Pics or It Didn't Happen (Part 2)

This is Bang-Pa In.  The former Summer Royal Palace.  This was our first stop on our way to Chiang Mai.

The palace was absolutely gorgeous, do you expect anything else from the Royal Family of Thailand??

The architecture was stunning.  Also, it was really sunny and gorgeous outside that made it feel like it was the summer, not the middle of October. 

The palace is heavily inspired by Chinese architecture.

This is the front door to the palace.

Just more Bang-Pa In.

This is the pool at the resort we stayed at in Sukhothai.  It was a nice treat before the trek, and FK paid for it.  

SUKHOTHAI!!!

Sukhothai Historical Park.  

Sukhothai is one of the ancient kingdoms of Thailand.  Sukhothai Kingdom was in power in the 13th and 14th centuries. 

There I am!!!

These ruins are gorgeous.  The US isn't old enough to have anything close to this.

Coming to Southeast Asia to study abroad means going to see ruins like this to experience history and culture not museums.

Biking around, this is all I saw for miles.

It was gorgeous.

My bike.  It was really old and rickety and orange.

Prove that I rode.  This is the entrance to the park.

To get to Wat Doi Suthep you have to climb up all these stairs.  

Wat Doi Suthep!!!  It looks a little like the Shwedagon Pagoda.

There I am!  Lots of other people in the picture....typical.

After walking around Doi Suthep, we went to a jade factory and store.  The jade was stunning.  The most expensive jade is Imperial Jade which is darker green in color.  The rings that had Imperial Jade stones in them were absolutely gorgeous. 

We then went to the umbrella factory.  It was an interesting stop along our days journey.

We got to see women making these.

This is Julius.  Another rickety and old bike.  This one was in Chiang Mai.  

The Fern Forest Cafe was adorable.  This was the outside garden seating area.  You felt like you were in the middle of a forest.  

My apple pie a la mode!!!  Happy Fall from 90 degree Thailand.

We saw a Muay Thai fight the night before we left for the trek.  This is a really bad photo.....it was an interesting night to say the least, but it was a ton of fun.

The family, my trek group!  We spent 3 days in the jungle together.

I was joking that this is making my Christmas card.  "Kate takes the jungles of Thailand"  Our trek guide Sammy took this of me.

Our friendly pets at the first village we stayed in.

Oh La La!!  He was one of our trek guides.  Featured above is Oh La La making us shot glasses out of bamboo.  

It isn't a Thailand trek without elephants. 

I made it to the top of the mountain.  This was after I took my last bucket shower of the trek and after I walked uphill for 4km straight.

The local kids in the village were so cute.  They were fascinated by our phone cameras and selfies.

I woke up to this.  Those are clouds formed below me.

The sunrise.  This marked my last day on the trek and in the jungles of Northern Thailand.

Me in the jungle loving life.  The trek was an absolutely unforgettable experience.  

The whole trek experience is unlike anything that can be explained in words.  These are just a few of the photos from the whole 8 days.

Disclaimer:  Halloween got the best of my phone AKA I have no photos from Halloween and I lost my phone.  I am going to get a camera, but for right now, these are the last photos I have.

Love

xoxo

Kate