Chiang Mai, Thailand Part 3

We signed up for a Long Neck Tribe and Elephant Ride Tour with the hotel. The tour guide picked us up in a van and along with other participants, we headed off to visit the Long Neck Tribe first. 

I was expecting the visit to be a really authetic one, somewhere in the jungle where the tribe stays, where the members go about their daily activities, allowing me to have a glimpse into how they live. Well, turned out we were brought to a community of tribes which, according to the guide, the government has put together in a bid to preserve their ethnic identities. According to her, many of the tribal members have chosen to move to the cities to work, leaving behind a lot of the elderly, women and children.

A concrete road led up to a sandy ground where the first thing that greeted us were stalls selling different soveniors. The stalls were managed by the different tribes and besides selling the common soveniors which can be bought easily anywhere,  they sold clothes and scarves which they made themselves. As we walked along the sandy path with stalls flaking us on both sides, the guides explained (very quickly) the characteristics of each tribe. We had the opportunity to take photos at each stall but after a while, the novelty kinda wore off. There were only a few wooden houses on stilts. Maybe the rest are located away from the tourist belt so as to maintain their privacy.

We were then left to walk to the end of the path. Hanging onto the possibility of getting more insight into the tribal life the further we walked, we did so without any questions. 

We were greeted with more stalls. Some of the stalls were manned by young girls and they got upset when we did not buy any souvenirs from them. I couldn't help but feel sorry as I supposed they must be depending quite a fair bit on tourism to survive. The elder ladies were more friendly and it was nice trying to converse using merely hand guestures.

We learnt that none of the girls are forced to wear the ornamental rings on their necks, wrists and legs. Instead, after a certain age, they are free to make a choice to continue with the tradition or have the rings removed. Still, many women do opt to keep wearing them. We also learnt that the rings do not actually stretch the neck. Instead, they only create the illusion that the neck is lengthened as the weight of the rings on the shoulders causes them to be pressed downwards. To make it enriching for the children, I posed some questions to them based on my own background knowledge, such as 'Why are the houses built of stilts?' and 'How do the different tribes differentiate themselves?'.Development is one of the topics for Secondary School Geography curriculum so being one of my favorite topics when I was teaching in school, the content came in handy when explaining things to the kids.

Our very own long necked girl

The tribal girl is 2 years older than A.

Handweaving clothes

Next, we headed off to the elephant camp for our ox-cart ride and elephant ride. I had my reservations when I signed up for the tour because I know the controversy behind such 'animal tourism'. A lot of times, animals were not treated well and were fed very little. A big percentage of the money from the tourists went to the boss or staff, leaving little for the welfare of the animals. Afterall, the animals cannot speak back right? As much as I want to find a responsible elephant camp, I do not have access to all the information. So why did I still sign up for it? The answer is simple - the kids. We have always been teaching the kids the importance of respecting people and the environment and I am proud to say that they are doing a great job. The kids always help to sort out the recyclable trash. They make sure they use both sides of the paper and they are careful not to litter. They know that trees are important to both animals and mankind but they have never seen animals interact in its natural habitats. The ones in the zoo are as 'natural' as they have come into contact with and we hoped that the elephant ride would help open their world a little bit more.

The ox cart rides were bumpy and boy, they sure pee a lot. But seeing them so skinny, I felt sorry for adding to the weight just by sitting on the cart.

We were treated to an elephant show after the ox-cart riding where the animals did stunts like head-stand and even kicked soccer. The highlight of the elephant show would be the elephant painting. I had my doubt at first as the elephant kicked up a paint brush with its trunk and paused before dipping it into the correct colors for his work of art. Children at the show came off their seats and stood near the artist as he concentrated on his work. My seat was just in front of the artist and I found myself staring into his eyes, hoping to find his inner thoughts and maybe some hints of how he had been living thus far. Strange but I seemed to find serenity in his eyes. I did not know what to make of it. Was he happy or has he resigned to his fate? Still, I was glad to see him happy when he completed his work. Afterall, he got a treat for that.

Elephant Bath Time

Good Morning

Getting up and down

FIFA Fever

Elephant Style Thai Massage

Artist at Work

Masterpiece going for 500 Baht

Feeding time

After lunch (including in the tour fee), we walked across the river through this old, shaky suspension bridge which made walking a feat itself. The kids were frightened and I had to hide my own fear in order to make them feel safe. It didn't help that the narrow bridge was for a two way traffic. Just thinking about it again gives me the creeps. I sure hope they use the money from the tourists to mend the suspension bridge before anything else.

The picture doesn't show the height well but the bridge is high!

As there were 4 of us, we were assigned the biggest elephant in the camp. At 25 years of age, the elephant towered over many of elephants which we thought were huge already. The trainer was kind towards the elephant, allowing the elephant to wonder off the trail whenever it felt like plucking some grass off some random patch. There was an occasion when the elephant was just chewing away for about 30 minutes and we were left sitting in the sun. The trainer did not say anything and let his charge eat to its heart's content. The elephant did make many pit-stops and as the trainer was very  patient, and we ended up being the last one to return (even though we were the among the first to start out) Still, I rather he did that than to have him hit the animal to rush it. The trainer used mainly his voice to guide and I was glad to see the bond between the trainer and the elephant.

Our friendly guide

Our elephant is eating again, this time, blocking the other elephants behind him.

The kids had a great time on the elephant. They had a good view of the elephant and its amazing skill in manoeuvring its way up and down the steep and rocky terrains. We talked about the elephant's diet and its strength. We talked about how the forest is important to the animals. We talked about how we need to respect their space and use our resources responsibly. Though the weather was hot that day and I was sure I got two tones darker, we were all glad we were able to chat so happily together, as a family.

Walking down the river

Conquering the steep slopes. It felt even steeper when we were sitting on the elephant.

Next up on the itinerary, river rafting. There was nothing much actually. Not much scenery to enjoy and the sun sure made its presence felt. The kids were tired and bored and we were glad that we did not have to do the full course. The tour guide was already waiting for us at the half way mark and we were glad to make our way back to the hotel. However, on hindsight, by the time we made our way back to the hotel, it was only 3pm. The guide seemed to be in a rush throughout the day but I had no complaints because the kids were already tired. It was indeed a fruitful day.

Kallang Ice World

A friend of mine brought her two young daughters to Kallang Ice World and she talked about how much fun they had. Of course, I wouldn't want to miss out on fun so off we went too. The last time I went ice skating was when I was still in secondary school. Boy, now that I count the years, it sure is a long time ago. Kallang Leisure Park has changed a lot since then. It is a whole lot bigger and there are definitely more shops now. A lot of eateries fill the complex - Pasta Mania, New York New York and even Marble Slab Creamery. The complex also houses a theatre which features a lot of international films (explaining the name - FilmGarde Cineplex), a bowling alley and a Cold Storage supermarket. The Ice World is located on the third floor of the complex.

We brought along jackets, socks and gloves. If you do not have yours, you can always buy them over the counter. I got a pair of gloves for $2. Just in case you are wondering if you need to dig out those winter down jackets and beanies, hold it. It is not that freezing cold and once you get those leg exercises going on the ice, you would heat up quite quickly. A simple windbreaker or jacket would do the trick. Some of the skaters were even in t-shirts!! I am scared of the cold but my fleece jacket did just fine.

If you are not sure what size your ice-skates should be, the counter has a foot measurement chart which you can place your foot on and the assistant would pick out just the right size for you. As we sat on the side benches, we saw the professional skaters whisked passed us, along with beautiful stunts and turns. We sat there captivated. A said she would like to skate like them because they looked so beautiful. "Slowly, my dear. They all started out like you and if you work at it, you can be like them too."

Simple safety rules such as the proper way to fall were explained to A before we stepped into the cold, wet yet inviting ice. Once I stepped in, I realized I was not any better than my young daughter. My body has lost its memory of ice-skating and balancing became an issue, needless to say, the most important part of it all - stopping! How was I supposed to help A ice-skate? Good thing balancing frames are available for children below the height of 120cm. A got one and I held it along with her, pretending (very well) that I was teaching her when I too needed to get my grip on the bar.

We made our way slowly around the rink. A fell a few times but she was able to pick herself up rather quickly and steadily. After two rounds around the rink with the balancing tripod, she decided to do without it. She held the sides of the rink before letting her hands go, choosing to find her own sense of balance on the ice.

By the fourth round, she was managing very well without much support. My legs, too, was beginning to regain its memory and I was able to move along rather smoothly though braking was still an issue. Still, we had a lot of fun and lots of laughter.

Our ticket allowed us to stay inside the rink for 2 hours but it was enough to keep A happy. Kate did a wonderful job staying happy with Daddy on the side benches. We changed out after the 2 hours was up and headed to a food court to have dinner. By then, the girls were already very tired. Nonetheless, it was a nice and 'cool' way (pun intended) to spend family time together. A was just glad that she had her time on the ice with Mummy alone.

Chiang Mai, Thailand Part 2

The day had finally arrived for Daddy's 10km race. We were all up early at 5am and when Daddy went for his warm up, I got the girls ready. They were all very cooperative despite the waking up in the wee hours. We put on our jackets, head lights and armed with our cheerleading pom-poms and star baton, we were ready to stun the crowd. And boy, we really did stun the crowd. We stood out, not only in the dark, but also in the very very thin crowd. Forget about barricades and a huge mass of cheering crowd because there was none. Besides the participants, there were a few, a few supporters. The rest were crowd control officers and photographers. As we walked, people were amused by us. Everyone, including the policemen, thought we were Japanese and started greeting us in Japanese. I responded with gentle bows and smiles. Photographers started snapping away at the two cute cheerleaders and it was starting to get fun. 

When  the race started, I started cheering but I was the only one. It did not take me very long before I decided to stop. No one was cheering and soon, the excitement wore out. While waiting for Daddy at the finishing line, the cheerleaders had some snacks and as Daddy was only running a 10km race, we were on standby 30 minutes after the race started. The full marathon runners who started a few hours earlier were coming in so no harm cheering for them too. I was intrigued by the fact that there were so many spectators standing just a stone throw away, in front of the finishing line. From the races which we had previously cheered in, spectators were usually by the side. Well, I suppose the up close and personal touch adds to the local atmosphere. By the way, Daddy came in second for his category and his cheerleaders went up to collect the trophy with him, with beaming smiles on their small faces.

After a good shower and afternoon rest, we headed early to the Sunday Walking Street which was just within Thapae Gate. We were so glad that we were early. We got there around 430pm and stalls were already setting up. Streets were rather empty and we were able to do our shopping in peace. Boy, the whole walking street is long...with many turns to small alleys. We were not able to finish the whole area. 

Drink, eat, shop...

We had to try some fried insects!

Rest for tired legs and refuel with a strawberry smoothie.

Refreshing massage (kids get to try too) and herbal juice

At night the crowd begins to build up.

Night snack: the best barbecued mushrooms I have ever tasted.

By the time we returned back to our starting point, 4 good hours had past. Next time, we would be sure to cover more. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by a street cart selling on-the-spot prepared Mexican food, and brought chicken quesadillas back to the room to end the day. It turned out to be quite a hit.

Weekend Sand Play @ East Coast Park

Often times, weekends are usually littered with unfinished work we take home to complete before Monday deadlines, grocery shopping to restock the fridge, errands to run, people to visit.... but not today! Well, at least for Daddy. Mommy had an appointment, and Daddy planned to take the girls out for a favourite past time we hadn't done for a while.... sand play at the beach!

We left the house early and found a spot with a bench near the sand by 8.30 am so the sun wouldn't be too hot. In a large bag were some sand toys, towels and bathing gear, a change of clothes, water bottles, a portable cooler with cut oranges, apples, carrots and cheese, wet wipes, tissues and hand sanitizers. We found a nice spot with a stone bench near the sand about a hundred metres from the nearest toilet to set our stuff down.

Immediately, the girls swung into action, dumped their sandals, plonked the gear down on the beach, and began digging, filling, sprinkling, and best of all, imagining all the things they could do with sand. One found some mangrove leaves and seeds brought in by the incoming tide and started playing "gardener". The other began stirring up some soup and filling out a washed up bottle to make an ice-cream cone with seashell toppings for Daddy. The girls have come a long way from the first time we brought them to the beach, and the extended cloudy weather meant that by 10.30 am, the weather would still be nice and cool for a longer play time than expected, during which they took breaks to finish up all the snacks we brought along. The older girl took the liberty to splash around in the incoming tide while the younger one wasn't very ready to explore the murky waters just yet. To her, the roaring waves still appeared rather intimidating, and she kept high and dry.

Ice-cream anyone?

Soup's coming right up!

After the play time, we adjorned to the toilet area to rinse our gear and proceed for an 'outdoor shower'. The public showers prohibit bathing in the nude, and the girls soaped and scrubbed through their clothes. It was an opportunity to rinse the sand off their clothes too anyway. A quick change in the changing rooms, combing of hair, sips of water, and we were ready for lunch.

"I press, you wash"

"This is the way we wash our hair..."

Daddy decided to give the girls a treat by bringing them to one of their favourite fastfood restaurants: Burger King. Breakfast was still being served and the two girls had a kids' meal each with an orange juice and an ice Milo.

After the hearty meal, we caught a cab back home in time for a short afternoon nap for everyone... including a tired Daddy. But wouldn't it be nice if every weekend was like this?