My New Pet

What do you think of my new pet? Isn’t he cute?

Mom, can I keep him? I've always wanted one!

Uh, oh! Now he’s mad!

So, to explain… There is a place in Kanchanaburi called Tiger Temple where you can have your picture taken with a real live tiger. The complex was started because some monks took in an orphaned tiger and word got around. Before they knew it, they had ten tigers and are now raising some babies and training them to be released into the wild.

Are these real live (meaning deadly) tigers? Well, when these look like this…

(Don't you want to just curl up with him?)

Or this…

(Is he dead?)

…you might think the answer is no, but then they get mad...

Look at those teeth! (And the huge chain around his neck.)

I think he is mad because of this… (I would be mad if someone pulled on my tailbone.)

And look at the muscles on this guy’s shoulder. You don’t stand a chance if something goes wrong.

And one more gratuitous tiger picture, simply because they are one of my favorites…

Maybe this one is more my size…

There are also some other animals in the park. While the tigers are kept in a tightly secured enclosure (we hope), other animals such as peacocks, chickens, goats, and boar roam free through the park. But there was one animal that captured my heart. This poor deer is literally resting his chin on the front gate, peering out. I am sure he barely sleeps with the roars of the tigers so close and I bet he is thinking, “Sweet freedom! If only the security guard will step away for a minute, I can escape.” My heart went out to this little guy.