Welcome to Dino's Blog

10 CITIES WITH AMAZING GRAFFITI

14/5/2020

There is probably no one in the world that wouldn't have tried to create a graffiti, at least on the back side of a public toilet door. While in most places graffiti is an illegal activity some cities are thinking more forward and see it as a manifestation of art, but in some of the places even if it's illegal they keep appearing on the walls and houses as a resistance against some sort of political situation, and after a while they become the part and charm of the city until they are inseparable from the it's personality.

Here are 10 cities that are priding themselves with some of the most original, painful, political messages or colourful graffiti in the world.

10) BELFAST - NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast has arguably the most political graffiti in Europe perhaps in the whole world. This troubled little big city is home to almost 2000 murals that are reminding the citizens and visitors about the acts of intense violence that were going on in Northern Ireland for three decades. The most well-known is the Peace Wall that was separating Protestants and Catholics apart during the conflict and according to recent agreement some of the walls are going to be taken down in an attempt to unite the city.

09) BERLIN - GERMANY

The Berlin wall, once the symbol of separation and hostility is today a colourful reminder of the Cold War, with graffiti depicting historical and political changes in the country. While the West Side of the wall was painted long time ago the Eastern side, today known as East Side Gallery, which was untouched until 1984 is now the largest open air gallery in the world featuring 106 paintings from famous international artists.
But Berlin doesn't stop just there, it operates on a much larger scale to make your city walks more enjoyable, you will see street art and graffiti appearing on every corner and decorating houses in a unique style.

08) PENANG - MALAYSIA

Georgetown on Penang island in Malaysia is somewhat peculiar in combining paintings and actual artefacts as one picture. A Lithuanian artist called Ernest Zacharevic was commissioned to create these wall paintings in 2012 that are fading away very fast. In fact some of them have already disappeared. There is no need to panic as there are new and new wall arts are emerging every year on the streets of this city. You can get a map at the place of your accommodation however just by strolling the streets and keeping your eyes open you will find even more graffities that are not on the map yet, simply because they cannot updated them as quickly as the graffiti keep appearing.

07) VALPARAISO - CHILE

When in Chile head to the capital of graffiti of Valparaiso, this place surprises its visitors on every turn and every corner with a colourful picture created by groups of artists that they travel here from all over the world to leave their legacy on the walls and buildings of Valparaiso. There are however a lots of local artists taking their fair share to give life to the gray walls, while preserving the culture and traditions of the city, all this within the project of 'Valparaiso in Colours'. Behind every single painting there is a well researched story or a deep meaning.

06) BOGOTA - COLOMBIA

Bogota, with its irregular blocks and twisted alleys is home to over 8000 active street artists who are contributing to the colourful look of the city. They can do so happily and legally since 2011 when such art was recognised by the city leaders after the citizens got upset by the police tragically killing a 16 year old street artist.
Walking the streets with organised tours led by local artists have become one of today's major attraction of the city.

05) MEXICO CITY - MEXICO

Why art lovers and artists are heading to Mexico City? To see the house of Frida Khalo? Correct! but not only! This huge metropolis in the recent years has become a hotspot for talented artists. Many spectacular graffiti entered the streets making your city strolls even more enjoyable and the wall art movement is expanding with a rapid pace with backpacking street artists stopping by while travelling the continent and leaving their marks here.

04) LISBON - PORTUGAL

Many fellow travellers will agree with me that exploring a city via its street art may be the best way to explore a city. It is especially true for Lisbon, a city that offers into-the-face art painted on buildings to make them look less shabby and at the same time tiny hidden corners where you have to walk by many times in order to spot the masterpiece. The city council made great efforts to help local street artist to decorate the more rundown areas and so Lisbon has become the most colourful among the European capitals.

03) BUENOS AIRES - ARGENTINA

The capital of Argentina recently brought in a law that helps to maintain street art as a legal activity with many local authorities encouraging urban artists to paint the city's walls. Since then artists from all over the world travel to Buenos Aires to cooperate with the locals and create something special, so they can promote their work in the rest of their journey. The most popular areas are Villa Crespo, Palermo, La Boca, Colegiales, Congreso, Barracas and Montserrat, but random art will surprise you while walking the streets.
It is always worth to go for some organised tours as the guides know lots of interesting stories or political inception that hides behind a piece of art.

02) SAO PAOLO - BRAZIL

Sao Paolo used to host the biggest graffiti collection of South America until a very sad day not long time ago when the mayor decided to paint over them and make them disappear in an attempt to clean up the city. His act only evoked that more and more citizens are defending the street art that belongs to the day-by-day life of the locals.
The incrypted language of graffiti has never been more popular then now in this politically challanged country and especially in Sao Paolo. And it is true that the walls of the city are so colourful and gorgeous like no other of the Latin world, some of them are really brilliant and impressive.

01) MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA

The Aussies really know how to make a place even more special. Melbourne as the capital of stencil art work gets the well-deserved first place in this ranking. Apart from the most popular streets that are covered on every inch with graffiti like Hosier Lane, Finaly Avenue, Union Lane you can head to Caledonian Lane or ACDC Lane, that are a little less known, meaning less tourist so you can snap your new Instagram profile picture, will not let you down. The tradition of graffiti is in full stream since the 1990's and the locals are taking around their guests with a great pride to show off with this open air museum.

0 Comments

TOP 15 MOVIES THAT WILL WAKE UP THE TRAVELLER IN YOU

5/2/2020

0 Comments

TOP 15 MOVIES THAT WILL WAKE UP THE TRAVELLER IN YOU

Watching movies many times influences us to think differently, to look at the world with a different eye, it widens our horizons and makes us wonder where some of the scenes were shot.

We chose for you 15 movies that will wake up the traveller in you, the curiosity to visit far away, never-seen places or just simply the story itself is so much fun about someone on the road that makes you jealous to have similar experiences.

They are certainly our favorites, that made us to visit many places that we would have never thought about, however it is not an easy choice to pick merely 15 out of such a huge pool. Enjoy!

15) SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

Seven years in Tibet is a biographic movie about the true story of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who was captured and sent to prison while attempting to climb a himalayan mountain in 1939. Following his escape from prison he seeks refuge in the holy tibetan city of Lhasa beoming friends with the young Dalai Lama at the time of China's takeover of Tibet. It's a remarkable movie thats shows you how can travel adventures can transform your life. The scenery was as beautiful as you would expect it to be with breathtaking shots of the Himalayas dominating throughout much of the movie.

14) VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Vicky and Cristina are two close friends who embark on a holiday to the Spanish city of Barcelona, the pair become infatuated with the same painter,the charming and seductive Juan Antonio, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.
While the story principally focuses on the strange love triangle, director Woody Allen perfectly displays the beauty, energy and magic of Barcelona and it's distinct architecture. Part of the movie was also shot in the beautiful Asturian city of Oviedo.

13) PLANES,TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

This is one of the most feel-good comedies that you can watch over and over. It's a great road-trip movie that shows the struggle of a marketing executive on a business trip in New York trying to return to his family in Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. As soon as he sets out from his office he is struck in a hilarious series of unfortunate events. Desperate to come home in time he teams up with an annoying traveling salesman that will make his mission even harder.

12) THE WAY

This is a very emotional movie about an american doctor who heads to the south of France to pick up the ashes of his son who just died in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago, an 800 km journey stretching from the French Pyrenees to the Galician capital Santiago de Compostela, and decides to finish the walk that his son started. Along the way he makes friends with some other pilgrims, reflects on their relationship, and begins to understand why his son loved travelling so much.

11) SLUMDOG MILLIONARE

This uplifting movie tells the story of an 18 year old indian orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to win 20 milion rupee on the indian version of '' Who wants to be a millionare ? ''
While under arrest with the suspicion of cheating and questioned by the police he tells the story of his remarkable, adventurous young life and reveals how he learn the answer to each question.
The movie is extremely well written and played while giving us an accurate and realistic into everyday life in India, that will make you even more curious to visit this vast and diverse country.

10) INTO THE WILD

Into The Wild is the true story of Christopher McCandless, a college graduate that rejects to live a privileged and comfortable to follow his dreams. He hitchhikes to remote and isolated Alaska and sets up a campsite in an abandoned city bus.
Many backpackers dream of doing something similar, and although the guy took his travels to extreme leves , it has inspired many people to discover the world in a different way.

09) THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

The movie is based on the memoirs of Che Guevara, who embarked in a motorcycle journey across South America for 8 months with his friend Alberto Granado, before becoming an iconic Latin American revolutionary. The adventures that he experienced and the people who he met along this journey played a huge role into turning the young Gueavara into a revolutionist. The movie will inspire you to learn more about the incredibly beautiful continent.

08) BEFORE SUNRISE

This is a beautiful movie about a romantic affair between an American travelling around Europe, and a French girl travelling home from Budapest, who meet on a train ride and after developing a strong chemestry and feelings towards eachother, decide to get off in Wien and spend 12 hours together. It's a very emotional movie characterized by intriguing dialogues and the captivating beauty of Wien.

07) UP

Carl is an old widower who as a child always dreamed about visiting South America and find the forbidden Paradise Falls. On the verge of losing his house to a large construction company and being moved to a retirement home, the former balloon salesman fullfils a lifelong dream and lifts his house using thousands of balloons. The only thing he didnt consider is that a young scout is still waiting in his doorstep. The pair developes a strong friendship and they embark in a hilarious series of adventures together. It's an icredible movie that i encourage both adults and children to watch, packed with humour, emotions and great scenes, that will wake up the traveller in you.

06) WILD

The movie is based on the autobiographic book of the same name where Cheryl Strayed, embarks in a 1,100 miles long hike from south to north following the Pacific Crest Trail as a way to restart her life after a troubled marriage, heroin addiction and the devastating death of her mother. Reese Witherspoon carries the enitre movie on her shoulder and gives one of her best performances to date.

05) THE DARJEELING LIMITED

Another beautiful movie shot entirely in India which follows 3 brothers taking an overland train trip across the country as a way to heal and reconnect with each other after 1 year without speaking. The main characters have complex and conflicting characters and initailly nothing seems to help their difficult relationship. The crazy and hilarious events that occur during the movie finally brings them closer than ever.

04) HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

Hector is living his peaceful, uneventful life of a weird psychiatrist who is not particularly interested in anything. Not in his clients or his own life. Some strange events lead him to set out and try to find out what makes people happy. He soon discovers that the trip is a chance for him to find what really makes him happy, reflect on his own life and tie loose ends with his past. He has to make a full circle via China, Africa and Los Angeles just to find out that was he was looking for was all the time right in front of his eyes. The movie is really funny and enriched with unexpected twists and turns.

03) THE BEACH

Young american student Richard embarks in a backpaking trip to Thailand where he is gifted with a strange map of solitary beach paradise away from the tourist crowds and unreachable by public transport. He befriends a french couple and together they set out to find the secluted paradise. While the movie was poorly received by critics, it's definetely enjoyable and entertaining from start to finish with a strong performance from Leonardo Di Caprio and many twists in the plot. It has inspired many young travellers to visit Ko Phi Phi, the secluted paradise where most of the movie was shot.

02) INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is in my opinion the most enjoyable of the Indy franchise, it's an action packed movie that combines the right amount of humor and adventures. The decision to cast Sean Connery as the father of Indiana, with their powerful emotional connection and on-screen chemestry has proven a vital ingredient to the success of this classic movie. The filming locations are excellent as in any other other Indiana Jones movie and will wake-up your desire to travel to distant places like Petra, the ancient forgotten city featured in this movie final scenes.

01) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

This is a very inspiring, feel good movie which follows the adventures of Walter Mitty, a men living a flat and unfulfilling life, who everyday fantasizes of living a more heroic and exciting life. When his job along with that of his co-workers are threatened, Walter finally takes action in the real world embarking on a journey, that will turn into a lifechanging adventure greater than anything he could have ever dreamed of. It's a very enjoyable and at times funny movie with some amazing scenic shots of Iceland.

0 Comments

15 MOST ICONIC PAINTINGS AND WHERE TO SEE THEM

28/1/2020

0 Comments

15 MOST ICONIC PAINTINGS AND WHERE TO SEE THEM

Among the millions of paintings that are displayed in countless art galleries and museums around the world, a few only are recognized by people of all ages and cultural background and continue to amaze and evoke emotions in the minds of people for centuries to come.

Here is a list of the 15 most famous paintings and where to see them with your own eyes.

15) The Two Fridas - Frida Kahlo

This is the first large scale painting done by the mexican artists and her most recognised work.
It is a double self-portrait, depicting two versions of Kahlo seated together and is showing Frida's two different personalities. One is wearing a white European-style Victorian dress while the other is wearing a traditional Tehuana dress. The painting was created in 1939.

Location : Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City

14) The Card Players - Paul Cezanne

The Card Players is a famous oil painting by Paul Cezanne, who was a renowned post-impressionist French artist. He painted this remarkable artwork during his final period, which was in the early 1890s. It depicts two provencal peasants immersed in their mundane activities as they smoked their pipes and played cards.

Location: Musee d'Orsay, Paris

13) The Third of May 1808 - Francisco Goya

The painting depicts an execution of masses of Spanish countrymen by French soldiers in the town of Medina del Rio Seco. Goya's painting reveals the fear and suffering of the Spanish, while Napoleon's troops show no mercy. Painted in 1814-1815.

Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid

12) Bal au Moulin de la Galette - Renoir

The painting is considered the most impressive work of the artist and is regarded as one of the happiest compositions. The Moulin de la Galette was an open-air dancehall and café that was frequented by many artists living in Paris. Renoir attended sunday afternoon dances and enjoyed watching the happy couples.

Location: Musee d'Orsay, Paris

11) Las Meninas - Diego Velazquez

Las Meninas is the most famous work of the spanish artist and one of the most analized and talk about painting in the world. The painting represents a scene from daily life in the palace of Felipe IV. In the painting we see Princess Margarita in the centre accompanied by her friends, doña Marcela of Ulloa who is speaking to Diego Ruíz Azcona, Velázquez himself painting, José Nieto Velázquez in a doorway at the back of the painting, and on the wall at the back there is a mirror reflecting the image of the monarchs King Felipe IV and Mariana of Austria.

Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid

10) Persistance of Memory - Salvador Dalì

This surrealistic masterpiece depicts a dream state, the melting and distorted clocks symbolize the passage of time that we experience while dreaming. In the painting, four clocks are prominently on display in an otherwise empty desert scene. The clocks are not flat as you might expect them to be, but are bent out of shape, appearing to be in the act of melting away.

Location: Museum of Modern Art, New York

09) The Night Watch - Rembrandt

This massive painting was commissioned by a militia captain and his 17 militia guards in 1642 to paint their company. With effective use of sunlight and shade, the painter leads the eye to the three most important characters among the crowd: the two gentlemen in the centre and a crouching woman in the background.

Location: Riijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Musement is a booking service that allows you to find and book tours & tickets to the most famous museums and attractions worldwide

08) The Kiss - Gustav Klimt

The Kiss depicts a man and woman dressed in highly decorated gowns embracing and sharing a passionate kiss. The work is composed of conventional oil paint with applied layers of gold leaf and is considered a masterpiece of the early modern period. Painted in 1908.

Location: Belvedere Museum, Wien

07) Guernica - Pablo Picasso

Guernica is one of Pablo Picasso most famous paintings, showing the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon innocent civilians. Picasso’s purpose in painting it was to bring the world’s attention to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by german bombers. Painted in 1937.

Location: Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid

06) - Girl with the Pearl Earring - Vermeer

Sometimes referred to as “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, the Girl with a Pearl Earring depicts a European girl wearing an exotic dress, an oriental turban and an large pearl earring. The painting isn’t dated and it is unclear whether this work was commissioned.

Location: Mauritshuis, The Hague

05) The Scream - Edvard Munch

The Scream is the best known and most frequently reproduced of all Edvard Munch’s motifs. With its expressive colours, its flowing lines and striking overall effect, its appeal is universal. The painting shows a frightened person screaming, its figure is ambiguous and it is hard to say whether it is a man or a woman, young or old.

Location: National Museum, Oslo

04) The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli

The painting depicts the goddess Venus (or Aphrodite as she is known in Greek mythology) emerging from the sea as a fully-grown woman arriving at the shore upon a shell in accordance with the myth that explains her birth. It's considered to be the most iconic work of the Italian Renaissance period.

Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence

03) The Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci

This is one of the world's most admired and reproduced painting. It's a 15th century mural painting representing the scene of The Last Supper when Jesus announces that one of his Twelve Apostles would betray him.
Unfortunatly due to the methods used, environmental conditions, as well as intentional damage, very little of the original painting remains today.

Location: Santa Maria delle Grazie Church, Milan

02) Starry Night - Vincent Van Gogh

Despite never being famous as a painter and struggling to make a living as an artist during his lifetime , he is considered among the most famous and influential figures in the art history.
This iconic painting depicts the view from the east-facing window of the painter's room at Saint-Remy de Provence, just before sunrise, with the addition of an idealized village.
It is regarded as the finest work of Van Gogh and one of the most recognized paintings in the world.

Location: Museum of Modern Art, New York

01) Mona Lisa - Leonardo da Vinci

The most famous painting of all time, painted during the Renaissance in Florence. The sitter’s mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination. The painting was stolen from the Louvre by an italian thief in 1911 who believed Leonardo's painting should have been returned for display in an Italian museum, it was recovered only 2 years when the thief was finally caught.

Location: Musée du Louvre, Paris

0 Comments

MONESE PREPAID DEBIT CARD ! EARN UP TO 25 € / 25 £ OPENING A FREE ACCOUNT

28/1/2020

0 Comments

MONESE PREPAID DEBIT CARD ! EARN UP TO 25 € / 25 £ OPENING A FREE ACCOUNT

Monese is an award winning online mobile banking solution perfectly suited for international travelers and other location-independent global citizens: expatriates, foreign students, freelancers or digital nomads who are constantly on the go. It offers most of the services of a traditional bank, with the added benefit of being completely digital and manageable through your phone.

Upon opening a free account you will be able to order your prepaid Mastercard debit card, this allows all the usual operations (payment, withdrawal, etc.) and can be used anywhere in the world at convenient exchange rates with all merchants that accept the Mastercard network. In addition the card can be added in both Google Pay & Apple Pay.

The simple plan is a great one to get you started, works perfectly if you just need a current account to receive your salary or a card for your travels. It is free and has no monthly fee, and it gives you a neat allowance of free ATM withdrawals, cash top-ups, and foreign currency card spend, plan upgrades can be done easily through the application.

Some perks of the simple plan include :

- 200 €/£ allowance for free ATM withdrawals globally and cash top-ups each month (after which a 2% fee applies)

- 2000 €/£ allowance for fee-free card spend in foreign currencies globally each month (after which a 2% fee applies)

- Free instant top-ups with a debit card

- Global bank transfers at the real exchange rate

- Chance to earn money when inviting friends to open any account ( you will be given a unique code that you can share within your friends to earn up to 25 € )

To open an account simply visit MONESE or download the application available on both Google Play Store or Apple Store and follow the few simple steps

You will receive €10 welcome gift when you open a Monese account with code RICCA474 and do the first transaction with the Monese Card and other €15 you get when you have spent €500 on your Monese account.

It takes only 5 minutes to open a free account with no commision or monthly costs , try it now you will not be disappointed :)

0 Comments

Hotellook : An Honest Review

10/8/2017

0 Comments

Climbing up the ladder as one of the fastest growing hotel price comparison site, Hotellook currently compares the offers of over 50 different booking websites including the likes of booking, expedia, agoda and kayak just to name a few.
The website is lightning fast and I found it to be highly responsive and easy to navigate.
Furthermore they prices they display are inclusive of all taxes and additional charges.

The homepage design is very simple yet beautifully crafted and informative, you can type in your destination and you will be quickly forwarded to the result page, here is where Hotellook really stepped up their game, not only you have a ton of filters clearly displayed at the top of the page, you can also organise the result by price, popularity, distance from the centre and percentage of discount ( you can find some amazing offers with this option).

What I was really impressed is that you can scroll through the pictures of any given hotel without actually clicking on the link and being redirected to another page, this to be a great time saving tool as many times you might like the description of the property and guests reviews but you are not entirely convinced by how the hotel looks like.

The one thing I was not really satisfied is that the support team can be contacted only via e-mail but since most of the bookings will be processed by another agency I didnt think this was a major issue.
Also the website will benefit from adding more major languages (I'm sure this will change as they are gaining more and more popularity)

All together I found the website very enjoyable to surf, on the par of Hotelscombined and vastly superior to Trivago, I can only highly reccommend them for your next holidays.

Visit Hotellook homepage and begin your hotel search here >>

0 Comments

10 CITIES WITH AMAZING GRAFFITI

10) ​BELFAST - NORTHERN IRELAND

09) BERLIN - GERMANY

08) PENANG - MALAYSIA

07) VALPARAISO - CHILE

06) BOGOTA - COLOMBIA

05) MEXICO CITY - MEXICO

04) LISBON - PORTUGAL

03) BUENOS AIRES - ARGENTINA

02) SAO PAOLO - BRAZIL

01) MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA

TOP 15 MOVIES THAT WILL WAKE UP THE TRAVELLER IN YOU

​15) SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

14) VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

13) PLANES,TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

12) THE WAY

11) SLUMDOG MILLIONARE ​

​10) INTO THE WILD

​09) THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

​08) BEFORE SUNRISE

​07) UP

​06) WILD

​05) THE DARJEELING LIMITED

​04) HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

​03) THE BEACH

​02) INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

01) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

15 MOST ICONIC PAINTINGS AND WHERE TO SEE THEM

​15) The Two Fridas - Frida Kahlo

​ ​14) The Card Players - Paul Cezanne

​13) The Third of May 1808 - Francisco Goya

​12) Bal au Moulin de la Galette - Renoir

11) Las Meninas - Diego Velazquez

10) Persistance of Memory - Salvador Dalì

09) The Night Watch - Rembrandt

​ ​08) The Kiss - Gustav Klimt

​ ​07) Guernica - Pablo Picasso

​06) - Girl with the Pearl Earring - Vermeer ​

​05) The Scream - Edvard Munch

​04) The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli

​03) The Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci

​02) Starry Night - Vincent Van Gogh

​ ​01) Mona Lisa - Leonardo da Vinci

MONESE PREPAID DEBIT CARD ! EARN UP TO 25 € / 25 £ OPENING A FREE ACCOUNT

Hotellook : An Honest Review

Email

10) BELFAST - NORTHERN IRELAND

15) SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

11) SLUMDOG MILLIONARE

10) INTO THE WILD

09) THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

08) BEFORE SUNRISE

07) UP

06) WILD

05) THE DARJEELING LIMITED

04) HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

03) THE BEACH

02) INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

15) The Two Fridas - Frida Kahlo

14) The Card Players - Paul Cezanne

13) The Third of May 1808 - Francisco Goya

12) Bal au Moulin de la Galette - Renoir

08) The Kiss - Gustav Klimt

07) Guernica - Pablo Picasso

06) - Girl with the Pearl Earring - Vermeer

05) The Scream - Edvard Munch

04) The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli

03) The Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci

02) Starry Night - Vincent Van Gogh

01) Mona Lisa - Leonardo da Vinci