(Many thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Chicago, which made this amazing trip possible.)

Most travelers and tourists, when they visit Thailand, head south of Bangkok, where the beautiful beaches are. We headed north, to Chiang Rai province, all the way to the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet on the Mekong River.

Along the way, the sights were astonishing: Lavishly decorated temples, ginorous statues of Buddha and other deities, sprawling ornamental gardens, an undulating countryside, cultural wonders and elephants.

Read more in my story (and see my photos), “Thailand’s Chiang Rai province has a golden touch–and elephants,” as published in Loop North Chicago.