Chiang Mai - Temples, Massages, good food and elephants

Arriving in Chiang Mai, I took a deep breath - what wonderfully fresh air compared to Bangkok. With Julia and Fynn, I headed towards the Old City to find and check into our hostel. Julia was staying in a different hostel and we had to walk a bit further. We were welcomed warmly and like family, we were allowed to shower right away and our beds were already made, even though we arrived earlier than the normal check-in time. So it was a successful start in Chiang Mai. Fynn and I then set off with a city map to get a first real impression here. After Bangkok, this small city felt really refreshing. Once again, there were beautiful and impressive temples. Wat Chedi Luang in particular touched me - we entered and the atmosphere and the sight brought tears to my eyes. I don't know if I've ever seen something so beautiful before. The monks were sitting in the front and saying a prayer, and I also sat down on the floor and listened to their sounds, wishing I could stay there forever. However, eventually we got really hungry and decided to go and eat delicious food. I chose spring rolls and a papaya salad and even though I couldn't finish everything, I was more than satisfied. But let me tell you... so incredibly delicious! After that, I walked alone through the city for a while and then met up with Julia for a Thai massage at Lila Massage. A great project, as former female inmates who have learned to massage are employed here. After the relaxation, the three of us walked through a night market and then simply fell into bed. I slept well until 6:30 AM when the girls in the room got up loudly and brightly. I don't understand why some people can be so inconsiderate. But more on that later. I was then scheduled to meet Fynn and Julia at 9:30 AM. The plan was to rent a scooter and drive into nature. To walk through the forest and go swimming at a waterfall. After we had brought the scooters back to the hostel and the man there was incredibly unfriendly and started to scold us, we decided to forget about the scooter. Instead, we hired a private driver to take us there. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication and we ended up at the mountain, but instead of being in the peaceful nature of a national park, we were surrounded by tourists at a temple. Well, we still looked around and then walked through the market that was there. Back in the city, it was time for another massage because at that price, I just have to treat myself! After that, I went back to the hostel for half an hour and then went to the next night market. The size of the markets is incredible - after 2 hours, you still haven't seen everything, but then you just don't feel like it anymore. So we went to bed because the alarm clock rang at 6:00 AM the next morning. But there was no sleeping because until 1 o'clock, someone here was singing - Kyrie Eleison in the middle of the night, what's going on? I really don't understand it. But I have to say, the ones who stand out the most to me in terms of inconsiderateness are the Chinese people. They run into you, step on your feet, and seem to not care. It's a pity... With Julia in the morning, after just 5 hours of sleep, we went to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary... They use the money they earn to free elephants from captivity and let them live there in a really large area in the middle of the jungle. I was so looking forward to it and had such high expectations, and yet they were surpassed by far. We arrived there after a 1 1/2-hour drive in the jeep and first received an introduction and then a kilt to put on. And then it started - feeding, stroking, cuddling, bathing in water and mud with the elephants. I don't really know what to write about it here because my description wouldn't do it justice.