Sawatee ka!I just returned from an amazing three-week journey to Thailand! I had the opportunity to go to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Dao for sightseeing, adventure, and further study in Thai massage.
The sights and sounds (and delicious Thai food...yum!) were fascinating to experience. After arriving in Bangkok, I met 19 other students from all over the U.S. who took this trip organized by Culture Junkies' founder, Beth Brancato. (Beth's husband, Martin Misenhimer, owns Zen Thai, where I first learned Thai massage.) Beth has had many years of experience traveling to Thailand, including living there for several years, so it was a rare opportunity to experience Thailand with an insider's edge. I had the opportunity to explore the streets of Bangkok and Chiangmai, try many Thai massages and Thai foot massages, taste Thai "street food," see many gorgeous gold covered Buddhas and incredibly decorated Buddist temples. One of my favorite things was taking photos of all the amazing sights.
My main reason for making the trip, though, was to spend two weeks in intensive study of Thai massage with the renowned Thai master instructor Therdchai Chumphoopong (nicknamed "Mac") of The Fine Art of Thai Massage school in Chiangmai. Mac, along with his mom ("Mum") and his brother ("Mos) taught our group hundreds of Thai massage moves, which can be integrated into a 60 minute, 90 minute, or a two hour session. I am very excited to be able to include these new stretches and acupressure moves into my routines. Those of you who have already tried Thai massage already know how wonderful you feel after a Thai session. I look forward to seeing how you feel after you experience some of these advanced moves.One of my favorite days in Thailand was the day we got to visit the Elephant Nature Preserve. This special place is a unique preserve where injured and abused elephants are nurtured back to health and a more natural way of life. We didn't ride the elephants, which often puts terrible stress on the elephants' backs. Instead, we fed these gentle giants and even helped bathe them in the river. What an extraordinary experience! I took many photos that day. Here are just a few. (More details on my trip to follow!)
