Feature photo by ronnie44052. Photo above by Alaskan Dude.

Amazon wants to introduce you to music from the rest of the world.

As part of its online World Music Festival, the store is offering up unique sounds from countries like Israel, India, Nigeria, Romania, Ireland as well as more inclusive worldwide sets .

The compilations are expansive and impressive: Reggae samplers from Jamaica by VP Records and Pressure Sounds, Turkish Hits compiled by Mu-Yap, and the Cumbancha compilation spotlighting rhythms from Africa.

Belly dance to hypnotic Middle Eastern tunes. Sway your hips to pulsating Brazilian beats. Tap your feet to Flamenco music. Pump your shoulders to African drums.

And the best part?

Do it all for free by downloading complimentary MP3 music files from Amazon.

Price: Free | Visit Amazon

From the co-creator of Billboard’s Classical Crossover chart-topper Aria, comes Paris to Cuba. Composed and created by Mario Grigorov, the ten tracks on the CD are the embodiment of summertime.

Perfect for any travel buff, the album’s sound conjures up the feeling of sipping mid-afternoon mojitos while watching a sunset on the Seine.

Blending hints of Pink Martini and Buena Vista Social Club, it is easy for the listener to get lost in the guitar solos, mysterious accordion and nostalgic, sweeping strings.

Not your typical jazz or world record, nearly all tracks on the album are instrumental, with the exception of three songs that feature stunning vocals by Melissa Newman whose voice is reminiscent of Madeleine Peyroux.

Listen to the sample track below

AND THE WINNERS ARE….

@AshleySFlintoff, @jessicavance, and @kirstysan.

We’ll be contacting them directly to send them a copy of Paris to Cuba.

Want to win more free stuff from Matador? Follow us here @matadornetwork and keep your eyes peeled for the next contest!

Matador Member – Jules Atkins

Photos by Jules Atkins

I want to make a difference by sharing myself and my life with others. Listening to their stories. Spreading peace one person at a time.

Be sure to check out Jules Atkins’ Matador profile.

Favorite books: Soldier of the Great War, Saturday, Son of the Circus, Huckleberry Finn, Still Life with Woodpecker, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas, A Fine Balance, Behind the Scenes at the Museum.

Matador Member – KatieHammel

Photos by KatieHammel

I’m learning to cook and am addicted to truffles. I read at least a book a week, thinks maps are the most beautiful art man has made, and survive each workweek by planning my next trip.

Be sure to check out KatieHammel’s Matador profile.

Favorite books: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Unaccustomed Earth, The Time Traveler’s Wife

Feature Photo by Lola Akinmade. Photo Above by drummerchris

Soft and Hard Cases

Gator Cases has a line of flight cases for guitar and bass made of durable plywood and zinc plated hardware. They also feature twin flight cases for electric guitar, one which holds two strat style guitars, the other one strat and one LP.

Prices range from upwards of $250 to $350 for single cases (including acoustic guitar and keyboard), to over $450 for the doubles. Not cheap, but certainly a worthwhile investment if you’re going to be doing a lot of serious traveling.

Don’t forget to loosen the strings when you pack so the neck won’t crack or bend.

Guitar and bass players should probably consider bringing along soft gig bags as well. Flight cases tend to be pretty heavy, and you don’t want to lug one around the subway station!

For drummers, hard cases are a must for flying, although for hardware I don’t think it’s as vital. But definitely protect the shells with a few flight cases (check out this combination case featuring a divider so your 10″ tom can rest on top of your 12″, cutting down on how many cases you bring.)

Photo by Ed Yourdon

If you’re moving to a fairly big city, chances are the clubs will provide a basic kit, so soft gig bags aren’t as necessary.

Custom Cases

For the more serious musician, check out Hiscox Cases.

These custom made cases might run a little higher in price, but are also lighter, more durable, and feature thermal insulation. Considering cargo typically isn’t climate controlled, this is important.

And if you really do play the digeridoo, try New World Cases, Inc. They specialize in custom shipping cases for pretty much anything.

Amplifiers

Clubs usually provide guitar/bass amps as well, but if you need a small one for personal use, take a look at this amplifier, which features a removable head.

Tuners

Got an iPhone? Check out this metronome/tuner webapp, created by musicalscientist.com.

The tempo range is 40-240 BPM, and the tuning pitches include A440, B flat, A417, 6 string Guitar EADGBE, 4 string Bass EADG, and 5 string Bass BEADG.

For the best prices for instruments and gear, I usually have the most luck with music123.com and musiciansfriend.com.

Community Connection

Be sure to check out 5 Things You Should Know When Traveling With Musical Instruments before you hit the road with your instruments.

…..Olivia of Powered by Tofu

Olivia was randomly selected to win the player. This Portland, Oregon native keeps a pretty fascinating blog that chronicles her “adventures of a quarterlife crisis and year-long trip around the world.”

Check out her entry below:

My favorite travel song is Kaiser Chiefs “Oh My God”. The “Oh my god, I can’t believe it, I’ve never been this far away from home…” song ….Powered by Tofu

Be sure to check Matador Nights in the next few days for an article spotlighting readers’ favorite travel songs.

Feature Photo by ericmcgregor. Photo above by hamron

1. Know Your Airline’s Regulations

Extra baggage fees and weight restrictions differ from airline to airline, and depend heavily on where you’re traveling.

When you’re shopping for the lowest ticket price, don’t forget to factor in how much you may have to pay for that overweight keyboard case into the total cost.

Photo by Foxtongue.

The size limitation is around 62 inches (length + width + height), and the price for oversized luggage can be over $100.

Generally, the weight limit for checked items is 50lbs before the extra fees kick in.

For an extra bag under 50lbs, the price in usually around $50, but if it’s over the weight limit, the price can quickly go up.

Check out the baggage allowance info at American Airlines, Delta, and British Airways to get an idea of the typical fees.

A word of advice: don’t guesstimate that weight limit.

Each item you check will be weighed, and even if a box or case is just a few pounds over fifty, unless you want to pay that fee you’ll have to open it up and redistribute a few items to make it work. Not something you want to be doing at 5:30AM before you’ve had a chance to hit up that airport Starbucks.

Even if your instrument is more than the carry-on limit allows, most airlines will accommodate musicians.

Ask a flight attendant if you can store it in the garment bag closet in the cabin or gate check it.

2. Know How to Pack

Be creative! Most drum, guitar, bass, and other cases allow for some extra packing room, not to mention extra padding for your instrument.

Photo by greggoconnell.

Stuff your socks in your acoustic guitar. Line your snare drum case with rolled up shirts.

I brought three steel drums and a full drumset (including hardware) to Brazil, and thanks to the extra space in the cases, managed to fit all remaining clothes and toiletries for two people in one duffel bag.

Also, make your packing job as neat as possible.

Unusual cases are often opened and searched in customs, so help the airline employees (and everyone in line behind you) by making the process as painless as possible.

3. Know What to Pack It In

If your bass is your baby, by all means invest in a flight case.

But don’t forget all those nights you’ll spend lugging that thing through the subway or the bus from club to club.

Pack a gig bag, preferably a soft one, for day to day use.

For custom made travel cases that are light but durable, check out Hiscox Cases, a UK company. If you’ve got more unusual items, check out New World Case, Inc. And regardless of whether you’re checking or carrying on, it never hurts to slap on the fragile stickers (available at most post offices and UPS stores).

Editor’s Note: For more on packing instruments, look out for an upcoming article spotlighting various gear cases for traveling.

4. Know What Is (And Isn’t) Available

Depending on your situation, you may want to consider buying your instrument overseas. While American brands will have import prices, you may be able to find something local that’s high quality for a good price.

Photo by francenphi.

Make a list of items you’re picky about (specific strings, sticks, effects processors, etc) and bring a decent supply in case you have a hard time hunting them down.

Also, bring enough of the small stuff (cables, screws, wire) to cover yourself for the first few months until you’ve found your way around.

A quest for a distortion pedal in Tokyo when you haven’t even figured out how to read the subway map makes for a frustrating day.

And remember, if you’re only planning a temporary move, you can always sell any instruments and hardware before you head home to lighten your load and fill your wallet.

5. Should I Just Ship It?

Personally, I’d no sooner ship my drums then I would my dog. So unless you’re not too attached to your instrument and feel you can live without it in the worst case scenario, I’d say no. Some shipping companies are notoriously unreliable.

A package I shipped to Brazil took six months rather than the guaranteed six weeks, and the box was badly damaged and falling apart when it arrived. Luckily, I hadn’t packed any instruments in it (but life was tough without my espresso machine!). However, shipping to Asia and Europe tends to be much more consistent.

If you’re moving someplace with a record of reliable shipping, feel free to take the risk, but I would recommend using that box for something less precious than instruments.

Photo of Muddy Waters – © Paul Natkin / Morrison Hotel Gallery

Rough Guide to Delta Blues

This is an evocative sampler of the raw, ragged blues that came out of the Delta in the pre-war years, from the likes of Charley Patton, Tommy Johnson and– of course– Robert Johnson, who so famously sold his soul at the crossroads.

Some later artists, including Muddy Waters and R.L. Burnside, are also represented.

A fantastic starting point, and an eerie accompaniment to any drive along Highway 61.

Muddy Waters: His Best, 1947-1955

Admittedly, Muddy Waters is most closely associated with the Chicago blues scene, and in fact this album is a collection of his finest from the early Chess years.

But there’s no denying where he came from, or where he got the sounds that he made so famous.

Ike Turner and His Kings of Rhythm: Rhythm Rockin’ Blues

Before Ike & Tina, and everything that came after, there were the Kings of Rhythm.

They left Clarksdale for Memphis and released “Rocket 88″ — which many folks would call the first ever pure rock ‘n’ roll song– in 1951 and continued recording, with a rotating cast of vocalists (and Ike on piano or guitar, and calling most of the shots) through the early to mid 50s.

This compilation rounds up Ike’s early work and shows the inarguable links between rock’n'roll and the blues.

Sam Cooke at the Copa

Alright, alright. Sam Cooke’s no bluesman (and yeah, my soul bias is showing).

But he is yet another huge talent who came out of tiny Clarksdale, and hey, you can’t listen to the blues for an entire roadtrip, right?

This live album from the Copa mixes everything from gospel to soul, country standards to pure pop — even a Bob Dylan cover! — in a consummate performance and, tragically, one of Cooke’s final recordings before his death at age 33.

Community Connection

Heading down south soon? Why not roll your own adventure with our handy blues guide.

The thing I loved best about The Eddy Feeling is that the narrator never actually says what the Eddy Feeling “is.” Instead he simply takes you to this place unlike any other–Linville Gorge–and gets you fired up to go paddle.

I hit up producer and director Spencer Cooke for a quick Q and A about the production:

What’s the storyline of the Eddy Feeling?

Essentially it is a broad story about why kayakers kayak. The film is interwoven with a parallel story about the Linville Gorge in North Carolina. Two of the people in the film are brothers, Tom and Jamie McEwan, who made the first known kayak descents of the gorge.

The Linville is known as the Grand Canyon of the East Coast. It’s a micro version of the Grand anyway. As you find out in the film, it is the most remote gorge on the Eastern seaboard, very secluded and wild.

The Eddy Feeling takes you from stories of these first descents in the 1970s and brings you all the way to present-day kayaking, all the while introducing five other kayakers chosen as a sample population of the paddlers out there.

One person is a civil engineer, one is a banker, a couple of the folks are kayaking instructors, then you have the token pro paddler, and one is a sales manager at an accessory company.

This type of project must have presented different challenges to you as a filmmaker than a typical paddle movie. Did you have a certain methodology you followed?

Yes, the story was tough to write. It took three or four more months to edit than I had anticipated because I was having trouble making all the parts fall into the right place.

I shot the entire film with a concept of my final product but without the story actually being written. I knew the message I was trying to convey and was able to capture that in all the interviews.

Nothing was rehearsed on the part of the characters, it was all candid. Guiding them with my questioning was the key to getting them to say the things I was looking for, but they were all quite unique and genuine in their delivery.

How did making other paddlefilms help (or not) in the transition to this type of film.

I’ve made a number of other paddlefilms, none of which have had this platform. The ‘action to music’ model is a fairly simple one to manufacture and can be well done if the content is compelling and the edit is tight.

A huge part of the success of a music driven, action video has to do with the music itself, the song, the sound. There are pieces of The Eddy Feeling that represent that type of film, and I feel I had a lot of experience editing that style being that most of my previous work has been just that.

I got a lot of inspiration from The Green Race Movie which I co-produced with Chris Gallaway, who also contributes to RapidTransitVideo.com, and who won two film festivals with his film last year.

Chris actually contributed a substantial amount of footage to my film and gave me some very crucial critiques that helped sway the way I edited and formed my script. As well, two other close friends and colleagues, Daniel Windham and Chris Gragtmans, also featured as filmmakers on RapidTransitVideo.com, contributed considerably to the film and impressed positively upon my storytelling through their critiques and comments.

I think the most valuable assets I had while working through this project was not the editing I’ve done on my own but more so the co-production that I’ve experienced with the aforementioned people. That has been the nature of our collective group, Rapid Transit, to help one another, to critique, study and get creative with the influence of people you respect and enjoy kayaking with.

Premier Schedule and Links

The film will show at some colleges, kayak shops and perhaps some other paddling events throughout the year. Click here for dates and times of showings that are occurring or have occurred. The premiere schedule is listed in the comments below the main body.

To order The Eddy Feeling as well as other top productions from Rapid Transit, please visit their store.

It debuted at #1 in over 30 countries during its first week. Rolling Stones gave it 5 stars in an almost borderline worship of the band in its review. Early reviews coming in are already naming No Line as one of the best albums of the year.

Photo courtesy of U2.com

With the release of their last project, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (HTDAAB), a lot of people (U2 fans alike) were left scratching their heads.

We didn’t fully get it. It felt incomplete.

Sure, there were tracks like “Original of the Species” and “Crumbs from Your Table” that showcased the band’s lyrical depth, HTDAAB was one of those albums you kept skipping tracks to get to your 2-3 favorite tunes.

So why such high marks for No Line?

Were we fans looking for something so different from HTDAAB that maybe we’re lavishing inordinate amounts of praise on this latest effort?

Pluses

No Line’s retro-hip sound easily slides somewhere in between the edgy Achtung Baby and the more contemporary All That You Can’t Leave Behind albums, but with a distinct spiritual undercurrent to it.

You get the sense that despite being a pop-rock band, you’re listening to experience, profound depth, and multi-layered individuals urging us to introspectively examine ourselves and how we’ve each contributed – both negatively and positively – to the world as it stands today.

With lyrics such as “How can you stand next to the truth and not see it” on the track, “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” and “Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak… Shush now” on “Unknown Caller”, each track’s lyrical content is solid…

Photo courtesy of U2.com

There are obvious standouts such as the energetic “Breathe” with its powerful aesthetics, but already an early contender for Song of the Year is the overly melodic “Magnificent”.

At first, you think it’s just Bono wailing almost gratuitously (which as a die-hard U2 fan, is my staple), but then you strip back the driving harmonics and guitar riffs, and read its lyrics:

I was born to sing for you, I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up, And sing whatever song you wanted me to, I give you back my voice, From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise……

And Bono’s wails take on a whole new, more somber feel, which left me saying, “this song is pretty magnificent”.

No Line on The Horizon feels complete and wholesome, and the high praise it’s been garnering all over the world has been for its lyrics.

It’s been all about the lyrics.

Minuses

On the first pass-through of this album, you get the feeling U2 tried really hard to produce a totally opposite sound from HTDAAB. They didn’t need to. This may actually be a plus for fans of U2’s earlier sounds from say, Joshua Tree and War, in terms of the musical composition of the songs.

Overall: A

They get an A, not A+ for actually releasing the politically charged “Get on Your Boots” as their first single – one of the weaker songs on the album. Considering Boots is a sort of political anthem with a strong voice, that says a lot about the album’s strength.

Eleven albums later, and over 30 years together still producing socially, politically, and culturally relevant songs, U2’s staying power is hard-earned and truly deserved.

No Line is no doubt one of their best albums lyrically.

Price: $9.99 | BUY | DOWNLOAD FOR $8.99

Have you listened to the new U2 Album? Tell us what you think below.

Photo by kainet

To find out what people are truly grooving to in Brazil these days, Julie Schwietert heads down to this vibrant country to round up a list of artists such as Marcelo D2, Alceu Valenca, and Siba E a Fuloresta, whose sounds are currently permeating its airwaves.

Next up is Chile where Matt Dillinger introduces us to the freshest grooves – the politically-charged melodies of Inti-Illimani, the retro-pop tunes of Los Bunkers and the emotion-laden, vibrating wails of Lucybell.

Want to check them out yourself? Pick up some of their CDs below.

What People are Listening to in… Brazil

What People are Listening to in… Chile

About a year ago, Brave New Traveler ranked the 25 most memorable travel films. On that list was Martin McDonagh’s recent Golden Globe-winning film In Bruges, which may very well remain the best winter travel movie.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

But if prostitutes, midgets, and Colin Farrell aren’t your thing, there are other films to hibernate with until spring.

There were some argument-starters in creating the list—can Fargo count as a travel film for its showcasing of the middle of nowhere?—but ultimately, the following five flicks (presented below in chronological order) encapsulate five points of travel.

And since we know how tempting it is to take a snow-day, order in Chinese, and camp out on the couch, we’ve offered a pairing for each film.

The Glitterati: The Gold Rush (1925)

Photo from Dr. Macro’s High Quality Movie Scans

The film for which Chaplin himself wanted to be remembered takes a different view on Alaskan travel. Chris McCandless he is not.

The Little Tramp’s headlong dive into the Klondike, originally fueled by the quest for gold, makes for some of silent film’s greatest slapstick—including bears, blizzards, and the dainty consumption of a shoe.

In its Chaplin Collection release, you can catch both the original silent version and the widely-popular re-release with Chaplin’s own voiceover, a treat in its own right.

Brunette beauty Georgia Hale, playing Chaplin’s love interest, reminds us (in apt economic times) of what is worth most in this world, however, and she emerges as the true gold of the film.

If Gold gave you a rush, run for Glenn Miller’s swinging Sun Valley Serenade (1941).

The Winter(s) of Our Discontent: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Photo from Vintage Texas

It’s practically impossible to put winter and travel together without thinking of Russia. And if you’re gonna go Russia, go all the way with epic Doctor Zhivago.

Over 40 years and a tepid BBC remake later, the original holds up better than an artisanal vodka or designer ushanka.

Omar Sharif plays the title character, a physician and poet who becomes caught up in both the Bolshevik Revolution and an extra-marital affair with the stunning Julie Christie.

Weaving through both country and time, Zhivago covers those devastatingly Russian themes of war, love, and unhappiness. Originally panned upon its release it is now number 39 in AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Movies.

Just don’t blame us if Lara’s theme gets stuck in your head for the foreseeable future.

If the good Doctor swept you away, get lost in one-take wonder Russian Ark (2002).

The Family Retreat: The Shining (1980)

Photo from Btinternet.com

Remember that shoestring trip to Disney World when you were a kid?

Where you weren’t allowed to buy any in-park treats because they were too expensive and your parents argued over waiting in line at Space Mountain versus waiting in line at Splash Mountain, and your dad wound up sleeping on the balcony of your Days Inn room for the last night?

Yeah. Your crappy vacation has nothing on that of the Torrance family’s.

Kubrick’s films tend to defy any other label; however the element of travel—both physical and mental—permeates the entire story.

From the trip that the Torrances take to the Overlook Hotel to Jack “Here’s Johnny” Nicholson’s mental breakdown, to the climatic scene in the hedge maze (which takes “chilling to a new level”), passage prevails.

If you survived The Shining, hang with Ethan Hawke and Josh Hamilton in Alive (1993)

The Time Warp: Groundhog Day (1993)

Photo from Movie Wallpapers

It’s a Wonderful Life meets Lost in Translation. Bill Murray re-lives February 2nd in spite of stabbings, shootings, poisonings, freezing, hanging, electrocution, burning, and the kidnapping of Punxsutawney Phil.

While he may feel doomed to live the same day over and over under circumstances as bizarre as a Japanese game show, Murray eventually learns that he can do some good and make a positive impact with his insider’s knowledge.

His trademark misanthropic character makes the predictable yet winning transformation in the winter of his discontent. That Ramis’s cult-classic was added to the US National Film Registry in 2006 speaks to how timeless a time traveler’s tale this film is.

If you can re-visit Groundhog Day indefinitely, put your memories on ice in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

The Road to Nowhere: Into the Wild (2007)

Photo from New York Times

There’s more to the 50th State than a prime view of Russia.

As most Matadors will tell you, not every trip goes as planned. Real-life traveler Chris McCandless knew from trips gone awry.

Emile Hirsch (who performed all of his own stunts in a physically demanding role) plays the Emory grad that ditches his possessions, donates his savings to charity, and hitches to Alaska to live out a Walden-like fantasy.

Yet as McCandless’s journal entries and the Alaskan wilderness flickers across the screen in the opening credits, you get the sense that this is a movie that will stick in your gut for a while.

He goes into the wilderness to live deliberately, to suck out the marrow of life, and the encounters he has along the way are utterly profound in their simplicity.

Hirsch also gets my vote for best way to warm up on a cold night.

If you’re looking to stay in the Wild, set out for Kurosawa’s Dersu Uzala (1975)

Hailed as great television, The Wire premiered in 2002 and has been steadily winning converts ever since.

This mind-blowing television drama lets you get more than just an in-depth look at the less respectful aspects of Baltimore, Maryland.

It snatches your very purpose for living so that you can do nothing but live, breathe, and eat episodes until a season is over.

Whether you want to or not, you’ll enter synaptic Shangri-La with each season of The Wire.

Below are five detailed reasons why you just can’t say no to the show that’s won the Peabody Award, American Film Institute Television Program of the Year Award, Television Critics Association Program of the Year Award, and many more.

1) The Dialogue

David Simon, the series’ creator and one of the main writers for the show, is a former police reporter.

Ed Burns, producer and co-writer, is a former Baltimore homicide detective. Three of the staff writers for The Wire are acclaimed crime fiction writers.

All this experience and dedication to their craft results in incredibly realistic and current dialogue for the show.

From street hustle slang to prevalent homoerotic police humor, The Wire stays true the nature of its subject and doesn’t water anything down for television audiences.

2) The Plot

Seasons 1-5 of The Wire each delve into a different facet of Baltimore.

Starting with the city’s street drug trade in Season One, The Wire digs deep into the topic at hand, wrangling out dramatic story lines, unexpected plot twists, and nerve-wracking developments.

Viewers almost don’t know which characters to invest in, which sides to root for, which outcomes to be pleased about, as plots and characters are relentlessly complex and convoluted.

Each season is tangentially related and, while each certainly can claim brilliance with its own plot, the sum of all parts is really what pushes The Wire into legendary television status.

3) The Detail

Having both incredibly imaginative writers work alongside true life experience writers, The Wire concedes no room for blanket generalizations.

Every season’s subject is thoroughly documented; every little nuance contributes to the show.

Characters are motivated by conflicting desires, reveal underlying hypocrisies, and exhibit real human weaknesses.

Street corners are lain out by coordinates, marked by territory lines, and subject to the ebb and flow of drug-addled customers. Police wakes are unexpectedly rowdy, Irish in nature, and drowned in alcohol.

You’re guaranteed massive visual and mental stimulation with this series.

4) The Children

Season Four focuses on Baltimore’s school system and a group of junior high boys whose lives are tugged around by the city’s drug trade and lack of educational funding.

Nowhere near to being angels themselves, these boys nevertheless steal your heart with their naivete, silly humor, and all-around childhood goofiness.

Children being inherently good is a common belief and one that’s heavily played upon in this season. You’ll find yourself hoping for these kids to make it to higher education and a more promising future, crushed and frustrated for those who don’t, and relieved for those who do.

You’ll never be more emotionally invested than in this season.

5) Omar Little

Omar Little makes his debut in Season One with a few quality appearances introducing himself as an infamous, drug stash robbing homosexual that all gangs fear. No matter how heavily a stash is guarded, Omar makes it his business to rob gangs blind. He likes the challenge.

Armed with his shotgun, long facial scar, and strong sense of pride, Omar saunters the streets whistling his notorious tune and smoking cigarettes.

His intelligence is undeniable. His humor is unintentional. His method is inventive. Omar Little is a character that doesn’t fail to stamp an impression on audiences. With a new boytoy every few episodes, Omar forges his own unique path in Baltimore’s criminal and political web.

And you’ll be hopelessly charmed as he does.

Ask your grandmother for money. Have your significant other buy it for you. Use that gift card you’ve been saving. I don’t care what you do, just watch it.

Bollywood, the Indian Hindi version of Hollywood, is an industry worth millions of crores each year. But more than a business or an industry, it is better known as the way of life of the Indians.

Photo by Bollywood se

Almost every home in India has a Bollywood movie on each night. Even in more rural villages of the country, people who don’t have a television gather every evening at a home that owns one to catch a nightly showing.

TV actors and actresses who perform in these movies are not just film stars; they are idols and mentors to the masses of youth. Storylines and scripts from these movies become goal setters for the public audience.

Photo by Señor Codo

The Indian film industry has a better capacity of influencing the Indian masses than even the politicians and the media and in many instances after a career in film acting; a personality might choose to switch to politics.

Instead of models advertising for brands and products film actors are used simply because they have a better impact on the Indian masses.

Shahrukh Khan, the leading actor atop the Bollywood pyramid was recently featured in Newsweek magazine’s ’50 Most Powerful People in the World’. In a recent debate, fans of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who ruled the cinema market in the 80s wanted him to run for president of India.

Some of the best and most celebrated movies of modern Bollywood Cinema have been listed below:

1. Lagaan (2002)

Lagaan is the perfect blend of the 2 lifelines of India – Bollywood and Cricket. This combination mixed with a pinch of patriotism is the perfect recipe for a brilliant must see film.

Price: $18.64 |BUY

2. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

The story line of this movie might make it sound like just another love story but not with the two protagonists of the film. Their bittersweet relationship set against the backdrop of London and later rural Punjab makes this a super hit movie. It has run for 13 continuous years at Maratha Mandir, a theater in Mumbai.

Price: $5.00 |BUY

3. Black (2005)

The story chronicles a web of events that take place between Michelle, a deaf and dumb child and her teacher. This movie was inspired by the life of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan.

Price: $8.80 |BUY

4. Rang De Basanti (2007)

A hugely celebrated movie about middle class youngsters and how a shocking turns of events involving corrupt politicians changes their lives and outlooks forever. This movie is considered one of the best told stories in Indian cinema.

Price: $7.99 |BUY

5. Jo Jeetha Wohi Sikandar

Set in the quaint hill station of Dehradun, this movie tells the story of high school sports rivalry between the students of an upper class school and a local one with love spreading in the air.

Price: $4.20 |BUY

6. Kuch Kuch Hota Hain (1998)

A romantic comedy where love always stems from a strong friendship, this movie tells the tale of good friends Anjali and Rahul, as well as Rahul’s love for Tina. This love triangle is the baseline of this movie and while the plot unwinds in the most natural way winning the hearts of whoever watches it.

Price: $5.70 |BUY

7. Dil Chahta Hai (2002)

Three friends have different lives – careers, outlooks on life and love – but the one thing they have in common is their friendship with each other. This movie is filled with laughter and fun and also an emotional underlying twist to grasp its audience till the end.

Price: $3.70 |BUY

8. Hum Apke Hain Kaun (1994)

Set against the backdrop of Northern India, this movie revolves around Prem and his love for Nisha whose elder sister is married to Prem’s brother. All is good until an unfortunate accident leaves Nisha’s sister dead and her husband a widower with a child to look after.

The plot thickens as Nisha’s parents decide that she should replace her sister and marry Prem’s brother. This movie can be categorized into all the genres as it has a perfect subtle pinch of everything in it.

Price: $13.65 |BUY

The thought is what counts most. Nothing is truer when faced with the Christmas gift-giving season.

What is your sister’s passion? Your friend’s daily regiment? Your father’s hobby? The total bill for presents can grow fast – at an alarming pace actually.

Photo by Jonas N

Here are a few examples of presents that will keep your wallet in check…along with your bank account.

1. A book

A good book is priceless in value, but can be bought for much less. If you have enjoyed time spent with a particular novel or story, why not buy the tale for someone else you think would appreciate it?

You can also choose from Best Of lists on the web, such as Time Magazine’s 100 Best Novels of All Time.

A great example is George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm which can be bought for under $10.

Photo by Ian Wilson

2. Gift Cards

Sure, they can be perceived as a bit cold. So make it a warmer option by putting some thought into what the person likes along with a nice handwritten note.

Are they into motorcycles, but you don’t know the first thing about the industry? No problem. Take notice of what brand they wear or use a Google search to find the most popular motorcycle stores.

Websites like Moto Leather offer gift cards. From there, they can choose what suits them best!

Photo by Super Dave Chen

3. Pictures

Everyone loves to see themselves – especially when the picture is flattering. If you have some good photos of your present-recipient, get them printed at a site like www.snapfish.com.

Sites like Snapfish and Kodak gallery can also make the pictures into calendars, photo albums, posters and more.

Photo by adobemac

4. The Mug

Do they drink coffee or tea every morning? Perhaps they are Matador fans as well? Then they would enjoy a quality mug or two.

Price: $15.99 – $18.99 | BUY

5. Drink Up

So they like a cocktail every now and then? Perfect!

Give them another label than their usual, but one that is known for being of good quality. Sites like The Fifty Best’s Wine Detective will help out in deciding the proper brand.

They like smooth, clean tasting tequila? Try out Mission Liquor & Wines for ideas.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

6. 30 Minute Massage

Your friend has had a great, but hard and long year. What better way to treat them than to a massage? This present’s price depends on their geographical location, but deals for under $40 abound if you know where to look. Spa Finder maintains a comprehensive listing of spas and massage boutiques all over the country.

Photo by thomaswanhoff

7. Planning Next Year

Are they disorganized? Or maybe too organized? In either case, an elegantly designed daily planner for the upcoming year could be a welcomed gift. Amazon offers a plethora of daily planners.

Photo by the prodigal untitled13

8. For Smokers

How many times have you heard people ask for a light? Solve their search with a quality lighter such as the Zippo Lighter High Chrome Polished model for $13.85.

Photo by abbynormy

Editor’s Note – For family members and friends trying to kick the habit, books such as How To Quit Smoking Even If You Don’t Want To and smoking cessation kits like SmokeRX can get them started.

9. Magazines

So they are not fans of reading lengthy books. But they do like to be informed on the latest technology, or perhaps the newest fashions. Whatever their tastes and passions are, there is a magazine waiting to be subscribed to. Check out Mags Direct or other online magazine websites to buy year subscriptions.

Photo by striatic

10. Music

Many years ago my dad was introduced to Nirvana’s Unplugged album during Christmas time – it was a hit for him. Something that he never would have looked for on his own, but tunes he thoroughly enjoyed.

Do you know someone who loves music, but probably hasn’t heard of a particular group? Do you have an idea of the type of music they like?

Burn them a disc, buy them credit on iTunes, or grab the album itself from Amazon.

Photo by Prettyinskulls

Community Connection

Need more gift ideas? Check out the articles below:

12 Stocking Stuffers for Travelers
Armchair Travel: Holiday Shopping
Top 10 Last-Minute Gifts for Your Favorite Traveler

Photo by mattlemmon

How about that erudite character who would always (without fail) mention that “the book was better than the film” or the irrepressible geek who must have had an almanac of the “Top 10″ of everything written on his forearms to be able to produce statistics and facts on any subject?

Being a well-traveled and worldly bunch, we may have all become that “guy” to some extent. We all have opinions and harbor an inner desire to holler at the misrepresentations brought about by powerhouses in Hollywood.

Or do I stand alone on this one?

This whole diatribe came about when I managed (albeit painfully) to sit through all 108 minutes of the unwatchable Schwarzenegger vehicle, Collateral Damage (2002) some weeks ago.

Photo by mattlemmon

The errors were glaring, the inconsistencies hurt, and moreover, it got me to thinking about all the time Hollywood had spent and the money invested into painting an inappropriate portrait of Colombia.

Some errors are glaring examples of poor judgment, others involve deeper misunderstanding.

For those who have followed my ruminations in various sources of the Matador Network it is no secret that I am a Colombia-based freelance journalist.

I own a new guesthouse in the Macondian destination of Mompos, and my bias is obvious, unbridled and loud.

The films that follow are in no particular order.

Collateral Damage (2002)

It just so happens that the guerrilla/rebel base in Collateral Damage, a flick in which we are hard pushed to imagine an aging yet hulking Austrian Governor of California going undercover in the Colombian jungle, is in Mompos.

How director Andrew Davis or the three credited writers got away with this is unknown to me. So, in 108 minutes, I became that guy.

Mompos is not in the jungle and is far from being a rebel lair. In fact, back in 2002 it did not suffer from any rebel incursions.

Price: $13.49 | BUY

Mr and Mrs Smith (2005)

Doug Liman’s pseudo assassin romantic comedy initially fell when shown in Colombian cinemas with the partisan crowds guffawing with laughter or walking out in disgust.

Bogota is portrayed as a humid, elegantly decaying colonial slum with bombs detonating and stray bullets thudding into buildings.

Architecturally, the setting resembles Cartagena – without the throngs of cruise ship day-trippers – but of course I hasten to add that bombs exploding relentlessly and disparately cannot be further from the truth.

Also, just for the record, Bogota has an altitude of rough 2600 meters and is far from tropical – a minor oversight.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

Blow (2001)

Ted Demme’s opus features Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruise delves into the greed and excesses of the 70’s and 80’s cocaine trade with admirable aplomb but overlooks the very fact that Pablo Escobar’s ranch, Hacienda El Napoles in the Aburra Valley close to Medellin should not appear like a Mexican finca.

The environs shown are dusty and arid; the department of Antioquia in this region is anything but. It is verdant and lush, and Escobar’s finca was considerably more opulent than the version shown on screen.

Price: $7.99 | BUY

Proof of Life (2000)

The film that is mainly remembered for setting the stage for Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe’s amorous dalliance.

In effect it is not a bad yarn, but it all seems too convenient, the characters are too polished to be out here and it is all filmed in Ecuador with obvious Ecuadorian backdrops but is placed in the film as a fictional South American nation of Tecala.

Just check out the closing shot of La Virgen del Panecillo that towers over Quito. The ELT (Tecala Liberation Army) can only be loosely based on Colombia’s FARC or ELN.

It is worth noting that the kidnapping of foreigners in Colombia has been falling year on year in line with overall kidnapping statistics for this country.

Price: $5.99 | BUY

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

The frenetic hijacking scene involving the white Suburbans was meant to be Bogota, it is of course filmed in Mexico, and does not represent the low nature of the houses in the Candelaria, Bogota’s downtown historic district.

With regards to foreign interference in Colombia’s conflict, perhaps Harrison Ford through the medium of Tom Clancy’s writing came close through jumbled sequences t explaining some of the complexities faced here.

Price: $9.99 | BUY

The Good

To get a better flavor of contemporary Colombia, see the following films that pull punches and deliver.

We are all aware of Colombia’s justifiable cocaine induced notoriety. Perhaps we need to leave the movie-making to the Colombians and indie film makers more disposed to telling the whole story and portraying real and different angles.

Maria Full of Grace (2004)

Maria Full of Grace is a sympathetic view of a girl’s experience in becoming a drugs mule transporting cocaine pellets in her stomach to the US. The footage in Queens is particularly convincing as several of the characters are playing their real life roles.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

Sumas y Restas (2004)

This movie is quite effective in showing how a Medellin engineer became involved in cocaine industry in the 1980s. Watch as his life spirals out of control and pay attention to the Jekyll and Hyde character of his narco contact.

Price: $24.75 | BUY

Paraiso Travel (2007)

Perhaps the best film to come out of Colombia last year. An interesting take on two young Colombians who make the journey illegally to the US. You can easily put yourself in the young man’s shoes – lost and a long way from home.

Price: Not Available | BUY

La Virgen de los Sicarios (2000)

A harrowing and bloody tale of assassins in Medellin. Perhaps the most gruesome of all the films listed in this piece. But there is no joking that Medellin back in the day was a dreadful place. The turnaround has been shocking.

Price: $25.98 | BUY

Sonar No Cuesta Nada (2006)

Based on the true story of a Colombian army outfit that, upon stumbling upon some hidden guerrilla wealth, decided to share it out amongst themselves. Poorly paid and often forgotten these soldiers did what many of us would do. Many remain on the run while other languish in prison.

Price: $15.49 | BUY

Killing Pablo (2009)

This upcoming movie is based on the life of Pablo Escobar. Based on Mark Bowden’s best selling novel, originally Javier Bardem was slated for the part of Pablo Escobar but reports say that Edgar Ramirez is now favoured..

We wait and see.

Photo by TKnoxB

In Rwandan Genocide “Masterminds” Convicted, Sentenced, Matador Pulse editor Eva Holland gives us an update on one of the worst genocides the world has ever witnessed.

“More than 18 years later, three of the leaders behind the Rwandan genocide have been convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and sentenced to life in prison,” she writes.

Matador members Aimee and Ryan blogged about their experiences while visiting the Genocide Museum in Kigali, Rwanda. One of our member organizations, Nursery of Peace Organization based in Rwanda is actively working to educate and empower genocide survivors.

Focusing on Rwanda today, Eva sends us a list of books and movies that provide excellent education on Rwanda and its bitter history.

Shake Hands with the Devil

Eva Holland - “Powerful story of the genocide as witnessed by Canadian general Romeo Dallaire, the leader of UN forces in Rwanda at the time. He tells the wrenching story of being forced to watch the killing unfold, and being ordered not to intervene. Dallaire later attempted suicide.”

Price: $13.11 | BUY

You can also check out the documentary, The Journey of Romeo Dallaire.

Price: $26.95 | BUY

We Wish To Inform You…

The book, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families, is a collection of gripping stories and interviews with a cross section of Rwandans, from victims to opposition groups, and much more.

Price: $10.20 | BUY

Hotel Rwanda

This near flawless movie depicts the Rwanda genocide through the eyes of a hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina played by actor Don Cheadle. Rusesabagina saved 1,200 fellow Rwandas by hiding them in his hotel. Cheadle gives his best performance to date.

Eva Holland - “I thought this one was pretty well-done, for a Hollywood movie. Restrained rather than sensational, and a better movie for it.”

Price: $9.99 | BUY

Machete Season

In this book, 10 militia members, all friends from the same village, speak out in interviews detailing their participation in the genocide.

Price: $10.20 | BUY

Aiding Violence

Eva Holland - “Thought-provoking academic work that offers controversial arguments about the role the international development industry played in setting the stage for genocide in Rwanda.”

Price: $26.00 | BUY

As Australian surf cinematographer Alby Falzon once said, surfing is suited to the film process, with the flow of a surfer on the wave similar to the flow of a film reel through the projector.

Photo by mikebaird

But what makes a surf movie stand out from the rest?

While the quality of the footage is important, truly great surf films are a subjective combination of high performance surfing, exotic locations and an inspired soundtrack.

They should make you want to stare at the screen in awe, seek out new bands, search for perfect waves and, most of all, go surfing.

Read on for Matador’s five best surf films of all time…

1. The Endless Summer (1966)

This was the first movie to really capture the fact that surfing was more than just a sport, it was a lifestyle – one that was just as concerned with riding waves as the experience of searching for them.

Interestingly, Bruce Brown’s now seminal movie came about almost by chance – he was initially looking to travel to South Africa, but an around-the-world ticket was apparently cheaper.

Photo by mikebaird

Endless Summer followed Californian longboarders Mike Hynson and Robert August chasing summer around the world, surfing in Africa, Australia, New Zealand and strange backwash waves in Tahiti.

Highlight: Discovering Cape Saint Francis, also known as ‘Bruce’s Beauties‘ in South Africa. Hynson and August rode seemingly endless, perfect right handers down the point. All the more important now that the wave no longer breaks as it did in the movie due to large scale development on the nearby dunes.

Price: $13.99 | BUY

2. Morning of the Earth (1971)

How many surf movies these days can claim to have discovered a perfect wave – without the aid of jet skis, satellite imaging or swell forecasts?

In 1971, Australian Alby Falzon stumbled upon Uluwatu on Bali’s Bukit peninsula. This was back when Kuta Beach had only a couple of rudimentary huts for the few tourists and Club Med was still a couple of decades away.

Photo by BEST PHOTO

On the first day, Uluwatu was two feet high. Falzon came back the next day with his ragtag crew and surfed, without legropes, eight to ten foot swells all day long. The Balinese, who had never seen surfing before, apparently watched in awe from the cliffs.

But the Uluwatu sequence was just one part of an extraordinary movie that documented the experimental, hippie-inspired era that surfing went through in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The best example was footage of Chris Brock at Angourie in New South Wales, who, in between surfs, lived in a tree house in the bush.

Highlight: The opening sequence of a golden backlit wave breaking in slow motion, with the title track playing in support. Perhaps the most famous opening of any surf movie.

Price: $48.75 | BUY

3. The Green Iguana (1992)

Twenty years on from Morning of the Earth, surfing had become a marketable product. Contests were fought out between robotic pro surfers doing four turns to the beach in bad waves.

Surf cinematographer Jack McCoy took it back to basics – unrestrained free surfing in some of the best waves on the planet. Occy, Luke Egan, ‘Munga’ Barry and a bunch of Billabong team riders rode giant tubes and tore huge hacks on waves in Australia, Hawaii and Indonesia. Best of all it was captured in glorious 16mm film.

Photo by sub_lime79

Bunyip Dreaming (1991) was actually the first in McCoy’s dreamtime-inspired series, but The Green Iguana a year later expanded the surfer line up and set it to a soundtrack that captured the energy of an early 90s road trip: The Cruel Sea, Sublime, and Australian indigenous band, Yothu Yindi.

Highlight: The all star Billabong cast surfing perfect waves in the Australian desert.

Price: $59.99 | BUY – Jack McCoy Collection

4. Momentum (1992)

It’s hard to believe rookie filmmaker Taylor Steele’s breakthrough hit was produced in the same year as The Green Iguana. Steele eschewed perfect waves and exotic locations in favor of choppy editing, a raucous punk sound track and footage of New School surfers led by then 19 year old Kelly Slater.

Photo of Kelly Slater by advencap

In grainy, low budget video footage it showed the surfing world what these young Californians and Hawaiians had been practising for years: airs, tail slides and taking on the Hawaiian breaks of Pipeline and Backdoor without a care.

Highlight: Kelly Slater’s skateboard-inspired backside air on a Puerto Escondido left hander.

Price: $99.99 | BUY

5. Stranger Than Fiction (2008)

This is as good as it gets. Even if Taylor Steele’s latest effort didn’t go on to become a classic like the other movies in this list, it’s important because it shows where surfing is at right now.

In usual Steele style, this film has the best surfers of today (although Kelly Slater is a notable omission) pulling off amazing maneuvers. In fact, if there’s one criticism, it’s that there are almost too many tricks at the expense of ‘traditional’ moves like cutbacks.

Photo by michal.kolodziejski

But what tricks they are: sky high snowboard-like airs, flyaway turns in the lip of the wave and rodeo clowns. A couple of years ago rodeo clowns (backside airs combining a flip and rotation) were rare things. In Stranger Than Fiction they’re almost common place, proving just how fast surfing has progressed in the past couple of years.

But it begs the questions: Where does surfing go from here? How much higher can airs be pushed? How much faster can turns be controlled?

Highlight: Too many to list, although South African Jordy Smith’s full rotation alley oop on the first wave of his section is among the best of the futuristic maneuvres on display.

Price: $29.40 | BUY

Community Connection

We’ve got a thriving community of surfers here at Matador. Check out the following articles:

A Newbie’s Guide To Surfing
Surfer’s Guide to Asturias, Spain
Surfing Argentina: An Insider’s Guide To The Breaks Of Mar del Plata
Not Everyone Will Become A Surf Goddess (And Why That’s Okay)
More Surfing Articles and Posts

Movies can become synonymous with travel destinations: The Lord of the Rings for New Zealand, The Beach for Thailand.

Buckingham Palace – Photo by Marie Cleland

If you’re planning to visit the UK, whether to immerse yourself in the vibrant metropolis of London or explore the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, you can get a taste of what’s to come by watching these films.

1. The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)

Ken Loach’s powerful tale of the formation of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is not only a history lesson on the background to The Troubles that rocked Britain and the Republic of Ireland for decades, it’s also a cinematically beautiful introduction to rural Ireland.

Though the title refers to the political turmoil that the film centers on, it also hints at the role of the land itself as a character in the film, as a witness to the conflict, and, inevitably, a victim of it.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

2. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

The dramatic scenes near the start of the third Bourne film leave a lasting impression of London as a chaotic and bustling capital city. The action centers on the busy commuter hub of Waterloo station, which connects Overground train lines with the Underground train, or “Tube.”

While the crowds offer an ultimately unsuccessful cover for Bourne’s meeting with journalist Simon Ross, in real life they are a quintessential part of London and help make it a fascinating and diverse place to visit.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

3. Notting Hill (1999)

Set primarily in London, this romantic comedy features the West London neighborhood of the same name.

British actor Hugh Grant plays a local who falls into a relationship with a visiting Hollywood star, which happens amidst the colorful houses of Portobello Road and aptly, the crammed shelves of a bookshop that specializes in travel writing.

There is also an edge-of-your-seat car chase through London streets that will ultimately decide whether the lead characters end up together. It brushes over the vibrant Portobello Road market, which should be high on anyone’s London itinerary.

Price: $8.99 | BUY

4. This is England (2006)

This reality bites tale of a boy’s struggle chronicles the decisions he has to make growing up in a working class industrial town in 1983.

References to infamous prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the Royal wedding of Charles and Diana, the devastating fallout of the Falkland’s war and the ominous presence of skinhead extremism provide the historical context.

Key scenes such as the lead character’s seminal meeting with his new friends in a concrete tunnel and the backdrop of council estates provide a rich tapestry of England’s grittier side.

Price: $15.49 | BUY

5. Trainspotting (1996)

Now this next film takes gritty settings to another level. However, Trainspotting is worth watching not because it will give you a taste for what you’re likely to see on a trip to Edinburgh, but because it’s such a seminal British film.

It features brilliant acting by some of the UK’s brightest stars, including Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle.

While you might like to take a stroll down Princes St., you’re not likely to be bowled over by drug dealers being chased by security guards.

On the contrary, you’re more likely to encounter a lovely old blind man playing bagpipes while his loyal guide dog sits patiently by him on the sidewalk.

Price: $13.49 | BUY

6. The Queen (2006)

Many visitors to the UK take some sort of interest in the royal family, whether it’s marveling at the grandeur of Buckingham Palace in London or buying a postcard of Queen Elizabeth.

Besides the brilliant portrayal of Britain’s premier woman by one of Britain’s premier actors (Helen Mirren), The Queen also highlights the diverse landscapes of Britain, from the metropolis of London to the beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

Price: $12.99 | BUY

7. Braveheart (1995)

This film is close to the hearts of many Scots. The epic story of William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) and his call to freedom from English oppression is a sweeping introduction to the beauty of Scotland and an insight into the Caledonian tendency to feel hard done by.

Don’t miss a trip to the National Wallis Monument at Stirling, which has Wallace’s sword on display and offers fantastic views from atop the tower. Other worthy titles in this genre of part mythological, part factual historical drama are King Arthur (2004) and Rob Roy (1995).

Price: $8.99 | BUY

8. PS I Love You (2007)

The bright purple carpet of heather that sweeps over the hills in one of the scenes of Ireland in this romantic drama may look photo-shopped, but is actually true to life.

Thanks to the seemingly constant rain that falls on the Emerald Isles, the Irish countryside is an intense green and absolutely mesmerizing for it. As are the Irish accents.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

9. Snatch (2000)

With its heart in the East End of London, Snatch is one of a trio of films by writer/director Guy Ritchie that put a distinctly English spin on wheeler-dealing crime capers (the others being Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and RocknRolla (2008).

Apart from the local settings, Snatch is worth watching for its fantastic mix of Brit accents, none more so than Brad Pitt’s brilliant rendition of an Irish Gypsy (“Pikey”) twang.

Price: $8.49 | BUY

10. Any Jane Austen film

Watch Persuasion (1995) and you’ll want to make a beeline for Bath or dip your toes in the sea at Lyme Regis.

Get wrapped up in the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice and you’ll want to meander through the Lake District.

Study Emma (1996) and you too will want to sample the life of the country gentry or immerse yourself in the country idyll.

Price: $9.99 | BUY

Community Connection

Ready for the UK?

Learn How to Enjoy London on $100 a Day and How to Take The Bus in London.

This documentary film is the sequel to Endless Summer in which two surfers follow the footsteps of surf gods, Mike Hynson and Robert August.

In Endless Summer II, the goal of the trip is to find the best waves around the world in places such as South Africa, Costa Rica, France, Bali, and other exotic locations while avoiding the cold currents of winter.

Monster waves, hi jinx, attractive locals, and magnificent views of the film will “fuel” the wanderlust of any potential surfer or traveler.

Every time I feel the urge to travel, I watch Endless Summer to get my plans and ideas flowing.

Whether I plan to go surfing is negligible, but as a viewer, the movie’s direction takes you to great waves as well as through the culture of the places the guys surf.

Price: $17.99 | BUY

Photo by jonrawlinson

In Love Tour: World’s Best Cities for Singles, Sascha Matuszak scouts out the ideal locations to look for love. He also presents dating internationally as a surefire way to improve your language skills in Five Reasons Dating Abroad is the Best Way to Learn a Language,

Erin Ganat gives you seven reasons why an international romance should be on your resolution list for 2009 in 7 Reasons to Fall in Love Abroad in 2009.

Don’t despair if there are no travel plans in your immediate future. Without giving away any plots, here are some classic movies that will flame your dreams of a global romance.

Under the Tuscan Sun

No travel romance movie list would be complete without the staple – Under the Tuscan Sun. A heartwarming story of a divorcee who finds true love against the breathtaking scenery of Tuscany, Italy. This is the quintessential chick-flick so grab some wine and cheese instead of popcorn.

Price: $9.99 | BUY

The English Patient

Adapted from Michael Ondaatje’s award winning novel set during World War II, the English Patient transports you across continents – from Italian countrysides to North African deserts – while unraveling an enduring multilayer love story.

Price: $15.49 | BUY

Before Sunrise/Before Sunset

It all started with a Eurorail ticket – Young American meets French girl aboard a train in Europe and falls madly in love. Thus begins their whirlwind romance that spurred a sequel.

Price: $22.95 | BUY

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

This Caribbean journey of self-discovery finds a successful, independent woman colliding with a young, laid back guy 20 years younger. Set against the lush, tranquil backdrop of Jamaica, its a testament to the fact that love knows no age.

Price: $11.99 | BUY

Do you have a favorite romance movie that flames your wanderlust? Tell us below

I wasn’t sure what I was listening to, but I was loving every sound and rhythm emanating from my sister’s CD player as we drove to our destination.

When the chorus came on, I strained to make out the words.

“Bullet?…Bullet The Blue Sky? What is this?!“.

Knowing I was a viral U2 fan, she’d purposely popped in this CD.

With a captivating rendition of my favorite U2 tune, “Mysterious Ways” by world renown Beninese songstress, Angelique Kidjo to the percussion laden version of “Bullet The Blue Sky” by Vieux Farka Touré from Mali, every track on this album keeps you guessing how each song transforms.

Africa Celebrates U2 is an excellent cross-section of U2 classics sung by an equally superb cross-section of pure African talents – from heavy sounds of brass in “Where the Streets Have No Name” sung by Nigerian-born Tony Allen, a former drummer for the Late Fela Kuti, to the softer remake of “Love Is Blindness” by Afro-pop musician, Waldemar Bastos from Angola.

This album is very reminiscent of bands such as Afro Celt Sound System that fuse African ethnic sounds with pipes, flutes, and other Irish Celtic sounds.

If you love the cross pollination of musical genres across various cultures or are just a viral U2 fan with an open mind, you’ll love this album.

Needless to say, my sister was forced to part ways with her copy.

Price: $14.99 | BUY

5 countries. 300 years.

The main character, a violin, travels the world, forming intimate connections with people that crossed its path.

It adapts to their needs and holds a special place in their hearts.

In the end, though, the person who truly appreciates the journey the violin traveled wins.

As a viewer, I enjoyed seeing the places the violin traveled. The people it met along the way, their cultural differences and the sense of history emanating from each place.

The outside influences that put the violin on a path it wasn’t originally intended to travel made the movie intriguing.

Price: $9.99 | BUY

All Red Hot projects raise money to fight HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and all over the world, but never has there been a more appropriate Red Hot tribute than this one dedicated to the music of Afrobeat founder Fela Kuti, the Nigerian legend who died from AIDS-related complications in 1997. Fela’s music has been refashioned and remixed, together here with some of today’s most gifted artists, nearly 40 in all, covering a broad musical spectrum: hip-hop (Blackalicious, Roots), jazz (Roy Hargrove, Archie Shepp); soul (Sade, D’Angelo), Afrobeat (Tony Allen, Femi Kuti), world music (Baaba Maal, Jorge Ben), electronic music (Mixmaster Mike, Money Mark) and rock (Nile Rodgers). It’s fun to hear all of these artists mix in their own styles with the god father of Afrobeat, himself since many of them have undoubtedly been heavily influenced by his music.

$18.98 | BUY