ggobkk

Excellent reports. Thank you. Your writing has a special charm

Civility goes a long way

Over time this topic area can/ May / should grow into a first stop reference point.

I'm honored by the compliment from the master of reports. What I didn't include in my "prose is that I take a few minutes each morning to jot down in a journal what went on the day/night before. From reading others' reports, I'm learning to remember numbers pinned to briefs, fees, etc. Without that journal, I'd never be able to put a report together when I return home. I must also give credit to jet lag which allows me lots of 3am time to write (!). I'm still trying to master inserting photos (Grade of F so far), And I continue to learn from forum members such as yourself PaulSF, Reader, DivineMadman, A447, and Numazu, about people, and places, and things that have assisted me in my visits. Examples: Exchange booths, keeping change in separate pockets, Nantra massage (this trip), Spa Bangkok, Senso...

Most excellent and thorough replies. Thanks. My learning from experience is similar to DivineMadman’s details with the difference that I compensate on long term basis. I give companion some walking around money, maybe some shopping - once had to buy a pair of bathing trunks for him to go to the beach. Oh, DivineMadman, the stamina reference...I’m flattered to be listed with the real champs but need lots of recuperation. LOL.

Monday – Butterfly back to Bangkok Up at 5am – three hours deep sleep. Not enough, but still on a high from last night’s exhilarations. Think about delaying my return to Bangkok by a day and possibly recreating last night…but know that’s a bad idea. Though both Pez and Sys have sent me messages and emoticons galore. I reply with emoticons. Morning walk to Dongtan Beach as the sun rises. Back at hotel, with a pastry in hand, I make some tea and find that some more sleep is possible. Up, breakfast at The Poseidon, the cross over to the TMB bank’s ATM for a cash infusion. Back to the hotel, finish packing which takes only a moment as I barely unpacked. Mike’s car service scheduled for noon, arrives (as I expected) at 11:20. Driver has only a minimum of English…which is better than my Thai. So, I ride in the back and doze. Trip back to Bangkok takes close to 3 hours. Traffic and he driver avoiding tolls. I’ve changed hotels and will spend my last three nights at the Tarntawan Surawong (new name for the Tarntawan). First thing I notice is there is some heavy-duty work being done in the courtyard near the entrance. I assume it’s part of the new management’s program to upgrade the place…this theory is demolished within seconds of my registering as the desk clerk tells me the hotel doesn’t have any water (!). I’ve prepaid Agoda for my stay and am stuck. Security guard, who is new to the staff as I knew it, takes me up to room 603 which has a view of Prime Massage from its windows. Room is clean with all the usual amenities including a return of the welcome drink and fruit basket. I plug in my electrics and go out for a massage. I head for Prime as anticipating no water works against an oil massage which (for me) requires two showers, one at the shop, and one back at the room to get rid of the oil. So, I submit to another two-hour bout of Prime practice. What’s interesting is that when I arrive, I am the only customer in the foot massage area (first downstairs room by the registration desk). This does not last as all the chairs are full before long and I observe a very steady stream of folks coming down for their shoes after their massage. That said, usual Prime program where after being folded and bent and kneed in my back, I emerge feeling wonderful. Observation – Indra Massage’s location is now an Art Massage outpost, Indra has moved a few doors to the right. Back at the hotel, there is now an enormous truck carried piece of Machinery making lots of noise. In the room, I turn on the tap and release a stream of brown water…this is a good sign and I let the water run. Maybe fifteen minutes later it runs clear. Toilet flushes brown water and after a few flushes is clear. Ditto for the shower – though there is little water pressure. Glad I had a shower in Pattaya. It’s now around 8, so I head out for dinner, thinking I’ll try the French Restaurant in Patpong, mentioned by DivineMadman. It’s located to the right of Screwboys and Too Boys across from the cart that sells sex toys and lady’s lingerie. There was no one, other than staff, in the restaurant and the menu looks too similar to The Poseidon’s (i.e. heavier than I want tonight). So, I head to Soi 4 and have dinner at G’s, the German restaurant. The owner is a bit of a character, and his staff keeps the pace humming. Good wheat beer. Food is heavy (see hypocritical note on avoiding heavy meal at French restaurant, above). Head back to Twilight, have a drink at Maxi’s, let Pau catch me up on what happened over the weekend. Tom, Maxi’s owner, stops by and asks how I found Pattaya. I mentioned how quiet Boyztown was, he says he’s head that both Copa and Ambiance have been bought by Chinese interests. Copa is about to reopen (from what I could see the remodel looked to be a definite improvement. If the rumor is accurate, one wonders how the new owners will market the hotels and to whom. Decide to check in at Hot Male upstairs, seated only for a few seconds before surrounded by the Viet boys. Peter asks me to take him off, but I decline with a smile. The mamasan joins us, I converse and watch the show. I’m drawn to #31. Check with the mamsan. All the usual things to check off are checked off. When Peter goes on stage for his number, one of the other Viets takes it on himself to call #31 over to sit with me. I like what I see, his voice is a bit disconcerting as its pitched higher than most. He’s Cambodian…story of my week. We negotiate…nothing extraordinary. Off to the Tarntawan, guests still required to turn in their identification. We adjourn to the 6th floor. All is well and good, but not as good as the previous night. I’ve adjusted my standards… He departs, security checks to see if I still alive. Tuesday Up at a reasonable hour, go down to breakfast, new breakfast staff, same menu. Notice that most of the others are male/female couples. Talk with some newlyweds from Mexico. Seems the hotel is marketing to honeymooners. Organize my day – knowing that I might be back in November for almost a two week stay, I decide to check out Bandera Suites which has been recommended to me for both price and service. Location puts it closer to Babylon and The Prince. Find it and am given a tour of possible rooms (major difference is the location, the higher the floor the pricier the room. Like the pool and gym, definite possibility. Later I’ll mention this to Tom at Maxi’s and he tells me he has several regulars who stay there. Have to think about this. Walk to Pilot Pen and pick up some pens, I like the 1.0 gel pens. Now, I’ve been walking for a while and decide to go to Central World and walk indoors, also want to visit Isetan looking for a gift for some friends at home who love everything Japanese. Do not find anything in my price range. Stop at Greyhound for lunch on my way back to the BRT. I get off and start walking down Silom, as I pass Soi 4, I see Nim; Nim sees me. Do I want a massage? I say “yes”, but later. I pick up my shoes from Tony Leather, need to wait a bit while an adjustment is made. Then to Excelsior to pick up my suits. I ask the guys to fold everything to make it easier to pack. I watch and wonder if I can duplicate this art form. Back to Tarntawan, see new manager, who is a nice guy, and he thanks me for my patience with the water problem. Speaking of water problem…I’m ready to find Nim for a massage but the skies have opened up and it’s raining in buckets. Eventually it clears. And I head to Soi 4. Nim is available…we agree on ninety-minute massage. This time is very different, first, the restaurant is open, so I can see where the stairs are. Second, Nim makes it an intimate, romantic massage and we are intertwined for most of the hour…note, this time, the room had the mat on the floor, no massage table, no shower in room. Worked better for us. Nim is a find. Back on the streets, I pick up some “Genuine Thai Silk” shirts “just like Jim Thompson” at 250 baht each, no wonder Jim Thompson disappeared. Drop the shirts off and head over to Maxi’s for updates from Pau and some food. Actually, I had a mix of appetizers rather than a meal. I know I didn’t finish it and invited X and another boy form HM2 to join me and finish what was there. Talk a bit more with Tom, he’s added music on Friday nights and has some very full houses. Business is good at Maxi’s. It will soon improve even more with the arrival of PaulSF. One of my goals was to visit the new clubs, I still hadn’t made it to G Boys. As the Hot Male grabber in chief attempts to have me go upstairs and I tell him where I am going, he decides to take me there and introduce me (is there a commission?). Which he does, and I am greeted by two red jacketed waiters and a mamasan, and then a second mamasan. I am the only customer. Eight boys on stage in rotation and two coyotes. Boys are all twinks. Two look to be underage, mamsan tells me they are 18. Mamsan is a techie and shows me photos of the boys on her phone and indicates by number the ones who might appeal to me. Some more customers enter, and they immediately call over the two that looked underage. I nod to one of the coyotes and to an another who has curly hair (a bit of a rarity). Coyote is from Thailand but is more into watching the other coyote than in any interaction. The other boy, a Cambodian (no surprise, this week) is all over me, hands roaming, and head on my chest. I send the coyote back with 100 baht for his time. I off the other, name Rit Rit. He stays with me for almost three hours. Most of the time he’s just intertwined with me, holding me close. Intimacy is there, and intimate activities are ok. Very gentle boy, about 2am, I suggest that it’s time for him to go. More cuddling and he leaves around 3am. With Nim earlier and Rit Rit its being a different kind of interpersonal day from my last night in Pattaya. Pleasing in its own way. Wednesday – last full day Up around 9 (late for me). Breakfast, more hetero couples and a family. Tarntawan is definitely different than in the past. No one is dining with someone who might have been an overnight off. Miss the comparing. Not much planned, need to pack, and need a few gifts for my friends in China who I will be seeing in a week. Off to MBK and a chance to get in some more walking mileage. BTS back, see Nim on my way back to hotel. We exchange Line contacts. At the hotel, I take a long nap, as I need to leave for the airport at 4am to catch the first of my flights home. When I wake up, it’s 6pm. I head over to Maxi’s to begin saying goodbye. I buy Pau a drink and we talk a bit between his helping other customers. Say goodbye to Pau and Tom, then a goodbye drink with X at HM2, a stop upstairs at Hot Male and goodbyes to the Viets, #31, and mamasans. While I was at Maxi’s, I sent a Line message to Nim to see if he could join me after his shift ended. “Yes” is the reply and we meet at the hotel. He stays with me until the alarm wakes us for me to get my act together and go to the airport. Say goodbye to Nim in the room, he helps me to a taxi. At airport in less than 30 minutes. I have Gold status with ANA, at check in, I’m told my seat has been moved to Premium Economy, so I’ll have a window seat and the rest of the row will be empty. I take advantage of my age and use the monks and air crew priority line for immigration. I'm through all the formalities in about ten minutes. Three minutes of which was for security to decide if my battery was ok to fly with. It was. At the Star Alliance club (managed by Thai Airways) a light breakfast and some tea. Reply to a bunch of messages from Nim, Pez, Rit Rit, and Sys. All could have careers in marketing. I started out this trip with the intent to be a butterfly. Goal achieved. Not going to try to rate the different experiences. Though, I can say there were no bad moments with the guys, I didn’t feel pressured for tips nor were any encounters rushed. The Pattaya guys and Nim linger most in my now week-old memory bank. Hope I haven't run on too long and not bored those who have read my jottings.

Vinapu - in response to your question, I’m heading back in to Bangkok November (I hope). But from Beijing it’s directly back to California to keep some commitments and rebuild my bank balance.

NOTE - I still have three days to report on...and I'm leaving for Beijing in 30 hours. So, what is yet to come may be more abbreviated. Hope to work on it once I'm packed.

Sorry I wrote the text in MS Word and those were reference codes that helped me to check my earlier posts.

Sunday Lots of noise during the night even with the double glazing on the windows, goes on all night. I tend to sleep thought anything and treat it as background noise. As I wake I think back on the final hours of last night, now that I’ve seen Pez in his full glory, I can best describe his body as that of a water polo player, which is slightly stockier than a swimmer. I can’t get the guy I saw at Toy Boys out of my thoughts…actually, I don’t try to get him out. I recall that before he got on stage he was called over to meet some Chinese who had come in…I admit I had a minor jealous response and was relieved when he didn't sit with them. I also appreciated that Pez was willing to yield to this guy. Glad he didn’t as it was a most excellent evening. Today is semi arranged. My friend Ya is coming by to take me around and show me what he’s doing. Many readers of the Fay Thailand forum will be familiar with Moses’ postings about the Siam Roads guides. When I first booked with Siam Roads Ya (YaYa) organized the details and set me up with another guide, Mac, who was great. Later he and I traveled to Laos and the River Kwai. He left off being a guide to take up an opportunity in Pattaya to manage some properties owned or rented by some Americans. We kept in touch and when I mentioned I’d be in Pattaya we agreed to meet and have lunch. I got up and went out to take a walk to Jomtien Beach on the way there and back, I observed the empty buses coming to the larger hotels and picking up groups of Chinese tourists. On the walk back, I picked up some pain chocolate and a croissant from the pastry shop, made some tea back in the room, caught up on the news, checked email, etc. Ya and I agreed on noon as a meeting time, he’d said he’d pick me up at the hotel. From traveling with him, I anticipated he wouldn’t be early like Mike’s Taxi. I went down to the lobby and talked with Heiko the owner/manager and Chef Bart who were having breakfast. Ya kept texting me that he was on his way and arrived in a taxi around 1pm. One of the guys whose properties he manages was rising along. We hit it off as we are close in age and some experiences. They treated me to lunch and then took me round to see the three properties. All this time, the skies are just pouring rain. It was good to catch up with Ya. I’m back at the hotel around 4 and go to Fah to have a massage. Pleasant, average, but I declined a HE as I was thinking about tonight. I fully decided I’d go back to Toy Boys and see if I could find the guy who so caught my imagination. Since it’s so close, I stop at the pastry shop, where they now know my name, and have tea and a dessert. Lots of chocolate! Back to the room for another shower and a sort nap. Find several messages from Pez. I reply, tell him, he’s my fall back tonight. I head into town early as I want to walk along the waterfront and visit Sunee. I'll never get to Sunee as I get distracted and then decide to have some street food. I arrive back at Boyztown around 8:30pm, the Toy Boys papasan recognizes me as does the object of my desire who is eating at a table outside of club. Papasan says to comeback at 9 when the boys begin work. I go to Panorama for a drink checking out the work being done at Copa, looks close to being finished. I’m one of two customers at Panorama and invite a waiter to sit with me. At 9pm there is a BBB parade. About 20 in the line only one not wearing a shirt. Not a lot of energy but a lot of coaching on the song (!). It’s now 9:10 and time to return to Toy Boys. I give the waiter who sat with me 100 baht. Papasan welcomes me back, my goal is already on stage. While, I’m the only customer, I don't want to take any chances of anyone else coming in and seeing what I see. I smile and nod, he joins me. I order drinks, he wants a Coca Cola. He’s Cambodian – theme of this week. We discuss possibilities, I make all the appropriate signs to the papasan, Sys (that’s an approximation of how I heard his name), goes to get dressed as I pay the fee. The papasan asks me to ask my friend from last night (Pez) to consider working for him (!). Sys returns, very fashionably dressed in a ballcap. His V-shape torso obvious to all. He asks where I’m staying, I tell him, and he takes my hand and heads off toe the baht bus stop. On the bus, he takes and holds my hand. At Jomtien we walk to @Home and Pez see us and comes over. He asks that I call him when I’m finished. He and Sys talk a bit…I suspect trade secrets about me. As Sys and I walk back towards the Poseidon, I ask if he’d consider a three-way with Pez. He says yes, we go back and off Pez. Back in the room, showers, duos, and trios, sort of flood the floor in the bathroom. Pez drops his towel almost immediately, Sys takes a moment, when he does his endowment is A+. Beautiful. I am a lucky guy tonight. Pez takes over a leadership role. Sys will give a BJ, so we link up and Pez, who last night couldn’t suck, is miraculously healed and takes up the challenge presented by Sys. I’m not going to detail the gymnastics that took place over the next two hours, but some of it was active, some just caressing, some just being interconnected. The next to final act was for the guys to come on my chest in two gushers. I’m not Numazu who has such a better grasp of writing about the intimate moments, I can only say it was a great few hours. We shower together, and Sys gives me his line (again, with a different name). We take photos…no I won’t share… I tip each 2000 baht. Not easy to say goodbye. It’s around 2am, Jomtien is still alive, I’m exhausted and sleep.

Saturday Up early, 5:30 am, jet lag…live with it. Check the news…Trump…go to breakfast in hotel. Back in room, message back and forth with Van, this is my first visit in many a year that he hasn’t been at least a part of it. Pack. Short walk in the ‘hood’ to the temple behind the Montien. I’ve used Mike’s Taxi from Pattaya for my transport for several trips to the beach. Mike’s drivers are always early and waiting patiently. This time, I went to The Raya lobby 30 minutes before the agreed time only to find the driver already there. I sat in the front, rather than the back, as it’s easier to see the road and countryside (what there is of it) than from the back where the front seat headrests block the view. Driver is English fluent and complains about how Thailand is being taken over by the Chinese. He likes the “white” people as he refers to westerners (other than Russians). Trip takes a bit less than 2 hours and I’m at The Poseidon where registration formalities are waived, I’m taken to #31, which I’ve had before. Two rooms, one with statues of gods and naked boys (the pedestal supports for a glass topped coffee table). Reception brings a drink and some appetizers from Chef Bart (salmon on toast and some sausage on skewers). Went for a walk to and along Dongtan Beach. I am impressed by the upgrades to the walkways, the installation of some fitness equipment, and improved accessibility. It’s slightly overcast and there is a breeze. On the way back to Jomtien Complex, I get some text messages from a friend and we arrange to meet for lunch tomorrow. Some changes in the complex, to the right of Dick’s Café there is now a wine shop (!), and at the corner to Dick’s left is a European style pastry shop. The store opened just the week before and one sign gives the name “Bread” but the business card uses a person’s name. Definite plus to the neighborhood and a high standard of pastry and breads. Oh, and it’s right next to Fah massage. I passed Fah by chatting up the boys and headed to the Blind massage shop for 90 minutes of abuse. Even with a tip, I only spent 400 baht. Back to the hotel, unpacked and charged up my electronics. Around 7pm went to the dining room and indulged in Chef Bart’s cooking. It’s amazing how the quality of the food is matched by the almost portrait ready presentation. Dining room about half full, same as most of the other European style restaurants in the complex. I now notice that the construction that was taking place when I was last here in March has coughed up a rather large and brightly lit Chinese restaurant. Given the tourist mix, probably a good idea. It looks large enough to handle more than one busload at a time. Jomtien is just starting to come alive, there is at least one new club, maybe two, and lots of remodeled clubs. From good experience, I head for where @Home and Your Place are located. I have good to great success at both places. @Home is celebrating its 3rd anniversary tonight and has placed a dozen or so tables on the street in lieu of the usual chairs. As fate would have it, I allow myself to be a Cambodian with a wrestler’s build and excellent English. He’s only been in Pattaya for two weeks. I would classify his as a quick learner. I buy him a drink, we talk, and as we talk it starts to rain. Both interesting and impressive to observe the boys from the bars move quickly pull chairs and cocktail tables to safety and continue on as if nothing happened. My new friend (Pez) and I talk about things, how often am I in Pattaya, what[bD1] [bD2] has he seen, etc. I ask if he’s been to Boyztown, he tells me no, he tells me he understands that it’s a bunch of clubs where the boys are on stage shirtless. He is interested as he has a friend (another Cambodian) who is at Toy Boys. I suggest that I off him and we go to Boyztown. Agreement. 400 baht off fee. I ask him what his fee would be if we were out for several hours. Usual “Up to You”. I said, I’d only go if he told me…1500 was stated and another agreement. Rain is over for the night. Incredibly quick ride to Boyztown. Not much traffic and when we enter the street, there aren’t many people. We check out the various bars and clubs. Toy Boys said we were welcome to come in but the boys weren’t there yet (arrive at 9pm). Walk the other streets, Dram Boys has only a few guys, more later. We go to Cupidol, which I usually avoid from a bad experience with the mamasan. We enter, and Pez recognizes two Cambodians. I Invite them for a drink, Pez and I are the only customers. Rain is starting up again and a few more customers drift in. I am the only western farang. Have a good time talking to the Cambodians, one – who is gay – gives me the inside on the other dancers who are Lao or Cambodian, with only one Thai. Some nights, maybe later tonight, more Thais. About 20 boys tonight, universally twinks. I go to the toilet where there is someone to provide buttock caressing while using the urinal. Thoughtful service. I give each of the Cambodians 100 baht and we are off to catch the Boyz, Boyz, Boyz parade. Not tonight due to the rain. We head to Toy Boys. It’s a well-designed room. About six guys on stage and more clocking in. Talk with the mamasan (papasan here). He checks out Pez and offers him a job in the lineup. Pez in interested. He looks for his friend but doesn’t see him. I notice a very attractive, fitness model type standing in the back in his towel. Even though I’m involved in the conversation with the papasan, I can’t keep my eyes from focusing on him. But he doesn’t get on stage. Finally, he does, as we are about to leave and I’m only waiting for change. Without a towel and in his white briefs, he is even more impressive. With an internal sigh of regret I tip him 100 baht and get a smile. I mouth “tomorrow?”. Another smile. On the way to the baht bus, Pez asks if I want to off the boy. I said not tonight, maybe tomorrow. We head back to Jomtien, up to the room. Pexz has a very impressive body and we shower together. He tells me he didn’t drink any alcohol when we were out as it slows him down in bed. Actions speak louder than words and he is an Energizer bunny. Only limit was he couldn’t do oral as he has a sore in his cheek. The next forty minutes was among the most intense interpersonal activities this trip and probably the past couple of trips. He is also a spooner when all things he has wiped off my chest. We take another shower. Talk some more, will I take him again,? maybe a three some? I’m non-committal as this is my butterfly trip. But he has definite rerun potential. We exchange Line contacts. NOTE: do others have the experience of finding that the Line names usually do not match the name given in the bar. Someone wrote in a post that this is because the boys figure the customers can only handle short names. He departs telling me he wasn’t going back to the club tonight but going to where e lives. Pez and I were together for 4 hours, so 1500 seemed fair and I add 200 more. So ends Saturday

Hmmmm...seems I’m doubly condemned to tip as I’m from the US descended from British stock. Guess, I’ll have to cope with what I’m given.

Friday Bold Face Day information is inserted at the request of a forum member who PM’d that it would help to get a better idea of my trip. I’ve taken some photos but whenever I attempt to insert them they come out sideways. If I figure out what I’m not doing right, I’ll add a photo page. Nothing special for the morning. Believing that I needed more exercise decided on a walk, since it was hot and humid, decided the best place to walk was Siam Paragon. BTS after breakfast – which was at Starbucks on Surawong as I was bored by the sameness at The Raya. My phone walking app indicated that I did 3 miles of mall walking, no purchases. Most interesting area is the food court and grocery. Second most interesting is the level with the luxury car shops. The Rolls Royce featured a Mom’s Appreciate gift of a limousine AND a convertible…as they say in the movies “Crazy, Rich…” BTS back, decide to head to Madrid for a pizza lunch, on the way, I pass the masseur bench for Nakarat Massage. It’s at the entrance to soi 4. One cute guy ISN”T looking at his phone, asks if I want a massage? In turn, I think this is a good idea…Nakarat has been mentioned in some positive forum posts and, especially by Reader, who is a good and informed guide. The massage rooms are located on the 3rd floor above the Man/Woman restaurant. The restaurant wasn’t open yet, so Nim, the masseur, takes me through the kitchen and up three flights of stairs, the first two in the dark. Arrive on the 3rd floor, leave shoes, talk briefly with mamasan and agree to a light oil massage, focused on the shoulders, head, and neck. Nim takes me to an elaborately appointed room with a marble shower/tub combination. Shower alone but Nim assists in the toweling off. Massage table, Nim is talented. At the half way point he asks if it’s OK if he takes off his clothes. Smiling, I “grudgingly” consent. He then proceeds to engage in a full body to body massage. With the usual consequences. We stay attached and then he, knowing there is still time left, fills the remaining minutes with more massage. Shower alone. Nim has my shoes and hot tea waiting when I exit the room. Overall, this was an exceptional ninety minutes. Massage was 450 baht. I provided a tip worthy of a smile from Nim. Then, back down the black painted stairs into the darkness of the still closed restaurant until I reach the street and continue my journey to Madrid and pizza. Return to the hotel, catch up with the news from home. I use the iPad for the news as I’ve grown to dislike the talking head argument approach to reporting. Time for a nap. Went out around 6:30pm to Excelsior Tailor for another fitting of my suit. Still a problem, master tailor comes from wherever, sees how to make the needed adjustment. Everything will be ready when I return from Pattaya. More walking, now up to 6 miles for the day. Head over to Maxi’s where Pau is back from his day off. I learn/am reminded that there are no secrets on the Soi. Pau is up to date on how my off went with the off from Fresh Boys and from HM Bar 2 (that’s Net and Let). While I’m having a drink and talking with Pau, both Net and Let will come by to say hello and give me a kiss and hug. Decide that this is Moonlight’s night for me. The HM grabbers learning of this decide to escort me across Surawong and to Moonlight. This bit of extra attention gets me seated front and center with my own personal mamasan. I order a drink and offer one to the mamasan, happily accepted, I am now provided with up the minute information on each of the boys in the rotation (approximately 20 as some have already been claimed). I believe I was the first Forum member to visit and report on Moonlight when it opened in what had been Jupiter’s location. It is another venue owned by the boss of the Hot Male locations. Back at my first visit, the waiters and the boys on stage were wearing shirts with Jupiter logos. I’ve been back twice since that first visit and see constant improvement each time. The removal of the central view blocking stage to balcony stairway was a major upgrade. The boys in tonight's rotation are in French blue shorts and while Moonlight logo polo shorts. I’d timed my arrival to be early as I’ve learned that the boys here are claimed early. I talk to my now friend Mamsan about the attributes of the boys, she shares some iPhone photos of other boys who will come in if she calls them. We talk prices, off fee is 400, boys who aren’t stars are 2000 for short time. Stars…well, that’s “up to them”. Moonlight is starting to fill up, mamasan excuses herself to resolve a waiter customer dispute. This gives me a chance to look at the boys in rotation more carefully. I exchange some smiles, enjoy the thought of being a butterfly, talk with mamasan when she returns. I select #24 Yam, who joins me, mamsan suggests we might want to be in the back row, with a good view of the stage and the ability to be more hands on with one another. Agree and move and practice hands on therapy. I’ve bought Yam a drink by this time and the show starts. Interestingly, none of the stars who appear in the Facebook videos seem to be working tonight. In fact, instead of 5, there are only 4. None of whom is attractive to me – to each his own preferences. Show has some slight alterations since my last visit in March. Much more time spent of the star introductions as shown on the videos. There’s a Romeo and Romeo wedding number, a simulated anal rape, a school boy seduction of another, older, school mate, and diva songstress(es). Aggressive dancing, some limited dick visible, solo shower show. Announcer at the start of show said it would be an hour show…it was 45 minutes. OK by me as I’m ready and once Yam has changed to his street clothes and turned in his number we head out into a light rain. Back at hotel, Yam passes on having a shower, took one at the club when he changed. In thinking back about the night, I remember it as just so so. But when I pulled out my notes, made the next day, I find that I’ve written that Yam has excellent oral skills and gave me the best BJ I’ve had in quite a while(!). Nice guy…but he never gets very hard, makes up for it with his, overall attention to my body. Spooning and cuddles for some time. Pleasurable, fine time with Yam. Somehow, I think it was a better time with Nim during my massage. But…I’m a butterfly. I'm living in the moment. Yam leaves sometime after 1am. I fall asleep quickly with thoughts of Pattya when I wake in the morning.

I've had (for me) a large number of PMs asking for more detail...one asked me about changing money during my visit.. I always consider Vinapu as the resident expert on this and he strongly recommends checking out the booths at the airport by the train departure area. Since I usually arrive too late to take a train, I change money in town. There's a lot of Forum history on this and from my checking out banks and change booths last week, the best I saw were close to Twilight, directly across the street, in fact, at CK Exchange (Red Band on front of booth). Rate was 32.4 to the USD. The green banded booth nearby was at 32.3. And, the shop to the left of the Family Mart that is at the entrance to Twilight had a rate of 32.5. On Silom it was a variant of 31. It's a quandary...do I bring cash or use my ATM? I appreciate the convenience of the ATM but the rates are lower (31.8 to the $) and they add on a 220 baht service charge (about $7). Any baht left at the end of a trip comes home with me to rest up for the return trip.

I downloaded the above app (it has a free level and for extra $$ will elaborate with background (e.g. In Thailand to ask or hint for a tip is considered rude). Here is what the free part says about Thailand : Restaurant 10% or round up if no service charge. Porter 20 to 50 baht. Taxi - no tip or round up.

For what it's worth, from today's Wall Street Journal's compendium of apps for travel. GETTING TIPSY GlobeTipsEuropean restaurant workers are nuts about travelers from the U.S., said Anton Anisimov, co-founder of GlobeTips, since Americans have a reliable tendency to overtip abroad. His app helps visitors avoid inadvertently excessive generosity by cataloging gratuity practices in more than 200 countries and regions. If you’re just an armchair tipper, you can poke around the app’s atlas to learn, say, what to give a porter in Tunisia or a taxi driver in El Salvador. For those who are sweating over an unintelligible bill just dropped at the table, a built-in receipt scanner checks the phone’s GPS before pulling the local gratuity guidelines into its calculator. The calculator then clearly spells out what, if anything, should be left behind. globe.studio/globetipping I

I was in Jomtien Complex last week...I suggest you start with either @Home or Your Place bars. They are at the Venue Hotel and Show Room area of the complex. Most of the boys were Cambodian.

I agre, DivineMadman, VNs can be versatile and enthusiastic. I certainly know that from personal experience and you’ve met at least one of the VNs, I’ve been with...but, sharing reciprocal enthusiasm is often the end result of a rigorous selection process!

Welcome to the high end...I seem to remember that The Upper House in HK is priced at the high end of the Mandarin/ Peninsula range.

Pet was fun to spend a few hours with…but I slept alone…and considering the adventures of the day, I was able to sleep well. Today’s projects (it’s Thursday)– massage, MBK for personal care, and Moonlight tonight. Here’s how did I do on checking things off? Well, breakfast at The Raya with some enjoyment in watching the Japanese golfers be frustrated by the coffee machine. Do I know they are golfers? Must admit, it's a guess based on their clothes and golf gloves. Decide on MBK, so off to the BTS, 26 THB, buy two tickets to save time on the return. I’m at MBK to get some exercise walking the various floors. On the 2nd floor, I take a personal care break at Red and get the 800 THB special of a manicure and pedicure. I need to have the calluses scraped off my feet and I’m no good at this. The manicure is part of the package and allows two staffers to fuss over me. That done, I stop at the Bangkok Cultural Center, which is directly across from MBK. M first visit and I walked around the building, which has shops and galleries. The photography in the collection is quite good. Then back to Surawong. Having had a good interpersonal contact day, yesterday, I head to Prime to have my pleasures beaten out of me in the 2 hours foot massage/Thai massage special. 500 THB with a reminder to tip the staffer at least 100. I let my inner masochist take over as I’m pulled, beaten, and pummeled in the final hour of the session. In accord with DivineMadman’s suggestion, I tip 300 to the masseur – who was young and cute, by the way. While, taking my beating like a champ, the weather turned on its thunderstorm option, since I was not tempted to have another session to wait It out, I decided to walk in the rain. Soaked, but I was in shorts, flip flops, and a t-shirt…so nothing that couldn’t dry easily. Shower and nap at hotel. Over to Maxi’s to keep PaulSF’s seat warm…PaulSF has taught me that it’s fun and interesting to have a front row seat to watch the Twiight workers/entertainers/mamsans/dancers/money boys come to work and then watch those who come to interact with them do their best to slip by the Hot Male grabber team (now up to 3). Pau, Maxi’s waiter extraordinary, is off tonight. So, I settle on some satay and egg rolls – to go with my drink. Then sit at HM Bar 2 with Net and X. Around 9:30, I head over to Moonlight only to learn the show wouldn’t happen until 10:30. Decide to walk until show time. I walk and find myself at Soi 4 and decide Jupiter is tonight's destination. Usually, I’m seated at the end of the runway, tonight, I’m put on the side of the stage in the row by the wall (a place to rest my back). This seat has the advantage of having a direct line of sight to the dressing area…I can even see the hula hoop hanging on the wall. As show time approaches, all the seats are filled, some are standing, maybe 20% female audience. I may be the only Western farang in the place. The boys are in rotation and I’m immediately stuck by the physical beauty of #15. I mean really struck by his handsomness. He’s shirtless (not that common among the 25 or more boys in rotation). He notices that I’m noticing him and comes over when his rotation ends. He’s Vietnamese (translation: doesn’t do “everything”). I buy him a drink, we manage to talk using sign language. He leaves for the introduction of the boys that opens the show. He then returns and since we are in the back row there is some hands on interplay. The show has two lead dancers and two supporting dancers. They and the three divas go through various routines which have been reported by others. The next to last number of the first half is the hula hoop gymnastic routine. The guy who performs this has added more variations since I saw him in March. He get the biggest applause and he’s able to work his bows to allow fans to hand him lots of THB. One more number to close the first act and then the boys go back into rotation – each having a bow to allow the customers to read their numbers. While this is going on the mamasan approaches and tells me that 15 is done for the evening. I inquire if he will do x and/or y. Mamsan reminds me 15 is Vietnamese. Enough said…I know that I will be able to admire his body with tasting options, and he will be happy to enter me, maybe some other interplay. Off fee is 400. God, help me, 15 is ungodly handsome…one more conversation…2000 short time (I was expecting more). He gets his clothes, I pay the bill 700 (400 for off and 300 for his drink), my drink was in the entry fee. Back to The Raya…we shower together, he is even more impressive out of his clothes. The evening progresses pleasurably but within the Vietnamese limits. We finish with another shower. It was a good time, he seemed to enjoy himself as he did not rush off.

A few days before I left California for Thailand, I went on to the apps, primarily Planet Romeo, and indicated that I was in Bangkok. I also left a Pattaya footprint. Had several indications of interest. One, KK, in Pattaya after arranging a meet up, sent me a text saying that since we’d be meeting up on Saturday would I send him the $$$ to pay for his school exam in business. I decided that no business would happen with KK. The other fellow, Smile, could only meet on Wednesday for lunch as he worked two jobs. Which, brings me back to the narrative close to where I left off as now it’s Wednesday morning. Net left sometime in the early hours for his visa run to Cambodia and I woke up early thanks to the goddess of air travel. The Raya breakfast buffet has rearranged where some items are placed, added some (spaghetti carbonara), and purchased a coffee machine that requires graduate level training. I asked how I could get hot water for tea and the staffer, who checks the hotel roster to make sure those who eat are registered, went to the kitchen and brought out a pot of water. He said it was easier. It was still early, Smile was due at 1pm, so I went for a walk to see the new Marriott on Surawong - which I was led to believe was close to Arena. Nicely done hotel, I like the regularity of the Marriott product but at $150 a night before tax, one night would cost more than three nights at The Raya (summer rate). On the way back, I stopped at Tony Leather and ordered some slip-on dress shoes. The shop will make shoes to measure for much less than I can buy a pair off the shelf at home. They also tailor leather jackets. From there I went to Excelsior Tailor in the lobby of the Siam Heritage Hotel. I’d ordered a jacket and a suit when Sonny, the manager/owner(?) was in San Francisco and needed to have fitting. Good to see the guys who take care of the shop. Numazu has reported on his shopping there and my experience is the same. Good service and quick. Jacket was spot on, suit needed some more adjustments, I ordered some shirts and said I’d stop back when I returned from Pattaya. Back to The Raya for ten minutes before Smile arrived. Very pleasant young man from Chiang Mai. We went to lunch at a Japanese restaurant in Silom Complex. He is a property agent responsible for several apartments and works from 4pm to 1am in a Chinese restaurant. He needs to do this to pay back the people who help finance him in a restaurant which failed. We were comfortable together and adjourned to The Raya for a “nap” until he had to go to work. He never asked for money and I didn’t offer. Refreshing. I then took a nap to prepare for a butterfly evening…start as always in honor of PaulSF with a drink at Maxi’s and talking with Pau, the water who takes care of the farangs. I bought a coffee for one of the Hot Male “grabbers” who showed off his new uniform shirt and the underwriters whose logos adorn the material. Chang beer being the most prominent. Large posters up throughout Twilight and across Surawong proclaiming that the place wasn’t going out of business. Went up to Hot Male looking for the guy I’d seen the night before and wouldn’t see again. I’d no more than sat down when I was joined by two of the Vietnamese boys, I’ve known over the years. The Vietnamese ban is definitely not on anymore. Peter, who I’ve known for serval years and is one of Van’s friends, caught me up on availability and talents of the boys. There were about twenty-five working. I liked one and I soon as I said that, he was offed by someone else! Gave each of the Viet 100 THB and went across the Soi to Fresh Boys for the show. At Fresh Boys, I was one of two customers, so I was surprised that they went ahead with the show. One of the coyotes caught my attention, short, wiry and compact. Name of Let from Cambodia. We had a drink, discussed possibilities and I offed him (550 off fee - which will turn out to be the highest I paid anywhere). We were at the Raya in the usual 3 minutes. Shower together, he’s even cuter in the natural state…but while there’s action there really isn’t any chemistry, let alone any electricity. He says he thinks he knows me…and he’s right, I offed him more than a year ago and had the same in room experience. Chalk it up to nt keeping good notes like Vinapu and Christian PFC. When Let left, I was going to call it a night. But decided to check out some other places, since the goddess of jet lag was looking over me reminding me that it wasn’t even noon at home. I went to Tokyo Boys where there were no customers and one boy. I did not stay. Went to Screwboys which was packed - since I counted at least thirty boys, I’m not sure if it was packed with customers or boys, decided to come back for the 11:15 show. Fresh Boys 2 is above Screwboys, so I decided to take a look. Decent space, thrust stage with seating surrounding the stage. Counted ten boys. Talked to the mamasan, a couple of the boys appealed to me one was Vietnamese and one was a Laotian. The Lao’s game was Pet…I figured I was on a roll with Net, Let, and Pet, so I offed him. Very pleasant and uninhibited interaction at The Raya. He left around 2am. Since the same lobby security guard was won duty most of the day and had seen me with Smile, Let and Pet, I thought he might ask if I knew a Mr. Vinapu, but he didn’t.

These were actually two separate comments. a4447a is correct GC is a Laotian outpost. And Cambodian boys...

I spent last weekend in Pattaya, staying in the Jomtien Complex (The Poseidon). The baht bus is a quick way to and from Boyztown. I offed one of the Toy Boys and when I told him where I was staying he headed right for the baht bus. To my amazement he went to pay for both of us when we got off in Jomtien. Post a report on your visit. I'm in the midst of trying to write up mine...and noticed how quiet Boyztown was. And, finally, don't miss the Boys, Boys, Boys parade at 9pm.

My recent wanderings allow me to note that GC is open at 1 and oral is both a receivable and a deliverable there. The Cambodian boys, unlike the Vietnamese, seem very comfortable with providing oral servicing.

I sort of fall into a tipper category similar to Reader and DivineMadman. But one can learn, my habit of taking the change from the folder and handing the tip to the server is derived from advice given in BankgokBois. This topic will have me rethink that if the tips are actually being pooled. Also, some places (not in Twilight) add a service charge. Some places like Maxi's post that tips are welcome as they dont have a service charge.