Elephants

Almost every tourist activity outside of the city of Chiang Mai is somehow connected with elephant riding and elephant shows.  We went to the Elephant Conservation Center which is 45 minutes south of Chiang Mai.  We rode in two songtaews (pick up trucks with two plank seats in the back and a cover over our heads so we are only partially exposed to the outside.  The ECC allows visitors to stay for several days and participate in elephant training and care.  Several students are interested in going back for a mulitple day stay.  We spent several hours watching elephants get bathed, watching a show, riding the elephants and we visited two elephant hospitals.  The two students pictured on the elephant look like they are from Thailand, but they are from the U.S.  In white is Monica Lovan, a Simpson Biology major and the other student is from Bethel University in the Twin Cities.