Northern Thailand Chiang Mai
We landed on Monday at Thailand time at 15:00 in Bangkok and waited in the field for a follow-up flight from THAI) At 18:40 to Chiang Mai, and at that time we mostly ate and spent the time until the flight.
The flight passed smoothly and we arrived at the airport at 20:00 We waited for a taxi we had ordered in advance through an Israeli agent Asaf Touporus, an Israeli who had lived there for 15 years and owned a travel agency company.
We decided that our first destination on the trip was a northern and central town chiang mai Shai and I were in Bikernova 15 years ago and we felt that we had not exhausted her so we decided that this time we would devote her at least a few days.
We booked 4 nights in an apartment hotel called Astra Suites We came to the conclusion that it is most convenient for us to rent a well-equipped apartment in terms of culinary availability, and the children are always hungry and return to the hotel.
Except for a few pangs that the children spent the day bravely and excited about getting to the apartment. We were given a doctor's check (as expected to happen to me), and we gave up after she managed to sleep for almost two hours while we waited for her flight and seemed to be able to recover.
We arrived at the hotel at around 9:30 PM, and the excitement was at its peak. The children were still in Israel time and they did not seem to fall asleep soon ... and of course they informed us that they were hungry .... Shai jumped to 7/11 and bought some food for a nightly meal ... It is 3:00 am Thailand time
We decided to take Naama to the hospital (I felt I had to check her for my own peace of mind), and I gathered to see where it was worthwhile to take her and he recommended About us at Ram Hospital We took our first trip to Red Tuktok, and the kids were really excited about the trip. They even got a corncake from a local restaurant that came up in the middle of the road. I just realized that the kids are very much loved in Thailand and the Thais are really warm people. We got to the hospital after a short registration. Then the doctor who examined Na'ama saw that she had sores in the mouth and restlessness, giving antibiotics treatment to her mouth. Although I was equipped with drugs from Israel, we purchased the drugs that the doctor recommended, but we saw an improvement in Naama's condition, and we decided not to give her medications.
We took a taxi red Bhzrhlsok night ( Night Bazar)Which is within walking distance of the hotel. Market is open every evening, it is located along Changklan Street And is the center of tourism in the city. It can be found in everything from clothing, accessories, a variety of souvenirs, handbags to purses, food, henna tattoos, improvised bars and more. We stopped in the dining area and were immediately drawn to a pleasant atmosphere in the background. There was international music played by a band that moved the people around, we passed among the various stalls, we immediately identified food from our previous visit: Banana Loti "
We continued to walk around and tasted various foods from the stalls scattered around the compound. We wanted to taste everything. The kids took crepe with Nutella and I was spoiled with noodle soup and I enjoyed it very much, we drank a pineapple smoothie, we tasted coconut juice in the fruit. Shai and the children went up to the second floor of an improvised bar. And enjoyed watching the complex
The next day (22.11) we went for a walk in the area and decided to travel to the Elephant Sanctuary Elephant Rehabilitation Farm, Wat Ban Dun Temple, and the Falls.
In the past, Sassi and I were in Tilnobasur on one of the famous jeep tours. We watched an elephants circus and rode them. We realized that the elephants had been tortured in their training. Most of the tourists who come to Thailand ride elephants, I remember seeing a circus show in which the elephants play football, paint with the trunk, and all sorts of activities that later seem foolish ... At the end of the day, these elephants are crowded in a crowded area. In recent years there has been an awareness of elephants and one after the other, rehabilitative farms for abused elephants for tourism. The main purpose of these farms is to rescue and rehabilitate the Athelim, to return them to nature. For us it was really a corrective experience
After a journey of about half a hour, we came to a therapeutic farm, changed clothes to work clothes and heard an explanation about the farm whose main purpose was to save the elephants and care for them while we were treated with love and devotion. We learned a little about the elephants on the farm, including names and ages. Then we collected in pumpkin baskets and bananas and went to feed the elephants. It was really fun and entertaining and the elephants cooperated, went out for a walk with the elephants in the wild, fed them sugarcane and finally washed them in the river ... Yael and Noam really hooked up with elephants and plucked and fed at any given time
The next target is the temple of Wat Ban Dan, Wat Si Mueang Kaen BandensaliHis short name is Wat BanDen(Temple = Wat) - located in Mae Taeng sub-districtIn Chiang Mai Province. The temples are scattered with colorful, gilded and well-tended temples. The temples serve the residents of the area, and the place is built with contributions from people from around the world. The buildings are beautiful. The children ran from temple to temple and asked to be photographed from every angle and next to the sculptor so that they would spend at least two hours in the compound.
And finally we reached our last destination of our daily trip to Niagara Falls BuathongAre located on the southern side of the Sri Lanna Reserve. The waterfalls have also been referred to as white waterfalls, also known as the sticky waterfalls), Due to the work that can not be skated. The white color of the falls is the result of limestone covered with a mineral type that makes the surface rough, resulting in the condition that the feet stick to the rocks and can easily climb along the falls just like Spider-Man. Noam Yael and Shai climbed incessantly, and I did not swim in one of the pools.
We returned to the hotel tired but satisfied with our first trip in the area and went out to turn around the night market that became our favorite hangout
Exit towards the Ping River and holiday celebrations in Loy Karthong. We knew beforehand that we would be able to experience the holiday, and we knew that the best place to experience the holiday was northern Thailand in the north of Thailand - Chiang Mai
The Loi kra tong Festival ) Is considered to be a major and impressive festival among the other festivals in Thailand. Meaning LOYIs to float and the meaning of the name KARTHONG She is a basket decorated with flowers and incense made for her girdle. In the evening, during the holiday, the locals blow up lighted candles in the air, and also send out offerings of banana or bamboo leaves with flowers and cuttings on the river. The city's main river is River Pong. The festival is in its Hindu roots, celebrating the festival at the end of the month of November, already from Israel. After studying the internet we realized that the best place to celebrate the festival is in northern Thailand and we were very fortunate to have the holiday.
We strolled around the area and became an atmosphere of a festive fair full of stalls scattered along the river and really carnival and music from the direction, plenty of food stalls, souvenirs and more. We bought children flowers with candles and incense (kartung) - they could sail on the river. The atmosphere was amazing. There were few candles that were carried in the air and they asked one of the locals. We realized that tomorrow they would blow up the candles and today it seems to be just the introduction.
The next day (November 22) we woke up in the morning and woke up naturally. After a day of hiking we would take a calm day without planning anything. One of our goals is not to pursue ourselves and to enjoy the routine and wandering aimlessly. We have decided to go up to the swimming pool at the hotel (the kids really wanted to splash in the pool) - the pool is located on the roof of the hotel with a gorgeous view, gym and spa. It's right for the day we promised ourselves. I was indulged in Body MassageExcellent. The children and Shai Bilubreicha Afterward we went down to eat at the Chabad House. I went up with Na'ama to get organized and Shai Noam- Foot Massage We stopped for a pizza in the pizzeria and wanted a local Thai soup. I gambled and ordered soup in the compound near the center and because I was a bit afraid of flying and I asked for vegetarian soup. At this point I realized that it was better to ask for a vegetarian and thus be more relaxed than I eat I ordered mushroom soup and it was perfect and I ordered a vegetable pad that she had devoured. At this point we saw lots of candles floating from the river. We decided to catch a taxi because it was jammed from the festival. The closer we got to the river, the harder it was to move because there were lots of people streaming toward the river, and also because we were with a cart. There was a festive atmosphere. Everything was lit and decorated for the holiday. Colorful candles hung along the river, and people were blowing candles all the way. The glittering lights wafting in the air were breathtaking, as was the ritual of guiding the water. All along the way there were stalls selling food, We passed through a group of young people who played and sang and everything was decorated. The children asked us to buy a candle that they could make. They were in the clouds (everything is documented and photographed). We realized that it would be difficult to get back the way we came and decided to get away from the traffic and catch a taxi. We walked about 20 minutes until they entered a quiet street and found a taxi. The next day (Friday, November 23) we woke up in the morning with a natural awakening and agreed that we would pass the day without any special attractions.We decided to split up: Shai went up with Noam to work out in the gym, and Yael and Naama went to the mall and soon arranged for Yael and Na'am the phone calls (Yael mistakenly forgot the lock code and mistakenly pulled the headset cable off and some of them remained stuck) Etc. The writer's experience was different from what I remembered and from what I knew in Europe. On the shelves were all sorts of products that we did not understand at all, and there was a very small corner for baby products. Anyway, we got along and bought what we needed.We were back at the hotel. We had lunch, rice and chicken on the frying pan, and we began to organize for a Friday meal at the Chabad house. We arrived at about 6:00 PM It was full but we were the only family and Yael and Naama enjoyed the food. It was important for us to continue the tradition of Kiddush on Friday and we promised ourselves that we would always have the opportunity to go to Kiddush for Friday wherever we are! Meeting with Israelis, speaking Hebrew and also children. When we returned to the hotel the children actually asked us to go up to the pool for a night swim and a Zarmanithm. The children were hungry. I went downstairs to buy pizza from a pizzeria near the hotel (the same pizzeria) and the children enjoyed eating at the pool.
The next day (24.11) Saturday we went to visit the Doi Intenon Reserve . We arrived with a driver and guide to one of the beautiful nature reserves in Thailand, which is located southwest of Chiang Mai. An hour and a half journey (60 km). On the highest mountain in Thailand, meter. We started with a waterfall at the beginning of the reserve ( wachirathan waterfall)) The road to the waterfall passed through a magnificent road in a green forest, the waterfall is considered the most impressive in the reserve, the waterfall is really beautiful and spectacular slashing and splashing cold so you could not stop at any point we wanted to be photographed. The kids were really excited to reach another point of view from the top of the waterfall, and all of us upstairs were really fun and children enjoyed every moment! In the parking lot at the foot of the waterfall there are a number of food and coffee stands we bought for the children, hot and simple corn we stayed to sit and enjoy the local atmosphere and delicacies. We had to ride and continued to the top of the mountainLuckily they told him to come with a long dress because it was really cold at the top. We continued by car and reached the king's pagoda. It turns out that we built two pagodas with one copy of the other facing each other. The pagodas were built in the 90s of the last century, in honor of the King and the Queen of Thailand. Each of the pagodas can be ascended by stairs. We chose to go up to one of the pagodas, and there was a golden Buddha statue and incense burning places around the pagoda. There were gardens that were cultivated and enjoyed walking around. Of course, we did not stop filming and enjoying breathtaking views. We continued to ride and got to a local market in the village. The guide explained to us that once the village was located in the mountains and the locals were raising opium and the king took the village as a project and set up a local market and rice fields where they grow their food and a source of livelihood. The children chatted fruit and strawberries and while she gnawed at tiny cutlets we then stopped for a really tasty lunch and got organized and moved toward the starting point of our trek. We waited point man Mkomitsliooth us to her village Ban what Celenga Long ( ban Meaklang lung village In the village live members of the karen tribe) The road was simply beautiful with spectacular views and we passed through waterfalls and fields packed with coffee beans
The road to the village was spectacular and we walked through green rice fields, saw animals, colorful butterflies, spiders and even a snake (I and Shai were sure it was not real and put it as an attraction). The children enjoyed every minute of the trip and did not stop asking me to photograph them at every point. The route took us about two and a half hours. We came to a hut in the village as a small factory for grinding coffee. We tasted local coffee from the coffee beans scattered in the area. Paulia had a cool coffee under the hut and the smell was familiar in the air. Enjoy the atmosphere here. We tasted coffeetree and the children had the coffee beans. We felt very pleasant and comfortable in the village. The people gathered around us and focused on Naama and wanted to play and touch her. We folded up and went back to the hotel, tired but satisfied. We got back to the hotel and Shai jumped up with Noam to bring something to eat. Let's arrange our suitcases for our trip to Pai . A little worried about the trip, we were told that the winding road was not simple. We hope that we will pass it easily