You know you are in Thailand when you step off the plane and smiling faces greet you with folded hands. As they melodiously say "Sawadeeka", its pure music to the ears. Just one simple greeting provides a glimpse into their culture which is filled with hospitality, kindness and generosity of spirit. The people of Thailand are just so warm, friendly and affectionate. And, did i mention that they love kids? Especially when they start entertaining your toddler who gleams at all the attention.. score!
We also had holy threads tied to our wrists and our son sat down patiently when it was his turn. I loved the way he looked at the monk completely bewildered ! :)
He even ran amok and explored every nook and corner of the temple. Oh to be a toddler and explore the world !
Chiang Mai had been on our travel list for long. After exploring the island getaways of Phuket and Krabi, we wanted to experience the beauty of northern Thailand. Less touristy and blessed with rolling hills, Chiang mai is a scenic getaway that combines good weather with delicious Thai food and warm hospitality. If you are a young family like ours, this is an incredible kid friendly destination too!
Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel, Siripanna Villa and resort. Located in suburban area and near the local attractions (night market, temples etc), the hotel was an idyllic little paradise where we could relax and rejuvenate. Unlike most tourists who prefer to stay in the hills, we choose the city as we wanted to avoid longer road travel (aka journey sickness for the wee one). The hotel was a little hidden gem and we enjoyed every minute of our stay. I am quite biased towards good quality Egyptian cotton linen and the room had that and more. It was extremely comfortable and I loved waking up in the morning feeling pampered ! When i did manage to drag myself off the bed, i enjoyed watching the golden sunlight flicker as it fell on the trees by the balcony.
The hotel though small, had its own little paddy field called the lanna field. Every morning, hotel guests could partake in activities such as planting saplings and giving alms to the Buddhist monks. This happened really early and as mentioned above, i couldn't drag myself off the comfort of the bed. However, I did manage to venture out with my camera later when the boys were fast asleep and it was just me and my camera (aah, me time! ).
I absolutely loved these pretty yellow flowers that were in full bloom in the hotel as well as the rest of city as we would later find out. As I was taking pictures, a couple of hotel staff went by and each of them would always fold their hands and say 'sawadeeka'. The hospitality was just lovely and reminded me so much of India. I did see many similarities in the culture which probably explains why i love these two countries so much.
I digress a lot, anyhow, getting back to the beautiful yellow flowers.
May i just say, how happy i am to see the pictures i took. Gone are the days when i would venture with a point and shoot camera. These days, my trusty DSLR accompanies me on all our holidays and I love the pictures it produces. "Self praise rant over"..
Once the boys woke up, we decided to head over to the Patara Elephant Camp which is situated half an hour away from the city. As this was the first time that the wee one would be seeing such big animals up close, we were excited to introduce him to the gentle giants, I am not big on elephant rides (having seen ton of videos that showcase abuse) and was more interested in feeding them and watching the river bathing.
We bought few bananas and took the wee one near the elephants. As the elephants reached out with the trunks, they tapped on our hands . Petrified, our son started crying hysterically, however after a couple of minutes his fear went away and he stared at them intrigued beyond belief. My heart pounded at his reaction but then that's how they grow up. Well, he did end up getting rid of his fear (hey he's only 16 months old) ! That'll be quite a story to tell him once he grows up.
Our next stop was to see the 'long neck' tribes. Our guide told us that the tribes were ethnic Burmese men and women who had settled down in Thailand. The reason for their long necks was quite logical .In ancient times, when the tigers would attack them, they would instantly go for the throat, hence they started wearing the rings around their necks. So, technically it was a way of self defense that slowly manifested and became cultural.
The tribals are artistically gifted and make beautiful handicrafts using traditional methods. They had various handicrafts on display that would make interesting souvenirs to take home. We bought a wooden frame with the painting of a tribal. It now hangs in our living room and reminds me of the these lovely people.
The women were incredibly pretty and friendly. While, our son played with another tribal boy, i went around and took some pictures. After asking if i could take their pictures. they nodded and gladly smiled. By the way, don''t they have the most genuine and beautiful smiles! The girl in the white below had a son who was slightly older than mine . It was adorable to watch them play. You learn so many things from children and one of them is to become friends with anyone! :)
The next day, we visited a temple in the city. As with Balinese temples, Thai temples require you to dress modestly.. which means no shorts . I was wearing a dress (which i thought was modest enough) and ventured in.Since no one stopped me,I assumed that my dress was ok. So, by the time I had finished taking pictures, getting the holy thread tied on my wrist by a revered monk, i was told my dress was too short. Well, as with any mommy of an active toddler, you sometimes forget what you are wearing!
The temple had these colorful flags that hung from the ceiling. I couldn't help but take loads of pictures for they were so gorgeous!
We also had holy threads tied to our wrists and our son sat down patiently when it was his turn. I loved the way he looked at the monk completely bewildered ! :)
He even ran amok and explored every nook and corner of the temple. Oh to be a toddler and explore the world !
During the four days that we were in Chiang Mai, we had the time of our lives! The hotel staff from Siripanna Villa and resort were exceptional and took such good care of us and our son. On the day that we were leaving, many of them came out to bid us adieu and it felt like we were leaving behind family. That's what Thailand does to you.
Kob Khun Ka Chiang Mai. Till next time!