Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/606819
them in ink on my arm. "Goy" and "how," meaning slow down and stop, are two com- mands I use frequently on our two-hour trek traversing the forest and creek beds. "Bai," which means go, is one I use occa- sionally when my enormous companion seems to want to take the day off and laze around. During our picnic lunch stop at a creek I join in the elephant's water antics. I enjoy slipping and sliding across the back of my elephant but am careful not to fall under him, which I almost do. Being crushed by a more than 4,000-kilo behe- moth is not my idea of fun. FLORAL DISCOVERY No one would ever accuse me of being a floral guy! I trot out one morning with my cup of java and sit near Chiang Mai's Narawat Bridge in the city centre by Suan Buak Haad where the annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place the first weekend in February. My subdued interest changes immedi- ately when the first of more than 25 colourful floats passes metres away. My camera shutter is clicking fast and furious. It is one of the most incredible visual dis- plays of colour and pageantry I have ever seen. Floats are lined with intricate floral displays of vibrant orchids, white and yellow chrysanthemums and pink damask roses. Thais from various hill tribes dressed in traditional costumes also take part in the parade along with stunningly beautiful Thai women vying for the Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival crown. The festival is a visual sensory overload and a photogra- pher's dream. TEMPLES OF OPIUM Many visitors miss the lesser-known city of Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle area where you can see Thailand, Laos and Myanmar from a scenic lookout. Chiang Rai is a small town, however it features authentic Thailand from the mountainous hill tribal villages surrounding Chiang Rai to the spectacular White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). One of the most fascinating places to visit, the Hall of Opium Museum exhibits opium-smoking paraphernalia through the ages. In fact, the opium trade dates back 5,000 years and the museum stands as both a history and moral lesson on the devas- tating effects of opium. TASTY THAI Travelling southward from the lush green mountains and valleys of the north, I head to bustling Bangkok. This capital city, with its metropolitan population of more than 10 million, is a sensory assault. Chaotic but incredibly intoxicating, it's where tuk-tuks zigzag through traffic, vendors sell their wares at street flower and fruit markets or at numerous restaurants, and takeout places serve up delicious Thai cuisine. While there are hundreds of fine-dining restaurants throughout Bangkok, it is also possible to find simple and inexpensive Thai delights. On a busy side street in down- town Bangkok, I sit with a few locals on flimsy plastic chairs, which are designed more for slender Thai bodies than this middle-aged, overweight one. I order a Chang beer, a refreshing and popular brew in Thailand. Complimenting my liquid refreshment is a large plateful of curry chicken and rice. Simple, delicious and bursting with flavour. The damage to my wallet for my meal including beer is about 110 baht or around CDN$4.00. WINTER 2015/2016 DREAMSCAPES 43