Gettin’ the Blues at the Poor Monkey Lounge Ain’t Easy

You see, just finding the Poor Monkey Lounge isn't easy. I asked directions from an older gentleman wearing bib overalls and a straw hat as he walked down the shady side of First Street in tiny (pop 428), downtown Merigold, MS. "You ain't from around here are you," he responded, with a squint and just a bit of disdain. His face brightened slightly as he proceeded to give me directions. I got lost anyway.

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Along the Malabar Coast, Silhouettes of the Past

Like winged creatures from the past, silhouetted against the evening dusk, the fish nets stand watch over the backwaters of Kochi, in southern India. Thought to have been introduced by Chinese explorers during the rein of Kubla Khan, in the late fourteenth century, these kinetic sculptures are made from teak wood and bamboo. The nets, counterbalanced by huge stones, dip Into the water when two fishermen run up the long poles.

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Discovering the Escher-esque Chand Baori, Abhaneri , India

Oh my gosh, what a sight. Imagine an ancient Egyptian pyramid inverted and thoughtfully lodged into the ground. Chand Baori is over 100 feet deep and is lined with 3,500 symmetrical steps on three sides allowing access to water regardless of the level. The symmetrical, though dizzying, zig-zag pattern of the stone steps is reminiscent of an Escher drawing.

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