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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 2024Traveler
    1

    Barbados Gully

    January 7, 2024 in Barbados ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

    After our trip through Harrison Cave, our guide, Shane, took us for a walk through the adjacent nature trail.

    These shady valleys are known locally as “gullies.” Shane gave us what he called, “gully survival tips.” He showed us how to get fresh rainwater from a palm tree, for instance, and which leaves made the best toilet paper.

    The gully has a small enclosed aviary. Although the budgie section was closed to the public that day, Larry and I were able to call over a friendly Saxon Fairy Swallow Pigeon.

    Many people called pigeons “rats with wings,” but that’s simply unfair. Rats truly are vectors of disease, whereas pigeons are not.

    Oddly enough, Lar and I both had headaches before visiting the aviary. Afterwards, we both felt better.

    I blame the “pigeon therapy” for making us both feel better!    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
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    Xmas & New Year’s 2023

    December 24, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    We spent Xmas and New Year’s with my stepdaughter near London. She’s an amazing cook and spoiled us rotten with an array of tasty meals, including: pheasant and chestnut stew, clementine cake, juniper and lemon ice cream, cranberry ice cream, and much more!

    She lives by the Thames, so we also enjoyed strolls along the waterfron, as well as the occasional stop at the riverside pub, where we enjoyed half pints of pear cider and a proper plate of fish ‘n’ chips with mushy peas.

    I enjoy visiting grocery stores around the world, and England is no exception. I get a kick out of their cough medicine for example, Thanks to the descriptions, dry and tickly vs chesty, you know exactly which type is right for you.

    Naomi and I rang in the New Year on our own, alas, because Larry had to fly back to the states. Why? Because his passport ran out of space for new stamps!

    Up ‘til 2016, this would have been no big deal. Back then, you could simply get more pages stapled into your existing passport . These days, you are required to get a brand new passport.

    As you can imagine, getting one on such short notice was tricky. I’ll spare the details, but he managed to get an in person appointment in Dallas.

    The upside to all this, is that he got to ring in the new year with our Texas family, so all was not lost.

    He also dropped off a large suitcase of souvenirs and superfluous clothing at our house. This means we are down to one big suitcase and two roller bags.

    He put one of the roller bags into an empty big bag, so we’ve got plenty of room for souvenirs now.

    I must say that with each trip we take, we get better at packing.

    It had been roughly 20 years since my stepdaughter and I shared the holidays together, so this was a real treat.

    As always, our time together flew by and saying goodbye was hard. Still, I am very grateful for the time we spent together.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    1
    11

    Singapore’s Changi Airport

    December 23, 2023, Bay of Bengal ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    I had no idea that Singapore’s Changi Airport is so unique until my friend, SJ, told me that many people consider it a destination unto itself.

    We visited Changi with the express purpose of catching a flight to London, (at 15 hours, the longest flight either of us have ever taken) but after checking our bags, I was delighted to find that our terminal featured lush decor and a free butterfly garden.

    I had my first taste of Singapore style coffee here, too. Kopi Peng is iced coffee with evaporated milk, a lot like Vietnamese coffee, actually. So yummy!

    I’ve never had so much fun while waiting for my flight. In fact, I found myself rushing back to the gate for boarding because there was so much to enjoy.

    Since we flew with Singapore Airlines, it only seemed right to start our flight with Singapore Slings. I’d never had the drink before. Not only were they tasty, but they were on the house.

    As for the last photo, I had no idea there was a city called “Batman.”    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Java Country Drive

    December 18, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Even though it was a two hour drive from Semarang to Borobudur, it was far from boring.

    To keep us from getting caught in traffic, we had a police escort.
    Our bus was the first one out of the port, so we heard short siren bursts along the way.

    Speaking of cars, near the temple of Borobudur, I saw a whole lot of VW Things. Not sure what that’s all about.

    I enjoyed learning that rice fields here keep owls in birdhouses to catch mice. During the day, farmers encourage wading birds as another form of natural pest control.

    When our guide pointed out groves of rubber trees, I was surprised how skinny the trunks were.

    At one busy intersection, I saw a woman dressed in red, who seemed to be wearing a monkey mask. Wonder what the story was with her?

    I saw several versions of the potbellied man with the white face. Our guide told us that businesses put those out front to protect from evil spirits.

    We had an excellent guide named Gundar. One of the first things he told us was that Javanese people only have one name. They have no middle or last names!

    I also found it interesting that men often keep songbirds. Not only are they pets, but they often enter them in songbird singing contests, which can have very big prizes.

    On the ride home, he taught us a cute little Javanese song about a cockatoo landing on a windowsill. I’ve had it stuck in my head for days!    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Javanese Food

    December 18, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    We enjoyed some tasty treats in Java! For starters, I was thrilled to sip a cup of actual Javanese java whilst snacking on fried bananas.

    After we visited the temple of Borobudur, we were treated to a Javanese buffet. I appreciated that the items were labeled with their name and a brief explanation of ingredients.

    Everything was fresh and yummy, but I especially enjoyed something called “winkgko” which features rice flour and coconut milk.

    I can now add Javanese food to my list of favorite world cuisines.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    1

    Borobudur Temple

    December 18, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    From the port of Semarang, we booked a tour to visit Borobudur, which is the world's largest Buddhist temple.

    Built in the 8th century, it was abandoned soon after due to volcanic eruptions that frequently covered it in ash. By the 1800s, its existence seemed mere legend until Sir Thomas Raffles hired a team to explore the area and essentially rediscover it.

    These days it's one of Indonesia's UNESCO World Heritage sites, and is considered one of the wonders of the world (depending on whose list you read.)

    While not a burial site, Borobudur was helpful to my ongoing research due the many examples of mudras depicted here. Borobudur boasts 504 statues of Buddha, each of which displays a specific mudra which are the symbolic hand gestures of Buddhist teachings.

    In a field below the temple, I noticed a lot of black hair on the ground. Our guide explained that was due to a hair cutting ritual for young Buddhists when they reach adulthood.

    She also explained the stories behind the bas reliefs on the temple. Many are examples of good karma vs bad karma. I didn’t really find out the story behind the monkey/lion creatures that seemed to guard the entryways. I’ll have to look into that when I get some Internet access    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    21

    Kuala Lumpur

    December 14, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 81 °F

    We took a “highlights of Kuala Lumpur” tour today, which gave us a good overview of this Malaysian city.

    I didn’t expect to enjoy our free time at the Petronas Tower so much. Rather than ride to the top, we enjoyed a bento box lunch in the food court for $6.

    After, we tried a “salted caramel latte with cheese foam” for dessert. Apparently, cheese foam is made with cream cheese. In any case, it was delicious!    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    2

    Orang Utan Island

    December 13, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Another gorgeous sunrise for us this morning as we made our way to Orang Utan Island. I even saw dolphins leaping in the sun’s reflection in the water!

    What’s great about this wildlife reserve is that the humans are in cages and the animals roam free. Visitors stroll along a caged pathway.

    Despite the cage, we still had to be careful. At one point, while angling my phone through the fence to get a photo of an orangutan, a Rhesus monkey hopped down from the trees and nearly swiped by sunglasses.

    The employees here shared the backstory for each of the rescued orangutans. Some of them can be released into the wild, but others cannot.

    The Queen, for instance, was once a house pet. Not only did she live in an apartment with her owner, but she wore a house dress and was addicted to cigarettes!

    She gets quite jealous of other females, even human females. When women would approach to take her photo, she’d spit at us.

    It was heartwarming to see that the employees clearly love all the animals here.

    Oh, before I forget: the cicadas there sounded high pitched metal machinery. I actually asked them what machines I was hearing were.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Cave, Bats, Fish & Eagles

    December 12, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We had a great time at Kilim Geoforest Park on Langkawi. We took a boat ride to a cave where we saw bats and the cutest crabs in the mangrove forest.

    On our way to the cave, a woman pulled out a packet of tissues and was instantly mobbed by a pair of monkeys. You have to be so careful around those cheeky little beasts!

    Next, we visited a fish farm where I fed a sting ray. My favorite part of the tour, however, was watching the sea birds fishing. I have some video clips of them diving into the water.

    We spent about 15 minutes marveling at them, but I could have easily watched them for much longer.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    2

    Welcome to Langkawi

    December 12, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    While “Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah,” sounds like the title of a video game, in reality it is a Malaysian archipelago. As we stepped of the ship today, we were met by locals in traditional costumes playing music. I didn’t take any video, alas, but just imagine typical snake charmer music for the guy with the chanter.

    It’s very laid back on this island. And check out that infinity pool. I could definitely envision a week of R&R on Langkawi.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
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    Gardens by the Bay

    December 8, 2023 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    After exploring Bukit Brown cemetery, we nabbed a cab via the Asian equivalent of Uber, which is called Grab.

    We were hot and sweaty from the intense humidity, so the cab’s a/c was much appreciated.

    No sooner did we reach Gardens by the Bay than the skies open up and a tremendous electric storm kicked into full gear. We sought shelter at a patio outside of McDonald’s before buying tickets to the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest.

    We were both drenched, so it was a little chilly at first. The Flower Dome was decked out for Christmas, and the Cloud Forest has an Avatar theme going on right now.

    We enjoyed them both, and all the walking kept us from getting cold. Our timing was perfect, too. We enjoyed a sodden sunset and then watched a light show in the SuperTree grove before catching a cab back to the ship.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
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    Bukit Brown Cemetery

    December 8, 2023 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    Originally owned by Chinese clans, Singapore’s Bukit Brown became a public cemetery in 1922. Even so, the 212 acre expanse has been largely untouched since the 1970s.

    The jungle foliage provides a much needed wildlife corridor for a wide variety of species. During our visit, we encountered wild boar, and numerous butterflies and birds.

    A troop of rowdy monkeys came and chowed down on some food that cemetery party-goers left behind. I stayed out of the monkeys’ way, but it was quite a scene!

    Bukit Brown had a lot of warning signs, too. I stayed especially alert for cobras and wild dogs, but I didn't expect to see a warning about ghosts! (Look closely at the sign and you'll see what I mean.)

    And talk about grave goods! I often see a bit of food and drink left at burial sites, but many tombs in Bukit Brown bore evidence of major partying.

    At one point, I heard music and chanting in Chinese. Turns out that some of the graves have solar powered music. (Click on the video to hear it.) That’s a first for me.

    It would be fun to come here at night and see the ancestor worship in action.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Lombok Island

    December 4, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    It’s not easy to shoot decent photos when you’re hurtling down a narrow road in a taxi with dirty windows and a cracked windshield, but I did my best today on Lombok Island.

    Compared to other parts of Indonesia, Lombok is slower paced. Mosques and temples abound.

    Our cabbie explained that they grow rice, tobacco, and corn here. There were plenty of roadside stands selling fresh produce, but the roadside pet store surprised me: a vendor selling little bunnies and goldfish in hanging plastic bags.

    We even saw a few cemeteries, but they were so overgrown that the photos I took from the car are not worth sharing. Vegetation is very lush here!    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Water Palace

    December 2, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 84 °F

    We also visited the Water Palace on Lombok Island. In 722, the island’s king used the nearby river to create several pools on the grounds of the home he lived in during the dry season.

    Locals still come here to swim, either in the paid pool, or in the free ones. I’m not sure what the difference is.

    Many statues, and even some trees were festooned with checkered cloth called “saput paleng.” The black and white pattern symbolizes balanced forces of the universe.

    I also saw “canang sari” which are offerings created to thank various deities. To create canang sari, worshipers use banana leaves and other natural fibers to create little baskets, then they add flowers and maybe some fruit and other items as offerings.

    Since preparing them takes time, the act of creating canang sari is considered a prayerful expression of gratitude. I like the idea of combining prayer with a task that lets your mind both wander and focus.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler
    1

    Weaving Village

    December 2, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 86 °F

    On Lombok Island, our cabbie took us to Songket Village, where women weave beautiful cloth.

    I thought we would just watch the process. I didn’t expect to be given the chance to work the loom myself. It was so much fun!

    After that, they dressed me in traditional garb and took photos of me in my beautiful new home in the tropics. Haha!

    And, yes, I bought a piece of clothing, a colorful blazer that’s light enough for me to wear in Texas (at least when it’s chilly.) I will treasure it.    Read more

  • Tui SniderDecember 2023Traveler

    Komodo Dragons

    December 1, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    As you step ashore onto Komodo Island, you’re greeted by the scent of sea air and cloves. Local guides chain smoke clove cigarettes as they wait their turn in a shaded wooden hut.

    Buildings are elevated here to keep out t Komodo dragons. Little ones are venomous and can climb steps, but big ones are not as agile.

    The guides use forked sticks to protect visitors from dragon attack. Most of the time the sticks are not needed, but we saw them in action when a little guy came trotting towards our group.

    You don’t want to mess around with Komodo dragons, not only are they the world’s biggest lizards but their bite contains venom (for which there is no antidote), anticoagulants, and a host of bacteria to makes sure your wounds get nice and infected. A single bite can land you in the hospital for months, and that’s if you’re lucky.

    As cold blooded creatures, komodos spend most of their day regulating their body temperature by seeking sun, shade or even a swim at the beach. Like crocodiles and other cold blooded kin, they only eat once or twice a month.

    Our guide, Jack (who jokingly asked us to call him “Jackie Chan”) grew up on Komodo Island in a village with 2,000 people.

    “I am very happy,” he told me. “It is a good life here, with everything I need.”

    Before our hike, Jackie warned us that we might not see any Komodo dragons. “They are wild animals. They come and go.”

    Indeed, some visitors today only saw one or two of the beasts, and even then from a distance.

    Maybe it was because were the last group of the day? But for whatever reason, we encountered lots of lizards of all sizes on our trek.

    The biggest ones were basking at a watering hole. As newcomers approached, the Komodos would growl at them. If you watch my videos you can hear what they sound like.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Shark crocodile

    November 29, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    Today we visited Surabaya. The city gets its name from Javanese words for “shark” (sura) and “crocodile (baya.)

    According to legend, the two were apex predator besties, but after quarreling over food, they decided to divide their domains: the shark got the ocean and the croc was supposed to stay on land.

    This is why visitors to Surabaya will notice shark and crocodile themed murals, signs, and manhole covers all over town.

    I didn’t realize Indonesia was home to crocodiles, but the country falls on the western side of the infamous Wallace Line, which is an imaginary border used to mark the difference in species between Australia and Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia.

    Ever wondered why so many animals in Australia are venomous, for instance, while New Zealand has none? The Wallace Line runs between them.

    Indonesia’s saltwater crocodiles were driven close to extinction by the mid-20th century, but they are making a comeback.

    As part of our taxi tour today, we visited Surabaya’s monument to Indonesian independence, which they gained on November 10, 1945.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Surabaya Cemeteries

    November 29, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Today’s sighting of a “Monteverde Angel” in Surabaya, Indonesia is the most far-flung example of this famous statue I have personally come across!

    The original “Angel of Resurrection”sculpted by Giulio Monteverde resides in Italy, but copies of it can be found all over the world.

    Not only have I seen the original in Genoa, but I’ve come across replicas of the Monteverde Angel in France, Portugal, England, and even Galveston, Texas.

    Unfortunately, I could only take photos of this Indonesian replica through our car window. According to our cab driver, the cemetery was too dangerous for us to walk around.

    “No stopping. Sorry, sorry,” he apologized. “Not safe. Criminals living here. Poor people living here. Not safe for you. Not safe for me,” he added with a laugh.

    As a compromise, he drove slowly through the cemetery. There wasn’t much choice, really. The dirt road was so uneven and pitted that a quick drive was not possible.

    I’ve read about impoverished people creating enclaves in cemeteries in Africa, the Philippines, and Chile.
    Even in the USA, I occasionally stumble onto evidence of solitary campers in burial grounds. But this was the first time I’d seen an obvious settlement in a cemetery.

    In some places, blue tarps were strewn between cement monuments to create makeshift tents. I caught a glimpse of cooking pots and an open flame. Perhaps someone was making lunch?

    The only reason our cabbie took us through the cemetery was because it led to the entrance of the Dutch military cemetery.

    For the most part, I just didn’t feel comfortable taking photos, although I did snap a pic as a woman approached our car.

    We’d just reached the gate of the Dutch military cemetery. Our cabbie rolled down his window and after a brief exchange, he slipped her some money and she opened the gate. (We reimbursed him, of course, and also gave him a nice tip. He was a good cabbie.)

    The photos here of white wooden markers are from the Dutch military cemetery. A sign by the entrance explained what the different shapes meant.

    Unlike the public cemetery, I seemed to be the only visitor. Even so, I felt uneasy, as if I were being watched. It was sweltering, too, so not exactly the nicest day to be out in the hot equatorial sun.

    Eventually, a groundskeeper approached and asked me to sign the guest book before I left.

    The other photos here are a few I snapped in the nearby public burial ground.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Surubaya Welcome

    November 29, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    We were welcomed to the port of Surabaya bay the Singo Mangku Joyo song and dance troupe. I’ve included a video so you can see them in action and hear a snippet of the gamelan music they played.

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Jakarta

    November 27, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 86 °F

    Many crew members are Indonesian, so our ship welcomed hundreds of visitors during our stop in Jakarta. Our captain took time to pose for photos with family members at the dock.

    Although Jakarta has a hop on hop off bus, we were warned not to bother taking it because traffic is so bad that passengers end up sitting in one place for much of the ride.

    Lar and I opted for the free shuttle into town where we found a little coffee shop. I ordered a “Kopi Limbat” which turned out to be an iced espresso topped with a fresh squeezed orange.

    Sounds awful, but it was refreshing! I look forward to adding this to my repertoire back home.

    Turns out “Kopi Limbat” simply means “sky coffee” and isn’t a particularly Indonesian thing.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Bangkok Grand Palace

    November 22, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    Bangkok’s Grand Palace is a large complex of buildings. From 1782 through 1925, the king and his coterie lived on these grounds.

    Today, the Grand Palace hosts royal ceremonies, foreign dignitaries, and guests of the king.

    Even with our guide leading us through the grounds at a fair clip, it took us two and a half hours to wander through it all.

    There are at least two temples where we were required to remove our shoes. One of them had separate shoe racks for “Thai people” and “Foreigners.” Few guests read the signs, however, so there was much commingling of native and foreign shoes. Gasp!    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler
    1

    Bangkok Flower Market

    November 22, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Bangkok’s flower market was another colorful place to explore. Even when we’re back home in Texas, Larry and I enjoy our local open air market, which has a Hispanic vibe, to buy local produce.

    Here in Bangkok, it’s fun to see fruits and vegetables that we don’t get in the USA. So when I saw an umbrella touting Washington State apples, I burst out laughing!

    When an Australian couple asked what was so funny, I explained that I grew up in Washington State. I certainly didn’t expect to see fruit from my home state half a country away.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Bangkok Chinatown

    November 22, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    I enjoyed our walk through Bangkok’s Chinatown. It was a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells as we trotted behind our guide.

    Several restaurants sell bird’s nest soup, which is considered a delicacy around here. Although illegal in the USA, from what I’ve been told the collection of bird’s nests in Thailand is regulated and sustainable. I sure hope so.

    Shark’s fin soup is also for sale here, and that made me quite sad to see. Sharks may be scary, but they are an important part of the ecosystem. Killing them for their fins should be illegal worldwide, in my opinion.

    I also saw a little sidewalk vendor selling marijuana, which isn’t legal even in Thailand.

    I included a pic of a 7 Eleven, because this convenience store is a big deal everywhere in Asia, it seems.    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Bangkok first temple

    November 22, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    I don’t know much about this Buddhist temple in Bangkok, alas.

    Our guide seemed like a nice enough fellow, but his English needs polishing. I’m pretty good with accents, and I don’t mind grammatical errors, but he was nearly unintelligible. Because of this, most people gave up on listening to him and would just talk over him, which made it even more challenging to glean info.

    I liked the monkey and elephant bowing at the feet of Buddha, but will have to find out the story about it another time!    Read more

  • Tui SniderNovember 2023Traveler

    Bangkok

    November 22, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Here are some random signs and sightings from our time in Bangkok.

    On our way through customs, I noticed a sign banning sex. First time I’ve seen such a ban, but I understand the reason behind it.

    I wasn’t surprised to see signs banning skimpy clothes at the temples, but this was the first time I’d ever seen signage chiding people for using Buddha for decorations and tattoos.

    And see that billboard? Not only were there a lot of them in Bangkok, but they were super sized, maybe four times the size I’m used to seeing in the USA. (Once again, Terry Gilliam’s movie “Brazil” comes to mind.)

    As we hurtled down the road, Larry goes, “Thailand must be more prosperous than Vietnam. I didn’t see a single billboard there.”

    I’d never thought of billboards as a sign of prosperity, but there you go.

    The “Bruce is loose” movie poster was part of a wall collage we passed by in Bangkok’s cramped and hectic Chinatown, and the sign banning durian was seen in the subway. Durian is a notoriously stinky fruit. I tried to eat it once…    Read more

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