A relaxed start to this morning; we didn’t get going until near 9AM. First stop was breakfast at a street-food place just down the road.

Street-food breakfast in Pha Yao.

Another quick stop for our i-coffees, then a couple of more hours on the road. Our last point of interest for this part of our trip was the Elephant Hospital run by the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) in Lam Phang (http://www.eyesofthailand.com/story/elephant-hospital/). This is not a commercial “Elephant park” and is not affiliated in any way with their glossy for-profit next-door neighbour, The Elephant Conservation Center (TECC). Instead, the FAE is a working Elephant Hospital; there is no entrance fee (although any and all donations are greatly appreciated), there is no Elephant-riding or bathing, and there are no guided tours. Instead, visitors are invited to walk through the public areas, view some of the Elephants in care, watch a documentary, and peruse their library of reference materials. Many visitors are confused regarding what the the FAE Elephant Hospital is; there has been a multi-year, concerted campaign of mis-information propagated by TECC. A bitter rivalry has grown between the two facilities to the point where FAE has made serious allegations of wilful violence and vandalism against TECC.

Friends of the Asian Elephant

Lek introduced us to Ms. Soraida Salwala, the founder and international face of the FAE. She was quite busy with the day to day affairs of running the complex operation. So, after a few polite words, we went to wander about the public portions of the compound.

FAE Elephant Hospital

List of Resident and Patient Elephants.

FAE offices.

Elephant hospital infirmary enclosure.

Munching away.

The Elephants staying in the enclosures near the hospital buildings are chained to limit their roaming, protect the buildings, and to prevent harm to visitors. Many of the Elephants in care have been recent victims of violence and/or abuse at the hands of humans. Therefore, their reaction to strangers (especially those not accustomed to interacting with gigantic injured animals) can be very unpredictable.

Injured (land-mine damage to right front foot) but still very curious.

Reaching out.

Baby Ele.

Enjoying the daily spray-down.

We spent quite a while ambling through the compound but finally it was time to go. To lunch, of course! We went just down the road to a local street-food restaurant and had a thoroughly satisfying meal for 200 Baht (about $6.50) for the three of us, including beer.

Street-food restaurant for lunch.

Our lunch was prepared in this kitchen.

Now, it was the last couple of hours of driving to get back to the Yindee in Chiang Mai. Once there, we said our thanks and farewells to Lek, got checked-in to our room, and sprawled out on the bed for a siesta.

We had decided, somewhat at the last moment, to try and find a Muay Thai (http://chiangmai.thaivisa.com/muay-thai-in-chiang-mai/#.Uyb_C1yB_Zs) fight to attend that evening. Eron looked through the internet while I spoke with Jas about where to go. We both came to the conclusion that the most “authentic” experience would be at a relatively unknown stadium, the Kawila Boxing Stadium. Unfortunately, there were no fights scheduled there that evening. So, we ended up hailing a tuk-tuk for the Thapae Boxing Stadium on the outskirts of the old town.

Yes; it was seedy looking, it was full of tourists, and may not have been the most “real” Muay Thai experience to be had. But it was a Muay Thai tournament featuring five bouts, a bonus fight, and an International Bout… and it was about experiencing Muay Thai in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

You buy your tickets at a little booth at the street-end of a narrow alley. And then you walk down the alley past a long row of parked motor-scooters until you reach the door to the stadium.

Alley to the Thapae Boxing Stadium.

Entrance into the stadium.

Once you enter, every one of your senses get assaulted all at once; there are lights shining from every possible direction, there are people milling all around you, there’s 70’s style rock music blaring from the speakers, and it is hot ‘n’ sweaty… you definitely get a certain “Deer Hunter” vibe walking in.

The Muay Thai boxing ring.

Lined with bars to the right.

And lined with bars to the left.

If you weren’t feeling that “Deer Hunter” vibe yet, you definitely got it once the dude with the Asian clarinet-thing climbed into the ring and started blaring out the call for the fighters. The sound was grating, chaotic, and seemingly straight out of the movie.

The official call to the ring.

We had the nearly perfect seats; about four rows back and elevated about a foot higher than the front rows. And seated next to us was, “Lake”; a fellow MMA enthusiast from Homer, Alaska. Better yet, he was also a cigar smoker. So, the two of us immediately lit up and smoked cigars for the entire tournament. Before anyone gets all “western-world-sports-and-smoking-don’t-mix” about this, I should note that several of the Thai fighters were smoking cigarettes immediately after their bouts.

The first fighter arrives at ringside.

Going at it.

Awaiting his opponent.

Muay Thai Kick-Boxing.

Even though gambling is illegal in Thailand, the flyers advertising the Thapae Stadium fights all claimed, “Max Gambling”, was available. I don’t know about max gambling but, touts went around between each round to shout out odds and take bets. They also had a “Bonus Match”. This involved four fighters who were blind-folded and let loose on one another. There was a “Referee” who spent most of his time picking fighters up and directing them towards each other… and the rest of his time trying to avoid wild swings. He was successful most of the time but did get clocked and knocked down a couple of times. It sounds stupid but was actually quite entertaining and hilarious at times.

Bonus Match with four fighters blind-folded.

The real fights then continued…

Down for the count.

With the final fight being an “International Bout” featuring a Thai versus an Italian fighter.

Thai vs Italian.

Meanwhile, the “Chiang Mai Chaos Trio”, set and kept the mood with their jarring melodies during each entire bout.

Each round was accompanied by chaotic melodies played by this trio.

All in all; it was great fun, one more item ticked off the bucket list, and not nearly as seedy as it first appeared. My only question; what, no “Lady-Boy”ring-girls?!?!