Planes, trains and automobiles are what first come to mind when most people think of the act of traveling. But really, some of the best people and experiences are discovered by simply walking. This fun video, created by filmmakers Kerrin Sheldon and Gaston Blanchet, takes viewers on a long walk through 12 different – including India, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan. The pair made the video over a period of eight months while shooting for their project, Humanity.TV, in which they are working to document the lives of individuals all over the world. It’s a great reminder that sometimes going back to basics and taking things in slowly is the best way to really discover places. If you agree, check out the project’s Kickstarter page.
Video Of The Day: Getting To Know Guangzhou, China
For today’s Video of the Day we’re traveling to China, where this short video from Vimeo gives a glimpse of Guangzhou, the third largest city in the country. I like this video because it first offers an up close look at artists and other locals going about their day to day routine, and then really wows viewers with some dazzling time-lapse photography. Be sure to look out for the twisting metal frame of the Canton Tower, the tallest structure in China where visitors can take in the city and surrounding area from an observation deck more than 1,600 feet off the ground.
Video Of The Day: Rummaging Through Singapore’s Thieves’ Market
This short documentary film about making personal connections at Singapore‘s Thieves’ Market is a little different from Gadling’s usual Video of the Day, when we often feature time lapses and quick glimpses of cities or neighborhoods. Filmmakers John Clayton Lee and Jaspas Deck capture a place often avoided by tourists: Sungei Road, the largest and oldest flea market in Singapore.
People in Singapore come together at the market to buy and sell second-hand goods, much like a giant community yard sale. It’s known to locals as “Thieves Market” because contraband goods are also widely available, and refunds or returns from any seller are impossible because someone who peddles you an item one day may not be there the next (and its not likely you’d get a receipt in the first place).
The long look at the market and its inhabitants is a reminder that people and places aren’t always what they seem to be, and many times are best taken in slowly. Have you ever visited somewhere in your travels you were told to avoid, and ended up having a great experience?
Video Of The Day: A Trip To Chiloé Island
Upon learning that LAN Airlines launched service to Chiloé Island in Chile, I became immediately curious about what the remote island has to offer. I sought out to find a video that gave an overview of the place, and luckily, Vimeo user Benito Larraín Súnico delivered. This three-minute vignette was taken during a family trip to the island earlier this year, and it shows Chiloé’s colorful houses, remarkable wooden churches, natural beauty and drool-enducing seafood. Most of all, I like how the video captures the friendly people who live and work on the island.
Has anyone out there ever visited Chiloé Island, and if so, would you recommend it for a trip?
Video Of The Day: Drawing 100 Camels In Mali
Before I watched this video, I only remembered that Bamako was the capital of Mali from playing “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” as a child. After watching, I know that the people are friendly, the music is lively, and at least 100 people know how to draw a camel. American Phil Paoletta has been on a mission to travel in West Africa and draw camels, in no particular order. For this project, he raised over $1,000 for Malian refugees in Niger displaced from the north of Mali, and taught 100 people in Bamako how to draw camels in 24 hours. Why camels? They are “seductive and elegant animals,” according to Phil, and learning to draw one can only make your life better. Enjoy a few minutes of Malian friendliness, music and a whole lot of humps.
Learn something new about a culture (or dromedary) from a video? Leave us a link in the comments or on our Facebook page for a future Video of the Day, or add photos to the Gadling Flickr pool.