Part 6: Elephants!

While in Chiang Mai, we spent one of our final afternoons doing what the tourists do:
                                   we played with elephants!

 Maesa Elephant camp is one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in Northern Thailand.

Their goal is to help repopulate the Asian Elephants in Thailand. They also give people a personal encounter with these beautiful creatures.

Throughout the centuries, Asian elephants have played an important role in the history and development of Thailand.
I honestly didn't know how I felt about these beautiful animals being taken from their natural home in the Thailand jungle to be bred and trained in captivity.

I admired their strength and beauty. I am more captivated and in awe of elephants than I ever was before after spending this afternoon with them.

This sanctuary claims to  protect the elephants from ivory poachers, people who kill elephants for their valuable tusk material. It also says it helps populate and maintain the elephant species.

I have to say, the elephants seem to be truly valued, loved and cared for at Maesa.
Each elephant is paired up with a caretaker from their birth. This person cares and trains the elephant for their entire life.
They are called mahouts.
 They know their elephant and their elephant knows them.  Their relationship seems to be really special.

The elephants know their mahout and share a special  bond. 

One of the highlights was watching the mahouts lead their elephant to the nearby river for  a refreshing bath.

Emily and I shared the back of one elephant for a ride through the jungle and nearby village.

If the elephant wanted to stop to eat, they were allowed.

A quick stop for a snack

Our view as we descended into the village on the back of our elephant

Jungle walk. Can anything be more exotic?!!

This path made us a bit nervous....

The gathering of elephants for a ride of a lifetime!

We also saw an elephant show. The elephants played soccer, danced and even painted a picture! The pictures were beautiful and sold for hundreds of dollars.

The paintings they were able to create were absolutely amazing!

Like I said earlier, I have mixed feelings about these elephants in captivity being trained to preform tricks and dances. However, it is what it is right now, and I truly appreciated the experience.
My hope is that some good is able to come from it.

Here I am getting a sloppy kiss from Mr. Elephant.

Such a fun day!