Category Archives: Guide
This is where you put guides to a city or a place to visit.
Boat on the beach of Singiggi -Lombok Indonesia
The beach of Singiggi Lombok Indonesia was filled with fishing boats. It was a relaxing place to see ships coming in as the sun set.
Goodbye Canon, Hello Olympus OMD E-M5 - Switch to Mirror-less for Travel Photography
The heat beats down on me through the blue heavenly skies above me as I climb. I climb up the mountain slowly with many steps to go to reach 400 meters above sea level. It is 90 degrees outside and the humidity is 85%. One step is fine, but as they add up the weight starts to get to me. My friend Jessa says to me “Come on Erick, lets keep going” as she climbs the stairs with ease. We are climbing the mountain to Hanginan, Maasin in Southern Leyte, Philippines. Each step becomes heavier and heavier… I am being literal here. You see, I am carrying ALL of my camera gear and it is weighing me down. You know that feeling? 2 bodies, 3 lenses, filters, tripod, a strobe, trigger, other gadgets and some food all in one backpack? At this point I am ready… I am tired of it. It is time for something different. It is time… for a new camera system.
For about 5 months now I have NOT been shooting with my Canon system setup. I used to run around with a 60D and 7D set up. The 7D stopped functioning due to water damage so I fell to exclusively using my 60D as my back up. The 60D then stopped working as I was testing it for a photo shoot I was going to do in Colombia. I was desperate to get a replacement camera. I was looking at the newly released 6D, but then I thinking back to the wonderful time I was having when climbing the mountain in Maasin. Maybe it was time to make that switch I had thought of back then. I had always toyed with the idea going to a mirror-less camera system. Mirror-less you ask? Why would a professional photographer want to downgrade?
The mirror-less systems are smaller and much lighter. Also very cheap and the quality is amazing. It is perfect for a travel photographer. I find it to be more of an upgrade than a downgrade.
OMD E-M5 Silver
The Choice? Olympus OMD
I did a lot of research after my experience in Philippines in late 2011. I had felt I had armed myself to make a well informed decision. The mirror-less camera I decided to choose was the Olympus OMD E-M5. Why did I choose this camera? Well I won’t lie, I chose it because it looked like an old film camera. I also chose it for the fact that it received the award of Camera of the Year in 2012 by DPReview. I also chose it because the camera is using a Micro Four Thirds system. Olympus and Panasonic have both embraced the Micro Four Thirds system and it’s benefits, which means that you could use either brand of lens. Sigma and other lens companies have also designed lenses for this system as well.
The Weight and Size
The weight and size was the largest factor though. Hands down the weight of the Olympus OMD is way smaller than my 7D and 60D. The 7D weighs 29 oz., the 60D 27 oz. and the OMD 15 oz. making it nearly half as light as the 7D. My favorite lens for the Canon system was a Canon 24-70mm ƒ/2.8 which weighed 34 oz. For my OMD the 17mm ƒ/1.8 and 45mm ƒ/1.8 both weigh just over 8 oz. combined.
Because the weight is less and there is smaller parts it is easier to carry. I used to carry a backpack to carry the gear around for photography. The backpack would be packed with 2 lenses, the body (with lens), blower, strobe, remote, battery charger, 4 filters, remote, lens pen, other gizmos and gadgets and snacks..
Now I can carry small bag with a body, 2 lenses, remote, 8 filters, flash, strobe, lens pen, diabetes testing kit, and snacks. Almost the same amount of items in one smaller bag.
Cost
The size of lenses are smaller making it very affordable as well. The manufactures can make a good quality lens with less parts needed to be able to create cheaper lenses. The whole system costed me a total of $2800, which is the cost of a body, 17mm ƒ/1.8 lens, 45mm ƒ/1.8 lens, remote flash, remote trigger, 2 polarizing filters, 2 warmth filters, 2 UV filters, 2 ND filters. As for my Canon system I have easily have paid $3500-$4000 (although I already had lenses).
There is a drawback on some of the pricing. Some of the OMD accessories are expensive. An example is the battery grip I purchased was $299, which in my opinion is kind of steep, but almost worth the price. For $39 the remote cable release is kind of lacking for the price that it costs.
The Drawbacks
So the only difference between a mirror-less camera and most DSLRs is the that the DSLR has a mirror and prism to preview your photo before taking the shot. I know I am using a micro 4/3 system which is a lot smaller sensor. The biggest argument of this is that smaller sensors have an issue with noise. I would have to say that is not the case with this camera. First shoot I shot with it was in the morning trying to do some long exposures and set my ISO to 2000 thinking I set it to 200. The results are amazing. Here are some examples from that shoot.
The other drawback people talk about is the Bokeh of a micro 4/3 system. I would have to say that is a drawback. But to most people who are not professional photographers, they can not tell and a good photographer can make bokeh happen (naturally). Here is an example of some bokeh taken with the OMD EM-5.
The other drawback is the crop factor, which can be an advantage. The crop factor of a micro 4/3 system is 2.0x. That turns a 45mm lens into a 90mm equivalent for a 35mm. For those who want a better zoom, like most travel photographers this is great. For those who need wide angles, this could be a drawback.
Not a Professional Camera
“The OMD is small and does not feel like a professional camera…” Yeah, that is what someone told me. They were a professional photographer by the way. “…it feels like a toy.” That is a very common perception that a lot of professional photographers have when seeing the camera. Bigger is better? Not really.
The camera is a tool. A good photographer still needs to know lighting, tonal value, composition and color. A lot of photographers believe if that they do not have a BIG camera they coud not be perceived as a professional. I was kind of worried about this myself as I had a photo shoot in Colombia. The model was more relaxed as there was not giant lens in her face the whole time. The shoot was more natural and we see each others as equals.
When I was shooting with OMD in the streets people asked me if I was with the press. Everyday people do not know the difference between a DSL and Mirror-less, they just see a camera. On another note the fact that it is smaller is also great because it a lot of times I can take it into places where they ban DSLR. I was able to take my camera into the Explorer Park in Medellin when they banned DSLRs. I got in fine with my OMD E-M5
Even Trey Ratcliff of Stuck in Customs has switched to a Mirror-less camera system from a Nikon system. The Mirror-less system is perfect for some one like Trey and I who are both travel photographers and need to travel light.
Conclusion
So what do I have to say about the OMD E-M5? Well, I love it. I know why it has gotten camera of the year. It has amazing quality, great features (which I have not spoken fully of) and extremely light and small. It the perfect companion for a travel photographer. A more in depth review of the OMD E-M5 will come in the future.
What camera do you use when you are on vacation or travelin? Do you love your Panasonic point and shoot? Do you carry your DSLR or perhaps you stand by your trusty iPhone? I know I do. Let me know what you prefer. Leave a message below, send me a tweet on twitter, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to share it with others.
P.S.This is not a sponsored post. I paid everything out of my own pocket, Olympus did not sponsor me. I also am not being paid by Olympus to promote this camera. I am doing it to better inform those out there.
Salsa Indepence - Vancouver
Salsa in Robson Plaza in Vancouver. It was one of the best ways to celebrate Canada Day.
Craftbeers From British Colombia - Beer Travels To Canada
Blarghhh!!! Yeah, that is what came out of my mouth. I was stumbling from crosswalk to crosswalk through the lovely clean streets of Victoria. The goal to this adventure? Try to get to the Greyhound station and catch my bus, WITHOUT peeing my pants. I almost made it. Good thing there was Starbucks with a bathroom on the way. I was racing to the Greyhound to catch a bus to my nice room in a house I was staying at in Nanaimo. I was hoping not to miss the bus which was leaving at 6:50PM. The handicap to this adventure? I had finished 8 or so beers in the past few hours. This is why I was stumbling from street to street and my quick pit stop at Starbucks.
Eight beers you ask? Yes, it is very easy for me to down 8 beers and even easier when visiting British Columbia. You see, one of the things that British Columbia is NOT short of, is craft beers. They seem to be all over in the major cities. I had visited only 4 out of the many in Victoria alone. Drinking 2 beers at each place, which can add up very quickly. And that was not the only place where I found craft beers.
Why Craftbeers?
So why are there so many micro-brews and craft beers? Where did it all start? Well you see, one of the good things about Canada is that they have a universal healthcare system. A great advancement for a first world country. The drawback, is that there is a huge tax on things like cigarettes and beer to help pay for that healthcare. This makes sense to tax people on the items that reduce health and longevity. Unfortunately, this has made beer really expensive. When driving around, there was a sign touting Corona for $4.50 during happy hour. Apparently this was a great deal. At that point I gasped with horror.
When I was in the neighborhood Kitslano, Vancouver, I came across some locals who invited me to eat with them at a wonderful restaurant called The Naam. Ironically they were all from United States who have found a new home in Vancouver as professors/scientists at UBC. They told me of the situation of beer prices and that to combat it, they brew their own beer. As a matter of fact they had gone out to eat just to relax from a whole day of brewing and preparing a beer. This was a huge trend in Canada, home-brewing beers, which was even larger in British Columbia and a much cheaper way to get a beer. This trend grew so large that there were so many microbrews and craft beers popping up all over British Columbia. So that is the history of why there are so many microbrews in British Columbia. At least that is what I was told. There are lot of microbrews all along the pacific coast, it could have been that they just grew upward from Northern California (being from Northern California, I am more inclined to like this version). Maybe it is a combination of both.Either way, for a beer lover, British Columbia is a place to visit.
How Did It Begin?
So how did this adventures start? Using Gogobot.com, I asked the question, “I like beer, can you suggest me some local breweries and local pubs in the Vancouver?” Little did I know that it would open a can of worms. Suggestions starting streaming in. So when I first arrived in Vancouver, I had to try out the list. In Vancouver alone I visited some great craft-beers as Yaletown Brewing Co. and Steamworks Brewing Company.
Yaletown Brewing Company
The first has a great atmosphere, full of many locals and is the downtown district of Vancouver. The area was converted from old warehouses and that is where Yaletown Brewing Company was located. They have a list of great beers in which I tried the Warehouse Stout at first. I love stouts, as they are my favorite beers, but this did not do it for me. I also enjoyed a salad and then had myself a Downtown Brown, a sweet yet hop tasting brown ale. Of the two the brown ale did the job.
Steamworks Brewing Company
Now that I had good liking of some beer, my goal was to hit Steamworks Brewing Company. It is located near the waterfront area just as the last rail station and Steamtown meet. It gets it’s fair share of tourists here, and tends to cater to the tourists, but it has great beers. I started with the Oatmeal Stout and worked myself to the Black Lager. I loved the Black Lager enough to have another. I meet some locals here who were giving me hints on where else to get some great drinks. I had a taster of the Coal Porter which was good, as and the rich Espresso Stout. The surprise was the Raspberry Frambozen, a sweet yet heavy tasting fruit beer.
Rogue
Afterwards my new friends from Steamworks Brewing invited me to try a Canadian tradition one building over at place named Rogue. The drink they had me try was known as a Ceaser, which is like a Bloody Mary, with a sausage. Rogue has many drinks to choose from, it is a wet bar, yet it does have some local brews from the area here. I unfortunately did not have one. The scene at Rogue is that of the place where people go to get seen, and yet filled with tourists since it is on the waterfront. I had to kindly let my new friends go as they went one way and I headed back to my apartment.
The Alibi Room
That evening I headed to The Alibi Room as suggested by the bartender. This place is a great place to get local brews from the area. Believe me, from my experience so far, there are a lot of brews to try. It is basically a tap room and a great place to find locals who are actually really friendly and willing to talk about anything. This was hands down one of the best environments to drink in Vancouver. It was a combo of a good mix of beer, people and entertainment.
In Victoria
Vancouver had some amazing spots to drink brews. But the place that seemed to be the king of beers was Victorira. I took a ferry to Nanaimo to check out the tranquil fishing town. Spent some time with my Airbnb hosts. A day later I found myself on a Greyhound to heading to Victoria. Victoria is known as “City of Gardens”, but should be known as the city of breweries. There are plenty of breweries to visit. The staring point here for me was Spinnakers.
Spinnakers
Spinnakers touts to be one of the first Micro Brewpubs in British Colombia, at least that is what I was told by the bartender. Spinnaker is located on the other side of the blue bridge kind of out of the way of the tourist area. This makes it have a more local atmosphere and feel. It is more of a restaurant than a bar. I started off with the Nut Brown Ale, which was rather good and had a good flavor to it. Ithen proceeded to the the Dark Ale which was nice and rich but smooth enough to counter the heat. I then tried the Extra Special Bitter thanks to the bartender’s suggestion and was well surprised on the flavor. The bartender was very helpful, knew a lot about beers and explained the origins well. He also talked of the history of the area. He was also kind enough to suggestion 5 other places to get some good brews while in Victoria.
Canoe
The next stop was back over the blue bridge to Canoe. Easy to find as it is on the waterfront, easy access for tourists. It had a good atmosphere, a wide open area as well as a large open eating area. This was odd due to the random weather in the area. Canoe has a good mixture of tourists and locals.
I asked for their specialty and the set me up with the Beaver Brown Ale. I really enjoyed it a lot. The bartender at first was not very talkative, until we started talking of Bogotá and our love for the place. He gave me a suggestion of the Summer Honey Wheat Ale. It was nice and refreshing. I then had a Red Canoe Lager which was nice but I had to run as the old lady sitting next to me was starting to hit on me.
Swan Brew Pub
I started to stumble out of Canoe quickly. Feeling a bit of a buzz I had about 5 other places to hit up, unfortunately Swan Brew Pub was going to be the last place. Thankfully within walking distance, I entered the small place. I like small as they have a nice atmosphere. It was definitely different than Spinnakers and Canoe. I tried the Swans Oatmeal Stout which was nice and thick and creamy with a heavy taste. It was a good one that I really enjoyed. I then had the Appleton Brown Ale which I really liked. Was not quite like a New Castle but was pretty close. A hurried that beer as I had to catch the bus back to Nanaimo.
Nanaimo - Fibber Magees
After my excursion from Victoria, I was hungry, despite being filled with beers. I tried to find my way to the area of Nanaimo, a small boating town, that was filled with nice restaurants. Instead I found myself getting lost. I spotted a place where a lot of locals were going so I decided to head that direction too. The place was an old railroad station turned into an Irish Pub. Fibber Magees had just opened a week prior to me entering. The service there was okay, not great and the atmosphere was definitely of the youth sort. The thing that stood out? Lots of beers on taps.
I asked the not so friendly bartender for a local brew and he provided me with a Longwood Dunkelweizen, a nice wheat ale. I then started to talk to some very friendly locals, which seems to be common on Canada. They introduced me to the world of Belgium style beers. They had me try La Trappe Tripel, in which I enjoyed and had 2 of. I then tried a Tremens which was delicious. I then had a local Longwood Framboise, a nice sweet raspberry ale which was quite tasty. At this point I was schnockered from all day of drinking. My kind new friends offered me a ride to my place in Nanaimo. I hurried myself to bed and then slept all night and more
The Wrap Up
What is there to say about British Colombia? Well it is a heaven for those who love beer. Other places that are worth mentioning are The Speakeasy and Granville Island Brewery. A beer fan can have a good time checking out the many craftbeers in the area. Just remember to bring some money.
Have some good beers you love from around the world? I know my list can go on for days. Tell me some of your favorite brews from all over the world 
Leave a message below, send us a tweet
// on twitter, or post on our facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let us know, we want to share it with others.
Places visited:
Yaletown Breweries
Swans Brew Pub
Spinnakers
Steamworks Brewing Company
Granville Island
Canoe
National Monument - Jakarta, Indonesia
The National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia as the the sunsets. The smog in the air causes this interesting color.
The Enchanting East - Traveling Pattaya and Bangkok
Azure skies, aquamarine beaches, the shimmering sand and a splendid sun is just what Asia begins with. But then, it just doesn’t end there either. It touches a palpable chord with the traveler, it makes him curious than ever, it brings him much closer to the myriad hues of life.
Pattaya and Bangkok are two splendid tourist destinations to visit atleast once in a lifetime. Perched calm on my speedboat, tearing those foamed waves which took immense freedom in rocking us, we sped across the blue stretch to Chon Buri Coast. The panorama during the boatride, takes your breath away. Green islands scattered in the blue sea and small fishing boats that earnestly wait for a day’s catch. Away, overlooking Pattaya City we see paragliders having their share of fun.
Dotted with numerous Parasols and stretcher chairs, vendors selling green coconuts and smaller artifacts, kids and adults equally wading through the water, this beach-side seemed bustling with life. Little boats and trawlers near the wharf settled up for major adventure rides, inviting potential buyers of their luring. This place is where one can have a splendid swim, a perfect sun-tan and a cold pint of beer.
Many tourists wore thick helmets and dived into the sea, where some others got ready for scuba diving. The stretched flea market facing the sea in this island, sure has the most welcoming sights and smells of all; of varied sea-food grilled, displayed, spiced and curious cats yearning for an offer, little art and curio shops, funny-looking fruits, busy restaurants that serve fresh food from the waters, cooked in front of you, shops selling traditional Thai garments and hats and some shops selling Thai traditional medicines.
Let’s go through them again!
The bustling city life in the East is greatly influenced by culture and tradition. Bangkok hugs its past tighter to itself with houses in the cities having traditional lamps hanging near the windows, believed to bring in good luck, no matter what the occasion is. This is a marvelous city, a melting pot of both traditional and modern lifestyle. When Bangkok keenly loves it’s culture of splendid temples, it is also one of the fastest growing metropolises of the world, accepting a new world as their own.
The Golden temple at Bangkok has some curious stories to tell the wander-bug. it’s majestic and Golden all over, one of the richest temples, owned by the royal family of Thailand. The Golden Buddha temple has the largest Buddha statue in the world, made of Pure Gold. Standing tall and undefeated at 3 metres height, this piece of art weighs roughly 5.5 tonnes and truly is an eye candy.
The temple premises have smaller sanctums and large gardens. Pretty Bouganevillae gleams and dances in tune with the cold breeze that frequents. Huge mango trees in the compound, each have a flock of lime-green parrots perched on their branches and squealing, their cries cutting razor-sharp through the spiritual air. Stone-statues guarding the temple, smile, having a story to pass on. Large prayer bells wait in patience for a devotee to touch them. Parchments with chants, tied to poles spreads good fortune. Devotees kneel in gratitude, near small, rounded, golden buddha statues with flowers at their feet. Incense sticks run out on heaps of ash. The air smells of thick smoke from the lamps lit. Monks close their eyes to pray. Chants rise and temple bells ring, not so far away.
The city of Bangkok begins where the temple ends. To preserve an enormous temple of worship in the middle of an ever-growing and demanding city is by no means a cakewalk. Venturing into the street markets of Bangkok is as pleasant as it sounds- with varied visual, olfactory and sensual plethora of an Uptown Asian market.
Vendors in the streets of Bangkok greet visitors while smiling and arranging their spreads on tables, setting up little chairs and plates, getting ready for lunchtime. When some women on the streets had already started to deliver their orders to their customers, the others engaged themselves into chopping meat, vegetables and frying their concoctions in deep pans. Parched and hungry dogs with funky belts sauntered around looking for some tidbits out of the frying pans and chopping boards. Little kids, walking with their parents, yearned at the marshmallow-seller’s bounty.
The main mode of transportation in Bangkok apart from buses and trains are the Tuk-Tuks. These three-wheelers can be hired for a meagre amount of 12 Baht for a day or more. These have the ability to squeeze in a fair bunch of passengers in the backside; like a gypsy car, except for the noises they make. It sounds as though all the parts of the vehicle are rattling in communion. Swarming in the streets, the Tuk-Tuks are a common sight throughout Asia and called by various names in different countries. It’s an Asia thing. Some TukTuks have neon lights and funky decors dolling in them, offering the customer a groovy night ride. During the afternoons tuk-tuk drivers take a break, nap on the backseats of their vehicles, making it their own little room, evading the sultry heat.
Ideally, visiting Thailand should be for 2 weeks. This land is a paradise for foodies with the exquisite taste of Thai spices. A bunch of friendly citizens are out there to help the foreign traveler. Most of them speak English and that is definitely an upside. Don’t forget to take back a bag or an assortment of Thai spices from any local store when you visit. You might just want to whip up a Thai chicken curry sometime! So for what dates is your calendar blocked for a trip down Suvarnabhumi (translates locally as The Golden Land)?
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(Editor Notes: Gayatri is a guest author from www.wanderbay.blogspot.com. An Indian born UX designer with a passion for food and traveling.)