Phnom Penh, Cambodia

She (judging from the purse) is catching a catnap on what looks like a palm frond but is actually a hammock. "The world is my bedroom" seems to be a national motto of Cambodia, where gravity-defying slings are a cut above a cardboard mat (see it?) on the grass? How does the unguarded purse reveal social norms? [2016]

Gulf Breeze, Florida, USA

Remember "those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" when you felt like he looks? Remember those days of hot dogs and pretzels and beer? Thanks Nat King Cole for giving us a lens (now almost six decades old) through which to see the world. [2018]

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Geography is all about locational analysis. Why has a mock elephant come to occupy this particular location? Why has this young man chosen to take a nap on this particular patch of grass? Why are these two species able to co-occupy the same space without conflict? [2016]

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

One is meditating, the other is asleep. Sleep habits differ around the world. Throughout Southeast Asia, napping takes place out in public and often in a hammock. It might be compared to the siesta in the Hispanic world, but one is public and the other is not. As for North America, napping during the day, and especially in public, is considered bad form. [2016] 

Changhua, Taiwan

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." So sayeth Hamlet ever since he was given voice by one William Shakespeare who was born (probably) on this day in 1564, and who died on this day in 1616. [2012]

Bangkok, Thailand

Just resting her eyes, she is. But, what else is there to do at Jack's ("Bangkok's cheapest riverside bar") in the morning? For someone riding the water taxis from the east side of the Chao Phraya to the west side, Jack's bar is nearby and worth a look-see. [2011]

New York, New York, USA

It's still winter, but here's a fruit-and-flower vendor who is sitting outside soaking up some rays: sleeves rolled up, eyelids rolled down, brain pouring over a map of the Azores high pressure system that seems to have moved a bit farther than usual to the west this time of year. [2012]

Anaheim, California, USA

Twas the day after Christmas, outside Disneyland, the homeless were sleeping. I don't understand how all the gift-giving, by-passed this man. [2016]

Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

Do you see the contradiction? The ad is for coffee, the world's premier caffeine delivery system. And, there he is taking a nap! Where is this happening? On the island of Java, the island whose name we use for coffee. [2016]

Brussels, Belgium

Thousands of homeless people are to be found in Brussels, but most take advantage of homeless accommodation services. Finding someone who is "homeless without shelter" is far less common than it is in the United States. [2015]

Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico

Maybe he had a little bit too much tequila the night before. Now, he's supposed to be on the job, but he's out back napping. As Abraham Maslow would point out: When your body needs sleep, lower-order needs trump all other needs you have. [2008]

Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico

What could be more relaxing than a hammock on the beach. Here at El Mirador, near the southern end of Cozumel Island, a few hammocks let travelers try them out: to convince them they need one at home. The hammock seems to have originated with the fishnets of the Caribbean's native peoples, so it fits the cultural geography perfectly. [2015]

Delhi, India

Good advice: catch a few zzz when and where you can. And, if Ganesh is nearby, you'll sleep soundly for sure. That's because he is the remover of obstacles: as in obstacles to sleep, perhaps. The Lord's magic must work. Just look at the obstacles our napper has had to overcome: they're under his neck and knees. [2011]

Washington, DC, USA

Don't you love to see landscapes used for unintended purposes? In 1920, Daniel Chester French, who designed the fountain in the middle of Dupont Circle, had every intention of honoring Admiral Dupont. Today, no one cares about Admiral Dupont, but many care about getting a nap after some hard biking. [2011]

Delhi, India

As the sun rises, the population awakes.  Among the pavement dwellers, the luckiest have spent the night on cots.  See them?  Others have sleep on the sidewalks.  [2011]

Niagara Falls, New York, USA

He's napping on the brink of the Niagara Escarpment. In the background, the Niagara River plunges over that escarpment on its way to Lake Ontario. It's the perfect place to explain the difference between potential and kinetic energy. Kinetic: That's what he is not at the moment. [2013]

London, England, UK

After a pole vault over Buckingham Palace, it's time for a rest. So, put down that 'A-to-Zed' and take a break from Olympic action. Hmm. Maybe that pole vault was just a dream. [2009]

Patong, Phuket Island, Thailand

There's more than one way to relax on a hammock. Moitié moitié the French might say: half on, half off. Whatever way you use your sling, the lure to nap is so tempting. [2011]

London, England, UK

Sweet dreams, tough guy on bike. Even in the busiest of cities you can always find a sliver of open space to park your cycle and catch some zzzz. Scenes like this make London such a likable city. [2009]

Valetta, Malta

A twosome takes time for a tête-à-tête, balanced on the parapet. Malta may be in the middle of the Mediterranean, but the Mediterranean is also in the middle of Malta, or at least its capital city.  Valetta's capacious harbor, and its location at the waist of the Mediterranean, have made the island a prime piece of real estate since pre-historic times. [2009]