Maesa Waterfalls and Elephant Camp

2013-Chiang Mai/Mai Rim, Thailand
Welcome to the Maesa Elephant Camp!! Stamatis and Tan at the Maesa Waterfalls. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Jin and Anastasia : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Jin, Anastasia, David and Tan... : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation
Stamatis getting ready for a swim. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Anastasia hanging on for dear life... : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Relaxing in one of the pools. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Anastasia, Stamatis, Tan and I : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation
Looking for something... but I'm not sure what! : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Headed to the falls... : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Getting a water massage.... : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation The top of the falls...if you follow the river up it takes you to the Maesa Elephant Camp. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation
Anastasia : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Looking down river. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation Another set of falls at Maesa. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation The world's shortest suspension bridge. : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation
The dogs of Maesa.... : Maesa Water Falls, Transportation The elephants and their trainers/companions Anastasia feeding the Elephant and keeping her distance. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Elephant performing the hat trick. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
My first elephant kiss.... they are so large yet so gentle. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Getting ready for a swim.. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Jin cautiously approaching the elephant. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The elephant line... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
Getting ready for a swim. Getting into the water. Jin and I. You are allowed to talk on your cell phone while driving an elephant. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
A rare time when you can look down on an elephant. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Toilet time and swim time.... there are turd catchers down stream... women who come out when the elephants are going to swim. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Laying in the water. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Getting refreshed before the big show.
Getting brushed down. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation An elephant spa. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Arriving at the show... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The starting parade... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
A short nap before the games.... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Elephants make the best hoopers! : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Heading for the railing to.... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation do some warm ups before the game. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
The goalie is in place.... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Kicking for the goal.. they had a lot of power(look how high the ball is), but not much control of where the ball went. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation A ball aproaching the goal. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Elephant artists. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
The finished products. We bought the second one from the right. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The end of the show.... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Meeting the elephants after the show. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The goodbye line... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
A juicy tiny banana.... I think another 300 pounds will satisfy an elephant. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Feeding it another banana : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation First close up seeing an elephant grab a banana. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Feeling secure between two gently elephants. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
The cobra show... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The artist who taught the elephants to paint. "They are like children", he told us. "You start with five minutes and when they get bored, give them a treat and then start again the next day." He also told us that you cold tell which were the talented ones relatively quickly. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation An elephant stool. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Meeting the adolescent elephants. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
The baby elephant. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Coming over for a hug... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Climbing the fence to get closer while mother looks on. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Playful like a 600 pound puppy. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
Getting a hug with his trunk. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Mother elephants won't let everyone touch their young.. we were the lucky ones! : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation 21802 : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation 21804 : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
21793 : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation An elephant kiss on the neck! : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The children meet each other. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation 21812 : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
The trainer... : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation 21816 : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Walking through the grounds. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The camp was made up of a series of buildings and paths.. with the elephants wandering around with their trainers. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation
Anastasia begins her clown stage. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation The crossroads. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Elephants and people share the road. : Maesa Elephant Camp, Transportation Grazing and waiting for riders.