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Our Family Trip to Paris in 20 iPhone Photos

March 30, 2018

March is a great time for a family trip to Paris and Paris with kids is always a good idea. Paris in Spring means it’s off-season, more affordable than a summer visit and the attractions are significantly less busy. I’ve been to Paris 5 times with three of those visits in March and three of those visits with at least one child (one of my sons, both sons or my niece).

In 2012, I had 6 nights in Paris and fantastic weather. Days were bright and blue and temperatures were in the mid-teens, one day hit 20 degrees Celsius. In March 2018, we didn’t luck out with the weather, but that didn’t stop our wandering. We had 5 nights and everything from sun to rain to snow, yes, snow (it melted quickly).

I have found that 3 to a 5-day family trip to Paris is the perfect amount of time. On our family of four trip to Paris, we stayed in an Airbnb in the Latin Quarter, my favourite arrondissement, near Place Saint Michel and Quai Saint-Michel. It is walking distance to the Notre Dame, the infamous Shakespeare, and Co. book shop, the cobblestone streets of Rue de la Huchette and the Seine.

We took advantage of a fantastic flight deal from Toronto ($321 CAD on British Airways) and visited Paris during my son’s March Break (also known as Spring break).

Note: If you’re Canadian and looking for flight deals, be sure to check out Next Departure on Facebook.

The best days were without a plan exploring on the hop on hop off tour of Paris or on foot and feeling the vibe of the city. It’s that vibe, the cafes, the lights, the architecture, the cobblestone streets, and the je ne sais quoi that keeps bringing me back to the City of Lights.

Some highlights of our trip:

Hop On Hop off Bus
Eiffel Tower at Night
The Carousel near the Eiffel Tower
Walking along the Seine
The Lego Store near the Latin Quarter
Midnight run for gelato
Street Food

All photos shot on iPhone 7 plus.

paris airbnb — A view from a bedroom in our Paris Airbnb.

View from our Airbnb in Paris — The view from our Airbnb balcony in Paris

family travel to Paris, Notre Dame — My family at the Notre Dame in Paris

Some street art near Le Centre Pompidou, Paris — Some street art near Le Centre Pompidou in Paris

Latin Quarter Paris — Our neighbourhood on a late Saturday night and the cobblestone streets of Rue de la Huchette

Rue de la Huchette Paris at night — Walking back to our Airbnb after late-night gelato.

family travel Paris — My youngest son pauses to take in the view over the Seine.

Family travel Paris in iPhone photos — My family walking near Pont Neuf and the Seine.

Locks on the Pont Neuf, family travel — Love locks on the Pont Neuf in Paris

Paris ile de la cite — Waiting for a view of my family to walk through this garden, instead, this group appeared. After some research, I learned that this was a group of Knights Templar. I also learned that at the tip of this island, Île de la Cité, some Knights Templar were burned at the stake on March 18, 2014. This photo was taken on March 18, 2018.

crepe stand in Paris — Street food on Pont Neuf in Paris

Place Dauphine is surrounded by buildings and cafes and there is room for kids to run. It’s a quaint oasis in Paris. Don’t miss this hidden spot.

The first sight of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

Louvre Pyramid at night — Louvre Pyramid at Night, my sons in silhouette.

family trip to Paris, louvre pyramid — My family walking by the Louvre Pyramid in Paris

Carousel de la Eiffel — The Carousel near the Eiffel Tower. My sons enjoyed a ride, even my 12-year old 🙂

Eiffel tower shot on iPhone — My youngest son taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower with his iPhone 5s.

Disclaimer: The moment links below contain affiliate links. If you find value in something I have shared, I’d be grateful if you used my link to make your purchase as it helps with the costs to run this blog. And as always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to connect with me. Thank you – Andrea.

Moment add-on lenses for iPhone

Over the years I’ve invested in Moment lenses for my iPhone to capture wider views and macro details. In the last year or so I added a telephoto lens and an anamorphic lens to my iPhone photography gear.

Click on the text below for more info on Moment iPhone lenses and cases.

Moment telephoto lens for iPhone 6, 6s, 7, 7 plus, 8, 8 plus, X, XR. XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max (if you have a dual-lens iPhone, this gives you 4x optical zoom)
Moment wide-angle lens for iPhone
Moment cases for iPhones, Samsung and Pixel Smartphones

For more information about mobile photography and Moment lenses for your smartphone, read this article.

The best accessories for smartphone photography and smartphone video

16000 mAh Anker portable battery charger (charges my iPhone 4-5 times)
Rode Video micro & sc7 (sc7 needed for smartphones)
iPhone 7,8, X, XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max – 2-in-1 Lightning and Headphone adapter
DJI Osmo Mobile 3 – foldable gimbal, may not be compatible with heavier iPhones + lenses. Check the Moment website.
Peak Design Field Pouch – holds my lenses, a small portable battery charger, and other accessories
Peak Design 3L Sling – if you want something a little larger, this is a great option. I have the 5L sling. I love Peak Design too!

Where to Stay in Paris with Kids

Paris Tours with Kids

Mobile Photography Workshops

If you’re in the Toronto and Greater Toronto area, I offer in-person private hands-on mobile photography workshops.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

SUBSCRIBE to wanderingiPhone.com for staying in the loop – exclusive opportunities, photo tours, workshops, webinars, and subscriber discounts on mobile photography workshops, consulting and more.

Our Family Trip to Paris in 20 iPhone Photos | wanderingiphone.com — pin me

British Columbia, Canada, Culture, Destinations, North America, photo essay, Photography, Travel, travel photography, Travel With Purpose

12 images that show how Indigenous culture in Canada is being preserved

August 19, 2016

OVER THE THREE-DAY Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, Canada, I witnessed the great pride of elders as they watched their children and grandchildren dance, drum and sing, celebrating and preserving their rich culture.

AReesFNCulture1 — This carving stands on a pole at Songhees Point. It depicts the importance of children and the spirit of this sacred site to the Songhees First Nation. This area is also known as Pallatsis, meaning “place of the cradle” in the Lekwungen language. When children were able to walk on their own, parents put their cradle along the waterfront to ensure them a long life. This was the launch site of 3 canoes that participated in the ‘welcoming of canoes’ ceremony and traditional protocol of approaching a First Nations territory and asking to come ashore. A young boy is seen walking behind this pole to join his father (not pictured) before they departed in the canoes for the ceremony and to open the 2015 Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia.

We were a mix of Indigenous people, some in colourful regalia, and non-Indigenous people that included local mayors, business leaders, and myself. We paddled in sync to the shared traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations to ask for permission to come ashore, a time-honored protocol. It was a historic day, as this had never been done before in the history of Victoria.

Chief Ron Sam of Songhees First Nation welcomed us ashore and stated the significance of the canoe ceremony when he said:

“You know I think it’s important, the acknowledgment, when we’re all in a canoe, pulling in the same direction. You know, I think that’s what we want to achieve on a daily basis.”

FN Culture 2 — George Taylor, emcee of the Aboriginal Cultural Festival and director of Le-La-La Dancers of Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation sings and drums as he leads a procession of 3 canoes across Victoria’s Inner Harbor in the canoe ceremony. Ten-year-old Matthew Everson seen beside George wearing a ceremonial blanket and mask participates in this historic ceremony.

FNCulture3 — Chief Ron Sam of Songhees First Nation looks on as Gary Sam, a dancer from the Songhees Nation greets the canoes, he then performed a paddle song to welcome us ashore.

FNCulture4 — A young drummer from the Esquimalt First Nation joins his grandfather (not pictured) on stage at the 2nd annual Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia.

FNCulture5 — Lason Taylor performs as a young grizzly bear at the Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Lason is a 3rd generation member of the Le-La-La Dancers First Nations dance company. The Le-La-La dancers are from the Kwakwaka’wakh First Nation in Northern Vancouver Island. They have been sharing their culture and traditions through song and dance under the direction of George Me’las Taylor locally and around the world for 27 years. The passing of stories from generation to generation is how their rich culture has survived and will continue to survive.

FNCulture6 — A drummer stands beside elder Ray Qwulshemut Peter, director of the Tzinquaw Dancers group from the Cowichan
First Nation, as they sing and drum at the Aboriginal Cultural Festival. This group presented songs and dances that were taught to them by their elders. They shared a song that was sacred to them and asked that no one record or photograph the performance. Several elders that lead dance groups stepped aside and asked the younger generation to sing and drums their songs. George Taylor spoke of the importance of the “passing of the drumstick” and teaching children and youth so that their traditions, songs, dances and stories may be carried on.

FNCulture7 — A young boy drums as he performs with the Tzinquaw Dancers from the Cowichan First Nation at the 2nd annual Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Children learn their traditional songs, dances and stories and participate in ceremonies and at festivals from a young age.

FNCulture8 — Amber Wells shares her story through a hoop dance. Amber’s father, Alex Wells is a 3-time world champion hoop dancer and has taught Amber the basics of this dance to which she has added her own elements.

FNCulture9 — Matthew Everson on stage at the 2nd annual Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Matthew is a 2nd-generation dancer in the Le-La-La Dancers First Nation Dance Company.

FNCulture10 — Kelly Robinson of Nuu-chah-nulth and Nuxalk First Nations displays a raven mask that he carved from yellow cedar. Kelly shared that his favourite animal to carve is the raven as it the light bringer, it brings light to the world. Kelly comes from a family of carvers as his uncles and grandfathers also work with this art. This mask is used for dances or ceremonies such as the potlatch.

FNCulture11 — Young Michael Sheena of the Pauquachin First Nation shows off a drum he made from cut pieces of deer hide. He learned how to make rattles and drums from his grandfather, Virgil Bob. Virgil shared the month-long process of preparing a hide, such as putting the fur in a special solution and the scraping of fur. Michael comes from a family of artists as his grandfather’s sisters, Alva and Iona are weavers and jewellery designers. Michael was with his aunts and grandfather in the artist booth. I learned that Michael and Virgil also use elk and bear hide for their instruments.

FNCulture12 — Jason, Lason and George Me’las Taylor, 3 generations of the Le-La-La Dancers First Nations dance company. The Le-La-La dancers are from the Kwakwaka’wakh First Nation in Northern Vancouver Island.

It was an honour to be in one of 3 First Nations canoes during the historic Welcoming of Canoes ceremony. Watch a short 30-second video of my experience.

For authentic Indigenous cultural experiences, attractions and events in Canada, visit:

Indigenous Tourism Canada

A guide to Indigenous tourism in Canada

Indigenous Tourism BC

A non-profit agency that works to support and promote a culturally rich Indigenous tourism industry in British Columbia.

A portion of this article was published in part on Matador Network. I was a guest of Tourism Victoria, but as always all opinions are strictly my own.

Discovering São Paulo through its street art in Vila Madalena

November 19, 2015

On a recent 36-hour stopover in São Paulo, I learned about Beco do Batman from a Brazilian friend that lives there. Beco de Batman is a cobblestone alleyway filled with vibrant street art in a Vila Madalena neighbourhood. São Paulo has a lot of beautiful street art, but the largest concentration of it is found here and every bit of wall space is covered.

It was given the name Batman’s alley when a single drawing appeared, of Batman, in the 1980s. Afterwards, art students and artists filled the walls. Though the original Batman piece no longer appears on one of the walls, a Batman logo appears in a window of a building near the small parking area.

You can find this alley around Rua Gonçalo Afonso and Rua Medeiros de Albuquerque. It’s about a 15-20 minute taxi ride from Avenida Paulista, the area I stayed in. There are many restaurants and shops in Vila Madalena so spending a day in this area is well worth your time. The work changes so frequently that it is considered an open-air gallery and some local residents visit on multiple occasions a year.

Some of my favourite pieces:

British Columbia, Canada, North America, photo essay, Travel, travel photography, wildlife

A Close Encounter with Orcas in British Columbia

September 3, 2015

I usually bring my 40-150mm 2.8 pro lens for a whale watching tour without a second thought as the whales are never close enough to use a shorter focal length. For the first time, I stood at the trunk of the car and questioned whether I should take the shorter focal length lens.

I had been on 2 whale watching trips during my visits to British Columbia this summer and didn’t even think about it before, but for some reason I had 2 minutes of photographer anxiety. In the end, I didn’t take it because I know that when wildlife appears closer than they normally do, there’s not enough time to change lenses.

Maybe I just knew I was going to see orca whales up close.

We came upon a pod of transient orcas after about a 20 to 30-minute ride from where we departed at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, British Columbia. Transient orca whales are also known as Biggs killer whales. We watched them alternate between shorter 2-minute and deeper 4-minute dives. In those longer dives, they were hunting.

As our captain vied for position and stopped a safe distance away, my best friend who is from British Columbia and is Nlaka’pamux and Cree First Nations was quietly singing her ancestral songs. We were the only 2 on the back of the boat.

Suddenly, a spy hop!

At that moment, I knew they were coming.

Shortly after the spyhop, some of the orcas started poking their head out of the water as if they were checking us out.

Checking us out. - Victoria, British Columbia — Orca whale in the Straight of Juan de Fuca near Race Rocks, about 17 km from Victoria, British Columbia.

I started to notice more surface activity but weren’t sure what the whales were up to. Then, we could see a harbour porpoise. They seemed more interested in playing with it than eating it as they would push it along and disappear with it under the water. The naturalist on board our Eagle Wings Tours boat thought that they were teaching the baby orca how to hunt. The truth is, he wasn’t sure, as he said that he had never seen anything like it before.

While the large male orca swam close to Eagle Wing tour’s other boat, my friend started to sing a little louder. I knew she was trying to communicate.

OrcasSide — An orca shows us a belly roll.

OrcasPorpoise1 — Two orcas and a harbour porpoise.

Then, two orcas were straight out in front of us with their heads above the water looking towards us with the porpoise between them. It was as if to say ‘look what we have’.

The next moment they came towards us.

OrcasPorpoise — Two orcas show us their catch, a harbour porpoise.

As they got closer, I switched to video mode and captured the moment they swam under our boat, twice! I said hello and thanked them, out loud.

I thought they’d reappear on the other side of the boat, but instead they resurfaced on the same side that they started from, right beside us.

Two orcas in the water near British Columbia with Race Rock in the background. — Orcas with Race Rocks in the background, about 17km from Victoria, British Columbia.

WhaleTaleBack — We saw humpback whales too, we think we saw 2 different ones. Humpback whale tail.

WhaleTaleSunset — A humpback whale tail against a British Columbia sunset.

TrialIsland — A beautiful sunset behind Trial Island, near Victoria, British Columbia

Every now and again I’d hear my friend say “kuk’stem” which is thank you in the Nlaka’pamux language. She was following Indigenous protocol in giving thanks to the whales and the Creator.

Until next time,

Andrea… and my wandering iPhone

A Journey Through India in 20 iPhone Photos

March 31, 2015

In August 2014, Toronto Travel Massive, a community I’ve been a part of since May 2013, celebrated its 4th anniversary. It was an India inspired event with Intrepid Travel and India Tourism as co-sponsors. Intrepid Travel gave away a 15-day tour and I was the lucky winner! I journeyed my way through India with an iPhone in hand and have compiled my 20 favourite iPhone photos.

In February 2015, I went to India for the first time and travelled through Madya Pradesh and Uttah Pradesh on the Unforgettable India tour

Some of my favourite iPhone photos from the trip:

An auto rickshaw a street 'barber shop' in New Delhi, India. — An auto rickshaw and a street ‘barber shop’ in New Delhi, India.

Some of my fellow tour travellers enjoy fresh juice in Old Delhi, India. — Fellow ‘Intrepid’ travellers enjoy fresh vegetable juice in Old Delhi, India.

In the kitchen of a Sikh temple in Old Delhi, India where 10, 000 meals are prepared daily. — In the kitchen of a Sikh temple in Old Delhi, India where 10, 000 meals are prepared daily and offered to anyone that visits, for free.

Street Art on the wall of a ghat in Varanasi, India.

Sunrise on Ganga (Ganges River) in Varanasi, India.

A flower and candle ceremony on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India. — A flower and candle ceremony as the sun sets on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India.

Camping overnight by the Ganges River after 'sailing' down it for 4.5 hours. — Camping overnight by the Ganges River after ‘sailing’ for 4.5 hours.

Waiting at a waterhole at Bandhavgarh National Park hoping to catch a glimpse of a Bengal tiger or leopard. — Waiting at a waterhole in Bandhavgarh National Park hoping to catch a glimpse of a Bengal tiger or leopard.

1000 year old temples in Khajuraho, India. — A 19th century temple in Khajuraho, India, though most of the Western temples of Khajuraho are 1000 years old.

1000 year old temples in Khajuraho, India. Some depict carvings from the Kama Sutra. — 1000 year old temple in Khajuraho, India. Some depict carvings from the Kama Sutra.

An auto rickshaw driving through the Second Old Gate in Orchha, India — An auto rickshaw drives through the Second Old Gate in Orchha, India. Took this shot through the window of the auto rickshaw that I was in.

TARAgram: Tribal women in make recycled paper products in Orchha, India. — TARAgram: Tribal women make recycled paper products in Orchha, India.

A cow wanders through a market in Chanderi, India

This 15th century Badal Mahal Darwaza gate stands in Chanderi. It is said to have been built as a triumphant free standing gate. — This 15th century Badal Mahal Darwaza gate stands in Chanderi. It is said to have been built as a triumphant gate.

A view of the open court of the15th century Jama Masjid mosque in Chanderi, India. It is said the foundation this mosque, still in operation today was laid in 1251. — A view of the open court of the15th century Jama Masjid mosque in Chanderi, India. The foundation for this mosque, still in operation today, was laid in 1251. There are many monuments in Chanderi. We enjoyed a 2 hour walk through the town.

A clothesline in Chanderi, India. Enjoyed a 2 hour walk through this off the beaten path town.

A man passes through a doorway at Agra Fort in Agra, India.

First glimpse of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

A rainy day at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India - March 2015. — An unusually rainy day in March at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Photo taken March 2015.

View: My Unforgettable India Tour In Video

For private or corporate Smartphone Photography Virtual Workshops click here

Discovering Cape Town Through its Street Art in Woodstock

January 14, 2015

The first time I visited Cape Town, South Africa in December 2012 I heard about a street art tour in Woodstock while staying at The Backpack. Unfortunately I didn’t find time on my schedule for a visit.

Over the last 2 years I’ve seen some of the amazing street art pop up on my Instagram feed by some of my Cape Town Instagrammer friends. Fast forward to my 4th visit to the Mother City this past November (2014) and I just had to get there and see it for myself.

While you can certainly visit Woodstock yourself as I did, I highly recommend taking a street art tour especially if it’s your first time to the city to learn more about the history and the art. You can plan for a visit to the nearby Old Biscuit Mill and make a day of it in this interesting neighbourhood.

Here are some of my favourite murals in Woodstock that I captured with my iPhone.

Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.

Save Our Rhinos - Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood. — Save Our Rhinos – Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.

When I was in Senegal, I took Djembe (African drumming) lessons. I learned from a master Djembefola that the djembe was used to communicate between villages in Senegal and West Africa where it is said the djembe originated. It would signal illness, death and celebrations such as marriage and birth. This is my ode to the tradition and a way to celebrate the upcoming birth of the woman’s baby.

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.