A few pictures from Changmai, Thailand

We arrived in Chang Mai on Sunday afternoon, July 15th and were met at the airport by the tour guide who arranged all the sightseeing for the week. After checking in at the hotel, we had something to eat there and met three sets of missionaries and a couple from the mission office just finished their dinner. We learned that there was a night market near by and also an old "wat" (the Thia name for pagoda). So we walked around that, the market--didn't buy anything because it was Sunday-. Some stopped for dinner but we'd eaten late so went back to hotel. It was good to meet the other missionaries.



This is part of the wat we walked around and is not being restored.

The schedule for Monday was sightseeing until the afternoon, so those who chose to go (all except Dad, who felt he had already seen an elephant camp in March) rode out in a bus about an hour up into the hills. The bus was very comfortable and the roads were smooth!! Amazing after being in Myanar for 10 months.

Included in the trip was an elephant show and ride. I have the pictures reversed, so these came after the ride in real life.

This was a very talented elephants. He actually painted the picture you can see in the forefront with his trainer placing a brush in his trunk. First, he drew the stems, then the flowers, and then the leaves. Afterwards he was demonstrating that he could kick a soccer ball. Fun to watch.

Here the elephant was placing a hat on her head. He did it to me, but no picture.

The rides we had at the Myanmar elephant camp were quite uncomfortable, but these were much more comfortable. Easier to get on and softer seats! Everyone rode in pairs except for me.

As I was riding behind this elephant, I asked the trainer if the one ahead was pregants and she was. Looked ready to deliver!

At one point the trainer got off, took my camera and took my picture. As the other elephants were going one, mine started to go too. Luckily, it was well -trained and came back so the trainer could get back on.

Along the way there were huts where sugar cane and bunches of bananas were being sold. The elephants didn't want to go on until they had had their treat, so I bought some. Amazing how much they can put into their mouths at one time!!

After the elephant ride and the show, we had a ride down the river on a bamboo raft. It was a beautiful ride, with jungle on both sides. For a short while, there was a rain shower, but not for long.
We stopped for lunch along the river and then headed back into ChangMai for our first meeting. All the other women were wearing skirts--had been told to--but I had missed the message and was glad I had slacks on. So I had to hurry back to the hotel, only a few minutes away from the church--and change. There were two couples from Laos, two from Thailand and the two of us from Myanmar that are serving humanitarian missions. There was also a couple serving in employment services, one in public affairs, and two couples who work in the mission home, plus the mission president and his wife, whom we had never met as she hasn't come with him on his two trips here.

A lot of the touring included going to "factories" designed to showing us expensive stuff to buy which none of us did. But we really enjoyed going to this orchid farm. I always enjoy flowers!

Not our best picture or at least mine!

I've got the pictures out of order again. We visited a place where several ethnic tribes are located--for tourists. This girl is from what is called the "long neck" tribe, where the tradition is for a ring to be placed on her neck each year until she marries. It looks very uncomfortable and I wonder if they really live like this--but maybe. I'm glad it's not our tradition!

Another tribe was called the 'big ear' tribe. Notice the earrings. Again I think this is traditional dress not everyday dress, but the visit was interesting.

One evening we went to a 'traditional' show--again probably for tourists. We listened to music--soundeed very atonal to us--.

Beautiful dancing and costumes. We were seated on the floor but with a pit for our feet. Still not too comfortable and easier to get down than to get up.

Afterwards we watched "fireworks". Caleb would have liked these as there was no sound at all. Something like a roll of toilet paper soaked in something flamable and inside a cotton tube was lit and then released. I guess sort of like a hot air balloon--it rose and was visible for a long time. Very pretty. Those faint spots below the close one are ones that were lit earlier.

The conference ended on Wednesday and we had two extra day since the plane tickets were quite a bit less by staying. We spent part of one day at a big mall--very much like any in Asia--except Myanmar. We enjoyed having lunch at a Sizzler and I enjoyed a small steak as well as the salad bar. We went to the night market two nights and Dad had a whopper at Burger king each night. At the airport before we left we had a blizzard at a Dairy Queen. You can tell we' ve missed having western food. Oh, we also ate at a place where we had Mexican food.

The conference was great--sharing favorite scriptures, testimonies, being reminded by Pres. Dodge to keep mission rules. Since our name tags don't have Sister or Elder on and we don't use those title unless at church, we all have become a bit casual. There are times when we feel quite isolated here, and this was a good experience.

These last pictures were taken at the King's palace up in the mountains which we visited our last day. I thought I had lost this post after working for over an hour, so will quit while ahead.