Toe nails- both big

Which are bigger? The toenails of The reclining Budda (37meters long and meters tall) or those of an elephant (a real one)? Fun fact, the way to tell if an elephant is sweating is to look at his/her toenails.

Jim Thompson house

Jim Thompson (American) was an architect prior to WW2. At one point he was posted to Bangkok and after the war he returned there permanently. He was intrigued by the cottage industry of the hand weaving of silk, and he devoted himself to reviving the then long neglected industry. Today he is recognized as being responsible for the industry's growth and the worldwide recognition of Thai silk. He combined 6 teak buildings (2 centuries old) to make a beautiful home (now museum). He mysteriously disappeared one day while on vacation in Malaysia . This guy would have been a huge success as an interior designer in any too capital of the world. Attention to every detail and a perfect combination of Asian- western. I especially loved the saffron colored display niches with similar colored lamp shade (the lamp itself made from a Burmese drum). The niches had been windows that were filled in when the structures were combined.

Durian fruit

I had been told that the Durian fruit has such a horrible smell that some cities there is only one vendor allowed to sell it- and if you happen to park your car nearby this stand, your car (even with windows shut) will smell for days and days. Last night at the Nahm restaurant in Bangcok (owned by the michelin award Australian chef Robert Thompson, there was Durian with sticky rice on the dessert menu. Needless to say I had to try it. I am being totally honest that I could smell it approaching the table! I managed one bite- needless to say the taste was nothing like the smell- actually somewhat sweet. I had asked whether she had an actual whole fruit to show me (the dessert had been peeled and sort of pureed- and she offered to take my camera into the kitchen for a photo (see below). When she returned with my phone, i was horrified to see she had brought me a "doggy bag" with the remainder of my dessert in a Tupperware inside of a fancy bag! I obviously had to take it with me so not to hurt her feelings. I still need to google Durian fruit as I think my photo is of a peeled one...

The White temple and the royal villa Doing Tung

There were 2 highlights of the Chiang Rai day which I never mentioned in my previous post about Chiang Rai. Ringing the 108 bells at the Royal Villa after ascending both the mountainous road (route 1149) and numerous wide steps between the dragon rails- was like being a kid again. What could be more fun than taking a stick and banging on 108 HUGE metal bells- the sound echoing all around. One of the joys of traveling in the off season- there were not 37 million other people enjoying this rite of passage- celebrating ones potential 108 lives as decreed by the V
Buddhas teachings. I apologize for all the historical, cultural and religious inaccuracies and faux pas (and of course spelling, grammar and syntax errors) I have made in my many postings....

The White Temple is about 15km outside of Chiang Rai proper. A flight of folly. Built by the artist xxxxx who was surely Dali influenced- it is magical, mythical, mysterious and horrifying at the same time. The only modern gem discovered this far.

First views of Bangkok

Mahout trainee- Baanchang Elephant camp

Not sure if i previously mentioned that awhile ago my phone (which is my camera ) notified me that i was out of storage. I keep deleting Apps to get more space for photos. Blogger is my only app left. I also somehow in the deleting process lost all my notes- I had taken many on the ride out to the elephant park. Anyhow- without further ado and without any notes- Today I joined a group of 8 others to work with elephants that had been rescued from various walks of life such as a logging elephant, a circus elephant and even elephants from the government tourist attraction that were not up to snuff. The facility was 50 min from Chiang Mai. I knew it was going to be exciting when I had to sign a waiver and the list of names and ages of the participants was listed... Most in their 20s, 2 in the 30s- the average age dramatically increased by you know who! I also knew it would be exciting when the guide "Smit" said "today is about wet and dirty, not beauty and sexy! The park had 21 elephants, 3 males (with Asian elephants only makes have tusks), 1 pregnant (2 year gestation period- she was only 10 months along), 3 babies age 3,5 and 7). There are approx 5000 total elephants left in Thailand, 1000 wild. The rest are in camps like this one (I know the numbers don't make sense). Supposedly poachers will kill off all of them in the wild so this is a better alternative. All are microchipped. We learned how to feed (bananas and sugar cane), then a lesson on getting on and off, then lunch and a rest, then a lesson on riding the elephant and associated vocabulary, then a ride into the mountains, then washing the elephants in a big pond.
Vocabulary :
Bye- continue on
Quay- turn
How- stop
Non long- down or up

Chiang Mai temples

A day of temples....Wat Chedi Luang- amazing temple comlpex with gild and black interior with a golden Buddha with hand position for "peace". I heard a bell ringing and ran outside without my shoes. Then i saw an Incredible old Chedi with massive elephant "gargoyles". Other very interesting mini temples with lots of bells (I line bells and gongs), reclining "she" golden Buddha with gold mesh dress, chatting with young monks at "recess" sitting under tree with thoughtful proverbs above. A old woman was selling very small birds which one purchases and releases for good luck, 5 enclosed in a wicker cage about 6x4 inches-

Then walked to the Wat Phra Sing- not nearly as beautiful but has a minuscule crystal Buddha- for me it was more about being a working temple than a museum. Young monks siting on the floor eating eating lunch at low tables all along one side of the temple, with what I assumed to be the teachers sitting at different tables segregated from the students.

Next temple complex- Wat Chang Man- there was a wondered sign with a picture of a dog with a diagonal line through it (ie: no dogs allowed) which I wish I had a photo of because I will remember this as the dog temple! Actually most temples have a dog and or a few kittens about. In what appeared to be the main temple there was a beautiful female gold Buddha and 9 jars into which you could place offerings (monetary). Under each jar was written a day of the week- after Wednesday there was a jar for "night Wednesday", and after Saturday there was a jar with no English translation (only sandscript). I am embarrassed that I don't know what this was for.... The day of the week you were born?Over each jar was a specific statue for the day of the week - Saturday is the coolest... Later I saw something similar with gold statues and instead of offering jars; one could pour oil into lamps after making an offering for a day of he week. This is when having a guide would be useful. In a side section of the temple I was quietly watching a monk bless a family and was pleased to also receive a blessing- a sprinkling of water from a very small bamboo whisk brush. I thanked him afterwards and we spoke of some of the worlds ills- he said there is today no safe place for a monk. Another unusual chedi with a gold top and more elephants. Lunch at "Just Kao Soy" - written up in NY Times by xxxxx-( I had saved article and carried it around for ever and now I can't find it)... poor mans food made classy. Basically noodles (you chose type) and marinated meat (you chose type) cooked in curry flavored broth cooked with or without coconut milk (you chose). Served with 7 condiments all on what looks like an artist's palette. Dessert of warm Sticky rice with Mango and unusual crunchy seeds. Amazing. Wonderful art for sale.

Last temple complex of the day- Doi Suthep- another winding road up the mountainside about 20 minutes west of the city in a cab, followed by 306 steps up to the temple established in 1383.
Note- more photos to follow in a minute as otherwise I think this will be too big to post