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On to Chiang Rai

Guest Post by Amy Perry Basseches 
After Bangkok, I flew to Chiang Rai, the northernmost large city in Thailand, to begin two days in and around "The Golden Triangle," where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers (formerly one of the most extensive opium-producing areas of the world). We stayed in Chiang Saen, a part of the Chiang Rai Province that literally sits on the Mekong and from which you can see Myanmar and Laos. A "three country" boat trip can be taken here which includes travel by tuk-tuk and longtail boat, stopping at local markets, temples, and ruins. 
 
In Chiang Rai, we visited three temples, Wat Rong Seua Ten (Blue Temple), Wat Rong Kun (White Temple), and Baan Dam (Black Temple). Although sometimes historic temple ruins were present, these are modern creations: the Blue Temple was finished in 2016, the White Temple opened in 1997 and was designed by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and the Black Temple is artist Thawan Duchanee’s "artful portrayal of hell." Afterward, I loved eating at Chivit Thamma Da Coffee House, Bistro & Bar, a  "Slow Food" restaurant, featuring Hill Tribe organic eggs.
 
All of the above paled in comparison to the highlight of my time in Chiang Rai and Chiang Saen, The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. The GTAEF was set up to rescue elephants, mahouts (caretakers) and mahout families from illegal logging camps, the street, and abusive shows. Our hotel (to be detailed in a separate blog post) overlooked the elephant sanctuary, home to approximately 40 elephants. Here, the elephants, mahouts, and mahout families are housed, fed, and provided health care, and the mahouts’ children educated. 
 
Asian elephants are listed on The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, which means they have had at least a 50% decrease in population in the last three generations. They face habitat loss, as well as poaching. The current best estimate for Thailand’s remaining wild population is around 2000 to 4000.
 
Many tourists seek an "elephant experience" while in Thailand. Tourism remains the main income source available to keep the majority of Thailand’s captive elephants fed, but it is important to work with businesses and the mahout community to promote welfare and sustainability. Especially after being in Thailand, I can say with certainty: ask ActiveTravels for assistance in choosing your elephant experience in Thailand. There are a lot of not-so-great ones offered. 
 
 

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Check Your Bank Account Even While Traveling

So there I was lounging on my patio at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge after a week of adventure in the Canadian Rockies. I’ll delve into many of my favorite locales from my trip to Western Canada next week. Any way, I was checking my email when I noticed that Bank of America contacted me, saying my funds were getting low. I had transferred money from my savings to checking account before I left, so I should have had more than enough money for the trip. When I went online at Bank of America, I saw three purchases from Stop & Shop and Exxon made in New York and New Jersey the same time I was hiking, rafting, and rock climbing my way through the Canadian Rockies! Obviously fraudulent, I called Bank of America immediately. They cancelled my Visa debit card and quickly refunded me the money that was taken by Mr. Identity Theft. Since I no longer had use of my ATM card, they also wired me money for the rest of the trip. Morale of story. Even though you’d like to leave your life behind on vacation. Sometimes it’s better to check in now and then to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.
 

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San Antonio Week—Biking to the Missions

I recently read that San Antonio’s River Walk was the 14th most visited site in America, more popular than the Grand Canyon or Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. That doesn’t surprise me. Take the steps down to this soothing river, shaded by tall cypress, oaks, and willows and you feel transported to a tropical setting just below the busy downtown streets. In fact the River Walk has been such a smashing success that the city has been on a decade-long expansion to create a 13-mile linear park both north and south of downtown. With the 2009 opening of the Museum Reach, the River Walk doubled in length as it expanded north to the San Antonio Museum of Art and the emerging Pearl neighborhood (an upcoming blog). Even more exciting is the 10.2-mile long Mission Reach, south of the city, expected to be complete by November 2013. Yet, don’t wait another year to try this beauty strip. Phase I and II of the Mission Reach are already done, so you can rent a bike downtown and ride to one of my favorite sites in the city, the early 18th century missions, now a national historic park.
 
Last night I had Abel’s Bicycle Shop deliver a bike, helmet, lock, and detailed bike map to my downtown hotel, the Home 2 Suites by Hilton on Navarro Street. For the cost of $30 a day, Abel’s will also pick the bike up at your hotel when your riding day is done. This morning, I woke up early and veered onto South Alamo Street, where a bike lane led me to the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center. Next to this huge former warehouse, now hosting galleries and artists work space, is an entrance to the Mission Reach bike trail. It was a gorgeous morning as I headed south, peering at the numerous green herons, egrets, and families of ducks. When it warmed up, the turtles arrived to sunbathe on upturned logs on the river. Workers were busy restoring some of the 400 acres of river and six pedestrian bridges that will be added when the Mission Reach is finished. This being April, sunflowers and purple wildflowers were in bloom. 
 
At Mission Road, I turned right and visited the first of two Spanish colonial missions, Concepción, built in 1731.  The crumbling lime stone exterior, which leads to a still operable church, is incredibly photogenic, especially with the early morning sunshine pouring down. I continued on Mission Road another 3 miles to reach the largest mission, San José, known for its popular Mariachi Mass each Sunday. At its height, the missions would hold close to 300 people, working as a church, farm, and ranch. Franciscan friars gathered the native population, converted them to Catholicism, and taught them to live like Spaniards. At Mission San José, you can still see the small living quarters that surround the square layout. Inside the stone walls, overlooking the green and the church, the setting is serene.  When I had my fill, I simply retraced my steps back to the paved bike trail and took my time returning to downtown. 
 
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Hotel on North Opens June 1 in Pittsfield

Main Street Hospitality, the hotel management company that runs The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, The Porches Inn in North Adams, and The Williams Inn in Williamstown, are all set to unveil their latest property, Hotel on North in Pittsfield. Next door to my favorite theater in the Berkshires, the Barrington Stage Company, the property is housed in a pair of buildings that date from the 1880s and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 45 rooms will take full advantage of the building’s heritage, replete with refurbished tin ceilings, exposed brick walls, and wood columns. Mini bars are stocked with local Berkshire products such as Big Elm Beers and Berkshire Mountain Distillers Bottled Gin & Tonics. The hotel’s restaurant, Eat on North, also relies heavily on locally sourced produce and meats. To celebrate its opening, Hotel on North is offering a package priced at $199 per night that includes room, welcome treat, a special continental breakfast for two with pastries, juice and coffee delivered in-room, and all taxes. 

 
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Hotel Rooms in Manhattan for $79 a Night!

The Jane Hotel, not far from Chelsea Market and the high in the sky High Line Park, is offering $79 rates in January and February for their 50 square-foot rooms. Bring a friend and grab the bunk bed room for $99, further reducing the price for two. The rooms are built like luxury train cabins, featuring a single bed with built-in drawers, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi, DVD player, iPod dock, and luggage rack. The only problem is the shared bathrooms. If it’s anything like the Pod Hotel on the East Side, the bathroom doors open and close all night, so bring ear plugs. If you really need a private bathroom, opt for Captain’s Cabins at $225 a night. But c’mon, it’s hard to top 79 bucks a night in Manhattan!
 

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Vermont Update

Ten days ago, Vermont was rocked by Hurricane Irene. As I wrote last week, several covered bridges were washed away, and, as of this morning, 18 bridges are still shut down. But Vermonters are resilient and they could especially use your help now more than ever. The Green Mountain State puts on its finest pastoral dress these next six weeks thanks to fall foliage. If you have a trip planned to the region, by all means go. If you don’t have a trip planned, you should still think about traveling to the area to support the numerous businesses in this state that rely heavily on tourism. The major interstates, I-89 and I-91 are open to all traffic without restrictions. Route 7 is open to all traffic, except in Clarendon, where there is a detour around a closed bridge. Route 4 is open from the New Hampshire border to Woodstock and the New York border to Rutland. There are still problems in the Bridgewater/Killington area, so check daily for updates. Route 100, one of my favorite roads for seeing the foliage, has a slew of closures, especially in the towns of Jamaica, Pittsfield, Ludlow, and Hancock. Hopefully, the route will be open shortly. Remember, peak foliage in northern Vermont is in late September, and around Columbus Day for the southern half of the state. So thankfully, Vermont still has time to dig out before the surge of people comes to the state. Hopefully, that includes you!
 

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Wild China

I had the good fortune to have lunch last week in Boston with Mei Zhang, founder of Wild China. For more than a decade, the Harvard MBA grad has brought visitors to the remote parts of China, telling me that “over 80 percent of travelers to the country see less than 20 percent of the land mass.” More than likely they get a glimpse of the Great Wall in Beijing, go on a Yangtze River cruise, and, if they have time, see the Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China in Xi’an. But what about that impressive mountain and river scenery found in the backdrop of Zhang Yimou films? To immerse yourself in that otherworldly beauty, you’re going to have to sign up for one of Wild China’s trips. Zhang is keen on taking people to her native Yunnan Province, north of Laos and Burma. Here you’ll find centuries-old Hill Tribes making bricks of tea high up in the mountains and the Tea & Horse Caravan Trail, a southern Silk Route still being used that links southwestern China with Tibet. The trade route will be featured in the May issue of National Geographic, a perfect time to take the weeklong jaunt with Wild China, according to Zhang. She also offers hiking trips on the 19th-centruy French Explorers’ Route, along the Mekong and Salween Rivers, and trekking in the heart of Shangri-La.
 

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