JUDITH'S THAILAND ADVENTURE Chiang Mai
Back to Bangkok and a flight to Chiang Mai. My host in Chiang Mai was Claudio Vezzaro. Claudio is a lay missionary from Somma Lombardo (province of Varese, Italy). He has lived in Thailand for many years and currently runs an Italian restaurant named I’l Forno Slow Food Restaurant, which gives employment to people with disabilities in Chiang Mai. The kitchen is fitted out with wheelchair height ovens and fridges. He has also built wheelchair accommodation at the rear of the restaurant for his staff and visitors.
At the Mae Ta Man Elephant Camp, 52km to the north of Chiang Mai, I took an oxcart ride up into the hills and visited a local hill tribe village. Then, perched high in a wooden howdah, I returned to the elephant camp through another village. I had an impressive view of the forest and an unforgettable experience. Here I saw many elephants living as they have for centuries with their handlers, or ‘Mahouts’.
The Mae Rim Monkey School. Here I watched monkeys performing tricks, playing basketball, riding tricycles, counting exercises and a demonstration of how monkeys climb trees and retrieve coconuts.
The Mae Sai Snake Farm. This farm not only displays snakes from all over Thailand, but also regularly carries out in-depth studies and research concerning snake breeding. Here I watched a snake show, including a demonstration of how snake venom is extracted from a snake. At the end of the show, I kissed a cobra and had a python placed around my neck.
The Mae Sai Bai Orchid and Butterfly Farm. Here there were a large variety of beautiful butterflies raised in a spacious garden and I sat among them. I also saw many varieties of colorful orchids.
The Chiang Mai Zoo, situated on 531 rai of verdant forestland at the foothill of Doi Suthep Mountain. I saw a pair of giant pandas, comprising a three-year-old 160kg male called Chuang Chuang and a petite two-year-old female named Lin Hui. A contest was held to come up with Thai names for the pandas, with the winning entries being Tewan and Tewee.
The San Khampaeng Hot Springs, in Doi Inthanon National Park, is on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. The water comes bubbling out of the ground at a temperature of 89°C. There are two geysers spouting a continuous flow of hot water into the air. A swimming pool is fed with the warm water from the geysers. Here, I went for a swim and enjoyed the hot springs water with a cooling waterfall, after which I went for walk (one km) to see the local markets and do some shopping.
San Kampaeng, the home of Thailand’s cottage industry. I visited back street warehouses and had a look at how the local Thai people work to create a variety of handicrafts.
The famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. Here, I wandered along the crowded pavements, admiring the beautifully made handicrafts. Seeking out bargains on more contemporary consumer goods is the best way to enjoy the market.
Read more about Judith's travels around Thailand.