We Travel Again

[CurtisD]

Bangkok

Since the last trip Bangkok Guy and I have added Line video chat to communication-by-sticker. Given our linguistic deficiencies, ‘chat’ is a bit of an over-statement. It is more face-reading – we both get to see that the other is well and happy.

Apart from struggling through Chinese tour groups blocking the entrance to immigration while they receive their collective instructions, my journey is uneventful, just as I like it.

After a brief nap I am up and bouncing and head for breakfast on the hotel’s riverside terrace. Over breakfast it dawns on me that I have not really thought through this choice of hotel.

The concept is good. Find a relaxing spot by the river where we can spend a couple of days before we travel doing nothing except sitting by the pool while I get over jet lag.

The execution, well, I must have been busy with something else when I booked this.

The hotel is very nice.

But the pool is crowded with families with kids. Exactly what I avoid. No quiet swimming of laps here.

Bangkok Guy arrives in the evening and after dropping his bag in the room we head to Vertigo for a joint birthday dinner.

After bringing each other up-to-date (he is working for his sister who, after genealogical enquiry, is actually his much older cousin) I ask him what he would like for Christmas. I had said I would get him something. He looks at me as though I am quite odd. “Cannot say. Has to be surprise.” Surely Falang you realize this?

“In my family we ask each other, so that people get what they want”. His face lights up – “Get what want?” I see where this is going but keep a straight face “Yes, what you want?”

Bangkok Guy elaborately holds out his hand, spreads his fingers and strokes his ring finger.

“You want another finger? Why you want six fingers?”

“Noooo” he says, tilting his head back and rolling his eyes in mock exasperation.

Think of something else.

“What I really want?” again with that twinkle in the eye. “Yes”.

He points – “That what I want”. I try to follow his finger. “….. What?” “Building”. He is pointing to a tower block.

I'll ask for such simple things when my birthday occurs
Two apartment buildings that are labeled "Hers and Hers"

I am dining with Eartha Kitt.

A waiter passes carrying a cake with candles and soon ‘Happy Birthday’ breaks out a few tables away. “You want?” A definite no from Bangkok Guy “I too shy”. “You want?” he asks me. No. Not my thing.

Toward the end of the meal I get a surprise business call, which I have to take. I signal sorry to Bangkok Guy. It takes a while. Once I am off the phone we turn to dessert. That is Bangkok Guy turns to dessert. He is very keen on dessert. I usually do not eat dessert but, to enable Bangkok Guy to indulge while retaining face, the etiquette is one dessert with two spoons, with my spoon receiving much less use than his.

Bangkok Guy signals to the waiter and what arrives is not the dessert menu but a birthday cake and the whole song-and-dance.

“How they know?” Bangkok Guy signals complete lack of knowledge. I know that too-innocent look. Surprisingly it is fun and once he sees my grin Bangkok Guy is very happy. We enjoy the cake.

The check arrives and I decide the waiter deserves a decent tip. Bangkok Guy sees me add the 1000Bt note and his face turns into a series of question marks before politely but decisively taking charge and taking the check folder from me.

His next shock is the bill. It is a stunner. A little over 9000Bt including service fee and taxes with no alcohol. You pay for that view.

He, very sweetly, tells me how we will handle this.

First, there is already 10% service fee. He will handle tip. Waiter will be happy. If I handle tip, waiter die of shock. You want kill waiter? 

Second, we now eat Thai. (We do).

He tips 200Bt and the waiter is indeed happy and, what is more, lives to enjoy the 200Bt.

Back on the ground I tell him he was correct. I will now follow his lead on tipping (I do). “In Thailand is already service fee. Save 800Bt”. Bangkok Guy is very happy with his contribution to the evening.

[CurtisD]

Christmas Shopping

The next day, after a leisurely morning we head out for lunch at Papaya followed by Christmas Shopping.

With Bangkok Guy ‘Shopping’ is capitalized. He really enjoys Shopping. Not the spending of money, he is frugal, but the hunting and looking and comparing. It is the one area in which we are truly different people.

We go to Papaya via the Silom Complex so that he can go to the bank. I decided to give him half the agreed annual allowance up-front, followed by payments every second month. The lump sum came as a pleasant surprise.

As he comes out of the bank I see he has three receipts. “What did you do with the money?” 20% went to his mother, 40% paid off half a loan and 40% he kept. I ask about the loan. His friend in Pattaya with a Chinese boyfriend lent him the money a year ago, around the time Bangkok Guy’s family finances took a turn for the worse. “He rich. Not worry about money. Live in boyfriend house and rent house back home” Bangkok Guy informs me with approval. A potential insight into Bangkok Guy’s aspirations.

After lunch we head to Siam Paragon.

To short-circuit further discussions of tower blocks and eternal wedded bliss I decide the easiest thing is to give Bangkok Guy cash for Christmas and let him pick what he wants.

The obvious downside to this is that once the cash is in his hands he will have other things to do with it and there will be some small attempt to get me to pay for purchases. There is also an emotional angle. He likes me to approve of things and then buy them for him – then they come from me.

First stop is H&M where he zeros-in on white t-shirts. I had no idea there was so much to white t-shirts. He checks the cloth, the seams. He finds some 100Bt cheaper than others for no apparent reason and calls over an assistant for questioning. After around forty minutes he has three white t’s.

During this process he has been checking in on me. Last time we went shopping my stomach was upset which did not improve my mood. Today my stomach is fine and while shopping bores me I find Bangkok Guy’s total immersion in the process entertaining, so all is well.

Then he uncovers another cache of white-t’s.

These are a Henley pattern. Long sleeves with three buttons at the front. I think they are very smart and, to avoid a further forty minutes of deliberation, offer to buy him one. A purple note changes hands and he is smiling. I have admired him in it and bought it for him, very emotionally satisfying.

On to UniQlo where they are stocking the shelves with a new line of soft drawstring shorts. After the usual deliberation and seeking my opinion he selects three pairs before heading to the fitting rooms from which he emerges to give me a fashion show of the shorts with the H&M t’s. As always he looks very smart in a simple clean cut way. On the way to the cash register he tries on a kaki sun hat, which frames his face perfectly. “Very cute, I buy for you”. Another purple note changes hands. It turns out to be a great buy. He wears the hat pretty constantly during our travels and looks very cute.

[CurtisD]

Our First Stop

Bangkok Guy and I have struck a deal on scheduling.

In Bangkok we sleep late, stay up late.

If we are traveling somewhere where sightseeing is the main thing, with little nightlife, we pretend we are farmers. Up early to feed the chickens, rest after lunch to allow food to settle, then maybe more rest or more sightseeing, up to us, and early to bed.

In the morning Bangkok Guy more or less happily rises to feed the chickens and we are on time at 7am for the taxi to the airport.

As usual, once we are on our way he lies down and rests his head in my lap. “My job is human pillow?” “Yes” he smiles. As usual he rests his head on my shoulder in the plane and in the taxi at the other end.

This is just the way things roll, so after a couple of observations I will stop mentioning it and you can simply assume that any time we are in a taxi or plane, I am manfully accepting my role as Human Pillow.

Bangkok Guy uses me as a pillow for two reasons I think and one of them is not that I am well-padded and comfy.

The first is his default state of rest. If there is nothing immediately requiring his attention, he goes into rest mode, which possibly includes a nap. I am convenient and reasonably comfortable to nap on.

The second is his need for attention. I have noticed that he likes babies and young children. I once commented on it and he said yes, with a follow up comment that he wished he was a baby. Why? They get all the attention. He likes it when I pay attention to him. If he rests on me, he has my attention.

After touch-down the priority is a late lunch, which we have on the hotel’s garden terrace. The weather is warm but fresher and much less humid than Bangkok. This is a waystation en route to our main destination, so while there are many sights to see we only have around a day split between today’s early afternoon arrival and an evening departure tomorrow.

Sticking to the scheduling agreement we are on Farmers’ time not Falang time, so a large lunch needs to be followed by rest before the exertion of seeing the sights.

The combination of lunch and residual jet lag converts what was intended as a quick nap into a deep sleep. I wake to a pretty sunset. No sightseeing today. Bangkok Guy is awake and watching TV. “Why you no wake me?” “You sleep. Need relax.” I just smile. His logic will always be that I need to relax more and the benefits of a healthy sleep come before seeing old/odd/foreign sights.

In the morning we are up and out early to see the sights. The morning air is quite fresh, although the day warms quickly. On a map the distance between the hotel and the morning’s targets looks very walkable and we set out boldly. Our confidence wains after a couple of blocks. I see if holding the map in the direction we are going helps orientation. After staring at the map Bangkok Guy declares “I follow you!”  “You’re taking a risk.”  “I know.”  I swat him with the map.

After another block we identify a landmark. All is well.

Bangkok Guy is not all that impressed by what we see. It is either a bit run down or “like temple in home town, but smaller”. The history does not concern him. His response is based on a purely visual appraisal of what is in front of him.

We next tackle the 1,729 steps to the top of the hill to gain merit, visit the temples and enjoy the view.   

Back at the foot of the hill we have a very late lunch on the hotel’s garden terrace. There is one temple left to see, across the other side of the city, with an image of the Buddha reputedly made in his lifetime (although probably not). “We go see temple?”  “If you want”.  “We rest?”  “Up to you”. The face and body language is that he will happily do what I want, but resting is the best idea.

My “Ok, we rest” is received with a wide smile. “Rest good. Falang  and here he uses two fingers to indicate rapid walking  no rest, die. Here he uses his fingers to indicate alternate walking and resting  is best”

So we enjoy the hotel garden until it is time to go to the airport and my life expectancy improves.

[GWMinUS]

I am unclear as to where you are visiting. Do these Places have Names???

[CurtisD]

11 hours ago, GWMinUS said:

I am unclear as to where you are visiting. Do these Places have Names???

I thought I would create some interest and let you guys figure it out.  There will be enough clues.

[CurtisD]

Our Destination

After dropping our bags in the room we return to reception to organize the next day.

All the guidebooks suggest that the mode of transport de rigueur is bicycle or scooter or horse-drawn cart. I had prepped Bangkok Guy for this and he assured me he could handle each of them.

However, after seeing the spread of illuminated temples from the airplane and the location of the hotel on the map, I enquire about the decadent uncool option: a car with driver and aircon for half a day. The price is very reasonable and Bangkok Guy is clearly relieved that I am unafraid to embrace the uncool.

For the afternoon we book spa treatments, a head massage for me and a full-body oil massage for him. His legs were feeling the 1,729 steps. He was a bit uncertain though. Unlike Laos, here he cannot be our spokesman. We have to rely on English. Food he manages with a Google Translate app that translates the print on the menu. Spoken is difficult. He wants ‘Boy Massage’, the reference being deep tissue rather than gender. He is uncertain this is what he is going to get. 

Next day, the car is an excellent decision.

The temples are fairly widely disbursed, not all roads are paved and many of the paved roads are under repair, creating a lot of dust in parts. Aside from the physical exertion in the heat, a covering of grime and dust would drive Bangkok Guy insane. His complexion must be clear at all times. Each reflective surface encountered during the day is used to ensure continued perfection.

Least that last statement lead anyone to think Bangkok Guy is a delicate primping person, far from it. He is very boy-next-door and down to earth. He does however have youth’s needless insecurity about appearances. 

From the guidebook I give Bangkok Guy a little information on each temple – age, style etc. This is not really of much interest to him, although he adopts a polite ‘listening face’.

His interest is in the practical application of so many temples. As he did in Laos, Bangkok Guy offers a prayer in each temple, now possibly with a little additional motivation.

Before leaving Bangkok we had a ‘budget’ discussion. I made a monthly spreadsheet showing the allowance we agreed, the wage his sister pays him for running the market stall and his expenses. It was a revealing exercise.

Then I added three sections.

-        One for his own business, as a motivation to start something.

-        One showing my estimate of the cash he will need to have in the bank to prove he can support himself in Paris for a week to get a Visa. After places to which he can travel without a visa, Paris is top of the list. He thinks he will never have enough money to be given a visa. The spreadsheet suggests that with a bit of effort he probably can. Another attempt at motivation.

-        One indicating that if my business does well (additional revenue) I will give him something. Think pennies on the dollar. His role is to pray for the success of my business.

He spends a lot of time concentrating on the spreadsheet and understanding its implications. His main takeaways are revealing.

The fact that it covers both 2020 and 2021 gives him great satisfaction. He really yearns for stability.

Starting his own business and putting enough aside to get a visa he wants to believe, but does not. The budget shows that without the allowance he is hand-to-mouth and possibly slightly in deficit. This has been his life’s experience. Confidence needs to be built in his ability to change it.

When he understands the ‘prayer’ part he looks at me with wide-eyed almost startled disbelief. “How you know that what we pray for?!” It is universal, My Dear Watson.

Hence the additional motivation to take advantage of so many temples.

After a very successful morning, both aesthetic and spiritual, we take lunch by the pool and, as good farmers, rest before heading to the spa.

My head massage is great. Bangkok Guy is very careful to tip the masseuses. He is always careful to tip, without tipping to kill. This time it becomes clear that, to him, tipping is respect more than financial or a response to good service. Once we are away from the spa he admits the massage was not want he wanted. “Girl massage. Tiny hands. Only stroke”. He still has 1,729-step leg.

[colmx]

I'm guessing Mandalay was your first stop and Bagan the second>

Question for you: Did Bangkok Guy show any reluctance to visit Myanmar?

My Thai BF is very reluctant to visit Myanmar as he feels he will not be welcome there (ancient enemy and all that) so it is always instantly crossed off the list. Funnily enough he has no issues in Cambodia these days, but he felt very uncomfortable on our first visit there in 2004, so much so we left a day earlier than planned

[CurtisD]

39 minutes ago, colmx said:

I'm guessing Mandalay was your first stop and Bagan the second>

Question for you: Did Bangkok Guy show any reluctance to visit Myanmar?

My Thai BF is very reluctant to visit Myanmar as he feels he will not be welcome there (ancient enemy and all that) so it is always instantly crossed off the list. Funnily enough he has no issues in Cambodia these days, but he felt very uncomfortable on our first visit there in 2004, so much so we left a day earlier than planned

Right on both.

No reluctance to visit Myanmar at all. He has friends from Myanmar in Bangkok. 

We encountered no hostility from the locals. 

The only odd thing was that when I asked him if he had told his friends where he was going, the reply was yes-with-a-shuffle. Turns out the friend he had not told was the one from Myanmar. The reason was lost in translation, but I think it was something along the lines of  his friend would want to come and could not, so better not to tell.

Discussing the next trip, he does not want to go to Cambodia. His official reason is that I have been there, so why go again?

The actual reason is that he is keen to travel to places that are both more modern and more distant. 

I think he may feel that Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia are too much like visiting secondary parts of Thailand without the benefit of Thai people to talk to and Thai food to eat.  

He is quietly adventurous, so he would rather forgo the familiarity of home for something exotic (to him) and modern (he is a Bangkok person). 

[hank75]

I’m sorry if I missed this part in your reports. Did you fly in to Yangon or it a direct flight to Mandalay? A while ago I discussed with a boy about taking him on a short trip, but couldn’t find any nearby country that held his attention. In his words “Thailand good, have everything” and upon being shown photos of Bagan he in return showed me photos of Ayutthaya lol. But recently he enthusiastically Line’d me photos of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Turns out one of his friends told him this was the place to go to pray for a financial windfall. No idea where these barboys are getting their information. He was rather crestfallen when I told him Shwedagon is extremely touristy and he’d be better off at the Four Face Buddha in Bangkok. 

Mandalay could be a good option for us if there is enough to see and do, apart from 1700 steps which I already know he won’t be up for. Is it still less touristy and can the food be adapted for a Thai palate? However I do want to see Bagan too so another option is to leave him out entirely. 

[jason1975]

57 minutes ago, hank75 said:

But recently he enthusiastically Line’d me photos of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Turns out one of his friends told him this was the place to go to pray for a financial windfall. No idea where these barboys are getting their information.

Lol! As the saying goes, money makes the world go round!

[GWMinUS]

9 hours ago, CurtisD said:

The actual reason is that he is keen to travel to places that are both more modern and more distant. 

I think he may feel that Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia are too much like visiting secondary parts of Thailand without the benefit of Thai people to talk to and Thai food to eat.  

He is quietly adventurous, so he would rather forgo the familiarity of home for something exotic (to him) and modern (he is a Bangkok person). 

So take him to the Philippines or Kuala Lampur. Both have modern Cites and beautiful places to visit...

[spoon]

Kuala lumpur will be almost like bangkok minus the temples. Hotel is as cheap, local food is cheaper. But if u want to visit more historical significance cities in Malaysia, Malacca or Penang would be better.

[khaolakguy]

Most enjoyable reports. I was happy not to know about where you/we actually were, as it allowed all the focus to be on the relationship, on which you write entertainingly, and leaves the posts not cluttered up with the travel details. Perhaps a little travel detail summary only at the end of the journey, which i am looking forward to continue.

[DivineMadman]

4 hours ago, hank75 said:

He was rather crestfallen when I told him Shwedagon is extremely touristy and he’d be better off at the Four Face Buddha in Bangkok. 

I don't understand this.  Shwedagon is the most holy Buddhist site in Myanmar - and once you're outside the actual places where Buddha lived, surely one of the most sacred Theravadan Buddhist spaces in the world.  Definitely of greater importance than Erawan Shrine (assuming that's what you're referring to.)  Yes there are western tourists at Shwedagon, but I don't think the fact that there are western tourists (or non-Burmese tourists) at Shwedagon makes it any lesser and, in any event, Burmese people still go there "religiously." (pun intended).

It certainly wouldn't surprise me to hear that making a pilgrimage to earn merit at Shwedagon would - for believers - have lots of benefits.  Financial success, health, etc.  

I guess my concern is that sometimes local guys take what we say as true.  In this case I think the statement is very much not true.

12 hours ago, CurtisD said:

 He is quietly adventurous, so he would rather forgo the familiarity of home for something exotic (to him) and modern (he is a Bangkok person). 

In my experience, local guys love - in no particular order:  Singapore, Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia (KL and/or Penang).  All are easy no-visa-required spots.  I think most of them just want to travel, and aren't very picky.  Their well-traveled friends have gone to these places and posted on Facebook, so travel-envy kicks in.  I know a bunch of Thai and Laos "working" guys who have gone to Vietnam just with their friends, so it clearly has attractions for them, including being inexpensive.  Freelancers regularly go to Singapore and KL (and China of course), so those places are always on the Facebook radar screen.  I think fewer go/or get taken to the Philippines.  

These places are just the easiest.  Next round would be Japan, South Korea & Taiwan.  

Personally, when I go to be tourist in one of the Myanmar-Laos-Cambodia-Thaland-Vietnam countries, I prefer to bring guy from that country, so I have local guide/interpreter of sorts and they usually enjoying showing off their home countries (and often their homes).  But they all love Singapore and Bali.  (Recently I took someone to western Java, and he liked it.  But I think he just likes to travel.)

 

[hank75]

12 minutes ago, DivineMadman said:

I don't understand this.  Shwedagon is the most holy Buddhist site in Myanmar - and once you're outside the actual places where Buddha lived, surely one of the most sacred Theravadan Buddhist spaces in the world.  Definitely of greater importance than Erawan Shrine (assuming that's what you're referring to.)  Yes there are western tourists at Shwedagon, but I don't think the fact that there are western tourists (or non-Burmese tourists) at Shwedagon makes it any lesser and, in any event, Burmese people still go there "religiously." (pun intended).

It certainly wouldn't surprise me to hear that making a pilgrimage to earn merit at Shwedagon would - for believers - have lots of benefits.  Financial success, health, etc.  

I guess my concern is that sometimes local guys take what we say as true.  In this case I think the statement is very much not true.

 

I would happily stand to be corrected if anyone can affirmatively tell me that they have been to Shwedagon in the past year, it was not crammed with tourists and touts, and had locals worshipping. My own memories are hazy but I recall tour buses, and Buddhas draped with fairy lights and neon halos. Not what I would travel a distance and incur expenses  to visit. But admittedly it has been some years. Western tourists are not my worry, Asian tour groups are especially the Chinese and Korean who are everywhere in great quantities (well with the exception of this month.

I have some thoughts and questions on the other suggestions you, GWMinUS and spoon kindly made and will start another thread so as not to clutter up CurtisD’s report which I am enjoying as much for his writing as for the content. 

[DivineMadman]

7 minutes ago, hank75 said:

I would happily stand to be corrected if anyone can affirmatively tell me that they have been to Shwedagon in the past year, it was not crammed with tourists and touts, and had locals worshipping. My own memories are hazy but I recall tour buses, and Buddhas draped with fairy lights and neon halos. Not what I would travel a distance and incur expenses  to visit. But admittedly it has been some years. Western tourists are not my worry, Asian tour groups are especially the Chinese and Korean who are everywhere in great quantities (well with the exception of this month.

 

I can confirm that locals do go there to worship.  I just got pictures from a Burmese friend who went there to make merit on his birthday (a journey from his village several hours away).  Do you know the relics that are there and the importance of the relics?  The fairy lights and neon halos were there when Myanmar was still subject to the embargo - long before the current tourist craze.  And in any event, just because you might find them an odd aesthetic choice doesn't change the "merit" (pun intended) of the site to a believer - and that was the context of the statement I was calling into question.  And by the way, you see same neon lights in Laos, Thailand.....

Your comment to a local Buddhist guy - as you reported it -- wasn't that you didn't want to go there because you don't like the crowds or he wouldn't like it because of the crowds.  Your statement - as you reported it - was that he would be better off going to the Erawan Shrine.  My point was that from my understanding of Theravadan Buddhism that's not correct.  

[hank75]

8 minutes ago, DivineMadman said:

Your comment to a local Buddhist guy - as you reported it -- wasn't that you didn't want to go there because you don't like the crowds or he wouldn't like it because of the crowds.  Your statement - as you reported it - was that he would be better off going to the Erawan Shrine.  My point was that from my understanding of Theravadan Buddhism that's not correct.  

Point taken, and maybe I should elaborate. Boy in question - like most Thais - is an avid temple goer. Once we were in the vicinity of the Four Face Buddha and I suggested going together for him to make merit, this received a very grudging reaction and an “Up to you”, upon prodding I received a somewhat garbled explanation that the shrine was good for foreigners but Thai people could go elsewhere (untrue I know, many Thais worship there too but this is just specific to the same boy who wanted to go to Shwedagon). My assumption from his response was, either he thought the hordes of tourists compromised the efficacy of the Buddha (on his personal level, as no Thai would ever say the Four Face was not efficacious) or he disliked the crowds too or else he thought it was just too expensive with falang pricing on the offerings. Never got to the bottom of this. But my point with Shwedagon was, if he didn’t enjoy the Four Face Buddha experience (and even Wat Hua Lamphong which I enjoy visiting and he visibly does not) he would likely not enjoy the equally touristic Shwedagon. But you are right and I will do more research on the relics too in case this balances out the stress of braving crowds.

[CurtisD]

9 hours ago, hank75 said:

I’m sorry if I missed this part in your reports. Did you fly in to Yangon or it a direct flight to Mandalay? A while ago I discussed with a boy about taking him on a short trip, but couldn’t find any nearby country that held his attention. In his words “Thailand good, have everything” and upon being shown photos of Bagan he in return showed me photos of Ayutthaya lol. But recently he enthusiastically Line’d me photos of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Turns out one of his friends told him this was the place to go to pray for a financial windfall. No idea where these barboys are getting their information. He was rather crestfallen when I told him Shwedagon is extremely touristy and he’d be better off at the Four Face Buddha in Bangkok. 

Mandalay could be a good option for us if there is enough to see and do, apart from 1700 steps which I already know he won’t be up for. Is it still less touristy and can the food be adapted for a Thai palate? However I do want to see Bagan too so another option is to leave him out entirely. 

Flew Bangkok to Mandalay and then to Bagan.

There is plenty in Mandalay for 2-3 days at a 'farmers' pace. Mandalay Hill you can short circuit the whole 1,729 steps and take a tuk tuk to almost the top and then an elevator right into the main temple on the top. 

Not that many tourists in Mandalay.

More tourists in Bagan (or possibly just a smaller area to concentrate them in), but not enough to worry about.

Apparently the Rohinga situation has reduced tourist numbers generally, particularly from the US. Enough to delay plans to develop a number of up-market chain hotels in Bagan. Go now before that changes. A few Chinese, Japanese and Koreans and the occasional Indian family. 

Interestingly, a number of Burmese tourists in both places.

As we were there only a short time we ate at our hotels, with one exception, so did not really get a feel for local food. However, from that limited exposure, there are both 'knock-offs' of Thai dishes and Burmese dishes which look similar. Bangkok Guy ate it happily with the comment that the spice level needed to be higher. He thought it had been de-spiced for falang. 

Bagan I would go. Does Ayutthaya have balloons? That could be a draw for your friend.

[CurtisD]

4 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

In my experience, local guys love - in no particular order:  Singapore, Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia (KL and/or Penang).  All are easy no-visa-required spots.  I think most of them just want to travel, and aren't very picky.  Their well-traveled friends have gone to these places and posted on Facebook, so travel-envy kicks in.  I know a bunch of Thai and Laos "working" guys who have gone to Vietnam just with their friends, so it clearly has attractions for them, including being inexpensive.  Freelancers regularly go to Singapore and KL (and China of course), so those places are always on the Facebook radar screen.  I think fewer go/or get taken to the Philippines.  

These places are just the easiest.  Next round would be Japan, South Korea & Taiwan.  

Reading this I feel like Bangkok Guy reacting to my suggestion that he pray for success for my business "How you know this falang?"  

Next round is as you mention, substituting Hong Kong/Macau for South Korea as he has been there.

[CurtisD]

Early to Bed and Very Early to Rise

Around 9.30pm Bangkok Guy drops the hint that we should go sleep. Early morning tomorrow. The ‘farmer’ framing of the schedule is working.

As agreed, I get up at 4.15am. Bangkok Guy follows at 4.45am and we are at reception to meet our driver and fellow passengers by 5.15am.

Pre-dawn at the launch site it is slightly chilly despite hot coffee.

Then the excitement starts as we walk onto the launch field and watch the balloons inflate. It is an impressive sight.

Crouching in the basket as we gently take off Bangkok Guy is grinning ear-to-ear.

The ensuing fifty minute flight I absolutely recommend.

We fly low and the pilot rotates the basket so we see the low-angled dawn light illuminating the temples and the early mist. Each ‘couple’ has their own little compartment and Bangkok Guy and I trade positions for photo ops.

In addition to the temples and the broader view, the sight of around 31 balloons from three different companies all aloft in the same breeze is quite something.

The major event of the trip is over all too soon and we are back by the pool for an early breakfast, pouring over the photos.

The rest of the day is allotted to resting by the pool and some work for me as the internet connection is good.

Our pilot was a font of local information and we take his advice for dinner that evening and a half day excursion the next morning.

The in-flight magazine of the local airline featured an article on a group of temples perched on top of a dramatic volcanic plug with the appearance of rising sheer into the air from nowhere. It turns out to be an hour and a half’s drive away. It looks so surreal that we are both keen to go.

After a leisurely 9am start we are soon moving at a moderate pace on a somewhat undulating road through trees interspersed with small scale agriculture. At about the half way mark the tress and scrub stay but signs of cultivation disappear – possibly an irrigation issue or a soil deficiency? The forest covered volcanic cone and the associated plug come into view and soon the road ascends sharply, winding along the forest covered hillside.

As we approach, the volcanic plug with its crown of temples is as surreal and unexpected as it appeared in the in-flight magazine.

Many locals are using these temples, as was also the case with the larger group of temples we visited on our first day. While this complex has only 777 steps to the summit, they are much steeper, particularly two flights of steel steps. The faithful are undeterred. An elderly and quite heavy matron is carried up and back in a hammock attached to a bamboo pole.     

The monkeys are a complication.

The ascent must be undertaken barefoot. The golden brown monkeys are cute. People feed them, so they cluster around the path and do what well fed-and-watered monkeys do. Do Do. A better prepared couple are wiping their feet with sanitary wipes post-descent. I do not mention these observations to Bangkok Guy.

The steps look quite clean. At intervals we encounter cleaners who request tips. Bangkok Guy is keeper of the tip money and I suggest to him that tips are a good idea. He is not quite sure why, but tips one cleaner.

At the start of our descent a monkey releases quite a discharge of urine in front of us.

The look of quiet horror and realization on Bangkok Guys face is a picture. Though the steps look clean, we are all probably walking on a miasma of monkey pee and poop. Bangkok Guy is particular about cleanliness. He descends with a grim face (grim for him, he does not really have a ‘grim’ face), tipping each cleaner. “Good from distance, too many monkey” is his summary.

A surprise hit is the TV at our hotel. It has HBO’s ‘Red’ channel, which I have not encountered before. I watch very little TV, but am hooked on the Japanese drama and mystery programs. Bangkok Guy enjoys them as well and also finds much entertainment in my new interest in TV and the opportunity it affords to indulge in silly horseplay – fighting over the pillows as we sit on the bed, stealing the remote, shrieking at tense plot points to see me jump out of my skin.

In summary: Balloon ride: huge smile, “Really good”. Large area of temples: good. Temples-on-plug: set- face-with-nose-wrinkle, “Monkey”. Food: “Thai food better”. The real issue with the food was that it was de-spiced to make safe for Falang and, unlike Laos, he could not communicate to get it re-spiced.

[CurtisD]

8 hours ago, GWMinUS said:

So take him to the Philippines or Kuala Lampur. Both have modern Cites and beautiful places to visit...

Manila I do not like. However, the areas of natural beauty might be interesting as he likes the outdoors.

Malaysia I have not considered as my understanding is that it is not gay friendly?

[anddy]

On 2/1/2020 at 9:35 PM, CurtisD said:

All the guidebooks suggest that the mode of transport de rigueur is bicycle or scooter or horse-drawn cart.

I was there in 2006 and horse-drawn cart was the ONLY mode of transport (ok, maybe bicycle, I don't remember for sure), definitely no scooters let alone airconditioned car lol. We did enjoy the horse-draw cart thing very much though, it just adds to the experience of visiting these ancient sites.

As for Shwedagon (and all other temples in Myanmar), I can confirm what @DivineMadman said, the awfully tacky neon bling-bling lights on the Buddhas were in full force back then, well before the country opened up and even before the (attempted) monks' revolution (or whatever it was called).

Very enjoyable and entertaining report, like someone said both for style and content!

[spoon]

2 hours ago, CurtisD said:

Manila I do not like. However, the areas of natural beauty might be interesting as he likes the outdoors.

Malaysia I have not considered as my understanding is that it is not gay friendly?

Big cities in malaysia is gay friendly enough. I guess pda is frowned upon, but that goes for both gay or straight pda. Yes politician used homophobic sentiment to garner votes but apart from that, u can see gays, ladyboys, corss dressers working in shopping malls, grindr is active and lively, freelancer MB are abundance, and there are several gay massage places and gay sauna around, but finding one might be a bit hard without locals or someone who have been there. 

As you can see happened in thailand as well, raids do happen here at these massage places and sauna, but mainly by immigration to catch illegal workers. Those places are still open after raids and none of the customers nor foreigners with legal documentation going there were brought to police station. 

I can only say this in KL, but if u are going with your boys, gay scene is probably not important. No one cares if you travel with your guy here, as long as you arent kissing in public hehe.

[khaolakguy]

4 hours ago, CurtisD said:

 

 

 

[khaolakguy]

Apologies for the post above! I seemed to have temporarily lost my ability to quote and comment in the same post, mea culpa! Feel free to delete.

 

4 hours ago, CurtisD said:

“Good from distance, too many monkey” is his summary.

 

I think that sums it all up very well. It is sometimes surprising how efficiently a less accomplished linguist can use language. Anyway I loved it as a summary!