Tiger Temple-Nice Kitty

Journeyed North specifically to shoot the Monks and Tiger at "Tiger Temple" in Kanchaburi, Thailand.

Paid dearly to be in a group of only 12 tourists. In the am, we washed, fed, petted and played with the tigers. I was admittedly a bit reluctant, just some good photos would make me a happy camper. In the afternoon, after the tigers were a bit knocked out and sleepy like all good kitty cats we had our individual photos taken with a tiger. I was happy to just sort of me in the vicinity. No, the handlers insisted that I sit closer, and closer & closer still. When I was close enough they threw the tiger’s head in my lap, and using my camera, the handler snapped off a few pics.  Yikes, it was one of the biggers tigers too!

Nice Kitty




The handler even suggested that I come back for a 2nd turn. I think he really dug using my camera. I passed, once was enough more me. No reason to push my luck.

More to come soon,

Carpe Diem,
Lorrie
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

 Where is Tony Soprano?

I survived the commute from My Tho to HCMC unscathed and actually had a very pleasant stay in the HCMC Airport before departing for Bangkok.

Traffic in BKK was its ordinary ugly at 7pm upon my arrival but returned to a familiar and modest hotel that I stayed in before. Great news is that it was ¾ of the way to my destination the next morning so I figure, I’ve made the right decision. They added Wi-Fi in the room and I had a bonus bathtub-what more can a girl ask for?

Up early and armed to go to the Bus Station to take me to the “Tiger Temple” for a private shot. The bus is to cost me 99 BHT, about $3.00 USD. The 2 taxi drivers outside my hotel refused to make the commute to the bus station- they wanted to drive me all the way for 3,000 BHT, about $100 USD (a very common target price for many services in BKK).

I know the drill and pretty forceful now, especially after Vietnan. I go to the corner and successfully hail a cab. Once I get him to turn into my street (of course using a lot of mime) to fetch my luggage waiting at the hotel, he has a conversation with the corner thugs who tell him to not take me. They “owe this street” or something like that.

I am not dissuaded. Another very nice Taxi Driver passes buy, I get his full attention and he agrees to take me. My fare + a very large tip=$5.00 USD. We are both thrilled.

On a 1st class (that is a relative term) direct bus to my destination writing this note. Happy girl. Dodged another con artist in SE Asia. For all those I have lost too, take 1 for the team.

Epilogue- I wrote the aforementioned too soon. My bus just stopped for no apparent reason. We wait a few minutes a are transferred to a different bus. Looks like a 2nd class bus. Maybe too few of us to justify the trip. Hope this is still the 2hr. commute not the 3hr. alternative.

More to come soon,
Carpe Diem,
Lorrie
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

The Delta

I hit 3 cities in the Delta. The 1st, My Tho could have been totally skipped. Very touristy, a place where visitors from HCMC who don’t have enough time to visit the Delta, might come to for a taste.

Next stop, Vingh Long. Stayed at a hotel that was described as one of the best for this town. Outright scary – condoms being openly dispensed on each floor and an HIV Clinic around the corner. OMG, did hookers work out of here? I knew that this would be my 1 and only night at this joint. I got a little food, got into long pants and socks and stayed holed up in my room for the night. Previousely, walked to the tourism office and was able to put together a custom tour inclusive of a Home Stay for the next day.

A major day as arranged by the tourism office with lots of canals, walking, different size boat and  transfers between the boats depending on the tide, bicycle riding. I must say that although a bit pricey, I felt that the tourism office came through.

Small Mekong Canal - can be very tropical

The Home Stay turned out to be the most delightful of all. I slept in a bungalow under a mosquito net on a wonderful piece of property right on a canal of the Mekong. The breeze was delightful and dinner delicious & abundant. The most heartfelt aspect was the owner, Mr. Tien who I got to have several conversations with through my interpreter. As it turns out, my host was previously a member of the Viet Cong. One would never know. I told him how messed up so many of our soldiers were after such a 1:1 type war and what a terrible war it was for everyone. As it turns out this Home Stay in particular is one that many of the returning US soldiers stay at, I assume to reconcile the experience for themselves. Several visiting soldiers had given him gifts including their medal of honor from the US Army which Mr. Tien proudly showed me. Mr. Tien also told me that after the war, the government gave him the land which he subsequently developed into a robust hotel and restaurant. A raging capitalist.

Next stop, Can Tho which was thankfully a little slower paced. The gem here is the Pang Diem Floating Market, small, non-motorized boats with a lot of 1:1 exchange and sales.  Almost like bumper cars as all the vendors floated about.

 Example of a small vendors boat

I have decided to finish up in Vietnam a few days early and spend a few more days shooting outside of Bangkok. I dread the trip which will involve 1 more brush with the HCMC taxi drivers but hopefully the better Taxi Company will be at my bus station when I arrive – I learned how to pick them out.

More to come soon,
Carpe Diem,
Lorrie 
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Boats with Eyes

Why do all the mid and larger sized boats in Vietnam have eyes? Something I noticed in Hoi An but did not get to ask about until I had an English speaking tour guide. I am told that in the day of yore, here were very large crocodiles in the Mekong, that was until they were all eaten. Folklore has it that they were large & ferocious and would attack the boats. To ward them off, the seamen would paint eyes on the front of their boats. Now the boat was a bigger being than the crocodile

A second reason was so that the boat could see & find its way.   And lastly to swim with the other fish.

I will need to look all of this up on the internet but the painting in the front of these larger boats is quite pretty none the less.


More to come soon,
Carpe Diem,
Lorrie 
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Horrors in Ho Chi Minh City for “Yellow Hair”

Took a flight from DaNang – HCMC. Just didn’t want to deal with another train ride.

Other than the unnecessary hassle from the airline RE: the size of my carry on photo case, the flight was straight forward. Now the taxi at the airport to the Mien Tay (southbound) Bus Station in HCMC was quite another mater.

They call me “Yellow Hair”, they don’t know the word for light brown. Clearly a tourist. At the Taxi Stand, we agreed that a meter would be used. I get in and the meter is not set. I keep saying meter, meter, but the driver who does not speak English ignores me. I keep repeating this getting more and more adamant each time. Finally he puts me on the cell with his English speaking boss, who gives me a $20 USD quote. No I reply, his response, $15 USD and laughs at me. NO the meter I insist. He hangs up on me and we continue to drive through thick traffic. “You start the meter or I will call the police”-no doubt wasted on this non-English speaking fellow or probably any other driver in this entire country. My next move; I climb over the seat and start pressing the buttons on the meter to activate it. He finally gets the message. The driver turns on the meter. What a frigging horror show – who needs this.

My total for the meter was 133,000D= $7.19.

More to come soon,
Lorrie Dallek
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Happy in Hoi An

Blue skies, moderate temperatures, commutation to the hotel with a pleasant driver, what more can a girl ask for. How much better can it get. Well it did. The hotel staff (not a fancy hotel my any means) instantly learned my name, had a bathtub and very hot water and made changes when I just made casual mention.

Hoi An is a small town were I both walked & bicycled about without fearing for my life. Lots of old architecture, a very vibrant and visually stimulating Fish Market and the notorious “China Beach” a few Km’s away.

After walking the same path and smiling, the shop keepers started to ask me to photograph them. 1 guy even called me into his shop to show me his new puppy. Another was taking his water buffalo back at the end of the day and he saw me in the distance- he waved be over,  helped me walk across a very rickety bamboo bridge so I could get a lot closer. Very sweet people.

Here is how I spent my Sunday – are you jealous?

My view looking up from my umbrella





I loved it here so much that I extended for 1 day. Off later this am south to the Mekong Delta.

More to come soon,
Carpe Diem
Lorrie 
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Be Careful of What You Wish for

In the spirit of making use of every second I have, I hired a private care to take me to a Thursday Market 2.5 hrs away before departing on the night train back to Hanoi.  A very small market but an opportunity to see the colorful Flower H’mong ethnic minority and several other Hill Tribe  people Warm weather and a touch of sun was in my favor.

The usual fare of people doing their weekly shopping. More unique were the horse drawn carts that some used, and the piglets that arrived to market in sacks with leashes on squealing the whole time. Despite being a meat eater myself, it is still disturbing to hear. I had previously seen dogs on their way to market in Laos and China, this time I got to seem them weigh the dog in. You know he wasn’t being sold as a house pet.


Then on to the train station for a 5 hr wait for my night train back to Hanoi and further south to Hoi An via an airplane. I had been taking a better class train, only 4 to a berth. 2 Europeans and I Vietnamese in my carriage. During my last hotel re-pack, I had thought to myself that I had brought perhaps 1 pair too many socks. No problem, my friendly bunk mate took care of that. Gone to the bathroom on the train for less than 5 minutes and so were my socks that were lying on my bed.

A relatively inexpensive reminder, NEVER LET YOURT GUARD DOWN. I hope that the people of Vietnam are a lot gentler in the South.


More to come soon,
Carpe Diem,
Lorrie Dallek
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com