Photo of the day (9.23.10)

by Meg Nesterov on


Some photos beg more questions than they answer. Flickr user Marisoleta snapped this statue in Nagasaki, Japan, and the caption notes that the figure is Kannon atop a turtle-shaped temple, surrounded by little children. Kannon is the Japanese Buddhist goddess of compassion, which may account for the children, but what about the turtle? She is also known as a protector of seamen, which could also extend to sea turtles. Fun fact: camera company Canon is named for the goddess as well. The temple also includes a Foucault’s pendulum, one of the largest in the world, to demonstate the rotation of the earth and a bell that chimes daily to commemorate the atomic bomb explosion.

Capture an interesting shrine on your travels, or any giant turtles? Submit to the Gadling Flickr Pool and it could be our next 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.

Photo of the day (9.16.10)

by Meg Nesterov on


Some countries are more open to public displays of affection than others. In India, “obscene acts” like kissing in public are discouraged, if not downright illegal. In France, amorous couples are practically de rigeur. This photo by Flavio@Flickr taken in Amsterdam, catches a randy couple playing some peekaboo on the street, though he notes that moments later, the police asked them to take their game somewhere more private.

Catch any naughty behavior on your travels? Upload your (hopefully SFW) pictures to Gadling’s Flickr Pool and we might use one for another Photo of the Day.