Photo of the day – Flying Mariachi band


Last week, Virgin America launched new flights from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. What better way to get into the espíritu than with a Mariachi band? Frommers editor and Flickr user DavityDave was on board to get this shot and taste some Mexican goodies. We wonder if the band had to purchase an additional seat for their guitars or if they could just fit them in the overhead bin. Did they perform the safety demo too?

Have you ever flown on an inaugural flight? Seen anything else fun on a plane? Add your best shots to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use it for a future Photo of the Day.

Video of the Day – Thailand’s Yi Peng Festival via iPhone 4S


The Yi Peng festival is a special event in Northern Thailand that occurs on the 12th full moon of every year. Coinciding with Loi Krathong (a festival celebrated throughout Thailand) it is observed by lighting sky lanterns and letting them float into the sky, resulting in what appears to be large flocks of giant jellyfish floating through the air.

There have been many fantastic videos and pictures that capture this event, but today’s Video of the Day is especially stunning for one reason: it was completely shot on an iPhone 4S. Produced by Vimeo user Tada Archawong, it shows just how far a little color grading (with Magic Bullet Looks) and a great mobile camera can go.

So, adventurers; it may just be time to kiss your DSLR goodbye. If you’ve already said goodbye to traditional cameras in favor of mobile devices, we want to see what youv’e captured! Paste a link in the comments section below, or post pictures to our Flickr Pool – it could just be our next Photo/Video of the Day.

Video of the Day: Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietman

Everyone I know who has spent any time in Vietnam has bemoaned how challenging it is to cross the streets there. It’s like a game of Frogger, but the stakes are much higher. This time lapse shows just how chaotic and frenetic the streets of Ho Chi Minh City actually are. The number of motorbikes along is staggering. Add to that roundabouts, limited traffic signage and pedestrians and you have yourself some organized chaos. We recommend that you look both ways (heck, look up and down while you’re at it) before crossing the street.

Photo of the day – Skies above Paris

Oh, the skies above Paris…

There’s a reason so many people love Paris. The city itself seems to be bathed in a special light. It’s a place of tempestuous moods and lovers’ quarrels. It’s like one big all-encompassing set for a film about the glory or tragedy of love.

Concurrently, it’s just a city. But what a grand city it is. Flickr user Aypho captures the City of Light’s basic grandeur in this awesome photograph.

Got an image of one of the world’s most romantic cities? Upload it to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. If we fall in love with it, we might just choose your interpretation of romance to be a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day – Lego man hearts Tel Aviv


They say all art is subjective, and no artform is more contentious than graffiti. Some might say even a detailed mural is defacing public property, while others might consider a bawdy limerick on a bathroom wall to be social commentary. In recent years, artists like Banksy have elevated graffiti to public art. This Lego fellow cleverly rendered in 3-D shows his love for the city of Tel Aviv, taken by Flickr user mjlacey, as a great example of fun and positive street art.

Submit your favorite street art to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use it for a future Photo of the Day.