Photo of the Day (09.27.10)

by Mike Barish on
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who mix together all of the food on their plate and those who like to keep food segregated. Personally, I’m a mixer. I like to get some potatoes on my fork before stabbing a piece of turkey. Or allowing the rice and beans to hitch a ride with my ropa vieja on their way to my mouth. For some people, though, such mixing is akin to culinary anarchy.

Bento boxes in Japan are perfect for the OCD epicurean. This photo by Flickr user Marisoleta shows just how beautifully organized the bento boxes are on Japanese trains. If you prefer that your food have borders, then bento boxes are the way to go. I, however, suggest that you put two pieces in your mouth at the same time. Let the flavors mingle. Live a little.

Have a picture that shows how you eat on the road? Or, even better, just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (09.24.10)

by Mike Barish on
It’s an absolute travesty that Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was removed from Disney World. It is by far the greatest amusement park ride ever created and was one of the original attractions at the park when it opened in Orlando in 1971. Just 27 years later, it was replaced with a Winnie the Pooh attraction. Gone are the dual tracks, last second turns and fantastic disorientation that made Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride by far the most fantastic ride in the park.

Sure, it still exists at Disneyland, where this photo by Flickr user I Am Rob was taken. However, that Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride no longer thrills and entertains visitors in Central Florida is beyond comprehension. Bring back Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. No Toad, No Peace! Who’s with me?

Have a picture of your favorite amusement park ride? Or, even better, some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group right now and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (9.21.10)

by Stephen Greenwood on

Friendly photo subject, or dangerous primate? Most animal experts would gladly tell you that a monkey bearing its teeth is trying to communicate signs of aggression, no matter just how cute the aggression may be. However, this picture was one of those frames taken at exactly the right moment. Flickr user hsemock caught this sleepy monkey at the end of a yawn and walked away (unscathed) with a great portrait.

Although it may appear that the subject is British, this chance encounter actually took place while the photographer was trekking through the jungles of Indonesia.

Do you have photos of furry friends from around the globe? Share them with us! Submit to the Gadling Flickr Pool and it could be our next Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (09.20.10)

by Mike Barish on
There’s nothing wrong, per se, with taking cheesie vacation photos. They make you laugh, they help you remember trips and they became cliche only because so many people enjoyed taking them. We stick our heads through wooden cutouts so that we have cartoon bodies. We pretend to hold the Taj Mahal in the palms of our hands. What we all probably fail to realize is how we look to everyone else while we’re taking those pictures.

This fantastic shot by Flickr user Flavio@Flickr shows what a gaggle of people pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa look like to the rest of us. Without the tower in proper context, it looks like a bunch of tourists doing the Thriller dance in an arbitrarily chosen location. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. They all took home photos that made them laugh. And we can all laugh at them. It’s a win-win, really.

Have a picture of tourists taking pictures? Or just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (09.17.10)

by Mike Barish on
I often wonder if grapes in California aspire to become wine or raisins. To become wine means to be a part of the illustrious California wine country industry. To become a raisin is to follow in the footsteps on the California Raisins. Is one accomplishment more prestigious than the other? Sure, maybe some grapes just want to be grapes. That, to me, seems to be setting the bar low.

I was reminded of this debate when I saw this photo by Flickr user (and our Gadling overlord) Willy Volk. Taken at a vineyard in Healdsburg, California, it reminded me of just how much promise grapes hold. They can be dried to give us fiber or stomped to get us drunk. Grapes: Dreams waiting to be fulfilled. Or, you know, just tiny fruit.

Have a picture of fruit from your trip? Or just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.