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Tui Snider
Tui Snider

Tui Snider

Inquisitive world traveler who writes books, gives talks & leads tours through historic cemeteries. My homebase is Texas, where I share a goth/tiki castle with my mad scientist husband & tabby cat. For my newsletter & more visit: TuiSnider.com Read more🇺🇸United States
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  • Tui SniderJanuary 2023Traveler

    Larry’s Genes

    January 6, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    We hopped aboard the Costa Deliziosa cruise ship in Trieste. There was no time to explore this historic city, but we had to snap a quick selfie since Larry’s grandparents emigrated to America from this town!

    Perhaps another time we will be able to do some genealogical travel here on his behalf.    Read more

  • Tui SniderJanuary 2023Traveler
    1

    Mourning Walks

    January 1, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F

    My dad died during our December visit to Washington State. This cast a pall over Christmas, but I’m so glad I was there to grieve with family.

    Our trip was a blur, but every morning, my sister and I hiked through the woods. My favorite paths are In Millersylvania State Park.

    Here are a few photos from those “mourning” strolls.    Read more

  • Tui SniderLone Star FallTraveler

    Driving to Meridian

    October 21, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    We had a wonderful camping trip with family this weekend!

    It started on Friday: After evicting the fourth opossum from our attic (long story!) and shutting down Larry's still (err - I mean, hand sanitizer making equipment) we enjoyed a lovely 2-hour drive south to Lake Meridian State Park. I say "lovely" because we purposely chose the country road route versus I-35.

    Along the way, we passed through Weatherford, Granbury, and Glen Rose. Oh, how I love the little courthouse towns of Texas!

    As usual, Granbury's historic square was bustling. Not only does this little town host a wide variety of festivals year-round, but they are well-attended. We noticed decorations for the Harvest Moon Festival and a cool homemade mummy as we passed through.

    Passing through Glen Rose, we admired its pretty little limestone courthouse, as well as a pair of autumnal dinosaurs cavorting in someone's lawn. I'm especially fond of the petrified wood gazebo in the town square. So many buildings in Glen Rose are adorned with fossils and petrified wood that it once billed itself as "Petrified City."

    Although aware of the drought conditions, it was still a shock to see how low the river is in Glen Rose. Yikes!

    Unlike the other courthouse towns we passed through, Meridian is not nearly as lively. It has two antique shops in the town square, but not much else. It's like when you see a person smiling, but they only have a couple of good teeth in an otherwise rotted mouth. You can feel the potential, but it's sad, as well.

    Why do I love old small towns so much? I really don't know. If I could adopt them all and fix them up, I would. How do you feel about small towns?    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Dog Friendly Beach Town

    September 4, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌧 68 °F

    Weymouth is such a dog-friendly town! Here's a pooch named Bella enjoying some ice cream made especially for dogs that the beach vendors sell. It's peanut butter and banana flavored.

    Many shops in Weymouth have water dishes out front. We even saw a pub that had a keg of water for dogs.Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Short Port

    September 3, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    We had a ridiculously short port call in Dublin. For starters, the ship anchored in Dun Laoghaire. Visiting Dublin required a 20 minute tender ride to shore followed by a 30 minute train trip.

    This left us with an hour-ish to see Dublin. We still had fun, though, because we bumped into the ship’s juggler. (We’ve seen our share of jugglers but John Nations’ show is outstanding.)

    Our all-too-brief visit to Dublin gave us just enough time to accompany John to the newly opened Lego store (while getting thoroughly drenched), then dash back to the ship.

    As you can see, I saw some cool seahorse lampposts along the way!    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Rough Tender

    September 3, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Sounds like an oxymoron, but we had a rough tender after our way-too-short jaunt in Dublin. It was a wild ride!

    The boat was jammed with passengers. At first, folks were cheery and chatting about their day. We were all rain-soaked, so there was commiserating a-plenty.

    Then WHAM! The tender rolled steeply and hit the water with a loud slam. An Irish lady responded by shrieking, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” in such a Lucky Charms accent that a round of nervous laughter ensued.

    As our boat continued to pitch and roll, a tense hush fell over the crowd. I kept glancing at the tender pilot to see if he looked nervous. Passengers certainly were! Some kept their eyes shut, while others, like me, stayed wide-eyed.

    In reality, we were not in danger. As Larry reminded us, these tender boats are also the ship’s life boats. They are built to withstand rough seas. Still, it’s scary to toss and I did not want to test the tender boat’s limits.

    Meanwhile, Dun Laoghaire’s harbor was dotted with sailboats enjoying the rise in wind and waves. Great weather for sailing, but not-so-great for our chubby little tender boat.

    When we finally reached the ship, everyone burst into a round of well-deserved applause for our tender driver.    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Fab Four Espresso

    September 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    When the Liverpudlian barista asked who my favorite Beatle is, I thought she was just making conversation, but no: she had a stencil! (I don’t really have a favorite, but I said George since he’s the mystical one and his songs introduced me to the sitar.)Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    In The Beatles' Footsteps

    September 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    We enjoyed a fabulous magical mystery tour through Liverpool, with a charming guide named Paul B. Not only is he a Beatles super-fan, but he was actually delivered by McCartney's mom, who was a midwife.

    Along the way, we passed by places in Liverpool that played pivotal roles in the lives of the Beatles. We even stopped at some, including Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, and Paul McCartney's family home.

    Our guide pointed out all the places mentioned in the song Penny Lane, including the barber shop, fire department, and the spot where the pretty nurse was handing out poppies.

    In 2018, Paul McCartney visited Penny Lane during a carpool karaoke episode with James Corden. After Paul autographed the sign, locals covered it with a protective shield.

    Here's the link to the carpool karaoke episode. In it, Paul explains the touching story behind the song "Let It Be," among other tidbits, such as the fact that his dad thought they should call their first bit hit, "She Loves You, Yes, Yes, Yes," rather than using the Americanism, "Yeah." This clip is well worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvzCTqkBDQ

    Penny Lane is an ancient toll road that gets its name from the penny farmers were charged to take their goods to market back in the day. (I've seen a couple other Penny Lanes in the UK, so now I know why!)

    While we were standing in front of Paul McCartney's childhood home, a psychedelic-painted Rolls Royce pulled up. It's a replica of John Lennon's famous car that's used for private tour groups.

    The British National Trust owns Paul McCartney's childhood home as well as John Lennon's. Both are kept just as they were while "the lads" were growing up. You can even go inside if you make arrangements in advance.

    An elderly woman lives in Ringo's former childhood home, so we could only look from afar. "We don't want to give her a fright," Paul B. explained. As you can see, around the corner from the house, there's a large mural of Ringo.

    While I'm a fan of The Beatles, I worried that this tour would feel cheesy. I'm happy to report that it was wonderful.    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Charming Port Town

    September 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Larry and I were surprised by how intruiguing Liverpool is. We both expected a grimy industrial port with little to do but chat about The Beatles.

    How wrong we were!

    As our Beatles tour guide, Paul B., explained, "Liverpool was a bleak place while the lads were growing up." It was heavily bombed during WWII, so they experienced the aftermath of this during their childhoods.

    See that photo of the house with the secretary bird mural? That's the only building standing in that neighborhood after WWII. So the Liverpool of today is quite different than the Liverpool the Fab Four knew early on.

    One thing I appreciate, is that many of the museums and historic public buildings are free and open to the public. Next time we go, I want to explore them.

    The library has a secret code in the pathway leading up to it. If you decipher it and tell a librarian, they will show you where a secret passageway is!

    I got a kick out of this tip from our other tour guide, Kevin, who said, "Don't toss your maps after my tour. Keep 'em close. This way, any time you want to walk into a building, even if its off limits, you can wave your map around and tell 'em you're a tourist. Keeps you out of trouble."

    I was also surprised to learn that Liverpool is home to Europe's first Chinatown. Next time we visit, I definitely want to wander through that neighborhood.    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Dickie's Dangle

    September 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    I forgot to share the story behind this statue in Liverpool. Locals call him "Dickie Lewis." This nude male figure stands proudly on a ship's prow as a symbol of the city's ability to weather any storm. The sculpture was well-received except for one unexpected side effect.

    As our guide told us, "There's no delicate way to say this. Every time it rained, it looked for all the world as if Dickie were weeing on the people below."

    Before long, there was a petition to "change the angle of Dickie's dangle." Sure enough, it worked. By moving the figure back, everything was fixed.    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    One Good "Tern"...

    September 1, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    We've popped by Invergordon, Scotland 3 times this summer. This has allowed me to observe the colony of Arctic Terns who nest in the port.

    I saw the terns when they first hatched, again as noisy floofballs, and most recently as fledges! Squee!

    Some were still pestering adults for food, others already seemed to know how to fish, and a few strays were still in floofball stage. The one below called out for fish until an adult came along and fed him.

    In other news, despite having the mildest covid case ever, I find that the hour or so before bed that I usually spend editing photos and writing my travel blog is now being used for sleep. I'll catch up when I can!    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Tagalog Teacher

    September 1, 2022, Celtic Sea ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    I was recognized again! 😆 While walking down the gangway, I saw a familiar face among the crew. She called out my name and we had a quick chat. I’m grateful for the chance to thank Sprinkles for the helpful Tagalog language class she gave on the ship we were on last year. Considering that much of the crew hails from the Philippines, it’s really nice to be able to make a tiny bit of small talk with them.Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Surprise inspection

    August 28, 2022, North Sea ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    Passport inspections are usually a serious experience, and most immigration inspectors I’ve encountered have a stern countenance, so I was a little freaked out when the UK immigration officers took one look at me, burst out laughing, and exclaimed, “Look! It’s her!”

    Female officer: Ah, there she is!

    Male officer: It’s our singer, isn’t it?

    Female officer: We saw you at karaoke.

    Male: Loved your version of “White Rabbit.”

    Female officer: You’ve wonderful energy!

    Me: You guys were in the audience?

    Female officer: We were undercover!

    Male officer: After you sang I added “White Rabbit” to my Spotify playlist. Just listened this morning.

    Since they were so chatty, I asked why they don’t stamp passports anymore. Turns out it’s now done digitally. The officers are just there to make sure our faces match our passport photos.

    As our banter continued, we found out that the immigration officers have been on the ship for a couple days. Must be a fun part of their job to hop from ship to ship.

    I would have asked more questions, but by then other travelers showed up and I didn’t want to slow things down.

    What a surprising exchange!    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Cruise to nowhere!

    August 26, 2022 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    We’ve been on a ship all week, but it was a cruise to nowhere!

    After I tested positive for covid last week, we needed to quarantine in Rotterdam.

    We wound up staying on the SS Rotterdam, which used to be a cruise ship but is now a floating hotel. It’s been meticulously maintained in all its swanky mid-century furnishings, so it’s like a museum, as well.

    When it comes to quarantining, this has been the best of all possible worlds. We actually had a fun stay, and best of all, we both tested negative for covid yesterday.

    So today we check out of the SS Rotterdam and head to Amsterdam to hop on another cruise ship.

    The adventure continues!    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    Pancake Boat

    August 24, 2022 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    We took a tour of Rotterdam’s port on the Pannenkoeken Boot, which literally means “pancakes boat.”

    Sure enough, they served all you can eat pancakes throughout the journey. The pa cakes, which are more like thick crepes than thick American style flapjacks, come in three varieties: spek (bacon), appel (apple), and normaal (plain.)

    As the chefs make them, they are plated and set on the appropriate shelf. The pancake shelf is inside the cupboard you see in one of the photos.

    After you grab a pancake, there’s a bar full of items you can add, such as fruit, cold cuts, cheese, and all sorts of sugary sweet things. I went for spek, soft-boiled egg, and brie.

    It’s a nifty set up!    Read more

  • Making Lemonade

    SS Rotterdam

    August 21, 2022 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    We have changed ships, but things did not go as planned.

    We were originally going to hop off the HA Rotterdam and hop onto the HA Oosterdam in Trieste. As usual, we took a covid test before the end of our cruise.

    This time, however, guess who tested positive? Me!

    Since the trip was nearly over, they let Larry and I quarantine together in our stateroom. They brought us food and when the time came, they escorted us off the ship before anyone else.

    They even gave me free internet so I could find a place for us to quarantine in Rotterdam. I thought there would be a list of “quarantine hotels,” but there is not.

    I finally found us the perfect place: the SS Rotterdam aka the Rotterdam 5. It was built in 1958, and after many cruises as part of Holland America’s fleet it has been transformed into a hotel, restaurant, event center, museum, and even houses an escape room.

    No one wears masks in Rotterdam, so we get strange looks, but whatever. (Locals even rioted over mask mandates here last November!)

    But we’ve spent the last several days here in a stateroom that’s much bigger than the one we had on the Rotterdam 7, which is the ship we were just sailing on.

    As you can see from my pics, the Rotterdam 5 has been lovingly maintained in all its mid-century glory.

    We took a self-guided tour through the whole ship, even down to the engine rooms, where I was surprised to see that the Rot 5 had stabilizers. (It was one of the first ships to have them.)

    I was also surprised to see that there are no balcony rooms. Guess those became a thing later.

    Our room includes a wonderful breakfast in the Lido deck. We sit outside in the fresh air. We’ve been eating dinner there, as well.

    I know it’s silly, but I couldn’t help but feel guilty for catching covid. Luckily, I only ever had the barest of symptoms, which is why the positive test result was such a surprise.

    When I admitted to Larry that I was feeling guilty, he just laughed and said we are just on an alternative adventure now and that we will have fun making lemonade from this turn of events.    Read more

  • Tui SniderAugust 2022Traveler

    Hardangerfjord

    August 18, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Hardangerfjord felt commanding yet serene as we glided by its rocky cliffs and dramatic waterfalls.

    We’ve seen a lot of fjords on this trip, but Hardangerfjord takes the cake. Not only do the mountains rise straight from the water, but according to our captain, it is deeper than the North Atlantic in places.Read more

  • Tui SniderAugust 2022Traveler

    Beetle Bee

    August 18, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Exciting to see a cute little Eurasian Beetle Bee pollinating an Angelica blossom in Geiranger, Norway.

    These bugs are in the scarab family and use what biologists call “Batesian mimicry,” meaning they pretend to be something dangerous, but are actually harmless.

    In this case, they hope their predators will think they are a bee.

    I think they’re adorable, although Larry fails to share my appreciation for the insect world, alas.    Read more

  • Tui SniderAugust 2022Traveler

    Waterfall Walk

    August 18, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    We lucked into Geiranger, Norway’s first sunny day in weeks. The Waterfall Walk takes you on a magnificent hike alongside a roaring river. As usual, I dipped my toes in the moment I got a chance. That glacial runoff is brisk, but after the initial shock, it felt so refreshing!Read more

  • Tui SniderAugust 2022Traveler

    Fun with AirTags

    August 14, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    The ship’s cell connection is $15/megabyte, so I put my phone in airplane mode when we’re at sea.

    When we reach a new port, I’m usually able to get a cell connection.

    Turning off airplane mode invariably causes the AirTags we have in our luggage to startle me with claims such as you see in this screen grab!

    At least my bag looks happy floating alone in the North Atlantic.    Read more

  • Tui SniderAugust 2022Traveler

    Scottish Mortsafes

    August 12, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    People often tag me with photos of mortsafes on social media wondering if I’ve ever heard of them or seen one in person.

    Long story short, mortsafes are not common in the USA. Henry Ford’s grave features a fancy one, but in his case, it was to thwart people who might ransom his corpse, not sell it to a medical college.

    So I was excited to see these famous mortsafes in Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard.

    The plaque for one of them explains a mortsafe’s purpose quite nicely:

    “This iron mortsafe was placed over the grave to prevent grave-robbers from digging up the body for sale to the anatomy classes in the medical school.

    Many other measures were taken in the 18th and 19th centuries to prevent this repulsive trade, which continued until the anatomy act was passed in 1832.

    Restored in 2010 by the Greyfriars Kirkyard Trust with support from the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.”

    Have you ever seen a mortsafe? By the way, I’ve seen it spelled “mort safe” as well as “mortsafe.” Since the plaque uses the portmanteau version, I’m sticking with that spelling!    Read more

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