Back in Bangkok

Well we are back in Bangkok after 6 days in Chang Mai. Unfortunately we were not able to get to an elephant camp as the better ones that do not treat the elephants like circus animals allow only a very limited number of visitors per day. (one per elephant basically) and the camp I wanted to go to has 6 elephants but two just had babies so they are not interacting with visitors at this time. Oh, well, another reason to come back again! I really think it would be cool to spend the day one on one with an elephant, learning to communicate with it and care for it. If anyone is interested in learning more, google Patara Elephant Farm. Sounds like a great place....next time I will book ahead! Anyway Chang Mai has many charms so I was not at a loss for what to do. The hill tribe people from the surrounding countryside sell their wares in many markets around the city and the whole area is kind of art and craft central for Thailand, so you can bet I spent lots of time shopping!! Yesterday Mark and I had a spa day and indulged in very fancy Thai massages at our hotel and mostly just hung out for the day enjoying the ambiance of the place which was nice for a change as we mostly were just running out every morning and not coming back until late at night. I was re-energized for another run at the night market for some serious hill tribe financial transactions. A whole village is probably celebrating today after the cash infusion they got from me! Just kidding... but wow, I love their handicrafts and fabrics! Below is a shot from one of the many Wats (temples) in the area. This one was in a scenic wooded area a bit out of town. Very restful exploring around there.