Thailand Day 6

This morning we did have a slight mix-up with the tour and ended up waiting an hour and a half to be picked up from our hotel, but we finally got everything straightened out and were on our way. Our tour guide was a lady named Boo, and she was by far the best tour guide we have had in Thailand. Our first stop was the Tiger Temple. This is basically a wild life preserve and sanctuary. While at the temple we walked with the tigers while touching their backs and took lots of pictures with both adult and baby tigers. We also took pictures of water buffalos, wild boars and peacocks. It was glorious! I have to say I was a little nervous at first, but it was a great experience. Just amazing!
After the Tiger Temple we stopped on the road for an absolutely spectacular lunch and continued on to the rafting and elephant riding. The weather was beautiful and the rafting was very pleasant. After cooling off on the river we got to ride our very own elephant. I especially loved the elephant's stubbly head and neck and his big floppy ears. Masha sang the “Do your ears hang low” as a tribute. What I didn't love: the elephant driver beating the elephant with a wooden stick and hooking him behind the ears with a big metal hook. Maria and the elephant made fast friends and she ended up riding on his neck for a 3rd of our total time there. Very cute. When we were done we went to the baby elephant and got a couple of kisses (trunk to head/face) and also got our butts "massaged" (lightly stomped on) by said elephant child. We took so many pictures that the camera is completely dead.
Our final destination was the bridge on the river Kwai that was built by prisoners of war. We got there as the sun was setting and walked the bridge for a little while. We said goodbye to our guide here and drove home. The trip took about 3 hours so we were hungry again by the time we got back and decided to do a non Thai dinner.
Walking down the street we saw a Japanese place and a Middle Eastern place right next to each other. We decided to check out the Japanese place first but were told that there was no sushi or tempura to be had, so we went across the street (slight diagonal) and had amazing Lebanese food. While eating, we noticed that directly adjacent to the Japanese restaurant was a Japanese club with a bunch of women all dressed in red dresses sitting outside. It didn't take us long to figure out that something shady was going on and there was a reason that the restaurant didn't serve us sushi. Maria and I were trying to figure out what the system is but we never did. The best part was that the patrons of the Lebanese restaurant were mostly couples or families with the women dressed in burquas or at least with their hair completely hidden from view and long flowy robes, whereas right across the street there were basically sex workers waiting for their next client. I guess this is how they roll in Thailand.
Now it's a little after 10pm and we are both exhausted. The plan is to go to sleep early so that we are feeling alive for our day of snorkeling at some of the islands. There will be more to come. Did I mention that I LOVE THIS VACATION?