Photo Of The Day: Indian Pilgrim

Today’s excellent and colorful portrait shot comes to us courtesy of Flickr user SoumishD. Soumish was in the Indian city of Haridwar, an important Hindu pilgrimage site along the holy waters of the Ganges River, when he captured this mysterious woman, cloaked in a translucent pink veil. The depth of field focus on her face, the vibrant hue of the pink fabric and the look of concentration all contribute to a sense of intensity and intrigue to the image.

Taken any great portraits during your own travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

[Photo credit: Flickr user SoumishD]

Photo Of The Day: Pink For Peace


It’s not often that you see a cheerful military tank, but this pink-painted tank in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is almost cuddly. According to Flickr photographer Bob Ramsak and his blog Piran Cafe, the tank was made over in March by some anonymous artists, who also placed some flowers inside the barrel. Parked outside the National Museum of Contemporary History as part of its collection of military equipment, the newly rosy tank now matches its surroundings. The museum director said in an interview: “Since we don’t know how we’re going to return it to its original color, we’d like to thank these guerrillas, or vandals, that they at least chose a color that matches the museum’s facade.” The public art statement is just another reason to love Ljubljana.

Seen some unusual public art? Share your pics in the Gadling Flickr pool for a future Photo of the Day.

Disney Dream lets adults ditch the kids, at night anyway

Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Dream debut’s next month with all the bells and whistles one might expect from a new ship coming out these days. There’s an AquaDuck water-coaster on deck, virtual “portholes” for inside cabins and a whole lot of Disney magic for kids of all ages. Adults on this ship will receive special attention too with a new area created just for them.

Called “The District”, it is a section of the ship that caters to adults in the evening with a selection of lounges and nightclubs.

Skyline is an ever-changing cocktail bar that celebrates some of the world’s most famous cities. Tall “windows” (actually huge LCD display screens) line a wall and show guests some of the world’s most beautiful city skylines which change from day to day and transform from day to night as each day progresses.

Pink is a “chic cocktail bar” and is designed in French Art Nouveau featuring back-lit glass “bubbles” inset into the walls to create an effect of cascading Champagne.

Evolution is a trendy disco that plays contemporary hits and classic favorites. During the day, Evolution provides dance classes, bingo, and arts and crafts. At night, Evolution caters to adults only, offering dancing, games, karaoke and a full bar serving mixed drinks.

687 is the sports bar. During the day, 687 provides family games and activities in a comfortable, casual setting; after 9:00 p.m., the venue transforms into a place for adults seeking more grown-up activities and games to enjoy over a beer, wine or mixed drinks.

Adult-only time is also available all day at the Cove Pool, a multi-level pool of varying depths with the Cove Cafe close by. Signature dining venue Palo, a reservations only premium restaurant open for dinner, is also just for adults.

Ditched kids are not just left to wander the decks though. Youth programs ranging from in-cabin baby-sitting to engaging age-appropriate group care is also available.

Photos courtesy Disney Cruise Line

Marrakech Hotel goes pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month


The Marrakech Hotel on New York’s Upper West Side isn’t just putting out a donation jar or donating a few spare percentage points to breast cancer research this October, they’ve taken it a leap further and gone pink! I headed over there with my camera to see what their pink-ified room was really like.

I was impressed with the hotel itself; you get a lot of charm for a very reasonable price for NYC — during the low season, you can get a room as low as $109. The building is on a historic block just 13 short streets south of Columbia University, and very near all kinds of shopping and nightlife, as well as the 1 train. The decor is decidedly Moroccan, with many elements like the chandeliers and some artwork imported specially for hotel. There’s a comfortable lounge area with a view of Broadway which is bright all day and which turns into a nightclub, the Kazbar Lounge, in the evening (open to the public), where you can enjoy Moroccan-themed cocktails like the Marrakech Martini and Morrocan Manhattan.

And this month, in the Kazbar Lounge, you can purchase a “Cause-mopolitan,” from which the proceeds will be donated to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Avon supplied the hotel with its fabulous pink linens, including sheets, blankets, pillows and towels. The effect, as you can see, will make you VERY AWARE of breast cancer for your entire stay. Hey — it’s for charity. The BCA room starts at $129 per night and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Furthermore, guests have the option to donate directly to the cause at the front desk, and a donation of $100 will get you a 10 percent discount on your next visit to the Marrakech Hotel.
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Nearby Broadway Hotel & Hostel has the same pink linens from Avon, but good luck getting in there! In the fall, you’ll need a reservation at least a month in advance to stay, even in the two-person dormitories with shared bathrooms (which start at $30 per person — a killer deal).

[Photos by Annie Scott.]

Photo of the Day (8.29.10)

You never know what you’ll find when you wander. An unexpected conversation. A strange sight. Maybe you’ll even stumble upon a pink street, like Flickr user Michael Joseph Goldst…etc found in today’s photo from Bogota, Colombia. The bright pastel walls pocked with graffiti, atmospheric cobblestones and mysterious dark suited man make for an intriguing image. Wondering what else lies down this odd little alleyway? You’ll have to wander down to Colombia to found out for yourself.

Taken any great photos during your own travels? Why not share them with us by adding them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.