ELEPHANT RIDE, FLOATING MARKET AND TRAVEL SHOW

On Saturday, September 4, we went on our first elephant ride. The boys kids have been anxious to do this, especially Corbin. We went up to Ayutthaya, the original capital of Thailand and where Jim's work is located. The elephants are so funny how they dance and put on a show. Very friendly. Nothing like riding an elephant into oncoming traffic! We rode around the area where there are ancient ruins. Very beautiful all the ancient ruins in Ayutthaya. We also went to a snake show, not so much enjoyed by us. Yuck! We also saw a tiger. We went on a ten-minute boat ride around the floating market. Paxton and I got stopped by a group of Thai college students who asked us some questions. They were excited to see American people and to be able to try out their English skills. They were reading off questions from paper and video recording us. In Ayutthaya the tuk tuks are pick-up shaped and the boys loved that and wanted to ride in one. Maybe next time.

On Sunday, Jim and I went to a travel show in Bangkok. We saw a booth with a fake snow hill and fake snow and the little Thai children were having so much fun on it. They didn't know what to do to get onto the sled. Too funny! There was also a fake snowman that people were taking their picture with. We saw beautiful Thai dancers getting ready to perform.

Yesterday, we couldn't believe our eyes when we saw an elephant just outside the gate to our develpment a little ways up the main road that goes from our house to the school with a person riding it. People from up-country will bring their elephants into Bangkok. We're more used to seeing chickens, goats, cows and soi (street) dogs and we've adjusted to the shock of seeing these animals in the city but now an elephant. The goat herder was herding his goats the other day and one goat almost hit the front of our car. No deer here but watch out for the goats!