Elephant Camp near Chiang Mai, Thailand

 I flew from BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Mai...about an hour 15 minutes. Above is a view of a court yard and the exterior of one of the 5 terminal sections

My first full day in Chiang Mai was very busy with a 6 hour visit to one of the elephant camps about 35 miles north. Since the elephants no longer work since logging teak has been outlawed, they are kept and exhibited for the tourists' experience at these camps. One can't help feel sorry for the elephants exploitation this way but it does make for an interesting and entertaining day. I took a lot of photos and videos and it will take time to edit and then post these over the next couple of days.

The day started with an elephant show- washing and performances of tricks, then an elephant ride, followed by an ox-cart ride. Then lunch in the afternoon followed by a float down the river on a flat bamboo raft.

I can't edit the videos so I will upload a couple of short ones and the long video tomorrow which is now uploading to Facebook. And some photos over the next few days.

Elephant riding in the river:

Playing soccer:

Washing in the river:

A mother with her 6 month old baby. They are very protective of their progeny for several years after birth. Pregnancy gestation is 20-22 month and each female can have up to 4 or 5 children during their 50 year life span.

They elephants can be very playful such as placing and removing hats if you stand nearby

Washing the elephants is a fun part of the show as they play in the river and their handlers (Mahouts) scrub them. A long video is above

After the washing the elephants kicked soccer balls (video above); made amazingly intricate paintings:

After the elephant "show" we went on a 45 minute ride thru the river and jungle:

This is a photo from the back of the elephant with the mahout sitting on the neck and "driving":

After this there was an uncomfortable, bumpy ox cart ride :

A scene of the fields from the ox cart :

 Then we got on a flat bamboo raft for a lovely float trip down the river:

A dwelling on the shore:

A couple from France shared the raft:

Dense, green foliage on the shoreline:

Our raft "captain":

A video of tranquil float down the river on flat bamboo raft: