Around the World in 21 Days-Part 30

Another Day in Paradise- The Four Seasons Chiang Mai

Refreshments at the pool- frozen watermelon



Guests use these painted stones to indicate whether they would like a refreshment or prefer not to be disturbed 

Mary Helen and Mike poolside

That same Day.... a shopping excursion



David offered to carry this basket for me...I'm sure it will fit in my suitcase.

I couldn't resist purchasing one of these elephants. The profits from the sale are used for elephant rehabilitation.



David, Pam and I stop at a charming shop for iced tea.



The evolution of the motor bike.

 

Rice, a Thai Staple

Rice Plantation

 

Rice production in Thailand represents a significant portion of the Thai economy and labor force.Thailand has a strong tradition of rice production. It has the fifth-largest amount of land under rice cultivation in the world and is the world's largest exporter of rice.

The most produced strain of rice in Thailand is jasmine rice.Jasmine has a significantly lower yield rate than other types of rice, but it also normally fetches more than double the price of other strains.

When nothing goes to waste

Asian elephants are a Thai icon. They are smaller and gentler than their African counterparts and  are well-suited for carrying cargo, human or otherwise. However, they are not just beasts of burden, elephants are greatly loved and honored; their image is everywhere.

At the turn of the 20th century, some 300,000 wild elephants roamed wild in Thailand alone, and 100,000 more were domesticated for farming and forestry. As logging increased, wild elephant numbers declined sharply, although and the domesticated animals were used to drag teak logs from the forest, demolishing the creatures' own habitat. By the late 1900s, Thailand's rain forest had diminished to under 15 percent of the country, and housed only 1,500 to 3,000 wild elephants. In 1990, Thailand outlawed logging to preserve what forest remained. Unfortunately, that left thousands of domesticated elephants out of work, with no forest to return to.