While in Thailand I learned how silk was made.
Silk Worms!
These are the worms, some of their eggs and the leaves they eat to get nice a fat.
Then they make cocoons that are yellow and white.
Some are left outside to grow and hatch into moths leaving behind the shell.
Others that are weak and not big enough to hatch on their own are boiled.
They boil them to help unwind the threads from the larva. Don't worry the larva aren't wasted... they eat them!
Here is a Thai woman patiently working to boil and unwind the silk from the larva.
This is one of the old fashioned looms used to make rugs and things with the silk after it is bleached and dyed.
Here is a Thai woman patiently working to boil and unwind the silk from the larva. This is one of the old fashioned looms used to make rugs and things with the silk after it is bleached and dyed.
The best way to know if silk is real is to burn a piece of the fiber, if it makes ashes and smells like burnt hair then it is real.
Hello Darling and welcome to my tropical jungle safari!
Out in the jungles we saw many elephants.
They were very interested in us, 
especially our bananas!
They were really fun to feed, their trunks are pretty impressive.
Here he reached up behind his head and snatched a banana that you can see in the lower right hand corner is in his trunk and he is going to put it in his mouth and eat it peal and all.
The local elephant riders laugh at the crazy foreigners.
The elephants have the same rider for their whole life. The rider and elephant pretty much grow up together and are very close and comfortable with each other.
Riders often can be seen napping on top of the elephants in the shade.
Some of these elephants were pretty old.
After feeding the elephants we went on an elephant ride.
They took our glasses right off our faces! 
I had a fabulous vacation in sunny 
Read, get a tan (yeah right!) and hang out with friends.
In town I hit up several outdoor street markets with all the other people.
The Thai people LOVE their king and you can see pictures of him everywhere in the city. This trip to Thailand was a little different because there were also pictures of the king's sister everywhere due to her recent death.
Monks are a common site around town. Here one is buying a container that has small birds inside. You 
All along the old city wall and between streets and buildings are vendors selling their wares.
Here is a little old Thai lady looking at 
There are also plenty of clothes which are one of my favorite things to buy in Thailand. They are so comfortable and colorful.
I was surprised to see god's eyes hanging with these lamps since I hadn't ever seen them outside of Texas. I thought they were cool. 
As you work your way around the goods remember it isn't quiet. Every few meters someone is singing or playing music for money or charity. 
To bad I can't take all the lamps home.
Thailand is famous for it's homemade paper and different paper arts like this guy is working on here. 
More musicians on the street.
A kind of dumpling perhaps?
Mainly locals were eating with an occasional brave foreigner.
All of this is taking place next to one of the many temples which they call 
Incense, candles, and dragons are common sights and smells.
Don't forget the pots to put your money in as you say a prayer to 
Later on in a different market I went local and had dinner outside.
Then we pressed on into the night with more shopping!
