Cheap ways, fancy ways, standard ways...whatever is your budget, you get it!
Enjoy the link and click here.
D*

2010

As the new year is approaching, you can recap through images the "old" one and remember something you might have forgotten.

PANTONE HOTEL

I'm sure every designer knows what I'm talking about.
This hotel in Brussells is the latest awesome idea in the hotel business.
But we're talking about something that has to be seen and not described, so please have a look and get ready to will a ticket to the Belgium capital.
Check it out on this link...Pantone Hotel

Vivo Altrove

This morning, while on the car to come to work, I was listening to an interesting radio program where I heard about this book and its internet site.
I've always been sensitive about the issue covered in it...and here I am to report the site as a very well done work.
For all of those who have been thinking for ever about leaving their country to go live abroad, for those who never found the courage to do so or just have so many doubts about it, and for those who are already living somewhere else outside their home country, this is where you could find all the answers to the questions you never had the courage or chance to ask.
Surf it wisely: Vivo altrove
Cheers.