Elephant Nature Park

It has been my long dream to see a real elephant , touch at (if possible) and admire this magnificent creature. The first time I saw one was in a zoo, I think in Ueno or maybe Tennoji (not sure) but it did not look happy at all.

The second time was in Angkor Wat , where tourist were riding on it’s back, again it looks sad , tired and tortured.

I found a sanctuary , Elephant Nature Park, in Chiang Mai who rescues abused Elephants. They also support/ help families who stopped using their own Elephants in riding camps and this is where I went for a day, a great and amazing day with the Elephants.

They have several on going project and I was lucky enough to join the Saddle Off Project in Kon Kub Chang. We prepare the elephant food, feed it to them , took them for a walk for their mud bath and gave them a bath afterwards.

Patiently waiting till we finish preparing the food.
Food !!!

More Food !!
Can I get more please !!!

Mud Bath Time !!!
Happy Dance ! (Click the picture to see the video)

As I said or wrote specifically there are several on going projects that better than watching elephants paints or riding them.

When in Chiang Mai, try to bring your family , friends to the Elephant Nature Park.

 

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Thailand 2018 : The Sanctuary of Truth

Although The Sanctuary of Truth has probably left some forest bald , deforestation , you can’t helped but be impressed by it.

This temple is located Pattaya which is about 3 hours by bus from Bangkok.  It is located along the shore, so the sea breeze constantly deteriorate the structure so it needs constant maintenance.

Let’s take a short tour of the temple:

A view from a far.

Closer..

Side View.

A little closer.

One side of the temple is under renovation, replacing the areas which are already starting to disintegrate.

Busy like a bee.

Very intricate detail of the temple.

At the workshop, busy carving new status.

Inside the temple is as intricate outside or even more.

Visiting this place made the trip to Pattaya worth it.

Thailand 2016 : Ayutthaya

The Ayutthaya City was founded in the 13th Century until it was destroyed in the 18th Century by the Burmese. You can still explore the remains and be reminded of it’s past splendor.

The sleeping Buddha.

The tree and the head of the Buddha.
The bird and the Buddha.

Lines of Buddha.

You can easily reached Ayutthaya from Bangkok by train, buses, taxes or minivans. We decided to take the minivans from Victory Monuments. It cost around 70 baht or was it 100 baht (I think).  It is faster and more comfortable than train since it is cooler but not as expensive as taxis.

From the minivan station, you can rent tuk-tuk to take you around the site or rent a bicycle if you are up for it. It gets really hot so make sure to bring lots of liquid to hydrate yourself.  The Tuk-Tuk was a nicer option and there were two other tourist who shared with it with us, so it was cheaper.

Like any temple around Thailand, shoulders and knees are not allowed to enter so bring a shawl or sarong for cover.

Have a good trip to Ayutthaya !

Thailand 2016 : Koh Samui

Koh Samui or Samui Island is the 2nd largest island of Thailand.

We met a nice gentleman that most local go to Koh Samui during the school break , which is around July and December so going there in May would be a nice a relaxing since it will not be so crowded.

Most tourist will go and visit the East side of the island since that is where most of the party is going on. Local mostly go the west side. Luckily, we were booked around the West side. It was a relaxing , quiet atmosphere.

All alone in the beach.
Enjoying a beautiful sunset and all ours.

The west side of the island is where most of the expensive resorts are but we did found Lipa Lovely Resort which fits our budget. They were also very kind to upgrade our room so we were very happy about that.

From Koh Samui, you can join a tour to Ang Thong National Marine Park. You can opt for a normal tour or Kayak around the island which is so much fun. I had body pains afterwards and sunburn but it was a great day.

Getting ready to make a tour around the island in a Kayak.
Beautiful, but since it is protected no swimming allowed.

If you want to get away from the bustling city of Bangkok, Koh Samui is the place to be.

Best way to get there is by plane, a bit expensive but faster and less troublesome. Although the way to get there can also be an adventure but if you are press of time, airplane will be the best.

ENJOY !

Thailand 2016 : Bangkok

I have been to Thailand twice already, 2016 and 2018, but have not posted any blogs about it, so this will be a series of post from those trip, starting of course with Bangkok.

Bangkok, is the Capital of The Kingdom of Thailand.

I was told that it would be crazy with all the Tuk-Tuk running around the city, but what I saw was a very well established train line and clean.  Tuk-Tuk still run around the city but only specific areas.

Sky rise building are popping around the business districts, road construction were every where, improving mode of transportation.

Although it has become a very bustling city, the people are still warm and kind. A few times in the train, I have been offered a seat , which will never happen in Japan. It was a nice gesture, I was happy to know that being a gentleman has not left the Thai men.

Anyways, let’s check a few places which I visited.

First order of the day, is to tour the city by the river.

Pick a boat. Boats are less than 20 baht to ride, but we decided to take a tour around and paid 1000 baht for two people.  The tour lasted for about an hour that took us different part of the river where people are living and making a living. It gave us a perspective on how the locals are living here. We got off at a nearby market/pier (Tha Chang) near the Royal Place.

You cannot stop at every temple but you can see and admire it from afar.

Admiring the top of the temples.

Next stop is The Grand Palace of Bangkok.

It was very grand indeed.

The murals depicts history or myth or legend?
Every buildings has very intricate designs and I think you can appreciate it more by taking a closer look at it

 

There are several temples (Wat) all around the city of Bangkok and believe me by the end of the day you will be templed-out 🙂

Entering temples requires that you take off your shoes before getting in, so wear something that is easy to remove and put back on.

Though the Bangkok is not only about Temples, it is a very vibrant city. Shopping , Night Life , Food and everything in between.

Enjoy and have fun in Bangkok.