As I learned during our time at Elephant Nature Park and Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary, to understand elephants you have to move at their pace and within their framework of time. Busy yourself at the blurred speed of humankind and you'll miss much of the beautiful gestures and language these gentle giants use.
Of all the elephants at Elephant Nature Park with their multitude of injuries - broken legs, broken backs, dislocated hips, missing limbs from landmines - I don't know why Medo has lodged herself so deeply in my heart. But she has. And every morning during our stay I'd anxiously wait for her to appear.
At quarter past six every morning I would make my way to Elephant Nature Park's main complex for a coffee. It was my favorite time of day here. Quiet and still dark, the hustle and bustle of the day's activities had yet to begin, in the distance the silhouettes of the elephants slowly moving towards the river for a morning drink.
A tinny PA squarbles some unintelligible noise in the distance, reminding us that the Sunday market is about to kick off. Outside our hotel, Rachadamnoen Road has been wondrously transformed from a hustling, exhaust-filled road choked with cars, tuk tuks, and scooters to a bustling thoroughfare of market stalls brimming with a vibrant array of tastes, smells, sights, and sounds.
On our first morning in Chiang Mai we stepped outside our hotel in the Old City onto Ratchadamnoen Road with a map in hand but really with the intent to just allow our feet and eyes to lead us. One block later we came to our first wat.
Like many of the world's fine metropolises, Vancouver is an immensely walkable city and one best explored leisurely on foot.
Just a couple of weeks ago we were sitting on the front porch of Willows Inn, drinks in hand, gazing out over the shimmering Salish Sea on a warm, sunny afternoon and waiting to enjoy what The New York Times claimed was one of the ten restaurants in the world worth a plane ride to dine at.
With summer finally here I thought I'd give a shout out to some of my favorite dining experiences of the past few months that didn't get a dedicated post. If you haven't been to these six restaurants, put them on your summer to-eat list
At seventy-one years old, Shiro works just three nights a week. One of those was a recent Friday when, for my birthday dinner, Craig and I dutifully lined up forty-five minutes prior to opening and breathed a sigh of relief when we realized we'd get two of the eleven seats at the sushi bar.
I started my search for the best sushi restaurants in Vancouver, and the one that everyone seemed to be writing about was Miku. With little exception, people raved about Miku for their food, service, and décor. And while expensive, most reviewers and bloggers seemed to think it was well worth the price of admission.
kimpluscraig.com
