THAILAND-CHIANG MAI-10/0218 THRU 0220

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I am in the Chiang Mai airport on my way to Phuket Island...I am very sad leaving CM...It left an impression on me...I met amazing people and had a wonderful time...I think the hotel I stayed at and its staff contributed to my experience in this city...It was nice that I was away from the city in a quiet neighborhood with beautiful vegetation, a cozy courtyard with a beautiful pool, and a view of the mountains...
Sombat the ex-Monk picked me up early Thursday and took me to all the places I wanted to visit outside Chiang Mai, The Elephant and Tiger sanctuaries, The Chaing Dao caves, the rice fields, which are quite dry during the non-rainy season, and the Orchid farm...We talked of Bhuddism, his hometown of Chaing Rai, Herbal Therapy, and the human trafficking that is occuring in Southeast Asia ...It was a very educational one day trip in his clean and air-conditioned car...He later emailed me pictures of his parents house in Chiang Rai, and I am seriously contemplating a return to Northern Thailand and to stay with his family...I feel I have unfinished business and there is more to explore...The caves are a definite must see...There are no entry fees, but you have to pay a minimal fee for electricity and there are a few lights on in the caves, then there are local guides that take you thru the caves with small gas lanterns...you go thru narrow passages and holes, and bat filled high cieling caverns...It was a fascinating...
Yesterday I took it easy, studied Phuket, made lodging arrangements, and the icing on the cake, I took a half day Thai cooking class...It was so fun and educational...I had a blast...learned a lot about spices and rice...Did you know that Tumeric is a root that looks very similar to ginger...We pounded fresh spices and picked vegetables and leaves from the small organic garden in the back of the house...The cooking class was outdoors and all the students were foreigners traveling thru Asia...It was great to hear their stories and experiences...It is a big and at the same time very small world out there...

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Photos

Photo 2
ELEPHANT SANCTUARY-ELEPHANT PAINTING

Photo 5
ZORRO ON AN ELEPHANT

Photo 4
ELEPHANT RIDE ALONG THE RIVER

Photo 6
MOMMY AND ME AT THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

Photo 3
A LISU WOMAN

Photo 7
BAMBOO RAFTING ALONG THE RIVER

Photo 8
THE HERMIT SANCTUARY AT THE CHIANG DAO CAVES

Photo 9
THE RECLNING BHUDDAH AT THE CHIANG DAO CAVES

Photo 10
AN ANCIENT CHEDI AT THE CHIANG DAO CAVES

Photo 11
DRIED RICE FIELDS ALONG THE WAY FROM CHIANG DAO

Photo 12
AT THE TIGER SANCTUARY

Photo 13
AT THE TIGER SANCTUARY

Photo 14
AT THE SANCTUARY...CAUTION: APPROACH THE TIGER GENTLY FROM THE BACK...