The elephant is my new favorite animal. They are the symbol of wisdom and good luck. I’ve always had a wooden elephant (with trunks raised) in my house. And besides perhaps Toronga Park or San Diego Zoo, that’s about as close I got to them. Until my most recent trip to Thailand.
In Thailand, elephant parks, tours, rides, and shows are within miles of each other. I haven’t actually climbed to ride one yet. I’m not even sure I want to. I feel it’s a bit cruel and pointless. When you’re on top of the elephant you can’t see or relate. You’re just bumpily riding along perched higher than if you would be on a horse. Feels pointless. But I could feed, take photos, hang out with them for hours on end.
They love bananas
On a recent business trip my colleague and I took an afternoon to look for “family friendly” activities. If you’re not familiar with Pattaya, it’s more well known for the go go dancers and anything goes night life. Everywhere you look when you’re close to the town center, you know it’s catered to adult entertainment. There’s a massage parlor every 4 stores, and there are tons of young looking women walking around with men of all shapes and sized.
Finding something family friendly to do means you have to leave the center part of town. But we asked around and talked to a few concierge desks and were armed with are list. We got in the car and explored. And so we discovered Nong Nooch Park where we hung out and fed elephants.
The elephant’s trunk is an extension of the upper lip and nose.
I also put more photos in the Facebook album which you can visit by clicking on this link: More elephant photos.
The trunk functions for grasping, breathing, feeding, dusting, smelling, drinking, lifting, sound production/communication, defense/protection, and sensing.
This baby elephant was playing with a water hose and rolling around in between.
Elephants cry, play, have incredible memories, and laugh!
Elephant trunks can get very heavy. It is not uncommon to see elephants resting them over a tusk!
All suited up for a show.
