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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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023
      221211

      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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023
      222222

      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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023

      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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023

      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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023
      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 SniderTravelerDecember 2023

      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 SniderTravelerNovember 2023

      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 SniderTravelerNovember 2023

      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 SniderTravelerNovember 2023

      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.

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