Chiangers!!

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I have wanted to visit Chiang Mai for quite some time now. I am unsure where my curiosity came from but there is something about the place in Northern Thailand that has intrigued me ever since I read about it back in 2009. We had booked a 5 day stay on the Ping river, just outside of the old town and after dropping our bags and settling in, we ventured straight back in to attack the famous Sunday market. Of course we had planned to arrive here on a Sunday…



We arrived at one of the gates to the old town, surrounded by an ancient wall and moat. Along a long straight road was the most colourful and vibrant market set up I have every seen. We dipped straight into a local Thai restaurant to gather ourselves and nail some spring rolls and then headed back out, not knowing what was about to happen. Many purchases later we were spat back outside of the battlements, exhausted and confused. We mainly purchased silks and blankets as the handmade materials are stunning and superb value for money.



The next day we relaxed at our homestay on the Ping river and got to know our hosts. The people here were always so friendly and very happy with life. It was uplifting to be around and we even had dinner here with the family. An amazing assortment of local Thais dishes including sticky rice, stir fry and beef noddle soup. In the evening we ventured out to the famous night bazaars, which were just as abundant and vibrant as the Sunday market! Although a little harder to navigate. Just up the road from the night bazaars there is a new pop up street food and music centre. Located in a sort of courtyard, the food on offer was great and the music was brilliant!



So the following day was our Elephant day. You cannot get away from this majestic animal, you will see monuments and ornaments of the beast everywhere in Chiang Mai. Used extensively in Northern Thailand for farming and logging, they are respected throughout the region and many sanctuaries have been created to look after the elephants that are no longer required for work. I was not sure what to expect and I was a bit apprehensive about the experience but I am very glad that I did it. I know there are quite a few operations to chose from but our homestay booked ours and assured us it was reputable and environmentally friendly. We were driven for about an hour into the hills North of the city and were greeted by a massive expanse of hillside, dominated by Elephant shelters and the animals themselves wondering and grazing. After a quick safety briefing we were introduced to the elephants and their mahoots. Intimidating, yet friendly in a human way, the elephants patiently waited whilst our guide explained our activities for the morning.



We were paired up and given an elephant to look after for the morning. We had a particularly large 15 year old female called Ramjai and we were going to ride her bareback down to the river. The mahoots looked very comfortable getting onto their elephants and sitting atop them but I was quite apprehensive. Ramjai was given a command and she lifted her front leg for me to step up onto, I then hoisted myself up onto her shoulders and it was actually quite comfortable. I was aware before this trip that some people believe they should not be ridden like

this so I felt a bit awkward at first. However, the elephants were completely relaxed and seemed at ease with us. They were grabbing food on the way down to the river and poking their trunks up over their heads to greet the rider every now and again. When we got to the river we jumped off and Ramjai laid down in the shallow water ready for a bath. We spent about half an hour bathing her and playing in the water with her. She was very keen to fill her trunk and spray water into our faces. It was a great experience and one I am glad I did in the end.



The last thing we did in Chiang Mai was a cooking course. Quite a common activity for tourists to partake in here in Chiang Mai it seems. We went with a company called Asia Scenic and chose the evening course so we could make and eat our own dinner. The location in just inside the wall of the old town and has 4 separate cooking areas so classes are run alongside eachother. We got to go to a local market to sample the food we would be using for cooking and our knowledgeable guide helped us understand some of the more unusual Thai ingredients. We cooked spring rolls, made a curry paste and used it for our choice of curry, a stir fry and a dessert. It was a great little evening and good value!



Chiang Mai is a little beauty! A very different vibe to the islands of the south and some beautiful landscapes. There is lots to do here and I could happily spend a week here just wondering the streets – says it all really!

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Cooking class
We always enjoy cooking classes.