I thought this was a beautiful photograph of some storm clouds that threatened us during the Yee Peng Festival. Fortunately, just a few drops fell and the sky cleared.
Daily Photo: Quetzal, Tikal, Guatemala
Quetzals are skittish birds, so it was difficult to get this picture. I had to stay far away from them so they didn’t run. They are very pretty and colorful, so even though the photo is bad you can tell how beautiful they are.
Daily Photo: Travertines, Pamukkale, Turkey
The travertines at Pamukkale in Turkey are really fun to visit. Despite the fact that the hot springs that fed this ancient Roman spa resort are all but dried up due to poor water management, there is still some water flowing. The water is diverted periodically to ensure that all parts of the area get some of it. After walking up a hill with warm water flowing around your feet, you reach the top where the ruins of Hierolpolis great you.
Daily Photo: Yellow Tram, Lisbon, Portugal
I know, there is nothing special about this picture, but I loved Lisbon so I wanted to post a photo. The yellow trams are famous and very fun to ride around in. They come so close to building and cars that they are only inches away.
Daily Photo: Mt Rainer, Washington
One of the great things about living in Seattle is the ability to head to Mt Rainer and go for a hike. The views are stunning on a clear, sunny day.
The Tiger Kingdom
The Tiger Kingdom just outside of Chiang Mai is a bit touristy, but well worth the visit. We had a red truck song thaew take us there from Tha Pae Gate, wait for us, and bring us back for 250B. I was a little hesitant at first because I thought that the tigers were drugged (they are not) and that it probably isn’t a good idea to have tigers and people together.
I did a little research and all of the tigers are captive, not wild. They were all born at the Tiger Kingdom. And while I am still not completely cool with the idea of having people and tigers mix, I do think there are some positives such as awareness of habitat issues. Unfortunately, that was not mentioned at all which I think is a missed opportunity.
The Tiger Kingdom is solely about hanging out with tigers and getting your picture taken with them. They treat the tigers well from what I could tell, though we did see one tiger get smacked pretty hard because he wasn’t interested in getting in the water. Apparently some lady wanted to see the tiger swim so the guides wanted to accommodate her. Of course, this is the same woman that just walked right into the cages without waiting for the guides and was constantly sticking her fingers through the fence (here, eat my fingers). I never cease to be amazed at how stupid some people are.
Me and my friend chose the small and large tigers to visit, which ran about $25. When you arrive they let a certain number people in at a time. The guides keep and eye on the tigers to make sure they don’t go crazy and start using you as a catnip toy. They have some basic rules posted that they always make you read before entering each tiger area (like, don’t come at the tiger from the front—that means you want to play, and tiger play can hurt sometimes because, well, they have sharp teeth and claws).
Most of the tigers are lounging around, though some get a bit more playful (usually the younger ones). Tigers sleep upwards of 18 hours a day, and these cats are well fed and happy to just lounge around doing nothing. The guides are all about you petting and touching the tigers—a good combination, I suppose.
Despite the fact tigers sleep so much, this little tiger is a 6 month old female that was rather feisty. Her siblings where lying around being lazy, but she was all over the place. While we were walking out of the small tiger area, I knelt down to take a picture of her playing in the grass. You are told not to go face-on with the tigers because that is an indication you want to “play”. I didn’t think she would notice me, but she immediately jumped up and started running towards me just as I snapped the photo and stood up. Fortunately, the guide said something and she ran off to the side—and I also quickly got out of the way. 🙂
These tigers are apparently just as happy to have their bellies rubbed as a regular house cat. Though, I have to say, rubbing a giant cat’s belly while it’s pawing in the air is a bit intimidating. They seem perfectly happy to have you rub them, so might as well make them happy.
All in all, I had a good time. I was far less intimidated than I thought I would be. There is a guide for every two people and they are keeping a close eye on you just as much as they are the tigers. Tiger Kingdom is a little touristy and perhaps could do a better job of educating people about tigers, but it is well worth the visit.
Daily Photo: Sleeping Tigers
The tigers at Tiger Kingdom are happy to lounge around rest while people are wandering around their cages. They get up periodically and walk around, but since tigers sleep upwards of 18 hours a day, they are perfectly happy to kick back and relax.
Daily Photo: Bronze Horses, Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
These bronze cast horses are life size. They reside at the National Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. As the sign indicates, photos were not allowed, but I couldn’t help myself. I was actually surprised to get such a nice photo since I was trying to take it while not being seen.
The Great American Visa Run: From Thailand to Burma and Back
Today I had the joy of experiencing what every long-term traveler calls the “visa run.” Most countries place a limit on the amount of time you can stay in their country without leaving and renewing your visa. Thailand is no different. Fortunately, they don’t have a limit on how long you have to be gone, just that you actually do leave. So, that’s what I did today since my visa waiver would have expired tomorrow.
Thailand grants most travelers a 30 day visa waiver on arrival. Note that I wrote visa waiver, not just visa. Visa waivers are actually rather common and they make travel much easier. Instead of requiring you to obtain a visa in advance or at the airport, they waive the requirement and simply stamp your passport with an entry permit. If you want to stay longer, though, then you have to leave and return which is a bit of annoyance (though understandable from the country’s point of view).
If you fly into Thailand the visa waiver is for 30 days exactly, not a month. The distinction is important. While not common, some countries do allow for a month. If you arrive on a certain day of the month, you must leave the same day of the following month. Not only that, people tend to think in months, not days, so it is easy to overstay your visa waiver. I arrived in Thailand on October 10. Had I waited until November 10 to leave, I would have overstayed my visa waiver by two days. That will certainly mean a fine (500B a day in Thailand; jail is sometimes included in other countries).
So, off I went to Mae Sai in Northern Thailand to renew my visa waiver by crossing the bridge over the Ruak River that divides Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). I booked a van that takes you there for 650B (about $21), round-trip. They pick you up at where you are staying, drive you the four hours there, wait for an hour, and then drive you the four hours back. Some companies wait longer should you want to do a little shopping on the Burma side, but really most people are there to just do a visa run.
The driver to Mai Sai was a bit crazy. My driver, a typical Thai driver, speeds, swerves into oncoming traffic to overtake slower vehicles, honks, speeds up randomly, slows down randomly, takes corners at full speed, and manages to find and hit every single pothole on the road. The scenery is nice, though I imagine it would be more enjoyable if I were not bouncing all over the place.
Mai Sai itself is nothing special; nor is Tachileik on the Burma side. I was dropped off on the Thai side and walked a short distance to the border control on my left to exit (Thailand is opposite America when it comes to driving). The exit stamp is important since it shows you did not overstay your visa waiver. Then I crossed the bridge, switching to the right side, to enter Burma.
Normally a visa is required for Bruma, but I think the Burmese figured there was money to be had so they just grant you a visa waiver for the day. It costs $10 (and it should be a crisp, clean, new looking bill). However, the agent I encountered refused American money and would only accept Thai baht. This was odd because even our driver was selling $10 bills for 380B ($10 is roughly 300B).
Nonetheless, the agent was insistent it be 500B, which is actually about $16, not $10. I was insistent myself that he take American money (they are supposed to) but he kept telling me to change it and started to helping other people, so I relented and paid the 500B. I was not pleased by this, but there was little I could do. Burma isn’t exactly known for being corruption-free and I’m sure the border agent realized he could make some extra money on the side by requiring baht instead of dollars.
I paid the agent, he gave me a big piece of paper that I handed to another agent two feet away (I love the efficiency). That agent entered my information and snapped a picture of me. Once that was done I had the choice of leaving my passport and going shopping, or being stamped in and out of Burma right then and there so I could return to Thailand. I opted for the latter and re-entered Thailand within a few minutes of leaving.
While Thailand grants a 30 day visa waiver when you fly in, crossing by land is a whole different story—you only get 15 days. While not optimal, it is better than paying the 1900B for a 7 day extension. Of course, if I had a full 60 day visa I could have it extended for 30 days, but not for a visa waiver. Besides, it looks like I’ll be headed to Cambodia in a couple of weeks, so the 15 days works out just fine.
The whole journey, while tiring, was uneventful and I am legally allowed to stay another two weeks in exchange for a day of my time and a total of $37. Not bad.
Daily Photo: Incense Pot
Incense is used quite a bit in Buddhist temples and I thought this pot was beautiful. Every pot had something unique about it, but they were all being used.