2010 › May

Photo of the Day (05.31.10)

by Mike Barish on

I’m not one to spend my tourist dollars on street performers and schlock like grains of rice with my name printed on them. But I’ve always kind of been amused by the street artists who draw portraits of eager travelers looking for a customized souvenir to take home. I was always partial to caricatures. Maybe it’s because the genre really seemed to peak in the 1980s (which would explain why 88% of all caricatures involve rollerblading or extraneous headbands). Flickr user Flavio@Flickr perfectly captured the moment when this artist imperfectly captured this man’s image.

Have a picture a perfectly artistic moment? Or even an imperfect moment? Submit your best travel images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Daily Pampering: Learn to paint in the Bugaboo Mountains

by Annie Scott on


Canadian Mountain Holidays is offering a special trip from August 31 to September 5, 2010 which combines hiking, helicopters and painting in the astonishing landscape of the Bugaboo Mountains. Just look at the photo. Don’t you want to paint that?

The five-night adventure will include three days helicoptering around the mountains to scenic locations with renowned artist Liz Wiltzen, who also happens to be an experienced mountaineer. Wiltzen will offer any artistic guidance you might need, though once your lungs fill with mountain air and you’re staring at the Bugaboo Spires, glacial lakes and colorful wildflowers, you may not need any help at all.

After your long days of intense landscape immersion, you’ll be comfortably hosted at the luxurious Bugaboo Lodge, where you’ll find gourmet alpine cuisine served family-style and breathtaking views — even from the hot tub.

The highly exclusive trip is limited to just 10 guests at $3,183 per person (based on double occupancy; non-painting spouses can join at a discounted rate). Click here for more information or to book.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Image via Canadianmountainholidays.com.

Greek economic crisis hurts conservation workers

by Sean McLachlan on

When Greek Minister of Culture and Tourism Pavlos Geroulanos visited the Acropolis in Athens last week, he was met by a hundred booing employees.

The heritage workers are contracted professionals who are protesting late wages and planned firings. Some haven’t been paid in 16 months and many worry their contracts won’t be renewed next year.

Greece is undergoing a serious financial crisis and struggles under a huge national debt. It recently received a 110 billion euro ($136 billion) bailout from other European Union countries and the International Monetary Fund. The first installment came just in time to keep Greece from defaulting on its latest debt repayment.

Mr. Geroulanos promised action on the overdue pay.

The workers are some of the many government workers who don’t have a full-time job, but rather work on a contract basis. It is unclear how many will be fired because of the crisis, but the long restoration project at the Acropolis will continue, a third of it with EU funding.

Questions are also arising over archaeological and restoration projects all over the country. Sixteen percent of Greece’s GDP comes from tourism, yet serious cuts will have to be made in government spending to stabilize the economy. Greek’s current national debt is 115% of its GDP.

Image courtesy Thermos via Wikimedia Commons.

How to protect your digital camera at the beach

by Amy Chen on

If you’ll be tanning at the beach this summer, make sure your digital camera doesn’t also end up getting toasted. Though many camera manufacturers now make waterproof digital cameras or accessories, not everyone can afford to buy new gear just for a beach trip.

I checked in with Lindsay Silverman, Nikon‘s senior technical manager, for advice on how to protect your digital camera while at the beach.

Whether you own a SLR or a point-and-shoot, these five tips can help make sure your camera survives a day on the sand. Best of all, none of Silverman’s tips require buying a lot of fancy accessories.

What should you do if you get sand in the camera?

Use a blower device, like the ones that you would find in a pharmacy for getting mucus out of a baby’s or child’s nose. It works great for blowing off moderate amounts of sand. If the camera really took a “dusting,” send the camera in for servicing and let the experts take a look.

What do you do if the camera gets wet?
If it’s a moderate amount — let’s say from a drizzle of rain — I would just wipe the camera clean. If the camera has severe water damage, send it in for servicing.

What do you do if just the lens gets wet or gets sand on it? How do you wipe it without scratching anything?
Same as above; try using a blower to remove grains of sand.

Should you store your camera under the shade of a beach umbrella? What if you put it under a towel? Is that good because it’s out of direct sunlight, or will it overheat if it’s also in a bag?
Leaving the camera exposed on the beach can make the camera really hot. Not only will the camera get hot, the battery will also get very hot, so this is not a good idea.

Protect the camera as much as possible. What I like to do is bring a protective bag for the camera, and then I put it in a dry spot in my cooler. If you can’t do this, keep the camera in its case and put that under a towel — anything to keep it out of the sun and heat.

Should you leave your digital camera at home and take a cheaper one to the beach instead (or just use your camera phone)?
Leave a camera behind? Never! Just use common sense, and have a good time.

[Image Credit: Amy Chen]

Modern art gallery opens in Rome

by Sean McLachlan on

The ancient monuments of Rome have a trendy new neighbor.

The National Museum of the XXI Century Arts, popularly known as the Maxxi, has finally opened after a controversial five-year delay and ballooning construction costs that eventually topped $200 million.

Award-winning Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid is responsible for the funky building design, which houses 27,000 sq/m (291,000 sq ft.) of exhibition space, offices, workshops, and lecture halls. In keeping with Rome’s legacy of fine buildings, the museum gives equal space to both art and architecture.

Current exhibitions include a survey of Italian contemporary architecture, a retrospective of the varied work of Gino De Dominicis (whose media ranged from video installations to sculpture), and a selection from Maxxi’s permanent collection.

Image courtesy MAXXI.