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Chiang Mai is an inexpensive but fun destination in Northern Thailand.

So this is a typical toilet in the hotels we were staying in. Notice the little shower head to clean yourself with, and the pink bailer to flush with. Name that wat! Elephant motif in the city of Chiang Mai. We went to the Chiang Mai Cultural Center for a very disappointing evening of half-hearted dancing, not very good food and serious wallet-lightening. ($8 each!!) The back of a Tuk Tuk. It's amazing that when we're at home we worry about our cars having air bags, and we'd never dream of not putting on our seatbelt. However, we didn't think twice about flying around cities in these little things. Of course, if we were to have an accident, it would have most likely been with another tuk-tuk or scooter, not some huge Suburban. Construction outside our hotel, the Libra Guest House. OCEA would not have been amused. It was a great hotel though, with amazing staff, super-clean, and great food. Thai pancakes are delicious. D'oh!!! If only this had been in focus! Much to Wendy's chagrin, we went to the Elephant Conservation Center and took a ride through the jungle on an elephant. Bathing the elephants. Overview of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center There is an elephant hospital at the center, where they take care of elephants brought in from neighbouring countries that are hurt. Taking care of a hurt baby elephant. The Sunday Market on Tha Pae Road. We took a songthaew up to Doi Suthep, which is a wat up on a hill overlooking the city. This sign is a humorous stark contrast to how kind and generous all the Thai people we met actually were. Entry to the Wat at Doi Suthep. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Here is a monk blessing a group of Thai worshippers. After telling us to come over and sit in front of him (in perfect English, no less), he then blessed us! Sadly, we found out later that the blessings couldn't compete with the concentration of bacteria in Malaysian food. Looking towards the city of Chiang Mai from the top of the temple complex. Another elephant detail motif in Doi Suthep. Sweeping after a rainstorm in Doi Suthep. The grounds were incredibly clean, as in all the wats we visited. Back in Chiang Mai at Wat Chiang Man. (we think) The inside of Wat Chaing Man.