"As our plan (continue from Chiagmai) to visit our friend in Lampang. So, this time we will explore this long history province in 2 days"

11^th March

Before we left from Rati Lanna Resort. We did very good activity,hotel provided food and flower for us for alms giving to the monk. 

We left Chiangmai by minivan around 9.00am because one friend suggested us to visit National Elephant Institute (NEI) where they take care old elephants, blinded elephant, sick elephants as this place is an elephant hospital as well. Sound great so we follow her suggestion. We have one more passenger who is an older sister of our friend who live in Lampang but she lives in Chiangmai. So, she was travel with us and became our tour guide as well. Her name is sister Win.

We arrived the NEI around 10.00am lucky us that today is weekday and it is school holiday so very good traffic sister Win said that normally should take around 1.15hrs or 1.30hrs from Chiangmai to this place. 

When we arrived to the institute was a bit late because all the elephants were away for exercise and finding food. 

So, we spent our team to reading leaflet and listening the staff to explain about the concept of this institute.

Around 15 minutes then the shuttle car took to the place where we can meet elephants closely. 

This institute have very large area and I do not recommend to travel by drive your own car and I think they should not allow because you might lost the way or might attack with elephants as all elephants can walk freely to everywhere in the park.

We were waiting around 5 minutes then around 10 elephants walking to us with their staff (mahout) who take care elephant one by one.

This is the first time I get very close to elephants. I visit many elephant camps to see the elephant show and see how clever they are but never get very close to them because I feel scary of them.

But after tried last time to bathing with elephant then I feel better with elephant. When all of them walking close to us they become so lovely wild animal. There is one baby elephant around 1 year old. 

He is so naughty and active. Walking around and playing with other elephants. Staff told us that all of them are relative in the same family so they have very good relation.

One of Mahout told us that they do not use any equipment which will hurt elephant to control or train them as they are old and big elephant so just talk to them and train them. 

But for baby elephant sometime have to use bamboo three with them as they are like baby which sometime naughty. One of our friend fell down on the ground just because this baby elephant wants to play with her.

We luckily met with a senior staff of the institute. He is foreigner but he falling in love with elephants and stay here to take care elephants for years. 

My friend Fah keep talking and asking him a lot about elephant. She is the person who vote to visit this place as she love elephant so much. I think if she can have one at her house then she should be very happy.

We can see how much she love elephant from the way she looking at them.

There was an unexpected situation. Since there were also other tourist visit this place in the same time with us then there are around 20 persons there and the elephant might feel that we might harm their baby. 

So, I feel like they talk to each other in their language and they start standing closer and tried to hide the baby. 

They hold each other until we can not see the baby. OMG! This is the protective instinct from the family to the kids even for wild animal same as human.

We spent around 30 minutes with elephants. And then we left them as they still on feeding time. I like this place because they let the elephant walk openly in the area without feeding them by human. The concept is to let them learn how to find the food because if tourist keep feeding them as same as other camp but when the tourist not come they might have problem to find the food.

And we also need food and Rosy who is our friend living in Lampang already ordered some foods for us and waiting at the restaurant name “Kala”. 

This restaurant is only 20 minutes away from the NEI. Look famous restaurant as there are many tables and lots of people there for lunch.

We were direct to our table which some food already prepared.

Fish again.

And chili paste again.

But I like this menu. Pork neck in Thai style salad.

What I like is they serve lots of vegetable on table which you can eat when any menu.

This is the red and spicy soup with all of us like.

Food are good in general but I think the fish is too cold. They might cooked too early or may be we came too late….hahaha.

We were enjoy eating and talking as a bit long time we did not meet each other.

After lunch we heading to hotel for check in as after that our friend will take us around the city so we better drop all stuff at hotel.

We booked “Wianglakor Hotel” I never came here before but friend who live in Lampang came and checked the room and recommended this hotel for us.

The building of hotel look from outside is not bad. Thai style decoration from outside to inside. Large lobby area with very high ceiling make customer feel comfortable.

We checked in and left all luggage in the room and then go out. To visit an old house call "Louis's House"

It is an old house since before World War II. The owner name Mr.Louis T.Leonowens who is a son of Anna Leonowens. She was the British tutor to the children of King Rama IV. 

The house has become one of the must see tourist spots of Lampang, and tourists who visit this place can enjoy walking around Ban Tha Ma Oh to see the beautiful of owl town of Lampang.

After that Rosy took us to visit another old houses name “Baan Sao Nak” the meaning is the house which have lots of pillars.

The house is look old but we can feel life as the owner still living here and she took us around and explain about the history of the house which is very interesting. 

There are some photos of Myanmar guy in the house and the owner said that this house is belong to a family (Myanmar guy who married with Thai woman) but that was long time ago (more than 100 years). And at the beginning the house still do not many pillars like present but the owner keep expand the house when their family grow up.

After enjoy listening the history about this famous house then we go around the city which is not big. And then we go back to hotel to refresh. Dinner today was simple noodle with soup as we want to spend time talking with our friend as she will come to stay at hotel with us. Before we left the noodle shop I saw a big nice painting of elephant on the wall. So, I and Fah got memory shot.

Pat and Pueng also got same shot.

I cannot remember what time we went to bed just we talked a lot.

12^th March

This morning some of us woke up early morning as our friend plan to take us to visit local market. I love to visit local market because we can see what they sell, what they eat and I love to try local food as well. However, we were only 3 persons (myself, Pat, Rosy and Pueng) enjoy this morning trip while another 2 (Bo,May) prefer to spend longer time on the bed. And they had breakfast at hotel which is not bad.

Meanwhile, Fah who really want to join this trip but she has problem with stomach this morning so she cannot join.

This is nice and large market. They selling lots of raw food which local people buy for cook at home. 

However, there are some cooked food and dessert for quick meal as well. Rosy took us walk along the road passing the houses, temple, shops, barber shop etc.,

I tried steam sticky rice top with dried fish and sugar, very delicious.

My friend “Pueng” bought seasonal fruit “Marina Plum”. This fruit is very good for health as they have high vitamin C, A, calcium and more.

Another friend “Pat” did not buy anything she is a Muslim so she can eat only specific food. However, she got a Thai dessert made by sticky power cover with yellow bean inside. The taste is not bad. Rosy did not buy anything because she live here so she can come to the marking any day.

We were enjoying the market and we fore we left. I got Thai Americano coffee (Oliang).

We went back to hotel to pack our luggage as we will go to “Phrathat Lampang Luang Temple”. This is my preference as this pagoda is for people who born in the year of cow (base on Chinese Zodiac” And I am cow. In Thailand some people believe in Chinese Zodiac and we linked it to the main pagoda in Thailand and Myanmar. Example if you were born in rat year you have to at least one time visiting “Wat Phrathat Sri Jomthong” in Chiangmai. And if you were born in year of horse you have to visit Shwedagon pagoda in Myanmar.

After that our friend have idea to take us around the city by horse carriage and it was so good. My horse name “Mali” the meaning is “Jasmine” she is white and very active with only 7 years (35 years old if compare with human) Mali took us around the city on the small road, passing the houses, market, temple, school.

We were enjoying sightseeing on the horse carriage till we reached to the temple. We gave some tips to horse rider. This small money can support horse. However, we also paid 400 Baht for riding the horse carriage (it is standard price in Lampang) for sightseeing tour.

This is very beautiful temple as always especially pagoda (actually, I came here in last 4 years). 

I made a wish for myself, my family, friends and everyone I know. And we spent around 30 minutes to see around as there are some friend came here for the first time.

At the small sala next to the pagoda where sister Win told us that there is a small whole at the wooden wall which let the light from outside come in to sala. But it is special is the shadow on the ground is the shadow of the pagoda but it more special is the shadow is in color while normally shadow always in black color. So, temple put a white fabric on the table then visitors can see the shadow easily.

We left from the temple and on the way to airport our friend took us to the famous restaurant called “Mookda” they serve local food, noodles and many menus. Today no fish!!

We were enjoying lunch at the restaurant. The food are so good, and we finished all even we order a lot.

After lunch we heading to airport and we all agreed that 2 days 1 night is too short for Lampang. There are many places that we did not visit as time not permit. I want to do cycling while some of friends want to visit more temples.

Then, we agreed to plan and come again only for Lampang and might be 3 days 2 nights. In this province they have good hotel (not expensive), they have many places which showing the history. They have lots of story from local people which we can enjoy listening from local people. Most of all people in this province are so friendly with all visitors. Pueng is first one who confirm next trip no matter when.

We reached to the airport on time and say good bye Lampang. The province where the history still locked for local people but they willing to open for visitors. We will remember the time which we spent with local people like sister Win and our friend who was super host and took us around and tried many menus.

Bye bye Lampang. And see you again soon.