Chiang Mai / Northern Thailand

Mowgli

The next leg of our Journey took us to Chiang Mai, an ancient city in Northern Thailand.  Surrounded by a centuries old moat and wall Chiang Mai is a common stop for tourists traveling through SE Asia.  The city today has swelled outside of its former boundaries and is a fairly sprawling metropolis.  It is popular now for its mix of history as a former capital of a Northern Thai Kingdom filled with incredible Wats (Buddhist temples),  and culture including wonderful food.  It also serves as a gateway to the outdoors and beautiful mountains 

Highlight of Northern Thaialnd for us was a day with Patara Elephant Farm. They provided an incredible comprehensive full day of education and interaction with these incredible, gentle giants.  

We were outfitted in attire that the elephants would be more comfortable with.  We learned how to get them to come to us and helped feed them bananas and stalks of sugar cane by putting it directly in their mouths.  

We learned how to do a quick health assessment of our elephant.
1.  Do they flap there ears and flip there tail every so often
2. Are there signs that the elephant has been sleeping lying down and rotates sides.  You do this by looking for dirt or smooth spots on each side.  Apparently an elephant that is sick will not lay down to sleep as it knows it will not have the strength to get back up.  The elephant also has to get up every hour or so to lay on its other side so as not to crush any of its organs.
3. A healthy elephant will produce sweat.  Any idea what part of an elephant sweats?
Only on the cuticles or base of their toenails.  We felt for moisture on their toes to ensure health.
4.  Most important in evaluating the health of the elephant is the poo inspection.  Each motion should provide at least six large turds.  It should be moist and you should be able to squeeze water out of it.  You must also break it apart to make sure the elephant has healthy teeth and there are not any large food particles.  You also need to give it a good sniff.  Healthy elephant poo is not at all offensive in smell.  Yes we all participated in all steps. 

Baby elephants were very possessive of their mothers.  

We learned commands to make them follow us.  We were also taught to firmly pull their ear in the direction we wanted them to go.

Several different ways to mount.  Owen demonstrating the method where the elephant lowers its head  and  lifts you up with its trunk

We rode them up and down some pretty steep muddy tracts and they are incredibly sure footed

Excellent lunch provided.  Wrapped up in banana leaves is sticky rice.  

Best part of taking care of the elephants was a complete scrubbing of their hides.   Takes a little longer than washing your average dog.

"thats my mommy"

Welcoming lemongrass tea.  Banyan tree behind Keira and Skyler

I find that whatever country I am in, the local beer tastes the best.  This may taste like urine back home but here it is the nectar of the gods.

Night market Chiang Mai

A few more elephant shots

Keira holding an elephant turd.  No big deal.  

Poo collector.  Floating turds in background.  Took a little getting used to swimming in elephant toilet.

Day two in Chiang Mai was village to visit hill tribes.  They continue to live today much as they have for centuries

making mush

Rice paddy

The long neck people.  1 ring per year and they are quite heavy

Owen really enjoys the guitar lessons he has been taking.  Nice to be able to get in a little practice in rural Thailand

They had lots of home done textiles for sale

Orchid farm.  Roots do not need soil they absorb water and nutrients right out of the air.

 Noodle shop Chiang Mai

The girls getting foot massages from little fish that nibble all the dead skin off your feet.  Weird