Wat Arun

Elephants!!!

We just got back from an amazing experience at the Elephant Nature Park and are safely back in Bangkok. At the Park we got to feed and bathe the beautiful giants up close. We also had the opportunity to meet Lek, the lady who started the entire project. Her dedication to the injured working elephants was very inspirational and we gave her an Oakland Zoo t-shirt, which she put on right away. We got to see the one day old baby elephant named Chang Yim, who was adorable!! Chang Yim walked down to the river to bathe for the first time, which we also got to witness. The rest of the elephants at the Park were awesome to meet and we listened to the horrible things they had been through before they were rescued. Overall, the elepants were incredible and the experience was unforgettable.
We took the overnight train to Bangkok, which most of us had never done before. Once we arrived, we ate breakfast and went straight to the stunning Grand Palace. The architecture, decoration, and design were jaw-dropping. There was gold and brightly colored glass covering everything! We then went across the river and visited Wat Arun or the Temple of the Dawn. It's tower was amazingly tall and adorned with broken ceramics. Although it was sweltering, it was a great day!

-Erin, Elise, Ariana

Football with local kids

Sukothai

Blake

Sukothai

Sukothai is situated between Bangkok (430kms from Bangkok) and Chiang Mai. It was the first capital of Thailand and is famous for the extensive historical ruins.

the local fare

Some of the group are being quite adventurous by trying the local fare. This quaint donut shop is located in the Bangkok train station.