Ayutthya—Second Time Around. 

Sitting on the bank of a river in Ayutthaya @ 6:00 pm, watching the elephants come and bathe. It may seem like a zoo to some, however, this is not a zoo. This is what they do every evening. On their own. With their Mahouts (trainers). They are not ridden by people during the day. I just had a “conversation” you will with Lee, a 28 year old Mahoot who knows absolutely no English. I learned that he had been working with his elephant, a 46 year old female for the past 9 years. He was 19 when he started with her!!!! So jelly. I want one. She is his elephant. He was not riding her. She was free to do whatever she wanted. Believe me when I say this was the most beautiful experience. My past experience here in Ayutthaya was also so much so, that I asked Sakai if we could take one of our days in Bangkok and come up here. I wanted Marc and Ari to see the temples before we got to Cambodia, but I also wanted them to see the elephants, and hopefully connect with a place that will forever have so much meaning to me. This was one of those experiences I had in December that have stayed with me every day since. I am beyond happy to share this with them. I thought I wanted to have my experiences for myself. They were after all, my own personal healing moments. Though I decided I needed to show Marc and Ari this magical moment. I’m not sure if Marc will get the magnitude of just how much Ayutthaya means to me. I was curious as well to see if it would still be as special now, months later…I think it is even more special now. I will never forget my two hour conversation with Melissa after a most difficult night. Talk about someone bringing you down from the ledge…..
We were able to share the elephants walking with their Mahoots to take their evening baths. They may have been even more excited by it than I was. I can’t tell you where it is, because the “Sakai Secret” would then be known to even more people. Shows you how much he can actually keep a secret. LOL. 
We also went to Lamp Post Cafe. A cafe we went to, sometimes multiple times a day back in December. The laughs. The gaffaws. The drinks. The French Fries with Magee..Thak remembered us and even knew what we would order. No Chubby Scouts to be seen though. (that’s another story). We saw a few temples. Which is a great beginning for Marc and Ari for what we will be seeing in Cambodia. They got a base of the history. Next, we took them by the Homestay I stayed at for two nights. How welcoming that they remembered me. No one was occupying my room, so I was able to show Marc where I stayed. He was very appreciative by this. I think he is finally seeing what my running away was. That is wasn’t about him. That it was about and for me. That I needed that time to try and find a quiet place where I could begin the process of healing. And that is exactly what I was able to accomplish on my trip in December. We are also extending our trip by a week so that Sakai and I can bring them to the other places we went. Marc needs to see just about everything. I’ll spare him from the crocodile filled river crossing and the leaches. And Erewan Falls as well. Those experiences were for me and me only. Hopefully, Marc will get to meet Arjan Nang when we return to Bangkok in a few weeks. I know what my next piece of art is going to be, and I’m excited for it. Stay tuned for that….
Excited for The next few weeks in Cambodia. Most likely won’t have wifi or internet though. Which is actually a great thing. Am truly loving unconnecting and reconnecting with those that mean the world to me. 
Thanks to you all for sharing this journey with me. I look forward to many more…..