Sometimes you wonder whether the Thais really revere Elephants the way they claim they do.
I suppose if they can exploit women and girls to bring in the tourism dollar, its not hard to imagine the big beasts being next on the ingenious agenda to ring in the 'Eco-tourists' dying for a chance to get up close and personal with the Tusky Ones.
OK so I was a sucker as well. Jumping at the opportunity to get out of the hustle and bustle that was Chiang Mai, to make the 1.5 hour drive to the Mae Taeng Valley. Where the prospect of an old-school Ox and Cart ride, Elephant Trekking through hilly forests and a leisurely drift on a bamboo raft down the shallow Mae Taeng River seemed too interesting to pass up.
Alex and Chris preferred a walkabout in the Old City. But Cheryl braved her fear of wobbly heights by agreeing to join me on top of a grey mammoth the size of a small lorry.
To the animals' benefit, the Mae Taeng Elephant camp was a nice enough place to be in. Nestled in the middle of a picturesque valley, in a landscape so quintessentially hilly North Thailand, we spent a beautiful morning taking in all the countryside vistas on various modes of archaic transport.
We got back to Chiang Mai in time for a late lunch. But not before popping in to see Wat Phra Sing, the largest temple in an ancient quarter chock full with beautiful testimonials to Lanna culture and creativity. The Wihan Lai Kham (gilded hall) of the sprawling Wat was particularly pretty. In the middle sat the much worshipped golden Phra Buddha Sing which, according to historians, originates from Sri Lanka.
Outside, the tourist buses were slowly beginning to disgorge their Chinese, Japanese and Korean contents. And that meant our time for some peaceful snooping around the temple grounds, came to a pre-mature end.
The 4 of us then re-grouped, and told Aik to take us to the Hong Dong district where the Ban Thawai Village was situated, for a spot of some Thai antique furniture shopping. Ban Thawai is the place to be if you had always craved that wooden chofa from the roof of some abandoned temple but didn't want to pay the GDP of a small African nation for it. Woodcarvings, Lacquerware, Hill Tribe pottery, you name it and Ban Thawai has got it. With shipping companies dotted all over the village that will teleport your newly acquired possessions anywhere from Tangier to Timbucktoo.
Then it was off for some retail therapy at a real Arcade, back to the hotel for a quick shower, dinner and then Part
deux of some more pseudo sado-machoism at the massage spa.
48 hours in Chiang Mai.
Wished we had more.
Labels: Travel