This little girl was so shy at first (she loosened up after we gave her a snack).. I guess I could understand being on public display all day long for the entertainment of tourists, when a little kid actually probably just wants to play.

From a purely cultural perspective, the Chiang Mai region of Thailand is probably going to be the more “real version” of what Thailand is (or was) historically. If you’re looking for cultural attractions and a very relaxed atmosphere, I would personally recommend Chiang Mai over areas like Phuket or Pattaya. First-time visitors to Thailand should make the following itinerary to get the most out of their first trip:

Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Phuket (I am recommending Phuket because of the world-class beaches & a very modern infrastructure, not to mention easy access to places like Krabi and Koh Phi Phi).

More information about the various hill tribes can be found here.

I play around with long exposure shots at times to see what happens with the shot. I haven’t been brave enough to try a camera toss yet, and something tells me that my clumsiness won’t let me even consider it.

Fantasea is a Thai cultural show, similar to Cirque Du Soleil, that has an awesome ending with about twelve elephants. The good thing is that the park opens a few hours before the show, which means you can grab dinner, shop & see a few other small performances first.