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Graffiti Of The Week #1

Welcome folks to G.O.T.W (Graffiti Of The Week), from now on I will be featuring every week a fascinating graffiti coming from an awesome artist. Let's Go, less talk and more ink, ladies and gentlemen - Phlegm's Art.

For those who don't know Phlegm, this is the opportunity to start following the work of this great artist. He is known worldwide for his illustrations, street arts, and self-published comics, his works are printed on planes, boats, displayed in festivals, etc.

Stay tuned, next time you see insane drawings somewhere in the world, you'll know that the great artist behind them can be Phlegm.

What about you, do you have a favorite Phlegm's art?                                                     See you next week! #LessWarMoreGraffiti

 Find Phlegm:  

www.phlegmcomics.com                            phlegmcomicnews.blogspot.co.uk

Photos from Phlegm's Instagram: Instagram/phlegm_art

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Avoid Embarrassment In Germany

How well do you know Germany? Germans are polite and punctual, the beautiful Berlin has more bridges than Venice and this is the land of poets and thinkers, such as Beethoven and Goethe.

But there are some points that we should care about when visiting this great place.

Money talk

I can consider myself a bit German because I particularly don't like talking about money, I think it's super unnecessary and at the same time uncomfortable - F*ck money.

Many times when we are in a circle of friends (this has happened to me a lot) suddenly someone has the "wonderful" idea to ask how much and how you generate your monthly or weekly income.

If you are in Germany, or somewhere in the world with Germans, avoid talking about money and/or avoid making comparisons, you will be rude.

Jokes

Where I was born and raised people often make jokes, football jokes, with anonymous people, with famous people, animals ... Well, practically with everything.

The problem is not making jokes, after all, everyone likes a good joke, some laughs make us feel better changing our mood, right? And maybe I'll tell one at the end of the post, maybe - maybe;). The problem is when those who are telling the joke don't have limits, and they end up offending people.

Everyone knows about the unfortunate episodes that Germany had with their wars, leaving many people dead and traumatized. Therefore, not only Germans but what everyone needs is fewer people trying to make humor about sad events.

Shoes at home

I remember my mother used to say when I got home after school - "God, I just cleaned the floor and it's dirty again, take off the shoe kid" I confess that even nowadays, sometimes I realize that I am with my sneakers inside my house.

In Germany, of course, it will depend on which house you are going to, however, if it's your first time at the place taking off the shoe will mean that you are nice and polite.

Unpunctual

I know that sometimes it's difficult and the plans don't work out as planned, but not being punctual is not cool in Germany.

It happened to me once, an unforeseen event happened and the person who was waiting for me just left, the rule of the 10 or 15 minutes doesn't exist and arriving at the scheduled time means arriving on time.

Avoid misunderstandings and if you can leave early to arrive on time - do it, be punctual is a positive sign.

Stare at people

Traveling to Germany, you will notice a great diversity of people living in communion expressing themselves in a free way. As in any another country with big cities, Germany is home to many traditions and cultures.

Thereby, there are a lot of people who will draw more attention to travelers and tourists. Regardless of how the person is dressed, or behavior, don't stare at him/her, it will be very coarse.

Nazism

It's ridiculous there are some people even nowadays, travel to Germany and have the audacity to make the sign of reverence of the Nazis. What these people have in their heads? I don't know, maybe they just think it's funny, but as I mentioned before, this kind of "joke" is not funny at all.

Everyone knows the damage that the Nazis did to humanity in the past century, leaving marks to this day. Be careful, if you try something similar you will be really in trouble, getting arrested and convicted.

Friendships

I really like to make new friends, meet new people and share good moments, there is nothing like a good chat and the opportunity to create excellent moments.

But, what for me and many people is something normal, in Germany if you treat someone that you just knew like being part of your life for years, is seen as something strange and not very well received by the Germans.

Everyone needs time, in the first meeting take easy, and with the passage of time will acquire confidence and be great friends.

   Infographic

Let me know in the comments if you've ever had any embarrassing situation in any country. So, now the mission is just have a lot of fun in this great place called Germany ;)

Safe Travels

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Is Dubai A Good City To Live?

by Luiz Hanfilaque

Lively nightlife, ultra modern architecture, and luxury in everywhere, ladies and gentlemen welcome to Dubai. First off, Dubai doesn't do my style, I prefer small, cozy places. But being a traveler, I am always ready to explore for a few days any place, everything for the knowledge and great adventures.

That Dubai is an incredible city that sparks the imagination of travelers and tourists of all ages is not a secret to anyone, but why many people after returning or even still being there call the city as "fake"?

To solve this puzzle, I decided to list some facts to try to explain why so many people call it "fake city" and if it would be a good city to live in.

Culture

When you arrive in Dubai you will immediately feel like you are not in the United Arab Emirates but in the United States of America. The city "breathes" luxury, and any similarity to Vegas is pure coincidence, or not. To experience the local culture is recommended to visit Al Ain or Sharjah.

Locals

There are not many locals that can be called locals because there is a high level of migration and immigration. As I said before, Dubai closely resembles a North American city which is great to visit but, on the other hand, to set up a residence becomes a challenge.

 Public Transport

If you don't own a car, you may face some problems. Public transportation doesn't work very well and the subway is divided into first and second class, and if after a tiring day you end up napping and get caught with your eyes closed, you will have to pay a fine, the same if you eat something or chew a gum along the way.

Green Areas

Well, it's understandable that Dubai is not an eco-friendly city because it was built practically in the desert. There are not many green areas and there is a high level of pollution due to the high number of cars.

 Social Life

Many people live in Dubai just to make money and leave soon,  in many places where to make friends is something relatively easy in Dubai is a kind of mission. Because it's an extremely commercial city with people focused on their work. Don't get mad if they don't accept your invitation for a walk or even a beer at night.

Weather

It's hot but I mean, super hot! The summer can reach extreme temperatures with average highs around 41°C, with the help of air conditioning is bearable but due to the high temperatures, the simple act of walking under the sun is almost impossible.

Fun

Yes, there are a bunch of choices if you are looking for some fun. Sky diving is my top advice, you will have one of the best experiences of your life. Parties, Camel riding, Sandboarding, desert tours, great nightlife, festivals, etc. Just choose;)

My conclusion is the following one - It depends! If you really love hot places combined with a high capitalism and futuristic skyscrapers, Dubai is definitely for you. 

Well, for me Dubai is completely fine for a few days, but for a long time, I would not be able to adapt myself (I was born in the coldest city in Brazil, now imagine living in Dubai lol), and about being "fake" I don't think so, there are things were created and it's nothing sustainable, yes! But at the same time Dubai is a special place.

So, Is Dubai for you?;)

Safe Travels!

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How To Drink More Water Daily

Well, here we have the most important liquid on planet earth and even in the universe, without it, we would be practically extinct like the dinosaurs. But why most of the people would rather drink a cup of soda than water?

I confess that for a long time, I left the bottle of water only in the refrigerator, but I changed my habit completely and started drinking two liters (maybe more) of water daily.

I've seen many people say, "I don't like water, I'd rather have a cup of soda to quench my thirst." It's simple, we sometimes just don't like something because we don't have the habit to do it.

The first step is the most difficult, so I will show up some techniques to turn what is an isolated act into a good routine. Start slow, don't rush, you will have all the time to reach your aim.

Water before meals

Drinking water before meals will help the digestion, and most of the time when we feel hungry is because we are dehydrated. It's   our body warning us that we need to consume more water.

Fruits and veggies

Who does not love a smoothie in the morning? I just cannot live without having my green smoothie in the morning or throughout the day. Fruits and veggies are a great idea to consume more water daily, there are hundreds - thousands of juices and smoothies combinations to try.

When you wake up

Most people sleep for eight hours or even longer, now imagine how the body will be after this long time without hydration. As soon as you wake up, go in the kitchen and drink a glass of water, yes, at the beginning it might be a bit difficult but after a few days, you will not even notice the new habit.

Water with flavor

Water by itself doesn't have flavor, becoming sometimes pretty boring, right? What I do is dipping mint leaves or small fruits like blueberries or raspberries into the water bottle.

Physical Activities

Always when I come back from a run or my yoga practice, I feel my body very dehydrated, and I end up taking a lot of water. Therefore, if you don't practice anything, start now, I bet you will drink a lot more water.

Above I listed some techniques I use to drink more water, but which one is my favorite?

Well, I left my favorite for last. I realized that I would drink much more water if I always carry a bottle with me, at home (I always have one at my side), at the supermarket, at the park, when I travel, etc. This is the secret, always have a bottle with you, so you will hydrate yourself and big part of the time won't even notice.

It's time to fill the cups again, I confess to be pretty thirsty after so much talk about water. Do you drink enough water? If no, I hope I helped you to improve that:) Cheers!

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Be Extremely Careful in Venice

by Luiz Hanfilaque

My trip to Venice was as fast as the ice cream I bought. After spending €20 with a daily voucher to use the boats, and finding no hostel available to stay, I decided to take the next train and head to Milan.

But now some things will change, and if you are planning a visit you need to be very careful on what to do in the lovely city of Venezia, because new laws have been implemented that can catch you and your pocket by surprise.

New fines will come up because of the bad behavior of some tourists, the campaign is called #enjoyrespectVenezia and will penalize all the people with bad conduct.

But in which case do I have chances to be fined? The following ones:

- Writing, damaging or sticking anything on benches, pavements, trees, and buildings (€ 400).

- Littering (€ 100).

- Wandering around in your bathers or going shirtless (€ 200).

- Buskers and people who perform or make art for tips without a permit (€ 400).

- Begging (€ 400). "I don't know how someone will pay such high fee if it's already begging."

- "love locks" to monuments and bridges (€ 100).

- Lying down or standing on benches (€ 100).

- Using public transport without a valid ticket (€ 150).

- having a bike, even if you're wheeling it on foot (€ 100).

- Picnicking, throw liquid on the ground and climbing on trees, buildings, and monuments (€ 100-200).

I could say that after this Venice will be pretty tricky, if by mistake I drop water on the ground or open my package of chips I could be at risk to be fined. The fact is Venice is struggling with no many tourists, and when a place is overcrowded everybody knows that a lot of bad things start happening.

On the other hand, maps will be created with signs to public toilets and picnic areas, the campaign will also try to motivate the tourists to visit areas less visited around the city.

I confess not to agree with these high values hat in my eyes will become a way to make more money out the tourists, that consequently will be taken by surprise often. What do you think? Safe travels!

source: The Independent

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Sunset Time

I've already lost count of the times when I stopped everything to watch a beautiful sunset, if there is a word to describe this moment, I could say without fear of being wrong that is called inspiration, a beautiful sunset is inspiring, don't you think? It makes our mind fly away without time to come back.

I listened below some places in the world to get fascinated with unbelievable sunsets.

Rio de Janeiro

It was in Rio de Janeiro that I had the opportunity to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life, without any doubt, what was that! Sitting with friends at Arpoador watching the sun goes down, with a beer and a smile on my face, it's impossible not to smile and be thankful in a moment like that.

The moment that the sun disappeared, we were surprised by a round of applause,we got thrilled with so many people sharing the same good energy.

  Surely, it won't be only in Arpoador that you will be dazzled by the Rio's sunset, if you are willing to face a good track day, you can take a climb up the hill two brothers, otherwise stay in Copacabana or Ipanema, get a coconut water and relax.

Face this moment as a way to renew your energies, because the night life in Rio will ask for many.

Moon Valley, Atacama desert, Chile

I confess that I got speechless when I arrived in Atacama, I've never thought I would be in such a remote place and with an indescribable natural beauty. Watching the sunset in the Atacama desert I would say it's an experience that every traveler should witness at least once in life.

Have you ever been anywhere that felt completely at ease? San Pedro de Atacama was this place for me, staying 5 days in this oasis in the middle of the desert gave me many adventures that I will bring up through more posts in the future. 

One of them will be about not to get lost in the middle of nowhere, yeah, I got lost in the Death's Valley. Nothing cool about getting lost in a valley with this name, right?;D

I rode a lot my bicycle to get to the Valley of the Moon, about an hour from the city of San Pedro de Atacama, but when I arrived there and parked my bike to continue by foot, I felt that every second was worth it, IT WAS WORTH IT.

I will never forget that sunset, I felt completely on another planet. If you have the opportunity to explore the Atacama, don't think twice, pack your stuff and go ahead.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Still in South America, I got amazed by the sunset in the Salar de Uyuni. Lovely place, unfortunately, the weather was good and I didn't see the rain on the days I was there, yes I said, unfortunately, but why unfortunately? Because everyone says that when it rains the soil reflects the sky becoming a kind of mirror, I have the duty to return and see it with my own eyes.

After leaving Calama in Chile to La Paz, I realized that Uyuni was on the way, I didn't think twice about making a stop and see what the place had to offer me.

I spent two days in the Salar, and those two days were full of adventures, islands of cactus, mummies, a hotel of salt and the wonderful sunsets, a moment that I can say that was epic. Are you thinking about heading to Bolivia? Believe me, Salar de Uyuni is a must.

Sligo, Ireland

It's not a secret to anyone how much I love the city of Sligo in Ireland, I lived in this lovely place for months and I learned a lot about the Irish culture and how the Irish people are kind and friendly.

So I couldn't leave out of this list my precious Ireland. In every chat with friends or with people who have the curiosity about how is the life in the emerald island, the first issue that comes up is about the people's love for beers and pubs, but as I quoted in another post before, Ireland has much more to offer.

Yes, it rains a lot and it's almost always cloudy, everyone has this in mind and I confess that it's not a lie. But with a little bit of patience and an adventurous spirit, you will consequently leave Dublin and go to other places of the island for some joy, not that I haven't seen beautiful sunsets in Dublin, I have some great ones in my memory, but you understand me, I lived longer in Sligo so, yes, Sligo is better for me;)

You can choose between staying on Strandhill beach or climbing up the Mount Knocknarea, these were my favorite sites in Sligo to watch the sunset.

 Crete Island, Greece

Great moments in the land of the Greek Gods. First of all, I didn't expect to find mountains covered with snow and a winter reaching zero degrees in Greece, surprising.

It was incredible to spend Christmas and New Year's Eve in Crete, snowy mountains, isolated villages and much Ouzo (the most famous Greek drink). Until the Minotaur labyrinth didn't escape from my curious eyes.

Being in the city of Heraklion for over ten days I had the opportunity to get dazzled by some sunsets, I would say that it's totally worth it to take a flight or go by sea from Athens to Crete, My girlfriend and I opted for the second option because it was much more accessible.

If you decide to have the same experience, be prepared to face nine hours at sea on a chair, adventures - everything to "feed" the nomad spirit :)

If you are going to the island of Crete don't miss the opportunity of visiting other cities and places in this great Island, I stayed only in Heraklion city, no regrets at all and I face it as a good reason to plan my return.

For this post not to be so long, I will finish here and bring up more places in part two, three, etc ... I can already say in advance that the next post will start with Ibiza :) Do you have favorite places where the sunset is surreal? I'm sure you do, let me know on the comments.

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10 Quotes to Rio de Janeiro

Have you packed your stuff to South America? No? what are you waiting for?:) Rio de Janeiro is a fascinating city, one of the most attractive in Brazil and full of history, it's the kind of place that you just arrived and can already feel that you will miss when you leave. Full of colors and with a radiant energy, it's difficult not to fall in love, I fell and because of it I got inspired to create some quotes and try to inspire more people to the capital of Samba and land of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Enjoy it!

I hope you enjoyed it and after all, your wanderlust levels have increased and you've included Rio in your bucked list. Let me know in the comments if you have a city that inspires you, I would be curious to visit and create some quotes about it ;) Stay tuned for more!

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"In this part of my life I stopped for a second to observe a flower and realize that we're pretty much the same, We both need water, sun, and will died in silence." . . . #wanderlust #lifeofadventure #livefolk #TheTrueLiving #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #flowers #peoplecreatives #exploretocreate #worldtravelbook #discoverearth #theglobewanderer #passionpassport #theoutbound #bestvacations #natgeotravel #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #travelphotography #canon #instagood #picoftheday #amazing

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What you should not do when visiting India

Kisses in public

You are walking on a mysterious, full of color Indian street with your partner, when suddenly notice a stunning place and decide to give him/her a simple kiss. Wait, wait, wait don't do that. What you can think it's just a simple kiss in public, in India can initiate a serious trouble and even be condemned for public obscenity. So, my advice is to give as many kisses as possible in the hotel/hostel and in public just holding hands!;)

Disrespect religions

Here we have one thing that everyone shouldn't do in any circumstance, disrespect religions. I really like to learn more about other religions, therefore, with other eyes always trying to understand the behaviors and mores behind each person, I was raised in a Christian family, teaching me that just the Christianism was right and because it, in my opinion, it's very important to unleash from the prejudiced thoughts and open the mind to new worlds. India is a massive country full of different religions and castes, disrespecting one of them it's a big offense and nothing polite.

Hugs and Handshakes

I know that in some parts of the world this is pretty common, particularly in the place I come from. If you are traveling in Brazil and you are meeting someone for the first or second time, hugs and handshakes are popular, even a kiss on the cheek is seen as a typical behavior. Talking about India it's something totally unusual to do, avoid a closer approach with someone from the opposite sex, it will be seen as a very rude and disrespectful act, unless if the local try it first. 

Cow meat

I know that a lot of people have the "necessity" of eating beef, traveling around India you will need to hold yourself because the cow is a sacred animal as most people know, but for those who don't, try to avoid comments involving its meat and barbecues talks. If you are really missing some meat on your plate, it's possible to buy buffalo meat in some places.

Shorts and skirts

When the subject comes to how to use some pieces of your wardrobe, be careful. It's inappropriate to wear some kind of clothes such as shorts, skirts, and yoga pants out in public, the people will stare at you making you feel embarrassed. So, now you might be asking me, what should I use? Relax, you can choose some pants like the harem style ( below), wear jeans even with they are skinny and tops combined with scarfs, you will be stylish without being indecent.

Tap water

India like other Asian countries with poor infrastructure doesn't have a good water treatment, despite some places are well maintained and not as deprived as others, you still need to be very careful with the water that comes from the taps. Avoid to drink it and before you buy your water bottles, give a double check if they are really new and it's not a trap that will ruin your epic trip.

Have a great trip to India and enjoy every moment in this great country itensely, let me know how was that!;)

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Which spice do you use the most? Is coffee a spice? lol . . . #wanderlust #coffeetime #worldtravelbook #lifeofadventure #livefolk #coffeeshop #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #peoplecreatives #spices #cooking #theoutbound #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #coffee #instacoffee #cafelife #caffeine #coffeeaddict #coffeeoftheday #coffee #cafe #instacoffee #coffeelove #coffeeholic #coffeelife

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Coffee time! Good morning and a great day folks!☕ . . . #wanderlust #coffeetime #worldtravelbook #lifeofadventure #livefolk #coffeeshop #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #peoplecreatives #exploretocreate #passionpassport #theoutbound #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #coffee #instacoffee #cafelife #caffeine #coffeeaddict #coffeeoftheday #coffee #cafe #instacoffee #coffeelove #coffeeholic #coffeelife

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Late at Night

by Luiz Hanfilaque

Sometimes my life change like the phases of the moon, I just feel obligated to take another damn way, but my dreams are still the same, or they changed? I hope not. Crazy thoughts that make my eyes be opened like an owl late at night, maybe I became an owl, maybe I should be an owl. 

Late at night is when the dreams start to hit my head and I ask myself "did I live today?" I've never hear any answer. I will accept it as a Yes.

"Writing is such a solitary existence, and I can only do it late at night."  -- Paul O'Grady

 I'm feeling my mind like a surfer into a stormy ocean, floating angrily back and forth. Maybe it is the time to go to bed, just because in a few minutes it won't be late at night anymore. Unfortunately. 

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Every time I see a chicha I remember of my bro from another mother @junior_camara ! Great times in Ireland 👊 . . . #wanderlust #filmphotography #lifeofadventure #livefolk #folk #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #peoplecreatives #exploretocreate #Netherlands #passionpassport #love #bestvacations #chicha #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #travelphotography #instagood #beautiful #amazing #picoftheday

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Cultivating life🌱 . . . #wanderlust #filmphotography #lifeofadventure #livefolk #folk #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #peoplecreatives #exploretocreate #Netherlands #passionpassport #love #bestvacations #plants #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #travelphotography #instagood #beautiful #amazing #picoftheday

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Pretty excited to see what's inside my old films! I love this Camera>>>♡<<< . . . #wanderlust #filmphotography #lifeofadventure #livefolk #folk #instagoodmyphoto #justgoshoot #peoplecreatives #exploretocreate #Netherlands #passionpassport #love #bestvacations #guitars #stayandwander #traveladdict #traveler #photooftheday #travelphotography #instagood #beautiful #amazing #picoftheday

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Cities to visit before die: Dublin (Infographic)

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Being a minimalist

by Luiz Hanfilaque

You wake up for another day on this beautiful planet, and simply don't know which one of the fifty t-shirts to choose that could be combined with one of the ten different pairs of black jeans, but just to make the situation a bit harder, you start to ask yourself if you should buy another pair of shoes, because you don't have that specific color. Well, if you are this kind of person the warning sign is shining for you and you should review your way of living.

Have you ever heard that less is more? So, it's when minimalism takes action. Minimalism is about having a healthier way of living based on the simplicity, on the true things that can provide us a better and happier lifestyle. Nowadays the society together with the unstoppable capitalism try to make us feel empty and desolated, imposing that the only way of fulfillment is buying more and more things until we feel the necessity of getting a new place, to keep supplying it, therefore, feeding the illusion of what materialism is linked with happiness.

Take action recognizing where you are often spending your money. Do you really need two cars and one motorbike to move around your city? I know a bunch of people with cars, bikes, and dozens of accessories that in the end of another routinely day are at the same spot untouched. Just get rid of the stuff you don't really need, and the feeling of welfare will come up instantly. 

Big part of the time the problem can be among the people who surround us, it can be our relatives, friends or workmates, that they are always there ready to throw hundreds of beliefs and judgments about living a good life, but sometimes their opinions don't make any sense and will have negative results in your life. Avoid them and keep moving forward with your own mindset. Do this, and over time you will see how better you will be. We can make the minimalism a lifestyle, not just about applying it to the things that we own, but also to our way of thinking turning into a less difficult person, and to our way of eating, having more healthy foods on the table.

Being a compulsive materialist the chances of appreciating one thing at the time become difficult, stressing you out and making you will feel that the time is shorter. Keep in mind that thousands of years ago the humanity used to experience a normal, simple way of living which consisted basically of having common houses, jobs, clothes... and still appreciating an enjoyable life. We don't need to live with just a pair of clothes and shoes in an empty house, but yes, we can reduce a lot the amount of insignificant stuff, making us pay more attention to the things that really matter.