Contrary to popular belief, tea is not the only popular beverage served in London. In fact, ever since the first Italian espresso machine crash landed in England in 1952, London has had a swinging coffee culture. Now thanks to the vintage documentary reel above, you can take your own tour back in time to the beginnings of London's fledgling coffee shop scene.

Hit play and enter a time when coffee was the king of cool, inside a smoky, bohemian coffee bar, packed to the rafters with young Londoners gleefully puffing on cigarettes as a lively soundtrack of jazz wafts above them. It's as much a tour of the city's coffee bars as it is an intriguing artifact of a London that has moved on to trendier pursuits and hangouts. This morning, go grab yourself another cup off the pot and settle in for an intriguing cross-section of life in 1950's London.

The rainy day colors and textures of Flickr user Better Nothing Than Almost's photo caught my eye today. Taken near Tel Aviv, Israel, the blurry drops of water that cling to the window create an impressionist-like effect on the image. I love the hushed color palette, darkening skies and bursts of warm light. It feels eerie yet warm at the same time.

Taken any great travel photos of your own? Why not add them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Ever wanted to visit Melbourne? Well dear traveler, today's your (un)lucky day! We're going to take you on a video tour of Australia's second largest city like you've never seen it before - down streets lined with "fanciful emporiums!" Inside a place where restaurants serve meals chock full of "extrinsic flavors!" and past public spaces adorned with the work of "young genius." Wait...huh?

If you're feeling confused (or even a little deceived) not to worry. We are too. Apparently the above production, crafted by the geniuses at Powervision (Asia Pacific), is a tourist DVD intended to wow visitors with Melbourne's show-stopping beauty, mouth-watering cuisine and buzzing nightlife. We're not so sure it's working. Then again, who wouldn't jump at the chance to visit the "Big Spine"? Give it a watch and decide for yourself.

Teahupo'o, site of a legendary surfer break on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, has developed quite the reputation among big-wave surfers. Due to a shallow coral reef just off shore, waves here tend break as massive, chunky walls of water, a phenomenon that has earned Teahupo'o the distinction as the "heaviest" wave in the world.

The video above, filmed at Teahupo'o, offers a first-hand view from the ocean of what it's like to ride the massive swells of this epic surf spot. Set to an ethereal soundtrack, the video follows surfers as they brave one of the biggest surfing days at Teahupo'o in recent memory, riding crushing "fists" of ocean that grow and collapse, threatening to swallow them whole at any minute. Sit back, click the play button, and let yourself be mesmerized by these awesome feats of athleticism.

The best photography captures candid moments - those split seconds between fantasy and reality when our subjects' guard comes down and we get a glimpse into their true nature. That's why I liked today's photo by Flickr user t3mujin - his shot of workers relaxing on a bench in the Burmese city of Yangon feels like one of those candid moments. I love how each man's body language is slightly unique yet quite similar - the two on the ends with their knees up act almost like "bookends" to the men in the middle with both their legs down.

Have any great photos from your own travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

A photographer could spend weeks wandering around San Francisco - between the city's dramatic natural setting, bright murals and colorful rows of Victorian homes, there's a lot to see (and shoot).

As Gadling blogger Jessica pointed out recently, it's also a city rich with history. In fact, photographers have been documenting this City by the Bay ever since the very first days the camera was invented. Now a website called Old S.F. lets you blend these two pursuits, displaying the city's pleasing photography and rich history via an interactive map.

The story behind Old S.F. begins when resident Dan Vanderkam was looking at historic photos at the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection and came upon an image of his block that was identified with the wrong cross streets. The inaccuracy inspired him to start a searchable database, layered onto a Google Map of San Francisco to help others find them more easily. The rest, as they like to say, is history.

To start using Old S.F., just pull the sliders along the top to adjust the date the photos were taken (starting at 1850 and ending at 2000) and then click on one of the red dots to see images from that location. It's a fascinating journey through some of San Francisco's most famous (as well as its most intimate) landmarks - witness the chaos and destruction that followed the 1906 earthquake, or watch the elegant Golden Gate Bridge as its construction slowly creeps across the Bay. It's your own personal time machine to San Francisco - and you're holding the controls.

[Photo courtesy of army.arch]

I often forget the amazing wealth of national parks, hiking trails and historic sites within easy access of my home. For instance, did you know there's 260 sites within 100 miles of Brooklyn, NY? In fact, iPhone users can now find out for themselves just how many great outdoor sites are near their hometown using a great smartphone app called Oh Ranger! ParkFinder.

The American Park Network, a publishing company that creates visitor guides for national parks, is behind Oh Ranger, a searchable database of outdoor activities ranging from cycling to historical sites to camping to bird watching. In addition to their free web database, they've released Oh Ranger! ParkFinder for iPhone and iPad Touch, a fantastically useful mobile extension that makes it easy to track down your favorite activity at a park near you. Once you've downloaded the app, you can easily search for parks based on favorite activities, search for a specific park, or use your iPhone's location to find sites nearby.

Whether you're a die-hard outdoor lover or simply looking for some great weekend or daytrip getaways, Oh Ranger! Parkfinder is a nifty, convenient way to find it. You give it a try for free by downloading from the iTunes app store. Although there's not yet an Android version of the app, the Oh Ranger website utilizes the same park database.

Today's positively ethereal image comes to us from Flickr user AdamJamesWilson, who captured this sky-high shot of a paraglider over Lake Serre-Poncon in Southeastern France. I love the image's "vintage" muted colors, wisps of cloud and silhouetted figure all set against a glistening sun.

Taken any great photos during your travels? Why not add them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Had a problem getting a Chinese tourist visa in New York City? Apparently you're not alone. Travelers around the web have reported consistent frustration with the Big Apple's PRC Consulate, with issues ranging from rude employees, to inconsistent approval policies, to prolonged waits.

Travel visa bureaucracy may be nothing new, but the city's entrepreneurial reaction to it has been intriguing. As NPR reports, some enterprising New Yorkers have managed to create a surprisingly successful business, operated out of a mobile van, to help travelers deal with the hassle.

Adam Humphreys and Steven Nelson, owners of Lucky Dragon Mobile Visa Consultants, have become a beacon of hope for travelers turned away by the consulate's downright baffling policies. For a flat rate of just $20, they've set up a mobile van that operates across the street from the consulate, offering printers, helpful advice, updated application forms and fluent Mandarin speakers to assist with travelers problems. According to the report, the business has been wildly successful - the pair are reportedly clearing upwards of $500 a day.

Have you experienced problems getting a Chinese visa? How did you handle it? Leave us a note in the comments.

[Flickr photo by Zach Klein]

Everything about Bogota, Colombia's capital of culture, cuisine and Cumbia, begs for further exploration. From the rough-around-the-edges street art of colonial-tinged 'hood Candelaria, to the fabulous golden Pre-Columbian artifacts at the Museo del Oro, to the buzzing coffee bars of Zona G, there's a little something for every type of traveler in this rapidly rising mecca of South American tourism. Best of all, there's never been a better (or cheaper) time to investigate this symbol of Colombia's continued tourist resurgence.

Simply put, Bogota offers one of the continent's most affordable blends of culture and cost. Thanks to a healthy exchange rate of around 1,900 Colombian pesos to the dollar, Bogota visitors can expect to experience the city's first-rate amenities at positively rock bottom prices. A taxi ride to most attractions within the city costs less than $10, while a hearty plate of Bandeja Paisa, a gut-bursting sampler of Colombia's culinary staples, will set you back less than $5. Bogota's array of budget-friendly guesthouses offer private rooms starting for as little as $15-30/night.

And at just a six hour non-stop flight from New York City and three and a half hours from Miami, Bogota is surprisingly easy to get to. Move over Buenos Aires - Bogota is about to give South American travelers in search of a great value a run for their money.