Chiang Mai has now become a mecca for travelers in Southeast Asia. Many travel bloggers and YouTubers use this city as a home base from which they can visit and report on other areas in Asia and the Middle East easily. Several westerner expats have even permanently relocated to this city. It checks many boxes for foreigners. It is safe and an easy city to walk or drive around in. Compared to the rest of Southeast Asia, it has a good infrastructure for housing, transportation, and telecommunications. There are many shops, restaurants, and cultural activities to satiate visitors. The weather is more agreeable than much of the rest of the country. And it is cheaper than other touristy areas such as Bangkok and Phuket.
Stepping out the airport in this new city, we were greeted by a cool breeze from the 75 degree Fahrenheit weather. This was a far cry from the hot and muggy weather of Bangkok, Siem Reap, and Phuket. We checked into our new hotel, the Namamema Colonial Boutique House. It didn't have the spacious luxury of the Indochine, but had the quaint charm of a family-run bed and breakfast. Our room had a second story loft where The Kids slept.
We walked a few blocks down the street and had lunch at Huey Phen. This busy place is well-known by the locals. The vast majority of their patrons were Thai. Our waiters didn't know too much English, but we we had no problems ordering anyway. There was a wide variety of Northern Thailand specialties on the menu including different styles of sai oua (spicy sausages) and the very tasty nam prik ong (a spicy pork and tomato dip). We also had to try one of their variations on khao soi, a popular egg noodle soup with a curry broth. The service was pretty slow, but the food was authentic and pretty good.
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| Assorted vegetable curry with pork |
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| Deep fried fermented spareribs |
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| Northern Thailand charcuterie plate |
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| Chicken and pork khao soi |
After lunch, The Wife wanted to do some shopping. In Southeast Asia, there is no Uber or Lyft. We used the similar Grab app to hail us a ride. We were able to request different levels of rides from the lowly songthaew up to a luxury private car. We were taken to Baan Celadon, a store that specializes in pottery specific to north-central Thailand. Celadon pottery, which is characterized by its green, jade-like color, originated in China. It spread throughout much of Asia and influenced Thailand's indigenous ceramics. Popularity in this style of pottery was greatest between 1200-1500 AD during the height of the first Thai Kingdom called Sukhothai. Baan Celadon tries to preserve this traditional style of pottery.
We browsed for a good amount of time at the vast number of ceramic pieces. In addition to the celadon pottery, there were other styles of gorgeous pieces. We ended up purchasing several pieces for our home and for gifts. Since our scuba equipment was taking up so much of our luggage, we had to get the pottery shipped home.
Afterwards, we traveled to the Tha Pae Gate, a remnant of Chiang Mai's medieval city walls. This area now serves as a public square where musical acts will perform and street vendors and markets will pop up. We visited in the afternoon, so not much was going on.
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| Tha Pae Gate |
We sauntered through the streets of the Old City sampling the inexpensive delights from different food vendors. We also visited boutique arts and crafts shops like Supachet Studios and Fairy Tales
One of the more unique shops was Intanu Chiang Mai Khonmask. These artists produce replicas of the traditional masks worn by the classical Thai dance dramas. The artists work right there in the shop to create the intricate and delicate reproductions. We debated between purchasing a demon or god mask before settling on a replica of Ravana, the twenty-headed demon lord. The nice shopkeeper threw in a small Ganesh mask for free that The Boy had been eyeing as well.
We ended up walking to Chang Pheuk Market near the North Gate of the Old City. Many food stalls are active after dark, selling an assortment of different foods. The famous Cowboy Hat Lady who has been mentioned in many a Youtube Vlog as well as the Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown series has her stall there. We waited in line to get an order of her khao kha moo (braised pork leg) and purchased other items from many other stalls.
The only problem with this area is there is no place to sit down. Some of the bigger food stalls set out tables and chairs. However, they won't let you eat the food from other stalls while you are seated there, even if you order several items from them. This defeats the purpose of having multiple food stalls that specialize in only a few entrees. So, we purchased some drinks from the 7-11 and took a songthaew back to our hotel to enjoy our dinner.
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| With a cost of $1 per person around the Old City, these songthaew are very convenient and affordable means of shared transportation around Thailand. |
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| Steamed bun stuffed with meat |
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| Pad Thai |
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| Braised pork leg |
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| Hainanese chicken rice |
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| Mango sticky rice |
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| Khao tom (dessert with red beans and sweet rice) |
*****
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
*****
Pachyderms have long been exploited by humans for manual labor, especially epic construction projects like Angkor Wat. Even to this day, elephants are still used for the logging industry in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Often they are kept in captivity and forced to labor for years until they eventually become sick and die. Fortunately, there are several elephant rescue organizations throughout Thailand. Many can be found around the Chiang Mai area. While anything beats being chained up and forced to haul logs, some rescue organizations are more gentle with the elephants than others. A few decades ago, there was a big hullabaloo about several clever elephants who were able to paint pictures. This activity has been decried as being unnatural and cruel to these pachyderms. Additionally, animal rights groups have protested that elephants should not be allowed to be ridden by tourists as this is traumatic and exhausting for them. This argument has only intensified as of late when an elephant died at Angkor Wat because of exhaustion.
The Wife really wanted to visit an elephant rescue park. She decided on the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) because it seemed like it is the most ethical. This organization was founded about 30 years ago and has provided a new home for dozens of injured or frail elephants. The ENP's focus is on the well-being of the elephants and not the whims of tourists. There is no riding on the elephants, and minimal touching of them as well. It made me question what type of experience we would be paying that much money for.
The van from the ENP picked us up that morning along with a couple of other groups of tourists from Europe. We were driven about 60 kilometers north of the city until we reached their elephant sanctuary. Our guide lectured us on the rules of the facility. We were supposed to be very respectful of the elephants and stay out of their way as they walk. We would be allowed to feed the elephants, but only in designated areas. These pachyderms apparently love bananas and watermelon. The kitchen staff spend much of the day cutting up bins and bins worth of fruit.
Hydrating the elephants was left up to the staff. These animals also had large barrels full of water they could drink from when they are thirsty.
I was surprised to learn that the Elephant Nature Park was also a sanctuary for many other animals. The grounds were also the home of many rescued dogs, cats, and even water buffaloes that all live in harmony with each other.
Visitors to the park are given the opportunity to pay lots of money to volunteer and work at the park. They can take care of some of the crippled animals or do strenuous manual labor to take care of the grounds. Once again, these people PAY to do this.
At noon, we had a break for lunch. Two dozen chafing trays were set up with a varied assortment of vegetarian dishes. The food was pretty good, being that it was lacking in one main ingredient...MEAT! I'm sure they had a spare water buffalo or dog that they could have spit-roasted.
After lunch, we witnessed a mahout giving his elephant his daily afternoon bath. Several other elephant sanctuaries proudly advertise that visitors can don their swimsuits and frolick in the water with these animals. That is not the case at the ENP. We stood there idly in the hot sun on the banks of the river as these elephants cooled in the river water.
We noticed that one big guy relaxed so much that he defecated several large turds in the the flowing river...
...which lead straight to a neighboring elephant sanctuary. Visitors were joyfully playing around in the water with other rescued elephants, unaware of the dangerous dung that lurked nearby.
Most of these elephants were rescued individually over the years. Some were purchased from loggers or given a home after they became too old and frail to work. Some wore bandages on their feet--permanent injuries after they stepped on landmines in the jungles of Cambodia.
One crippled elephant had a poorly-healed broken leg as a result of a malignant owner who prevented her from getting appropriate medical treatment.
This elephant was rescued from the seedy Patong animal adult film industry.
Despite their lack of familial bonds, new elephants are often adopted by the pre-existing herd. They develop life-long bonds that are evinced by their tight-knit behavior.
The Elephant Nature Park does good work. Is it worth visiting? Yes, just to support their efforts and see the good that people can accomplish to undo the harmful acts of others. However, is it a fun place to see? Not really. "Less ethical" elephant sanctuaries probably give a more touristy and enjoyable experience. The ENP is good for a half-day's visit. We stayed for a full day, and the last several hours kind of dragged on.
After returning to Chiang Mai, we walked back over to the Tha Pae Gate area and had dinner at a small, unassuming restaurant called Sornchan. The two ladies who run the place serve a limited menu of Northern Thai favorites. Even with only four tables for dining, the restaurant was still only half-full.
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| Fried chicken |
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| Spicy pork salad northern-style (laap) |
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| Pork curry in northern style |
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| Spicy pork soup in northern style (khao soi) |
On the way back to our hotel, we purchased a cup of birds nest soup from a street vendor. It had an odd flavor and texture--neither horrible nor delicious. For just a few bucks, it was worth a try.
Later that night, we finally had the first massages on our entire trip in Thailand. The Wife, The Girl, and I went to a massage parlor just a few doors down from our hotel. The Boy skipped it because he does not like to be touched by other people. It was a no-frills, non-spa where we each got an hour-long classic Thai body massage for only $6.50. There is no happy ending included--it's not one of those types of establishments.
The massage was no wimpy affair. My masseuse was doing a pretty good job for the first twenty minutes. However, she switched out with the owner/manager who was a lady with big forearms. Wow, I never knew that pain could be so pleasurable. The deep muscle massages would have been the cure for all of my aches and pains--if I actually had any as I had not been doing any strenuous activities for some time. That lady truly had talent. The Girl and The Wife were happy with their massages as well. We all planned on coming back the following day to try some of their other massages that focused on specific body systems.
*****
Thursday, January 3, 2019
*****
There are a couple of places within Thailand that allow visitors to interact with tigers. Not just teeny, little baby tigers, but also full grown adult ones. These are the same type of animals that are responsible for killing about 85 people a year in Asia. We had not thought about visiting one of these parks when making our plans for this trip. However, on our arrival in Chiang Mai, we discovered we would have some extra time to kill, so we figured we would check one out.
Tigers parks are not without their controversy. One notorious Buddhist place called the Tiger Temple had faced multiple accusations for years from animal rights groups who had accused them of mistreating the animals and using them purely for commercial gain. It was eventually closed down a few years ago after being raided by police.
After opening in 2008, the Tiger Kingdom has emerged as one of the more successful big cat parks in Thailand. It has establishments in both Chiang Mai and Phuket. There're plenty of websites denouncing or defending the park regarding allegations of drugging the animals. I was a little concerned about the ethical implications of visiting the Tiger Kingdom. However, after spending the previous day at the Elephant Nature Park, I figured I had plenty of karma to spare.
Transportation to the the Tiger Kingdom can be arranged with the company in advance. We decided to make the journey by using the Grab app. A young man in a hatchback drove us north for 30 minutes until we reached the park, We negotiated with him for a small fee to wait there for us for the drive back to Chiang Mai. Since we were in a more rural area, we did not know how easy it would be to get a ride back to the city.
We purchased entry tickets for the tiger park as well as combination tickets to visit several of the tigers they have caged up. Before people decry the use of cages for these wild animals, they have to realize that all these tigers were born in captivity. They probably do not yearn for the freedom of the great outdoors as they have never experienced it. Out passes would allow us to visit some of the juvenile white tigers as well as some of the larger ones. We decided to skip the month-old tiger as the price was way too high for something that is essentially a kitten. We also eschewed the fully grown tiger as the other animals we were visiting were big enough already. We did add the photography package where one of the park's photographers would take photos of us. We were still allowed to bring our personal cameras as well.
There were two trainers with us at all times while we were in the animal enclosures. They advised us to always approach a tiger from behind as they feel less threatened that way. They reassured us that it is okay to pet the tigers--as long as we were reasonably gentle. The trainers also made sure that we signed our waivers which absolved the park for any maulings or deaths at the hands of the tigers.
We watched another guest interact with a newborn tiger that was less than a year old. It played around a little bit, but mainly the cub just stretched out and slept.
Soon it was our time to visit some tigers. These animals were kept in several adjacent enclosures with a large space for the tigers to walk around.
Once we were inside, it was a very undaunting process. The tigers just laid there practically ignoring our presence. After having multiple tourists take photographs with them for the past several years, they have became indifferent to the giddy, harmless visitors.
The Wife did get freaked out momentarily as one tiger rolled over on his back to encourage her to scratch his belly.
We have had several house cats in the past and know how much they lie around doing nothing all day. We have also watched wild lions in their natural habitat and been unimpressed by their lack of activity. To my untrained eyes, it didn't seem like these tigers were sedated. They were just domesticated and did what felines generally do--nothing.
After we had completed our tiger visitation sessions, we saw that two tourists were being entertained with front row seats to a pretty cool sight. One of their trainers was playing with a tiger inside a nearby enclosure. The big cat kept jumping to reach the leaves at the end of the man's stick. For a few moments, the tiger acted like his much smaller, feline cousins. The male tourist beat a hasty retreat backwards while his wife bravely stood her ground and took close up photographs of the playful beast.
We found our car and driver waiting for us in the parking lot and headed off to our next destination. We lamented that we did not have the time to visit the adjacent Elephant Poopoopaper Park. It's exactly what the title suggests. These workers make books and paper products using the fiber isolated from pachyderm feces. And this is why I stick to ebooks nowadays.
We negotiated with our driver to take us to the Huay Tueng Thao reservoir which was on the way back to Chiang Mai. On the weekends, locals would make the journey up here to enjoy the peaceful countryside and the serene freshwater lake. It was a weekday, so the area was sparsely populated. Our driver dropped us off at a restaurant on the north bank of the lake. He would wait for us while we ate.
People can go swimming in the lake on hot, summer afternoons. The water did not look too enticing and the signs posted around the shore made the activity seem even less alluring. We sat down at one of the restaurant's covered, floating dining areas which was a perfect size for a small group or family.
We tried tom yum soup for the first time since arriving in Thailand. This soup is a common menu item of many a crappy Thai restaurant back home. However, this version at the lake restaurant was by far the spiciest and most flavored iteration that we had ever tried.
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| Tom yum pla (spicy fish soup) |
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| Deep fried fish with herbs |
However, our main reason to eat at the Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir was to eat some local baby shrimp. The deep fried ones were delicious. But we were really looking forward to trying goong ten aka "Dancing Shrimp." This delicacy is made by marinating tiny, live freshwater shrimp in a sauce flavored with garlic, limes, and chilies. The shrimp are popped in one's mouth where they squirm and "dance" around creating a unique culinary experience.
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| Deep friend baby shrimp |
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| Dancing shrimp |
Our shrimp were not the liveliest. Some moved around quite a bit, but most were either dead or almost there as they barely nudged a muscle. The sauce for the dish was actually the best part, it was a flavor explosion in one's mouth with a strong spicy and citrus-like flavor.
After taking in the relaxing lake atmosphere, it was time to head back to Chiang Mai. We instructed our driver to drop us off at Chiang Mai's Wat Ket district as The Wife wanted to peruse some more boutique stores.
We visited several brain-numbing clothing stores. We did visit an Elephant Parade House, a store that produces artistic renditions of elephant statues. Part of the proceeds go towards elephant conservation.
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| A large elephant statue celebrating the ubiquitous songthaew taxis. |
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| If we had the time, we could have painted our own elephant statues. |
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| Instead, we settled on some small figurines honoring some of the exotic fruits of Southeast Asia |
Among the higher end boutique shops and cafes, we noticed an unassuming storefront with women cooking over steamers. Several cars would just pull up and the drivers would purchase some of their food and then zoom off. We had to check it out. It turns out that these ladies were selling a rice flour "dumpling," similar to the Vietnamese banh cuon. It was garnished with lettuce, peppers, and coconut cream.
After finishing our shopping in the area, we headed west, crossing a bridge over the Ping River. We ended up at the Ton Lam Yai Market where vendors were selling all sorts of foods and household goods.
Back at the hotel, The Wife and The Boy went off on a quest to find a laundromat to clean our growing pile of dirty clothes. Along the way, they tried more street food including khanom tokyo (coconut crepes with pandan cream) and fruit juice smoothies.
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| Their alcohol policy is confusing. |
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| On baht is a whopping three cents. |
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| Rice porridge |
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| Fried rice with vegetables (because the steamed rice sucked) |
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| Deep fried crab meat rolls |
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| Roasted salted duck |
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| Fried crab in yellow curry |
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| Steamed salted prawns |
After dinner, the family (sans The Boy) headed back to the massage parlor where we indulged in more amazing massages at rock-bottom prices. During this relaxing session, The Wife and I were able to reflect on our short time in Chiang Mai. Overall, this area was one of our favorite areas of our trip. The weather was so temperate, and the people were very friendly. The food, accommodations, and services such as massages were so affordable for Westerners. We could see why so many foreigners are drawn to this area. We just regretted that we didn't allot for more time in Chiang Mai, or for more massages.
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