One of the things to do in Chiang Mai is to see the elephants. I was not keen to see captive animals, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. These big fellows are the clever sort and regardless of their size and mud-all-over, thick skin, dirty look (literally) which are not so appealing nor photogenic at first sight, they are very capable of winning you all over! When they perform their funny acts, they do them seriously as an occupation. And their eagerness and determination in finishing their tasks with an "A" while having fun themselves have won them a lot of applause and make them nearly "huggable"!