tiger kingdom.

if you know me at all you know that im not too keen about pets. i like to say that i am a super picky animal person because i have gotten along with SOME dogs and cats. i am also a pretty picky people person as well. ha.
anyway, this doesnt not mean that i dont appreciate wild life. i actually think tigers are amazing and i cant imagine what if would feel like to be up close to one with no cage in between. and so this is what brings me to "tiger kingdom" in chang mai - not to be confused with the more controversial "tiger temple" in bangkok. it was about a 30 minute tuk tuk ride to "tiger kingdom" with a stop at the orchid farm. tayler, for whatever reason, did not want to go - which i will never understand. how would you not want to cuddle with tigers in thailand?? when you get there you can choose between small, medium or large tigers. i choose large. you in the cage with them and can lay down next to them. play with their tail. take pictures. im sure the tigers are drugged - but i like to believe the "trainers" who say they are just domesticated and used to being around people and that they are tired because its nap time. hmmm. either way, they are beautiful creatures, i did not get attacked and i hope they have a wonderful life at "tiger kingdom."

snake ate a kate heart.

day one in vietnam and we were feeling a little crazy. maybe it was the adrenalin from finally getting to our destination. on the way from the airport to the city, we were talking to some people about a place just outside of hanoi called le mat. its a place known for snake resturants. that's right folks - and not just your normal snakes but COBRAS. apparently they are a delicacy there and a our new friend lin said he would take us for dinner that night, knowing we would be the ones paying we were glad to have a local come with us. after about a ten minute drive we pulled up to some place that sure enough looked like your local snake restaurant. they ushered us in and all i could see were snakes - big jars of supposedly snake infused rice wine - with dead snakes in them and then about 4 huge cages full of live cobras. this poor guy opened a cage and pulled out a huge snake - he only had this cane with a hook on it to guide the snake and protect himself from dying. what an awful job. the guy pulls out another snake that was a bit smaller and without any dialect from us just lin and the other workers - they stretch the snake out so that they can slit its chest and pull out the beating heart. they put the heart, which was about the size of a mandarin orange slice in a little dish. i couldn't help but pull out my camera and take pictures. i mean, is this even happening? they pour out 3 shots of blood and 3 shoots of some clear bile looking liquid that came from maybe the stomach area of the snake?? they happily usher us up stairs, carrying the heart and shots, to a nice little romantic sitting area. what? the heart was still beating and it was settled that i would be the "guest of honor" since my birthday was in a couple days. awesome. i naturally put the heart in my shot of blood and shot it back. swallowed it whole. and then the bile. for the next hour the cooks brought out "cobra wine" and 10 different little dishes of cobra - the skin, the gizzards, the meat. which was very nice of them - but i kinda just wanted a bite :) welcome to vietnam. day one.

to be alone with you.

happy easter everybody!
it is a day of celebration and family and worship!
which is all wonderful. and i cant wait to see my family later today. but there is something i have been looking forward to. i have been gone for almost 3 weeks, tayler and i got home late last night. and as much as i have missed hot showers, my own bed, clean air. my soul longs for solitude. reflection on not necessarily my trip but on life and purpose and loving god.
and so easter is the perfect day, as everyone is out socializing and doing family things. i get to be alone for a bit. no travel buddy. no temples to visit. no weddings to attend. for just a little while i just get to embrace the silence. and just be.
i have seen so much in the last couple weeks. i dont know what to even think of it all. not that i am trying to make sense of the world...but try to simply experience it and learn. its always a bit of mixed emotions coming back from a long trip. and easter (having its own set of emotions) sort of snuck up on me.
anyway, there is pressure that my time with god today should be more special. more intentional. i need to pray the right words or feel that special easter feeling.
but im just here. i am humbled and my words are simple and few.

sometimes for me the only way i can talk to god is to just listen.