Elephants!!

On our way back from Kata Beach one late afternoon, we saw an elephant barn, where you can purchase a ticket to ride an elephant for varying amounts of time/prices.  We weren't too interested in riding the elephants, but we were very interested in watching them, and we were even allowed to touch them.  Their skin is extremely dry, rough, tough, and wrinkly, and the small amount of hair they do have is very wiry.  We watched as they brought the elephants in from their trek up and down the hill with tourists, unload the passengers, took off the saddles, then sent each elephant one at a time for a shower, and a cool down.  They were then given some sort of plant to eat, to us it looked like pineapple tops.  After they ate they were moved across the street to a grassy field for the night where they could eat some more and have a sleep.  There was also a baby elephant that was about 2 1/2 years old.  For 100 baht($3.30)we could take pictures of the elephants.  So we chose to take a couple of photos with the little guy.  He took me by surprise by how strong he was.  He grabs you around the neck with his trunk, and searches over your skin with his snout, then gives you a kiss on the neck.  He was interested in Hoss's goatee!!

The next day we stopped again and saw a couple more elephants.  We paid for a basket of bananas...100baht again, and fed the baby elephant.  It was amazing to see how he took the banana, placed it in his mouth to peel it, spit out the peel, and gulped down the pulp!!  I love these guys!!