Visit The Time To Travel

I’ve recently launched a new travel website, The Time To Travel. This will offer guides on popular and lesser-known holiday destinations, providing an insight into their history, attractions and more.

Please take the opportunity to have a look at The Time To Travel.

Thanks

A brief overview of holidays to Spain

Sun and sand, culture and charm, the lure of Spain is one that few travellers can resist.

This wonderful nation truly does offer something for everyone, whether they be in search of a relaxing break on some of the world’s finest beaches, or looking to discover destinations that resonate with history and culture.

From the nation’s elegant capital of Madrid, to the golden sandy beaches of the Costa Blanca, the rich charisma of Catalan Barcelona, to the thrilling bull-runs of traditional Pamplona, there is much to beguile the visitor.

I’m currently producing a guide to the many regions of this fascinating nation will provide an insight into the diversity that Spain has to offer. You’ll be able to take a look at the many contrasting regions, each characterised by local traditions, that together create one of Europe’s – if not the world’s – most compelling destinations.

New movie news blog

Please take the time to visit my new movie-related blog: The Movie Doomsayer.

The blog will provide news, reviews and opinions on the latest movies and films in general.

Take a look, leave a comment.

Cheers

Batman 3 given release date

Batman

Rumours are circulating that the third Batman film to be directed by Christopher Nolan will be released on July 20, 2012. As yet untitled, it is widely thought that Christian Bale will reprise his role as the Dark Knight, having in the past stated that he had signed on to play Batman for three movies.

Director Nolan has breathed life back into the franchise that had almost been ruined beyond repair by Joel Schumacher’s disastrous Batman & Robin. Both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight proved to be box-office sensations, with the latter scooping more than $1 billion in ticket sales.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in March, the British director said: “Without getting into specifics, the key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story. And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story.”

Few details are known about the film’s plot, but it look set to be one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the next two years.

Top three films for a weekend alone

Ed Wood

Obviously we all have our own favourite films, and it would be churlish for me to say that the following five are the best ever. But in my opinion, having a free weekend without plans is the perfect time in which to catch up with a few cinematic masterpieces in my DVD collection.

Take a look at my top three films for a weekend alone, and perhaps add your own top five.

Ed Wood: In my humble opinion, Ed Wood is the finest movie that both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have produced together. Funny, heart-warming, beautifully shot and brilliantly acted by the cast, I could probably watch the biopic of the worst director in history, Ed Wood, back-to-back, time and again.

Back to the Future II: Far and away the best film in the trilogy, they second installment of Back to the Future sees Marty McFly and Doc Brown head 30 years into the future to experience their future lives and, of course, the hoverboard. The year was 2015. Ergo, hoverboards should be in the shops soon. For the love of god I hope so.

Back To The Future 2

The Dark Knight: I love Batman. From the comics to the 60s tv show, the Tim Burton/Michael Keaton movies to a nice pair of Batman embroidered slippers, I love it all. And then Christopher Nolan took over the reins of the franchise (hate that term) and produced two dark masterpieces: Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. With Heath Ledger’s exceptional performance and Christian Bale reprising his role at eponymous hero, the movie is just incredible. If you’ve never seen it… what have you been doing with your life?!

Storm Thorgeson: favourite album covers

Came across this great slideshow on the BBC detailing some of Storm Thorgeson‘s artwork for various album covers. From Pink Floyd to Muse, Peter Gabriel to Biffy Clyro, Thorgeson’s work has sold countless millions and resides in album collections around the world.

Here’s just a few of my personal favourites:

Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (artwork Storm Thorgeson)

Biffy Clyro – Puzzle

Biffy Clyro - Puzzle (artwork Storm Thorgeson)

Muse – Absolution

Muse - Absolution (artwork Storm Thorgeson)

De-Loused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta -

The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium (artwork Storm Thorgeson)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (artwork Storm Thorgeson)

Rome: must-sees of the Eternal City

Rome's mighty Colosseum

It seems difficult to image a city more captivating, exciting, historic and vibrant that the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome.

For the the avid historian or those with even a slight interest in history, nowhere can compete with Rome. After all, history’s greatest civilisation isn’t afforded such reverential status for no reason. With so much to see and – for those on a budget, at least – so little time to explore, what should be given prominence to the visitor?

It may seem to many as a cliched site to visit, but the mighty Colosseum at the heart of the city cannot be overlooked. An iconic symbol of the once great Roman Empire, the sheer size of the Colosseum is enough to put it on any must-see list.

Entrance to this staggering structure is like a step back in time, with the imaginations of its visitors running a mile-a-minute trying to imagine how those gladiators, victims and spectators must’ve felt entering for the very first time. It is well worth taking a couple of hours to explore the Colosseum, since the grandiosity of the arena will undoubtedly take the breath away.

Inside the Sistine Chapel

Should art be the order of the day, then nothing and nowhere compare with the Vatican Museums. The opulence of Christendom and regal nature of the papacy can be ascertained with a day’s walk around the magnificent museums.

Yes, the Sistine Chapel is singled out by many as one of the greatest feats of art in history, but there is so much more than Michelangelo’s seminal work. Indeed, the Raphael Rooms are equally as captivating, with The School of Athens easily one of the highlights of the museums.

A word of advice for any visitor to the Vatican Museums, however, is to ensure an early arrival. Such is the vast collection, a full day will fly by before you have seen anywhere near what all there is to see.

No visit to the Vatican Museums is complete, however, with a visit to nearby St Peter’s Basilica, the spiritual home of the Catholic faith. If energy permits – and a head for heights is no object – then a climb to the top of Michelangelo’s dome will provide spectacular panoramas of the city.

Trevi Fountain

Perhaps one of the most serene sites in the city – and an ideal spot to unwind after a day’s exploration – is the stunning Trevi Fountain. The work of 18th-century architect Niccolo Salvi, this spectacular Baroque fountain has been immortalised in film in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Subtle lighting and the sound of tumbling water makes for a perfect romantic evening, when lovers takes turns to throw coins over their shoulders: tradition says that the tossing of a coin into the water ensures a future return to the city.

There is so much more to Rome than these four attractions. In fact, there is enough in Rome to fill a lifetime. But for the first-time tourist, a visit to those sights listed will be more than enough to whet the appetite.

After all, if you’ve tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain, chances are you’ll be returning anyway!

New Far album: At Night We Live

Far: At Night We Live

Finally. FINALLY. It’s written and recorded, mixed and edited. The new album from Far will be in our stores on May 25 (coincidentally, that’s my birthday. Now you know what to get me!).

Far seem to have been largely ignored and somewhat overshadowed by other bands from the same era: notably long-time friends, Deftones. But, after being on hiatus since 1999, absence has only served to make the heart grow fonder.

Vocalist and guitarist Jonah Matranga has been consistently releasing music in his own name and under the guises of onelinedrawing, Gratitude and New End Original. The delicate and beautiful songs of his solo career seem a far cry from the heavy music of Far, but one thing that has been preserved is his immaculate voice. And now, on May 25, fans of Far can look forward to hearing him among friends: Shaun Lopez (guitar), John Gutenberger (bass) and Chris Robyn (drums, percussion).

The album is entitled At Night We Live. Listen to the eponymous track recorded at the November benefit for Deftones bassist Chi Cheng.

Green Day Rock Band trailer

Check out the trailer for Green Day: Rock Band below. Set to be released in June 2010, the game will see you play as Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, running through 47 Green Day classics such as:

American Idiot
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Brain Stew
Hitchin’ A Ride

Sport Relief 2010: do footballers contribute?

James Corden and David Beckham take part in the BBC's Sports Relief

The BBC’s Sport Relief charity event has reportedly raised in excess of £29 million for global causes.

The event saw sports icons and ‘celebrities’ (I hate that word) rub shoulders and take part in a number of sports-related skits and special editions of some of the BBC’s most popular shows, all the while encouraging the viewing public to donate to worthy causes. And donate they did, raising the monumental figure detailed above.

What makes me wonder, though, is how much greater that figure could’ve been. I’m thinking primarily of how much was contributed by sportsmen themselves?

Let’s take one sports star as a case in point. Choosing completely at random I’m going to say John Terry; one-time identified as a great England captain; now seen by many as the morally bankrupt, mediocre centre back he has been for most of his career.

Through his own money-grabbing nous, last summer Terry managed to renegotiate his weekly Chelsea wage to an estimated £160,000 per week. PER WEEK! With a little bit of maths, that works out at approximately £8,320,000 per year. Not bad you probably think, not bad indeed.

But where am I going with this? Well, Terry’s not alone in earning such a ridiculous wage. How many other footballers in the UK currently take home more than £100,000 per week? Enough is the simple answer. And many, many more take home a wage you or I can only ever dream of earning in our lifetimes.

What I’m getting at is this. Back in 2007, there was an initiative that saw 239 professional players give up a day’s wage in support of student nurses. Perhaps for sport relief, footballers such as the aforementioned Terry should have stepped up to the mark once again, but this time providing a concrete figure each. How about £3,000 per player? Small change for most.

Let’s say that each of the 20 teams in the Premier League has 24 players capable of donating £3,000. Do the maths and there’s an additional £1,444,000. A nice little addition to a worthwhile cause.

Will it happen? Did it happen? Who knows. But I doubt it.