Author: Tricia A. Mitchell
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Photo du Jour: A Lantern Maker in Marrakech’s Souk
A young man in Marrakech shapes metal strips that will later be used to form the skeleton of a jewel-toned Moroccan lantern. In the town’s souk (bazaar), a colorful array of these finished lanterns adorns stalls, making for a picturesque stroll by night when blocks are all aglow. Palaces and riads (traditional Moroccan townhouses) glimmer with…
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Photo du Jour: A Red Hibiscus in Buddha’s Hand – Ubud, Bali
At our home away from home in Bali, Indonesia, this Buddha statue greeted us daily with a splendid flower in hand. The flowers — quite often hibiscuses or frangipanis — had been carefully selected and placed by the homestay’s hostess, Ayu. Like the practice of making canang sari, Ayu’s ritual is another example of the…
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The Ubiquitous Laotian Sinh, or Skirt
The Laos People’s Democratic Republic (P.D.R) is a joy to explore. It’s affectionately known as ‘Laos Please Don’t Rush‘ and when you get there, you see why – almost instantly. The locals are easygoing and friendly, the environment is mellow, and the Laotian culture has retained enough authenticity that you’ll want to linger longer and appreciate its…
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A Monkey Tethered to a Bomb Shell in Rural Laos
Throughout Asia during these past few months, we had the opportunity to gleefully observe monkeys outside of customary zoo environments. Some monkeys gracefully walked on power lines as if they were tightrope artists; others stole human goodies from garbage cans at outdoor establishments. The luckiest ones lived in areas that blended a natural with an…
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Photo du Jour: Under Watchful Eyes – Munnar, India
Under the observant gaze of a bindi-clad woman in a storefront advertisement, men discuss the day’s happenings and observe passersby on a main road in Munnar, India. Munnar is well known for its tea-growing estates, which are some of the highest in the world.
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Love in the Air at the Heidelberg Castle
The Heidelberg Castle grounds are one of my favorite spots to stroll. When I was just a young babe in a Kinderwagen, my mother posed for a now-iconic family photograph at the castle’s main overlook spot (Scheffelterrasse), with me in tow. Twenty years after that shot was snapped, I moved from the United States —…
