Upclose with the Artist Elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai may not ring a bell to many travelers but this Northern Province of Thailand offers a different Thai experience than its capital city, Bangkok. Bangkok has its traffic while Chiang Mai has its wide open road to nature. In Bangkok, monks will give you an angry stare if you take photos of them, meanwhile in Chiang Mai, monks are photography-friendly by just following a  a protocol: ask, just follow instructions like taking off your shoes when you sit beside them for a photo session.) Culture has many different faces even in just one country.
But one of the cultural highlights that makes it a favorite for tourists are its elephants that paints and play sports at a camp.

Outside the walled city, a tourist can experience oneness with these elephants and get to meet hill tribe people who they say are undocumented (and exploited?). Hopefully, not.

An approx. 30 minute road trip to the winding mountainous areas, you'll find  a district called Mae Rim where two major attractions are just kind of "stone's throw" away from each other. First, there's the Mae Sa Elephant Camp and then the Hill Tribes valley. These are side by side attractions on a mountainous area. The latter is where the Thai tourism authorities combined all the hill dwelling people into a single location. 

But before I delve into world of the Hill Tribe, I let you experience first, via this blog,  the Mae Sa Elephants Camp, a sanctuary for Elephas maximus or Asiatic Elephants.

Once you enter the Mae Sa Elephant Camp you will hear the rushing river where some elephants do their daily baths. You'll feel a tropical vibe to it since the place is within a lush forest with wooden shelters abound.

In the name of sustainable ecotourism, the authorities are very careful in caring of these elephants. Though you might see some chains and actions of how handlers tame them.  But this place is a win-win situation for men and beasts, actually.  Fees from tourists help feed the animals, pay the trainers and maintain the survival of the facility. Inside is a restaurant that serves great Thai food where paintings of rabbits, flowers and elephants are hanged on its interiors. And guess what, these art are for sale. So, looking at the crude but likable art, you'll probably ask, who did the them?

Search Hotels in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand:
Via Booking.com (click for list)
Via Agoda.com (click for list)

The camp breeds the elephants and provide a proper healthcare. Trainings are done with care, too. Each elephant has its own handler which signals the animal with sign languages and sounds. 

What's amazing is when you realize that the art you earlier saw in the resto was actually done by an elephant. Though it's kind of weird thing but when you're watching the elephant paint live, you will be curious if what they do, makes them think that what they are doing is art. If they don't know the concept of art, so how do they do that?

Science tells that elephants have great memories. They have large brains and they have and they have a highly developed hippocampus and cerebral cortex, which is responsible for willpower and problem-solving. There is even a an old saying that "Elephants never forget." So probably, training and routine are the answers as to why they could paint an image of an elephant, a colorful strokes of flowers, a landscape complete with mountains and foliage. It's no longer their instinct that works but their nature of getting routinary skills given to them through trainers 

The camp has a rodeo-like stadium that can accommodate a number of tourists. These mammals show off their "talents" live like the painting sessions, free kick soccer, balancing and other interesting shows that are photo worthy. 

Unlike in some camps, photography in Mae Sa Camp is allowed and people can get closer with these beasts of burdens. Guests get the rush of excitement when the elephants uses its trunks to hug them for a photoshoot and...a donation. (Yup they use their trunks to get the money and give them to their handlers.) It looks controversial but that's how the camp works for additional financial support.

Feeding the elephant by yourself is also fine as long as they are relaxed. Bananas and sugarcane are their staple food but be careful because they chomp them with gusto. Just beware not to stay behind them or you'll experience a freak  kick or a deadly stomp if it gets aggressive or fear. So, a photoshoot or a selfie at the back of the elephant is a big NO. 

When the show is over, one ride on an Asian elephant along the forest or just eat at the resto while watching elephants going to their respective enclosures.

In conclusion, Mae Sa Elephant Camp is not for everyone. There's always a question if it is ethical to make these animals learn human skills. The kind of shows and the way the elephants are handled could make some serious animal lovers uncomfortable and some may find the actions of handlers as a sort mistreatment to this beautiful creatures. But, Aasian elephants have long been used as beasts of burden by man – transportation, timber logging or in war. But these days, tourism turned them into entertainers to attract more visitors. This could be fun to others but also a sad sight to a person who has deep compassion for nature and animal.. For others, seeing them paint or kick a football could be a product of a forced training. Well the truth is that we cannot please everybody. Only the elephant knows. They never forget :)

Watch out for the Hill Tribe Story SOON. 
These individuals from different ethnic groups speak different language, has a unique heritage and even style of clothing. They are housed in a  camp like area with wooden houses complete with souvenir shops. 

Thai Train Travel to Siem Reap, the Temples Town: Cambodian Memories

Riding a 6-hour train from Bangkok to Siem Reap was an adventure. 
You see the life of the countryside unfold in front of your eyes. Though the type of train wasn't the kind we expected.  We just enjoyed a seemingly long ride with an aging Thai locomotive that stops from station to station along the way. So, my wife and I accepted to have the mantra: Patience is a virtue and just enjoy the view. After all, we weren't alone. There were bunch of foreigners  who took the seemingly slow but sure ride. Good thing, the weather was not too hot since it was around November unlike in June-July these iron beasts could become virtual ovens.

It was 2012 and that time and Siem Reap's local airport was built, leased and managed by only one carrier for  a 20-year contract so flying was expensive. The options for tourists on budget were train, bus or a taxicab. Good thing, nowadays, tourists have the chance to fly direct flights from their own country to Siem Reap as the operator which went solo finished its contract.

The train arrives in a town where you have to search for a tuktuk to bring you to the Cambodian side. Then you walk towards a Thai-Cambodian immigration control building to have your passport reviewed and stamped. Non ASEAN passports need to pay a fee or kind of a travel tax. Then, it's time to either hop on a bus or join a van with other tourists to carry your already tired self to Siem Reap. These transport are available at the terminal not far away from the gate. It will take another 3 hours to reach you ultimate destination. Oh, did I forgot about scammers? Beware! I met one at the terminal who asks you to have your money changed at the money exchange counter and some tuktuk drivers have unfair deals by you charging more.

When we arrived in Siem Reap, I was surprised to see a lively place with lots and lots of hotels, stores, restaurants, tuktuks buzzing to and fro, and tourists walking in group with cameras on hand. The tuktuks have different designs compared to its Thai counterpart. I wasn't prepare to see this kind of scene as I always imagine Siem Reap to be a sleepy town with lost ancient temples, jungles and mysterious grounds. Was I experiencing culture shock in this side of Southeast Asia? Maybe, having watched Tomb Raider many times gave me different kind of expectations about the place.

Hotel Tip: 

Check these Siem Reap hotels for your Siem Reap tour:
1. Royal Angkor Hotel   (2.56 from city center)

2. Silk D' Angkor Boutique Hotel   (0.09 from city center)

3. Saem Siem Reap Hotel (0.21 from city center)

4. The Privilege Floor by Lotus Blanc  

5. Golden Temple Retreat - A 4 star / 4.5 star hotel inside city center

When we arrived in our destination at 3pm, we were informed that it's too late to visit the temples plus buying a day pass that late would be just a waste. The best thing was for us to rest and relax over the night so when the next day comes, we are reenergized to visit more temples. Truly, one needs to be ready for an adventure the whole day that consists of walking lengthy paths, climbing slippery stairs, balancing along ruined blocks and standing for hours while waiting for the sun to set from towering temple view (see previous post for this story).

Tasting Angkor Beer before the food is served

I've learned an interesting information when our tuktuk driver and our hotel's owner mentioned to us that the movie Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, helped and ushered a new era of tourism to the entire Cambodia. Siem Reap, fresh with wounds from the great purge of Cambodia or aka the infamous Killing Fields or the Cambodian Genocide,  has been turned into a resort town.  Thanks to that film, that featured Angkor Wat, Angkor Tom and Ta Phrom temples, many were curious to see them first hand esp the exact shooting locations. Tourists arrived in droves. That's why hotels were so close to each other and there's a marketplace teeming with night life teeming. One point that will make you surprise was the village where Lara Croft woke up and rode a boat on the film but in reality it was just an intricate set constructed on a pond of Angkor Wat and locals were hired to be extras.  However, those giant tree roots eating the temple are genuine.

Indeed, the next day, after a night of drinking Angkor Beer, eating delicioys Cambodian food at Khmer Kitchen and experiencing the Cambodian  way  of massage (Shocked yet satisfied how masseuse used her feet to massage by tired body and soul). Nothing like it. The next day, our tuktuk driver arrived at 5am. He's diligent. The day was still dark but why that early? Well, the reason was for us to buy day pass tickets from the Angkor Pass counter and catch the sunrise behind the famous temple the Angkor Wat. The tourism people of Siem Reap got to create a feeling of mystery by waiting the first light of day in an ancient ground. The dramatic entrance of the sun, going up from total darkness, and finally seeing it enlightened the Angkor Wat complex was indeed an unforgettable sight to behold. Full Story Here

Visages of Vietnam War: War Remnants Museum

War is obviously an ugly thing.
In classrooms we learn war's ugly face and traces from our history teachers and from our television sets. When the library was still the in-thing, plenty history books were there to give us records of  the glory and sacrifices of young soldiers through text and images. For new generations, war has been introduced to them via movies like Saving Private Ryan, via Xbox and PS4 games, and the internet. YouTube has tons of documentaries and Google is treasure trove for war articles.
Meanwhile, if you are a tourist going to Vietnam, expect that a part of your itinerary will surely include war. 

These metal beasts were once killing machines 

Indeed, the Vietnam government included war  as a part of its tourist attractions or destination probably not to just earn money from it but to primarily educate people coming in the ugly truths of war despite they won against the Americans.
Somewhere in the jungles of South Vietnam, you'll find foreigners exploring the man made caves and tunnels used by Viet Congs  during the Vietnam War. These caves changed the waves of the war against their enemies as the deep tunnels were to deep that bombs were not effective to destroy them. And how will you know this fact? Most information about the war is available when you go to Ho Chi Minh city (formerly called  Sai Gon) where you'll find the War Remnants Museum (See Map Below)

Map of the War Remnants Museum

Actual gas masks used to avoid inhaling chemicals such as Agent Orange

The famous photo of the Napalm Girl (real name: Phan Thi Kim) who was depicted in this Pulitzer Price winning photograph shot by AP photographer Nick Ut. Phan thi Kim now lives in Canada..

The War Remnants Museum is located Vo Van Tan, in District 3, just near the city park. It is usually a walking distance from hotels and the market. The vicinity not only it houses  vintage aircrafts and military machines such as tanks made by the US Army but also some exhibitions of  weapons of mass destructions such the chemical warfare Agent Orange. 

The place has themed rooms where you can see a place dedicated to the personnel who are still Missing-In-Action (MIA) to this day. 

Propaganda posters at the Vietnam War Remnants in former Sai Gon 

(Ho Chi Minh City)

Suggested Hotels near War Remnants Museum:

Via Bookings.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel 
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel Set on a bustling downtown block a 6-minute walk from the covered Bến Thành Market, this casual hotel is an 8-minute walk from Gia Long Palace and 7 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
3. GK Central Hotel  In a modern building on a tree-lined commercial street, this relaxed hotel is a 3-minute walk from Bến Thành Market, an 11-minute walk from Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica and a 12-minute walk from the War Remnants Museum.

Via Agoda.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel 
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel 
3. GK Central Hotel  


Creative communist propaganda posters of yesteryears and publications with  Anti-American sentiments are hanged in walls even thought lots of American tourists visit the area. Graphic photos of the victims of Napalm, Agent Orange and phosphorus bombs are enlarge and lighted. I've seen tourists Americans shed tears as they pondered on how their country's participation in the war affected many innocent civilians and even soldiers who were just following orders to stop foreign hands in controlling their country. I shed tears too when I saw the after effects of Agent Orange to the alive yet mutilated offsprings of those parents who were to exposed Agent Orange. US Veterans who were used and were exposed to it were also affected. Some got leukemia or some kind of cancer in later life. I learned that the spraying of Agent Orange over agricultural land also affected the environment. It is damaging to genes that's why victims have deformed children.

Before and after photo images of  destructions and post-war rehabilitations

If you are a photography buff, you can relate to a room where the main stuff being told is about the usefulness of photography in documenting the war. You can see popular photographs printed in Life magazines. The area even has a place for actual photography gears used during the war. Some donated vintage cameras by surviving photojournalists were there to highlight the importance and role of photography in telling the different sides of war. 

A film camera hit by a bullet

My modern Nikon meets its older brother

Photos of deceased or MIA photojournalists

Photos of the wounded and the dead G.I.s

As you move from corner to corner, you will finally feel a somber mood when you see an area where photos of the dead and Missing-In-Action Vietnam War photojournalists abound. There stares are not enough to tell the untold stories of how these young men  braved their way in capturing the war in the name of photojournalism.

Long range canons made in USA

A tourist checks out a Huey helicopter

By just moving around, the remnants at the vicinity indirectly gives you war lessons of the infamous proxy war between superpowers. Unexploded bombs (without fuses) are displayed in the area. Real fatigue uniforms, shoes, grenades, bullets, mines, gas masks, clothes of the soldiers and powerful weapons are spread out in every floor level and corner inside glass containers 
Going back outside, you will feel again the magnitude of the War Remnants Museum as vintage canons, plane and helicopters and tanks seems to be on place, as if guarding the vicinity. And hopefully, what you've seen and learned there, you will also share to others via an awareness like in a blog that we should not keep history repeat itself.

Tips: 
1.  You may see people without limbs in the area. Don't take photos of them without permission. 
2. Foreigners don't mind being photographed but it's better to be discreet if you took a general photo with them as part of your subject.
3. Don't take selfies in sensitive areas like with photos of victims. Your selfie might go viral and you'll end up bashed by netizens.
4. Don't smile when getting your photos beside images of dead and Missing in Action people. 
5. Don't touch exhibits that are not protected by glass cases.
6. Don't ride on vintage vehicles for a fun photography purpose.
7. There are graphic photography inside. Stay away if you have a weak heart and gets too emotional seeing victims of Agent Orange and more.
8. Observe silence.
9. Turn off flash when taking a subject with glass or if it is inside a glass container.  Adjust your camera to bring more light to your sensors. Your shot will be better without the flash being reflected on glass.

A Glimpse of the Cambodian Sunset

When the sun waves goodbye, I feel of peace. Im at peace with my surroundings, with myself, or with  my emotional state.  However, for some, they feel lonely, as if the sun itself left them alone. Others feel happy as they can now party for the night. One of the memorable things that Cambodia has to offer is its sunset experience via its massive temples. For us, we chose Pre Rup, an aged pyramid temple built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman.  

It was a lovely day with some friendly photo bombers :)

Pre Rup is situated  at the Angkor Archaeological sites. Riding from Ta Phrom temple (the Tomb Raider site where trees rise atop temples as if eating them and converting them into jungles again) you will pass by the man-made Sra Srang reservoir lake and a few meters, you'll find Pre Rup at the left side area .

Upon arriving, we were greeted with a temple mountain made of brick, laterite and sandstone...and lots of tourists (on top). The name Pre Rup means "turn the body" in modern vocabulary. It shows the common belief among Cambodians that funerals were conducted at the temple, with the ashes of the body being ritually rotated in different directions as the service progressed. The temples has lots of closed doors which adds to the its ancient mystery. 

It was a cloudy day when we went for our Cambodian temple sunset viewing experience

Atop, you'll find lion sculptures that seem to watch the sunsets too. At first, when you arrive at the temple compount, it looks like there's nobody at the place and  the emptiness will bother you. But surprise,  upon climbing the tall temple, we found out that there's another area that is already filled to the brim with tourists of different nationalities. This is the east side area where the sun says it last hurrah for the day. Searching for a sweet spot was not that easy as tourists before us area already comfortably seated, just relaxing and spending the last hours of the day with some chit chat and snapshots.

Waiting for Sunset atop Pre Rup, a pyramid temple at Siem Reap Cambodia

Suggested Hotels to Search: 

 - Check these Siem Reap hotels out for your trip -

Via Booking.com

1. Oasis Siem Reap

2. Panpan Saga Villa and Hotel

3. More Siem Reap Hotels to choose (click)

Via Agoda.com
1. Royal Angkor Hotel   (2.56 from city center)

2. Silk D' Angkor Boutique Hotel   (0.09 from city center)

3. Saem Siem Reap Hotel (0.21 from city center)

4. The Privilege Floor by Lotus Blanc  

5. Golden Temple Retreat - A 4 star / 4.5 star hotel inside city center

 Atop the temple, it's all about you and your safety. Just watch out for the edges and slopes. The stone temple seems to be unstable but somehow, lots of tourists braved their way by sitting on high edges. That's why, a simple or comfortable clothing is a must. Better wear a shoe with rough sole to avoid falling down because some areas are slippery specially if there was a drizzle. A lot of accidents do happen in Angkor site, according to our tuktuk driver. Some fall to their deaths because they wanted to take some good shots or because they were wearing slippery sandals. The cambodian government, learned from these tragic accidents that could have been prevented and so they put some warnings and safety nets in most temples.

There's a GoPro camera up there (probably used for time-lapse photography).

I roamed around the atop the vicinity while waiting for the sun that was so lazy to show up. As if it was sleeping behind curtains of clouds so some people, just like me, got bored. After hunting for good angles for photos of the temple, I went back to my sweet spot where my wife guarded it from the "others".  In the end, many tourists were obviously dismayed with the outcome as the sun didn't even produce an amazing circular form. Its form was 4 out of 10 for me. 

Risking limbs and lives just to have a sweet spot during the sunset

My wife and I went down before it got too dark. Our tuktuk driver was eagerly waiting for us and he made us see the last drop of sun at the ancient reservoir which I got to shoot some silhouettes of kids diving. Many tourists remained at Pre Rup, though. I think, maybe, they will spend the night there under the stars after a failed sunset hunting.

What I learned from it was I cannot replace the shared experience with other strangers of coming up to see the solitary view. The fact that we went there and found other eager tourists to enjoy nature and relaxing in ancient grounds with rich history was already a feat for us. After all, we risked our limbs and lives climbing the risky temple. If you plan to follow our route, then just beg Mr. Sun to show up. You will be in luck if it shows for your lenses and camera's sensors. Enjoy shooting and traveling!  

Helpful Tips: 

1. Wear comfy clothes or (non-slippery) shoes when you climb Pre Rup.
2. Be careful when climbing up and going down as the steps are narrow, slippery and made of ancient bricks so it's overall dangerous.

3. Hold tightly to areas that has no cracks to avoid a fall
4. Bring a camera bag that's so handy or easy to carry.
(Climbing this temple with heavy gears is a No no)
5. Go there an hour before the sunset so you can still explore the base of the temple then climb 30 minutes before the actual sunset.
6. Find a safe and sweet spot to see the sunset
7. When it's cloudy and the sun seems shy, just smile and enjoy the company of many tourists up the temple. Promise to youself go back again someday.

Pre Rup Temple Map

SouthEast Asia Adventure -- Part 1 (Reaching 4 Countries in 10 days) DEALING WITH FLYING

The end of the Year 2012 was fast approaching.  My wife and I decided to trudge the path that's different this time compared to our past adventures. It's a trip, I guess, that's worth-sharing and telling; a sort of country-hopping with full of amazing stories infused with beautiful sceneries and a myriad cultures that are awe-inspiring. In a very brief period of time, me and my wife had fun despite our fast-paced schedules.  We had to squeeze everything in 10 days.

Reach 4 Countries in 10 days was our adventure's mantra. (The countries we trudged on were Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore) Yes, we saw magnificent sites, ate great food, immersed in different customs, met great people, found photo worthy lives of ordinary and fantastic people but the traveling itself is one great experience that we just can't get enough-- it was exhausting yet enriching. There was a sense of fulfillment in both of us and it is greater than the exhaustion one can get in a cross-country experience. The challenges and risks we faced in our traveling is a great story in itself.

Here are some notes with tips on how we survived our grueling travel with flying colors:

1. We did experience long stays in airports.  Oh, waiting for your plane is a pain in the butt specially if you woke early morning just to catch your flight. It's not easy to rest in airports, you know. That's what happened to us when we embarked from Mactan Airport in Cebu to Clark, Pampanga and then from Clark to Bangkok. There were nonstop waiting, lining up in counters and waiting again. Good thing we had our excitement with us in our first day that kept us in good aura. Being excited can help you to be patient during this long transits esp when you find out there is no WIFI connection available in a certain airport. We also had long stays in Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, Chaing Mai International Airport, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Airport and of course Changi airport of Singapore. The great thing with these airport is that they are comfy and modern though most of them have no free WIFI in gate areas which was the sad part. But we are lucky at least  that Changi Airport has a WIFI zone like Clark.  So, if you're in Thailand and you wanted to check your Facebook or Instagram from time to time, you better buy a sim card (which comes with internet data). It can be helpful in GPS tracking, too in case you get lost.  Meanwhile, in Vietnam, you can have WIFI access in a cafe. Just buy a coffee or two and you're good to go. But it depends if a local carrier sponsor a WIFI access for free but sometimes, it lags like a turtle. You can't even see an image load after connecting to it. Tip: Don't make technology affect you day.

2. Long flights from country to country  and from city to city.  Just like waiting in an airport for your flight, a plane ride requires patience too. However, they are actually time-savers. Riding a plane is better than taking a bus for a 9-hour trip or a train for an 11 to 15-hour trip if you are traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai which a great tourist destination in Northern Thailand with its unique culture called Lanna. Choosing the plane as our mode of transportation during our 4th day Southeast Asia adventure was a great decision in our part since we saved a lot of time and got to enjoy Chiang Mai more. Train and bus rides are cheaper though so it's your choice if you want the fast way or the "snail-paced" transport.

TO BE CONTINUED

Bruce Lee and the City (Hong Kong Trip 2011)

Travel trail last 2011 included our visit to the Avenue of  Stars located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, HK.  It is modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Celebrating Hong Kong's Film Industry, the avenue features a 2.5 metre bronze statue of Bruce Lee which was erected along the Avenue of Stars in 2005. Set into the promenade are star plaques honoring the celebrities. Some contain hand prints and autographs of the stars set in cement. 

According to wikipedia, most of the plaques only contain celebrities' names as they are now deceased. Of course, we need to find popular names on it since we are not really familiar with some Chinese star. We are there were few people that night at the avenue so we easily spotted Bruce Lee's star plaque and also Jackie Chan's and Jet Li's.

Me and my wife had our photo ops, of course, esp with Bruce Lee's enigmatic statue which magnets a lot of tourists so it's hard to look for a good vantage point for photography. Visiting Hong Kong isn't complete if your camera data cards has no signs of this great martial artist who influenced a lot of media forms from television, movies, music, advertising and more. He is a pop icon who changed the image of Asian in films which we pictured as dorky before the era of superhero martial artists in films who can manage to put down gangs in few chops.  Bruce Lee was born in the US but he was raised in Kowloon, and urban area in Hong Kong until he decided to go back in America due to threats he gained from local gang fights. His move to the silver screen is one history that is too big to blog. Nevertheless, you can Google it for free. :)

If you want a virtual Bruce in his famous yellow get up with black strip, you can get to Madame Tussauds wax museum located inside of  Hong Kong Island's Peak Tower (The Peak) which houses the Peak Tram and a complex of shopping malls. The Hong Kong branch houses nearly 100 wax figures of internationally-known personalities but we it was closing when we got there. We were lucky that Bruce Lee's wax look-alike was placed along the free-of-charge photo op entrance area. Let me just say I had a great time posing in my best martial arts fun move with this living legend!  Happy Birthday Bruce Lee! :) 'Til the next post...