Paris – They put their money in the left bank.

             Last year a friend and I were able to experience Paris when it sizzles as part of a Globus week in London and Paris package.  Our hotel was on the left bank of the Seine, steps from the spectacular Eiffel Tower and numerous metro lines.

               While our leader (who delighted in pointing out pickpockets and the exact spot where Princess Diana died) warned that the Metro was a confusing, potentially dangerous way to travel, we found it cheap, fast and easy, as well as being a great source of entertainment.  Buskers perform right on the trains, playing guitars or wheeling around Karaoke machines, complete with large amplifiers and microphones.

              Within hours of arriving in Paris we had ascended the Arc de Triomphe (shorter than expected, but halfway up the stairs you begin to think it’s huge), strolled the  Champs Elysses and people watched at a charming little sidewalk bistro. 

               A half day bus tour was included in the package the next morning and it was great, complete with a guided tour through the dirt-stained glory of Notre Dame, and a ride up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.

                 The tour dropped us off at a perfumerie near the Opera House (of Phantom of the Opera fame) for an optional shopping trip, but we chose to break away from the pack and take the RER rapid train to Disneyland Paris so we could compare it with the one in California.  When the tour leader found out where we were going, he actually turned up his nose at us and refused to speak with either of us for the remainder of the trip.

             Paris was in the middle of an unseasonable October heat wave and I was thankful for the pair of shorts I had packed at the last minute.  It felt, though, as if I was the only person in the country wearing them, as I got lots of stares and a street vendor followed me down the Rue de Rivoli making unsettling kissing sounds.  The Louvre heated up quickly, it’s only source of air-conditioning being large grates in the floor, and groups of tourists battled to stand on top to escape the oppressive heat.

               Our finale in Paris was enjoying a lunch of baguettes and cheese on the banks of the Seine, followed by a nighttime boat tour of the City of Lights.  The Eiffel Tower literally sparkled, a surreal sight that just makes you smile and realize “this is Paris.”

              A city of history leaning up against a modern world, I still see that glittering tower when I close my eyes – awesome enough to make dealing with the snooty tour leader worth it.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province

Tags: BlogSherpa, cruise, Disneyland, Eiffel Tower, Europe, hot, Louvre, Paris, public transportation, published, Tour

London Baby!

        London calling.  The Clash were definitely on to something when they said that, as London didn’t just call me, it left an indelible mark on my soul.  Initially I was hesitant about traveling someplace so old, concerned that a twenty year old like me would not find enough to do that didn’t involve graves.  Let me just state in writing that I was wrong.

              As this was my innaugral time across the pond, I began my trip actively searching out all the cliches: red phone boxes, med dressed like John Steed from The Avengers (bowler hat and ever-present umbrella) and fog.  The first one came before even touching down at Heathrow, with the plane breaking through the late-September clouds to reveal double-decker busses roaming the streets!  I was giddy with delight.  But it only got better from there.  Having alighted at the Charing Cross tube station (God bless the tube, it got me effortlessly around all of London for 4.10 a day and taught me the meaning of the word ‘alighted’) just after 8am on a Sunday, I found myself standing virtually alone in the middle of Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column at my feet, the National Gallery over my shoulder, staring at the top of the tower housing Big Ben peeking over the rooftops.  It gave me shivers and made me feel, deep down, that I was truly in London.  Absolutely charming.  I mean, where else in the world do they paint “look left” or “look right” directly on the road to prevent people from being hit while crossing?

              In my four days in London I managed to squeeze in the famous British Museum, Natural History Museum, Speaker’s Corner at Hyde Park, the Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, Harrod’s (heaven!), and St. Paul’s Cathedral, just to name a few.  On my last full day I met up with some local friends and we explored the left bank of the Thames, taking a flight on the London Eye, having “elevensies” tea at Royal Festival Hall, seeing Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and the Tate Modern, and eating at the Anchor Pub (built more than 200 years before the British North American Act created Canada!).  Then we took the ferry to Greenwich, past the spectacular Tower Bridge and David Blaine in his suspended terrarium, and up to the meridian where time begins.

               London is a vibrant city, with it’s old-world charm juxtaposed against a multi-coloured modernity, that I couldn’t help but feel comfortable.  I just wanted to buy a flat and stay forever.  From there I moved on to Paris, one of the most exciting cities in the world, but some of it’s attraction was lost in the  sadness that I was leaving London behind.  But not for long.  I know I’ll be back.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province newspaper.

Tags: BlogSherpa, British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Harrod's, Hyde Park, London, London Eye, Natural History Museum, pub, public transportation, published, Trafalgar Square

Hawaii – Lush Lahaina, leis and luaus

          For a first-time cruiser a 16-day Hawaiian cruise is like reading a whole book on cruising but getting only the Cole’s Notes version of the islands themselves.

          Cruising being only for the “newlywed and nearly dead” is a misconception for the most part but, with my sailing being during the school year, the first few days were spent assuring the other passenger that, at 21, I was not part of the entertainment staff.  And I was not going to break into song and dance to prove it, either.  On the upside, I stood out enough that the crew knew me by name and everywhere I went I was greeted with a smile.

           The sailing was an adventure itself, as the late November seas were hell bent on making the crossing from San Diego and back memorable.  You learn pretty quickly that the arms are on the treadmills for a reason and the cabin stewards are used to having to steam clean wallpaper in the middle of the night.  On the way back we were actually stopped in the middle of the Pacific for an emergency medical supply drop by the coast guard, as a sea sick man had ruptured something important and was loosing too much blood, but we were too far out for a helicopter to come and pick him up.

                 Filling the time was a never ending stream of games with a regular group of colourful characters, ranging from a woman who constantly squeaked with excitement to a couple who’s comments reaffirmed the notion that it’s the ones who look innocent who have the dirtiest minds. 

              And then there was trivia, the place to see and be seen on the Statendam, where “playing for fun” was the cover story for die-hard competition.  People would practically tackle one another for a Dam Mug or the coveted Dam Dark penlight (on Holland America, everything becomes Dam something, as the ships all end in -dam).

             Hawaii was as fantastic as the postcards, humid and friendly, with a constant rainbow overhead.  They can also claim Spam McGriddles and endless Magnum PI shirts.

                We hit Hilo on American Thanksgiving, so the entire island was shut down, but the next day in Honolulu was the American equivalent of Boxing Day and I got all my Christmas shopping done cheap at Ala Moana centre. Kauai, the wild chicken capitol of Hawaii, was our shortest stop to allow for a scenic cruise of the Napili coast, and Lahaina on Maui looked so much like Pirates of the Caribbeanthat you expected Johnny Depp to round the corner at any second.  Finally there was Kona, home of the hourly volcano-eruption reports.

              Hawaii’s old-world-meets-tourist-kitsch charm was fabulous and we sent just enough time there to wet my appetite.  My lei, once thrown into the ship’s pool, floated to the edge, so the Director said that meant I would return to the islands some day.  Maybe by then I will be part of the entertainment.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province Newspaper

Tags: BlogSherpa, cruise, Hawaii, published, shopping

Kuala Lumpur – Totally cool

        As I stood barefoot on the warm bricks, in the middle of a lightning storm, staring up at the crystaline masterpieces that are the Petronas Towers, I couldn’t help thinking that this was the most incredible thing I’d ever experienced.   At that second, I knew I was in love with Kuala Lumpur.

       This is a city that welcomes you with open arms, beginning right at the airport when our pre-arranged transfer didn’t arrive and not one but three complete strangers went out of their ways to help us out, making calls, translating, and one man even squeezed us in with the group of tourists he was transporting to deliver us right to our hotel.  Whoever you are, thank you, you’re awesome.  And our hotel, the Trader’s, was equally amazing.  I’d booked it because the location was good, the rooms were great and the price was right, but after seeing the location in person, I’d go back, regardless of the price.   Connected to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (home of the great new Aquaria aquarium) and linked to the Suria KLCC 6-story megamall (woo hoo!) by a tunnel, everything you could want is at your fingertips.  Oh, and did I mention it’s directly facing the Petronas Towers (which are atop the mall), separated only by a gorgeous landsacped park, complete with Las-Vegas  style dancing fountains?   The views from the rooftop bar and the business centre are unbelievable.  I kept taking more pictures.  When I got home I think I had nearly thirty pics of the towers alone, taking from every possible angle in every possible lighting condition.   It was like an addiction, really.  I need Petronas Towers rehab (and if it involves going back to KL, I’m okay with that)!

                 For a quick meal we spent a lot of time at the Suria KLCC food halls, where they had a huge selection of cuisines, from Malay, Thai and Indian to Itallian, Lebanese and McDonald’s.  The food was excellent, the portions huge, and you could get nearly any meal you wanted for RMB$10 (approx. CAD$3).  Plus, there was a perfect viewing window out to the dancing fountains.  Prices were consistantly good throughout the city, too.  One night we went to a movie (sadly, the animated Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms – I love that! – was not out yet, but I would have totally paid to see it!), and got dinner, the movie, caramel corn (they didn’t offer any un-caramel corn anywhere) and drinks for about CAD$10 per person!  Plus, they let you preassign seats at the movie theatre, just like on airplanes, so there’s no worry about rushing in to get the perfect seat, it’s already printed on your ticket.  Are you listening, Cineplex?  This rocked.

              Taxis are plentiful, and unless you get an official metered one, remember to agree on the fare beforehand to prevent being taken for a financial ride.  But I much preferred the monorail or underground systems, as they were dirt cheap, well marked and super-efficient.  On hot days, escaping into a nice airconditioned station was the best way to travel.  Regardless of how far it looked on a map, we discovered that nothing in central KL is that far away.  It didn’t take us more than twenty minutes to get anywhere by taxi, and quite often, though it looked to be a huge distance away on paper, attractions were only a (maximum) ten minute walk away.   A few stops on the train and  a short walk got us to the KL Tower (think CN Tower, but slightly lower), with it’s great 360-degree views of the city.  It only cost RMB$7 to enter, and we chose it over the Petronas Towers’ free viewing deck as it’s higher  and you don’t have to line up at 8am to get one of the limited tickets they hand out each day.  Well worth the expense.  A few more stops from there took us right into the heart of the shopping district, with mall after mall, from low end market-style to shiny exclusive high-end Guccis and Pradas, all ready to part you from your Ringitt.  Sweet.

               The one attraction that’s definately taxi-distance away (though at max it should only cost RMB$30 – CAD$10 - each way) is the Batu caves, a massive Hindu shrine in a (you guessed it) cave.  You’re greeted by a giant 140 foot tall golden statue of Lord Murugan, and behind him are the 272 stairs that you must climb to enter.  They’re conveniently numbered to let you know how much farther you have to go.  The view from the top looking back at KL is spectacular.  This place is really, really cool.  But not literally.  I recommend going early, as we were there at 9am and it was already “Oh-my-God-you-want-me-to-exercise-now?” hot.  No wonder at the top there’s a souvenir stand stocking little more than cold drinks.  And I was dressed for the exercise in shorts, a tank and trainers.  All around me the faithful were climbing barefoot or in ornate, layered saris.  I don’t know how they did it.  But the stars of the caves are the wild monkeys.  They’re everywhere, totally unafraid of humans and so freaking adorable.  You can get within a foot of them, and all they do is yawn and look bored.  We had been warned by our taxi driver that the monkeys won’t bother you unless you were carrying a plastic grocery bag, as they know that offerings of food for the Gods were carried in those bags, and they’re always looking for a free snack, and they weren’t concerned with us at all.  There are some great souvenir shops at the bottom, too.
       The central market was another favorite haunt, also just a few train stops away from our hotel and a short walk from the huge Chinatown night market.  It housed some of the best handicrafts, some good clothing and nice bathrooms (though they were squat toilets, it cost you RMB$0.50 to enter and you have to bring your own toilet paper).  I did some serious shopping there.  It also housed the Cute Fish Spa.  The first time I saw “fish spa” on a sign I thought it was where you take your fish if they need to de-stress, but upon closer inspection I discovered they’re actually these pools filled with six-inch long, toothless black fish, and when you put your feet in they “kissed” you, sucking off all the dead skin.  Seriously.  I kind of liked my first option better.  Why would anyone do this?  But then the lady said it was RMB$5 for 20 minutes, so for that price, what the hell.   Oh my God it tickles.  You never quite get used to that feeling.  By the time it was over my sides hurt from laughing so hard, but wow, my feet were softer than ever and stayed that way for the next two weeks.  If you ever come across a fish spa (especially one that says it’s Cute), do it, it’s worth it.  Just google “fish spa” you get some good videos.

            Between the attractions, the incredibly friendly people (oh, and did I mention almost everybody speaks English?  They learn it in school.  Most of the signs and billboard ads are in English, too) and the ease of exploration, Kuala Lumpur is awesome.  Honestly, if you go to see the towers alone (and take the prerequisite thousand pictures of them) it’s worth it, but when you add in all the rest that the city has to offer, it’s spectacular.  So go.  Now.  You’ll love it.  And if you can, grab a bootleg copy of Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms for me.

Tags: Batu Caves, BlogSherpa, fish spa, friendly people, Kuala Lumpur, lightning, movies, night market, Petronas Towers, public transportation, shopping

Singapore – the perfect cruise stop

          There are some places – cities, countries, whatever – that are built for exploring, worlds of such endless possibility that just walking down the street continuously uncovers hidden treasures.  I can aimlessly wander London for the umpteenth time, still finding new monuments to Great Lord Snuggly Pants for the Battle of the Hundred-foot long Slip and Slide, eight-foot wide houses (this one’s real, in South Kensington) and new newsagents to buy my wine gums at.

                Singapore is not one of these places.  Thus, I christen it the perfect cruise stop: where you arrive in the morning, have your eight hours to see what was number 1 on your to-do list, and sail off into the sunset the same evening.

             This is mainly due to Singapore’s sheer geographical (lack of) size.  Any country who, top to bottom, is fewer kilometers than my daily commute only has so much room to pack things in.  Don’t get me wrong, what they do have is great.   The Singapore Flyer ferris (oops, sorry, I mean observation) wheel offers some spectacular views and an interesting narrative overview.  For you bird lovers, the Jurong Bird Park has a fascinating menagerie, as well as the world’s largest indoor waterfall.  The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are world-class.  Chinatown’s night market is a ton of fun.  The National Orchid Garden will blow your mind.  And the Asian Civilizations Museum is very comprehensive and really well presented.  All very highly recommended.

             It’s the in-between-sights part that lets Singapore down.  With most signage in four languages (English, Chinese, Hindi and Malay), and nothing distinctly “Singaporean” setting them apart, it feels like Asia’s bus stop.  All these different cultures got on, but none bothered to get off again.  I got the feeling that I could have been anywhere.

             Oh, and it’s expensive.  Freaking expensive.  Land at a premium combined with the fact that they have no natural resources (even their water is imported) means your standard McDonald’s meal (yes, I’m reverting to the Big Mac scale, here) can cost you SGD$12 or your regualr CD $25.  And don’t even get me started on hotel prices.  This is the only place in the world I didn’t want to shop – anywhere.  I’m a 26-year-old woman.  Think about it.  That’s huge.

            All told, Singapore is a great place to visit.  I enjoyed it immensely.  Clean, polished and Utopian perfect on the outside.  Your few hours there will be jam-packed with one of a kind sights before you get back on your boat. I just wish it had more of a personality of it’s own to share.

Tags: BlogSherpa, cruise, Jurong Bird Park, languages, money, museum, National Orchid Gardens, Singapore, Singapore Flyer, small, zoo

Southern California so much fun!

            As a long-overdue Girl’s Week Out this past January/February my Mom and I vacationed in Southern California, seeking sun, sand and surf.  We were hoping for pure fun and boy, did we find it.  Not ones to lie on the beach all day, we packed our trip with all the stereotypical tourist haunts, beginning in San Diego.

            There we took in the exotic San Diego Wild Animal Park; admired the stunning views (and gale force winds) from Cabrillo Point, where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered San Diego in 1542; saw hunky lifeguards, low-flying military planes and the famous Hotel Del Coranado; and shopped for souvenirs in the tourist-oriented Seaport Village.

            From there we drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Anaheim.  As a Christmas gift I had given Mom a Beach Boys CD, thinking that it would put us in the sunny California mindset.  No one could have guessed how perfect it turned out to be.  With songs such as “Surfin’ USA” and “Surfin’ Safari” we were driving through places such as La Jolla, Huntington and Redondo Beach when they were mentioned in the songs!

            Our final destination was, of course, Disneyland and it’s sister park, the California Adventure.  We couldn’t travel all that way without spending some time with the Mouse.

            Undoubtedly, the winter is the best time to visit the parks, with lineups so nonexistent that you could finish one ride, walk back around to the beginning and get right back on it again.  And the best part was that there weren’t millions of kids there.  Sure, there were plenty of toddlers and some older ones (those that we met hailing mainly from Australia on their summer vacation), but there were tons of child-free adults, too.

            We’d thought that we’d stick out, being two adults who couldn’t claim that “we’re only here for our kids”, but we were far from alone.  Couples, honeymooners and groups ranging from their 20’s to their 80’s were running from ride to ride, just as eagerly as the preschoolers.  How can you not be happy in a place where everyone – staff and guests- have permanent joyful grins on their faces?

            Our trip was exhausting, busy and full of all the tacky tourist stuff: absolutely perfect.  The people were all unbelievably nice and happy to talk or take a picture, and the sky was endless blue.  Coming home was hard, and both of us would go back in a heartbeat.

- As originally published in the Vancouver Province

Tags: Anaheim, beach, BlogSherpa, Disneyland, published, San Diego, Seaworld, sun, theme park, zoo

Las Vegas Baby!

               “What the heck are we doing here? It’s nothing but sand” was my first impression as the pilot announced final approach into Las Vegas this past fourth of July.  Then suddenly there she was, rising out of the heat waves like a miniature Egypt…no, Paris…no, Italy…no, Camelot.  The hotels should give passport stamps to go with their wonderfully tacky souvenirs.  As a Vegas beginner, the city comes at you like an adult Disneyland, all bright and flashy and promising to make dreams come true.

We were staying at the Excalibur, and were lucky enough to get one of the newly renovated rooms (read: tasteful décor and a massive flatscreen TV – that we never figured out how to operate, but it wasn’t like we were in the room long enough anyhow).  Already we had learned the first rule of Vegas: everyone’s looking to get rich, including all the taxi drivers who delight in taking the “fast way” which happens to cost double.

                 For two Canadian girls, the heat hit us like a blanket you can’t shrug off. Mid-afternoon we prayed for the wind to stop as it was hotter than the ambient air temp, and the sun setting didn’t provide much relief, because then the baked pavement released it’s stored heat, turning the whole Strip into a shoe-softening hot plate. On the 6th we were lucky enough to get the hottest day of the year, a blistering 125 degrees (according to our Gondolier at the Venetian) that would have been unbearable had there been any humidity.

            And the hotels lived up to their reputations.  Our favorite was the spectacular Venetian and the Paris flowed close behind, both in terms of great themes and overall photogenic-ness.  The Bellagio and Cesar’s Palace are beautifully over the top, and the Luxor’s playful Egyptian carnival was a lot of fun.   We managed to talk our way up the inclinators (diagonal elevators) ascending the walls of the giant pyramid and get memorable views over the casino and mock ancient city below. 

            If you’re not lucky enough to win the jackpot (as we were), you learn rule #2: Vegas is expensive.  Between the $4 bottles of water, $10 average fast food meal and souvenirs, our money went faster than if a slot machine had eaten it.  But there is hope, as the free dancing fountains at the Bellagio were spectacular, the volcano eruption at the Mirage was cool and the cheesy Pussycat Dolls-meets-Chippendales Sirens of TI show was fun to laugh at.  At both the Showcase Mall and Hawaiian Marketplace there were also half price ticket booths where you could snag great same-day tickets to many of the big-name shows for a steal.

            All told, Vegas wasn’t the “adult playground” I’d expected, much more tongue-in-cheek, a city that seemed to go out of it’s way to make fun of itself.  No matter how much you see, you will always leave with a list of things you missed or, as I like to put it, “saved for the next trip”.

- As originally published in the Vancouver Province

Tags: BlogSherpa, hot, hotels, Las Vegas, money, public transportation, published, sun

Hong Kong highlight: Ocean Park

               They rose like bubbles over the South China Sea, floating through the mist before disappearing behind the mountain.  I knew they were safe, transporting millions of visitors from the Lowlands section of Hong Kong’s Ocean Park up to the Headlands every year, but the gondolas just looked so fragile, clinging to the rock faces and rocking in the wind.  Once inside, though, the incredible view of Repulse Bay made this simple people-mover the best ride in the park.

I had to wonder what was it about this near-vertical chunk of rock that made the builders think it would be the perfect place for a theme park?  At first glance the topography didn’t seem suited to anything except mountain goats.  But it makes for a surprise around every corner, as you can’t see how high that roller coaster/how big that aquarium really is until you’re actually there.

The reason we had come to Ocean Park was so my Panda-obsessed friend could gawk to her heart’s content at four of the big, furry beauties, two of which had just arrived from mainland China, gifts celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return from English rule.  Normally solitary animals, the two newcomers were in the same enclosure and it was so cute to watch them sitting together, playfully fighting over the choice bamboo, their little black Shrek-like ears wiggling with every chew.

Another highlight was the Sea Jelly Spectacular, so popular with the locals that its lineup was just as long as the roller coaster’s.  The pitch-darkness, combined with  coloured neon lights and floor to ceiling mirrors gave the aquarium a “carnival fun house” atmosphere.  You practically have to feel your way through, and the strategically-placed mirrors made it look like there were hundreds of jellies (some more than six feet long) completely surrounding you.  They weren’t kidding about the “spectacular” part!

Part amusement park, part zoo, part aquarium, and all with incredible views, Ocean Park is not your typical theme park.  When you want to escape the hustle and bustle of this chaotic and congested city, all you have to do is climb into your bubble and let it transport you away.      

 - As originally published in the Vancouver Province

Tags: BlogSherpa, China, gondolas, Hong Kong, jellyfish, Ocean Park, pandas, published, theme parks

Finding Pura Vida in Costa Rica

              I admit it, I’m a city traveler.  London, Paris, Los Angeles, I love the hustle and bustle, and as long as there’s a gift shop I’m happy.  So, for me a twelve day vacation to Costa Rica was my test, to see if I could break free of my department store box and truly embrace what the local Ticos call Pura Vida, the Pure Life.

Within hours of landing in the capital of San Jose I was whisked off by minibus to the small but charming city of La Fortuna, at the foot of the active Arenal Volcano, four hours away.  The entire country feels vertical, and my ears popped every half hour as we drove up, down and up again the tiny one lane roads that cling to the hillsides like mountain goats. From here day-long canyoning, hiking and ATV tours are all at your disposal, but I selected a SkyTrek zipline canopy tour.  During a torrential rainstorm I flew along quarter-round steel cables as much as 660ft above the jungle below, suspended by nothing but my harness, while trading grunts with a troupe of howler monkeys.  It was incredible!  I couldn’t get the smile off my face for days.

After a few days there, it was time to move on to the Monteverde cloud forest.  Here the roads are not only vertical, but unpaved, and a drive that looks tiny on a map can take hours.  It gives you a bit of an Indiana Jones complex, and only serves to add to the adventure.  Rain here sneaks up on you, and in a matter of seconds a flawless sunny day can become a downpour, turning all the roads into muddy slip-n-slides with potholes the size of VW beetles.  The hanging bridges are not to be missed, and the hummingbird garden at the Selvatura park has dozens of species buzzing past only inches from your head.

The town of Quepos and the famed Manuel Antonio national park were my third stop, with postcard-perfect views and a relaxed beachy atmosphere.  By far the hottest and most touristy of all the cities, the park is the whole reason to stop here and is well worth it.  Our guide hauled a four-foot telescope the entire hike just to give us the best views of the two-and-three toed sloths, monkeys, birds and even a banded anteater that his well-trained eyes could (unbelievably) spot. The Rainmaker adventure forest, with it’s 190 ft high suspension bridges, is so much more fun than it looked on the Amazing Race: Family Edition, and a mangrove tour got us so close to a troupe of wild whitefaced capuchin monkeys that at one point they even jumped on the roof of our boat!  Leaving there was hard, and after a few final days in San Jose to see the stunning Teatro National and the Gold Museum (and shop), it was back to reality. 

Costa Rica surprised me in many ways, from the diverse climates to the awesome animals, but most of all the incredibly welcoming people.  It leaves you with the warm glow of adrenaline-and-sun fueled enjoyment, combined with the faint scent of coffee. Pura Vida.

- As originally published in the Vancouver Province

Tags: BlogSherpa, city tour, Costa Rica, monkeys, museum, national park, published, rainstorms, volcano, zipline

Chiang Mai – Ele-fun with Elephants

           “In Thailand you must ride elephants” advised my Lonely Planet, so I found myself in a squeaky minivan on a cloudless January morning driving through the outskirts of Chiang Mai towards the Maetamann Nature Camp.     

            We arrived just in time to see 12 of the camp’s 57 adopted pachyderms frolicking in the river, squirting and splashing and getting a good scrubdown from their mahouts (trainers).  Coming to Thailand I had been concerned about the welfare of the elephants,  having seen the TV exposes, but any worries I had were washed away as, after their baths, the elephants strolled past, free of any chains, whips or even fences.  The performance that followed was like Superdogs at the PNE, where verbal or practically invisible foot commands highlighted the elephants’ dexterity and intelligence as they moved logs, kicked soccer balls and marched in formations.

            A table sold bundles of sugar cane and bananas for 20 baht (60 cents CAD), and during the art portion of the show (where a baby elephant actually painted a detailed picture of an elephant holding a flower – if I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed a trunk could make such intricate movements) my friend bought some.  It took seconds for the baby to spot the treats, and each time he gave his brush to his mahout for reloading he slyly peeked our direction through long eyelashes to make sure they were still there.  It was love at first sight.  As soon as the painting was completed, the baby elephant, like a kid on Christmas morning, looked to his mahout for permission and when he got a nod he rushed right over to us, trunk extended.  Though it was a crowded amphitheatre, for the few minutes it took for him to enjoy his sugar cane, everyone else ceased to exist and he was ours.

            Then the show was over and he was gone, but the disappointment was short lived as, after an oxcart ride to a nearby village, we got an elephant ride back to the camp.  The scenery was postcard perfect, lush and unspoiled as we sauntered along the sparking river (or, in our case, through the river, as our elephant decided it was too hot to follow the path like everyone else)!  En route we stopped at a lifeguard tower-esque booth and bought some bananas.  As we wandered away (periodically placing a banana in the trunk, like feeding quarters into an arcade game) I realized: we’d just gone through a drive-through on an elephant!    

            All too soon it was time to go, but the memories are priceless and evoke an excited buzz in me every time I think back.  The perfect day in Chiang Mai.  I’m so glad I listened to my guidebook!

Tags: BlogSherpa, camp, Chiang Mai, elephants, oxcart, sun, Thailand