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Kasikorn

Monday morning, hotel buffet...everything is the same but different. I was away 4 days and the powers that be completely reorganized the placement of the various dishes, the coffee, the tea, and the toaster. With nothing on my agenda, I decide to explore...I wind up at Central World, had ice tea, did some shopping, and lunch at Greyhound, which was only passable (660 BHT). Check my phone and find several messages from "K" and an update from Van who send me a photo of him working in the fields at his parents. After exiting the BTS I walked along Silom and found myself again at Prime and again I took the 2 hour Thai massage to release my inner masochist. After going back to the hotel and spend some private time thinking of my parents as today would have been their 75 wedding anniversary. i post a reminiscence on FB. After some quiet time, I head out for dinner at Maxi's and to see what the evening brings. I head to Family Mart so a few things, coming out as 'm going in is Dave, my off from last night. He stops me and aks if I coming back to Fresh Boys and to off him. I tell him I have other plans. He is still cute, but not cute enough for another off. As i round the corner to enter Soi Twilight, La, HotMale's man on the street. sees me and puts me (no resistance) in a chair at the bar. I tell him, I'm on my way to eat, Noom hears me and finds a menu, I enjoy the give and take with boys, so I order. I let the results pass...the food came from one of the carts and was delivered to the bar. Ask La about the HotMale show, he (of course) recommends it but is honest and says tonight is quiet. I translate this to mean it will be a short show as not too many customers. I go up, the mamasan is back from a day off, usual treatment, usual seat. I notice two boys who take my interest, one is tall with a Chinese cast to his features, the other #4 is a coyote, the one will the mop of hair I saw last night. Mamasan asks if I want to talk to him, I say, yes but after his rotation on sage ends, when it does, mamasan brings over the coyote who has taken over #4 's spot on stage. Misunderstanding. Once ocrrected, #4 joins me, his name is "T". What is is with names this trip? Cee, "K", and now "T". Early on, I seemed to always select Vietnames boys, now it's the alphabet. I also remember a prior report where I went out of my way to identify boys and forum members with code letters. Maybe this is payback. T has no English and with the help of the mamasan and Google translate, I learn he's 19 (check ID) and fresh from Issan. He is cuddly and his mane of hair - these two things combined with his youth bring to my mind a comparison with a young puppy. He is eager to please and I'm willing to let him please me. We adjourn to the hotel. Stop at reception for ID drop off, up to room, T showers and invites me to join him, he has a dancer's body, lithe, defined, we dry each other off, and adjourn to his task of pleasing me, which he does. After I am finished, he chuck wows...it takes more than several minutes and he wants me to bite his nipples and chest to bring him off. Which happens. He then cuddles and falls asleep his head on my chest. After a while, I wake him, he says he'll stay all night. Not sure why, but I said it was best to leave. I'm still trying to figure out why I decided to not have an overnight guest. T takes a shower, gives me a kiss. Leaves. A few minutes later, he knocks on the door...how does he get to reception. I tell him to take the elevator to the 4th floor. Goodbye. Another few minutes, another knock. He can't get there, elevator doesn't work (!). I dress, and we head out. He stops at the service elevator and shows me it doesn't work. I lead him further on to the hotel elevator, which he now remembers. The expression on his face was one of surprised joy. We get the ID and I take him down to Surawong. I think to myself, that was fun, maybe a repeat tomorrow. Tuesday. Last day in Bangkok. Repeat of yesterday, breakfast, Siam Paragon instead of Central World, massage at Prime for two hours. Back at Hotel "K" video calls me from his home and e proceeds to introduce me to his parents who are also on the call (!). DInner at Maxi's, meet up with DivineMadman where we share notes, joke with the bar boys. He departs to prepare for his trip and I head up to HotMale to off "T". Mamasan tells me it's T's night off and tries to interest me in another boy /boys. Not interested. It's now almost 11 and I'm scheduled to leave the hotel in 4 hours to catch my plane to Tokyo to connect with the flight to San Francisco. Decide, no new boy. T would have been o.k. as I know he's a good time but I don't want rush the last hours with someone I don't already know. Go to bed...alarm at 3. Shower, shave, check to make sure everything is packed. Down to reception, room check, all is clear, hotel gets me a taxi. Some negotiation, no meter, but says 400 THB ok. I paid something close to that for a metered trip from the airport when I arrived. Quick trip, though at at first by a different route than I'm accustomed to. At airport, ANA staff makes their bow to the passengers and I check my bags to San Francisco, security, and a really long line (it's 4am) for immigration. Clear, go ANA lounge and create a breakfast, onto plane, fall asleep, Tokyo. Get a shower and shave at the United Club, have a beer and some snacks - food not great in lounge but is better than what I will get on plane. Board and learn that I have a center row (a 4 seater) to myself. Wake up 2 hours outside of the Bay Area. Skip the breakfast offered and think about what the last two weeks has been like. Can't get my head around it...I think, well, Vinapu prods me to write a report..maybe that will make things understandable. And so ends this trip report with a hope for another visit.

Looking at my notes for this trip, I wrote this..."said goodbye to "K", some sleep, a gentle morning." Wake, make some tea, journal the last two days (and nights), the interactions with "K" and acknowledging some powerful feelings that I thought were long gone from my experiences. After a shower, pack up, double check that everything is accounted for, leave a tip for the housekeepers. Down to breakfast where Kaye of the Poseidon seats me and takes my breakfast order. It seems that in Jomtien/Pattaya Kaye and "K" have been my special supports. As I wait for breakfast, two guys who are in the room below me (we pass on the stairs at least once a day) come in for breakfast and we share a table. They weren't at the managers cocktail party last night so there's been no chance to talk other than to say hello on the stairs. And, given that this is my serendipity trip, it's perfectly understandable that I discover they leave near me (in California 40 miles is "near"). They drive to Berkeley where I live to go to the theatre, so we share thoughts on what we've seen and they ask about restaurants in town. I try to stay current on the comings and goings of the restaurants and food trucks in my food obsessed home town. Time slips away, and it's almost 11. My new neighbors are heading out to the airport, and I need to get to the tailors. Which I do, shirts are ready. I try one on and it's a great fit. I do realize that at this point, if it wasn't a good fit there's not too much I can do. I return to the hotel, tell Kaye I'll have one bag for him to bring down, climb the 60 steps one last time, Kaye comes up and takes my suitcase down, I follow with my electronics bag and a smaller carry-all. PT Taxi is again early, I say good bye to my California neighbors, who are waiting for their driver. I tip Kaye and promise to return...hope I keep that promise...and I'm off. Unlike the journey to Pattaya, the return to Bangkok is relatively quick and I'm at The Raya by 2. Easy check-in. This time I'm in a Standard room on the 6th floor. Good size, comfortable. I'll later learn it could use another light and the air conditioning likes to revert to cold at its convenience. At check-in the clerk started by welcoming me back. Computer is definitely working. Unpack clothes that I'll (maybe) need the next two and a half days and then repack the remainder. At about 4pm, I head out to Prime for a two hour Thai massage (500 THB). Note to self: Self, when having a Thai massage, especially a two hour work-over, make sure to use the toilet before. There's sufficient pressure use in a Thai massage that having pressure in one's bladder is not an enhancement. Other that as noted to self, it was an exceptional massage. Between my grunts, I was able to let my thoughts roam over the past few days...nothing processed as a full thought, but there was a sense that my world was a bit more openly enhanced. Went for a walk, saw on my phone that Divine Madman was proposing a meet up to which I agreed. Decided to have a snack at Madrid, ordered the pizza, and observed that same women were still sitting around in their assigned sots, bar, cashier, kitchen, server inside and server outside. There were two other customers, server outside seemed to be delivering pizzas along the soi as she keep leaving with pizzas and no one was dining outside Back to the hotel, than over to HotMale Bar where DivineMadMan and I arrive at almost the same time. Noom is all over me, I act as if I can't remember him, two other bar boys join us. DivineMadman tells me that when PaulSF is in residence he is given Check bin #1. We both hope the tradition will carry on when he arrives on Wednesday. (DivineMadman PM's me that it did). I fill him in on my time in Pattaya, he is negotiating with his friend about leaving with him on his visa run and will be going to X-Boys to negotiate if there are to be off fees as that's where his friend works. He asks if I'd like to join them and go to Maggie Choo's for the show. I pass, I want to check out some clubs, maybe see if my Classic Boys dancer who I was eyeing last week is around. Note: I should have gone with DivineMadman. Go upstairs to HotMale to say hello to the mamasan, who's not there -seems it's his night off, but I'm taken to the usual seat, order a drink, note there are maybe ten customers, see one guy who looks interesting (he has a full head of hair, I realize that is a miserable description, but his hair is grown out and I think of a mop), but he's with a customer. Since there are few customers, the 9:30 show last about 12 minutes. I take my leave. I next stop in FreshBoys. The mamasans are still if full Chinese dress coming out of the new year. I order a 7-up which is delivered and spilled on my as it is set down. Apologies interrupted by one mamsan sitting down and asking for a drink and then asking if I saw anyone I liked. I said no to the drink and that I hadn't had time to check out the boys. Very few customers, so a series of boys sit down on my let side in a rotation they only understood. Mamasan is still on my right telling me about the boys. I'm not sure if I'm irritated or amused by all of this Suspect is amusing for me to see how irritated I might get to be...at somepoint after having chased away four boys, Dave, a 19 year old from Cambodia, takes his rotation. He is cute, nice body, kisses in the club, I but him a drink which sets up wails from a couple of the guys I'd sent away. (Over acting but amusing). Mamsan tells me Dave is new, does everything (doesn't everyone until they get to the room?). My resistance is worn down by Dave's smile, his kisses, my pants being still wet from the 7-Up, and wanting to get away from the mamasan. If Dave hadn't been so cute, I'd have just bailed. I didn't, I paid up (500 off, 800 for two drinks). Dave and I go to The Raya, stop at the desk where they take his ID and i double check it to makes sure he is 19. He is. Offer him a shower, he washes up but no shower, his clothes are off, underwear removed as he gets into the bed. Very nice body, good abs, he's compact, maybe 5 and 1/2 feet tall. As, I thought, he does everything, ...but. He kisses and sucks but not a bottom. I'm not a bottom tonight, still tender there from "K". We take advantage of what he will do and then he has a spectacular chuck wow. I almost wanted to applaud. Something about being 19, I guess. We stick together for maybe 20 minutes and he gets up to go, offer the shower again, no. Pay him 2000 and take him to the desk for his ID. Look at my watch it's 11:30. Dave and I were together just about an hour. I return to the room, take a shower, think about FreshBoys and activities in the room. Maybe I'm jaded but other than having somewhat intimate contact with a really attractive 19 year old , I'd have had more fun at was less fun at Maggie Choo's. Waled around, thought about Screwboys...but just retuned to the hotel, fought with the air conditioning and went to bed.

Paulsf and I know many of the same Vietnamese boys. They are a bit wary as many have been burned by farangs, but when they begin to trust (as they do Pausf) they are open and fun and even thoughtful toward you.

"K" sent me a good night text just before I turned off the light and went to sleep. When I woke iI shook my head a bit to savor the memories of the previous night. Then it was time for the "routine", breakfast, shower, beach time. I was seated next to a couple from Australia/Britain/Thailand. The husband mentioned Donald Trump and we were off to the conversational races. No I could not explain him...then the wife, who was sitting next to me, and I had a good time sharing our world views. Wandered back after lunch to the hotel, after a shower and catching up on email and the news from home, I went back to the tailors to pick up my clothes...whoops pants ready but shirts aren't finished. Tomorrow by noon. Impossible, I leave for Bangkok at noon and need to pack the shirts. Back and forth, agree on 11. Take the pants to the hotel. Try them on...they fit quite well. It's now after 6 and the Poseidon management is hosting a cocktail party for its guests. About ten are sitting around a table on the terrace, Kaye is serving red and white wine, there is a platter of snacks. Only two others are English by birth speakers, rest find German to be the native tongue. One is a Thai boy who is with one of the other guests. Enjoyable hour and then some talking about the world, changes in the hotel business, the chef joins us and eats some of the snacks...I take this to be a good sign. We adjourn the wine party, some of us go in to the dining room for dinner. Again, meal is top notch. I dined on a Dutch version of French onion soup, beef stroganoff, and creme brûlée, washed down with a red wine. After a visit to my room, I head back via baht bus to Boyztown...still want to see Cupidol and ToyBoys. As I turn into the soi, it apparent that this is the night the New Year will be/is being celebrated. Red is predominant color and Chinese clothing is worn by the staff in many of the bars. As I'm marking the difference from last night, I'm grabbed in a hug from behind. It's "K", he was hoping (assumed) I'd be back...I probably knew I'd be to see him but didn't want to admit the possibility that he might not be there/already be with someone. Not the case, clearly. He grabs by hand and takes me over toward Panorama. "K" instigates several minutes of a display of public affection that are captured by the camera phones of many tourists. We retreat into Panorama, where "K" turns his charm to full blast and I begin to melt. There is a full blown battle between two teams of Chinese dragon dancers. Each dragon enters into each bar and collects some tribute and provides a blaze of color and activity. "K" tells me there is no BBB parade tonight - it will be all dragons until show time. We head into the head (naval term - look it up) where head is a distinct possibility, but jsut some shared intimacies happen. Note, I really wanted to write we headed into the head for some head...I guess sort of did. "K" takes a ton of selfies of the two of us, shows me photos of his family, his home, and some of Pattaya. We agree to meet up after the show. I'm taking a pass on the show, give him the baht for his off fee - to keep the mamasans from booking him. He heads into BBB for the show and I checkout Toy Boys, maybe six good looking guys acting as customer bait in front, inside, it's a nice set up, comfortable seating arranged in a semi-circle/U shape around the stage, maybe fifteen boys on stage, all in white underwear. No distinct type to the undies, maybe the boys supply their own. One or two cuties, I have a drink and watch. Walkover to Cupidol which is jammed and after looking in and feeling crushed by the crowd, I go to Oscars for an ice tea wand wait for "K". He's not hungry so we head to Jomtien. Folks, it's basically a repeat of last night but on a slower get to know you better speed. I can contemplate how beautifully and classically handsome he is. "K" stays until sunup. All morning, I'll be getting copies of the selfies of us that he took. My serendipity has made for two special nights. Nights that won't just disappear as part of some trying to remember what happened on a trip. It's now Sunday, return to Bangkok...that will be in the next post.

Eurasian, take a look at Numazu's very first post of this report...it is the last day of his visit and his parting with BurBoy...he wrote that as a prelude.

The report is a masterwork of pacing, timing, suspense, color, intimacy, and travelogue. Given the reader numbers your report is incredibly and deservedly popular. But stepping back just a bit, DivineMadman raises a question (existential? who knows?). Honesty is in the life of the beholder. One's belief in one's one honesty may not be shared by others. I wish only good things for all mentioned in this report. A personal concern is that Numazu may find that neither boyfriend is happy/comfortable and he may be the one who has a hard landing. Life is complicated that's why it's destination and way stations are unknowable. But, shout out to Numazu, you have to LIVE it and he's doing that.

If there is a "pink tax" it's based on comparing what's charged at one hotel to another's charge. Recently, I made a decision on staying at the Poseidon in Jomtien Complex or the Copa in Boyztown on a recent visit to Pattaya. I was able to check out each hotel. Poseidon was more expensive, I decided to stay there due to the quality of the service, the room type, and the overall ambiance. Now that's comparing one gay friendly hotel to another. Comparing a gay friendly hotel to one that is isn't specifically in that category shows a range of prices...I did this recently when booking in Bangkok. When the prices were similar, I went with the non-specific hotel based on the room type, location, etc., etc. I do factor in if there might be a joiner fee or if there has been a report on this or other forums (forii?) of homophobia. Forky123 is right on...it's supply and demand.

It is a real NEW Year Stepping back in time, a second, and a few months. I mentioned in my last report posting that there had been one BoyzBoyzBoyz boy that I was really interested in back in September. I recall he was wearing glasses, sitting shirtless at a table before joining the 9pm parade, And I recall a moment of unrestrained wanting on my part...nothing ever came of it as he was off'd within seconds of coming on stage prior to the show's start. So, I'm sitting up front at Oscar's waiting for the parade, wondering a bit if that guy with the glasses is still working, but don't see him. The parade starts as the music revs up. Where are the boys? There are only about twenty parading, and half of those are waiters or mamasans. What's up. Looking at the boys who are marching...I snap some pictures. I see a guy, without glasses, but in every other way, he looks like my remembered lust object. As the parade ends, he splits off and joins some folks who wave to him from Panorama. I close out my check bin at Oscars and go for a short walk before turning back for the show at BBB. The guy is now right in front of the entrance. Nothing ventured, nothing gained (right?). I say in passing, "you are really handsome" adapting the Vinapu rule of awarding 100THB to the one(s) impressing him in the bars, I hand him 100THB. He accepts it with a killer smile, takes me by the hand and leads me into the club. My brain is not properly processing but is working on the premise that he is someone who also brings customers into the club...some what similar to those who stop folks in Soi Twilight. Not the case here, he leads me in, gets me seat in the center, on the cross aisle, brushes away a mamasan who'd like me seated somewhere else, and then he sits with me. Tells me he is "K", shows me that "K" is his number in the club. This makes me even more sure this is the guy from September who was a letter man. I ask if he wants a drink, yes...I'm not sure how it starts but he leans into me, kisses me, hugs me, rubs my leg and nearby area, brings my hand to him. This is one hour before the show... We continue in this manner as the club begins to fill. There are maybe 40 or more boys on the stage, 6 dancing on side podiums, and maybe six or seven more in situations such as "K" with customers. Notice only a few women on this visit, very different from my last visit when the first three rows seemed to be all women. Anyway, "K" continues to excite, using eyes, mouth, hands, and closeness. He knows exactly what he is selling, and knows that he has a buyer for whatever he is selling. Mamasan comes over...some negotiations, we reach agreement. Off fee is 500, short time is 2000. Ask "K" if he'd like to go with me after the show (mamsan #1 said he was in the show and needed to stay to the end). Yes, back to sealing it with a kiss and a grope on his part. Another mamasan (#2) comes over and tells "K" that another customer wants him...too late. "K" stays with me until 10 minutes before show when he goes backstage to change. Mamasan #1 sits with me, tells me "K" is always off'd before the show starts. He's in several acts. They have almost 60 boys tonight. Only those with a number of letter showing are still available. Mamasan #1 tells me that she just got an off fee of 800 for one of the dancers, points him out, he is with three Chinese men, he is tall and handsome, he leaves with one of the Chinese. Show starts, and only the drumming number has been added to what I remember from my previous visit. "K is a masked head giving cowboy, the bottom in the balloon number, struts in the behind the curtain shower scene, and holds the drum for the drummer. As the boys leave the stage, they pass by where I'm sitting on the way to backstage. "K" stops, kisses me, and signals he will change and return. Which he does quickly and takes my hand and guides me out of BBB. He holds my hand as we exit Boyztown. I suggest a taxi, he's says no, baht bus in fine. So we walk to the bus and he continues to hold my hand even beyond the day friendly area. The baht bus drops us off at the entrance to Jomtien Complex. At hotel, ID drop off, sixty steps to the room, we do our best to communicate, each have some water, "K" checks out the room. I suggest a shower. Yes. This is where it gets tricky to write this report, as he removes his clothes and is naked preparing to enter the show, I lose my vocabulary to describe how beautiful he is. Handsome face, a gymnast's body, incredibly well endowed. While not good at comparing, he certainly seems to have the largest cock I've encountered in all my trips to Thailand. Yet all seems in proportion. Joining him in the shower, he kisses and hugs, we wash each other. As we begin to dry off, his kisses grow deeper, then he kneels and begins the most intense samoke I've had in years. He is definitely and experienced artist in this category. I let him lead me to the bed where he reveals more artistic skills. He is also a stage manager as condoms and lube are at hand, I'm not sure how to proceed as I can't close my hand around his shaft. After several attempts and position changes, he does gain entry...but his size makes it uncomfortable. We shift and I finger him, play with and tongue his ass. He offers it to me, I decline as I have already had two orgasms and can't hold my own. He spends some time kissing and exploring my body with his tongue. Then takes a condom, makes it into a three fingered glove, lubes it, and fingers me while sucking me off. After this, we cuddle in the bed. It's now almost 3am, we've been together since just after the 9pm parade. We shower together, he dresses, I put on a robe, We take each others picture, and a joint selfie. I pay him adding 500. I say good bye telling him that he was spectacular. Twenty minutes later he is sending me messages. My brain tells me that "K" is a skilled seducer, it also analyzes that the last few hours contained some of the best balanced and sared sex I've had in many a long time. Definitely did "Ring" in the Lunar New Year! Oh, and as he left, he put on his glasses...

Here's another Japanese site that has been around for quite awhile. King of College http://www.kocnet.jp/profile/boys.html

As mentioned by others the photographs add a level of enjoyment and help to turn voyeurs ("boyeurs") into voyagers. Great fun. Question: are you using only your phone as a camera? The clarity seems much sharper than that of most phone cameras. My miserable photography skills are shown in my current report and I'd like to improve for my planned May excursion.

Shout out to PaulSF...our eyes and ears on Soi Twilight!

This was posted on another Forum by arsenal. Seems there's a crackdown on Pattaya hotels that don't have a license. Only a small proportion of hotels are legally licensed. Those that are legal complained that they were being undercut on prices. So it goes... http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1198985/30-pattaya-hotels-closed-for-not-having-licences

ChristianPFC has posted some great photos of the Royal Barge Museum on his blog http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/ Worth a look.

A few more parade pictures. Sorry about the lighting...

It's Friday morning in Pattaya. It's also the last day of the Year of the Monkey for those who use lunar calendars. That means tonight will be New Year's eve in a town filled with Chinese tourists, judging by the crowds at yesterday's elephant show. Nothing booked in advance for today. Breakfast on the Poseidon's terrace where I can watch the street wake up. Then to Dongtan Beach, then... Tonight there is an owner's reception here at the hotel for the guests. After that my brain has penciled in dinner and then the baht bus to Boyztown. Well the beach part went according to plan. I am not a big sun worshipper. My ancestors all are Northern Europeans who live in cloudy and rainy places with little sunshine. (Scotland/UK border area, Ireland, and Sweden). In point of fact I attract sunburn. But this is not a problem at Dongtan as the seating sections have plenty of umbrellas. I go to the section beyond the restrooms. I was introduced to this "camp" ground by Ya of Siamroads last fall. Lounge chair in the shade, internet available, though I didn't bring phone or iPad. Cool drink and time to watch the crowds pass by. This section is gay friendly and welcoming to others. Usual vendors, massage options (feet, shoulders, whole body). Decide a whole body massage is a good idea...find a cute "therapist" and I punk down on the sand. Relaxing, no special effects as this is very public. Back to my shady spot, a watermelon drink of some sort, more people watching. It's amazing how much male flesh can be stuffed into a minuscule bikini suit. The overhang is larger than the suit. Then there is the tall and lanky male model type who is the direct opposite...cheers to both guys as it takes all types to make up the world. After about 4 hours, I head back to the hotel, stopping at Tinnie's for a sandwich. Realize I should have some extra BHT for New Year's eve so find an ATM and thicken my wallet. Back at the hotel, after a shower, I check the news from home. The Posiedon channel list includes the BBC and CNN but only gets Fox in the English category. I pull in what I want on my iPad. Donald Trump is still President. Realize the room hasn't been made up, mention it at the desk as I go to the tailor, Siam Next Fashion, for my fitting. The sample shirt is fine, though I suggest that it seems full in the body. The tailor politely and diplomatically notes that I am also a bit full in the body. Problem with material for one of the pairs of pants - no longer available. I choose another material/color and try on the sample pair that's been made up. Needs a tweak here and there and it will be good to go. The guys who work there are good salesmen, the workmanship seems above average, so I look at some more shirting material and...when I leave the shop will have added a pair of corduroy pants and 6 more shirts to my buying spree. ( 9 shirts and 3 pairs of pants will cost 6400 THB). Back to the hotel, my room has been cleaned and serviced, down to the bar have a drink with another guest. Debate with myself if I really want to go to Boyztown tonight as Jomtien Complex has worked well so far. Go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Dining room is still being set up, decide that's a sign (from whom I don't know) and will to eat in/near Boyztown and then catch the BoyzBoyzBoyz parade at 9 and the show and then check out some of the other bars that have been mentioned in the forum. Anticipate finding someone to wish a Happy Rooster New Year. On the baht bus I see a huge line up of tourist buses...count 18 lines up on one side of the road and at least 12 on the other. Similar to how the elephants paraded yesterday. Get off the bus at the stop light near Boyztown, cross the street and start looking for some food...nothing I see has any great appeal (I think about what I'm missing back at the hotel) Walk around the Boyztown area. It's 7:30 and so things are pretty quiet. Surprised that while the BoyzBoyzBoyz (BBB) parade is at 9, the show isn't until 10:30. How will I fill in the time? (Silly me, I definitely will) Oscar's had the greatest concentration of bar boys and they are happy to tell me that they have food (from another restaurant). There is a seat available in the front row directly across from the BBB gym. There seems to be a rotation of boys sitting next to me, the food comes and I invite Pik to seat and have a drink. I'm having a canned Lipton tea (100 THB), he has a hot tea (150 THB) I guess heating the water and cleaning the tea pot and cup is the reason for the additional 50 THB)...LOL. Pik and I observe the differing types coming through the soi and returning again and again, an Asian couple (male/female), a western couple (m/m), a scraggly bearded "prophet type" seeming to want to call down angels to clean up sin, a guy with edema enlarges legs struggles by, falls, and the bar boys help him up, others join me in the seats at Oscar's and both Copa and Panorama begin to fill. My meal comes (o.k....but...), a couple of BBB boys are now using the gym. This was a good place to sit...feeling good and double up on the tea. In September when I first visited Boyztown, I sat with Van and Ya at the Castro bar to experience the sites and sounds. There was one shirtless boy at a table finishing his food. He was wearing glasses - which maybe drew my attention to him. Don't see him among the boys circulating prior to the parade. In the back on my mind, I think there was the thought that he might still be working here. I thought about offing him last fall, even though I was with Van - he was on stage when we were seated, and before we even ordered out drinks he was off'd. By that I mean he was called from the stage by a mamasan, went into the audience, came back in a few minutes but now without his letter badge. I remember he had a letter and not a number. Maybe he'll be inside. If he is, I need to move faster as he was a 10 out of 10 on my scale. I look around at the decorations for the Lunar New Year' There is an ancestor table on the soi between the Ambiance and BBB. It is gradually disassembled as the crowds grow. Decorations are mainly red lanterns. Just after 9 the music revs up and the parade begins... Fun...wait a minute, I think that's the guy I remember...

There was a report on another forum that the Tarntawan now has a joiners fee. There wasn't when I stayed there in October and I didn't stay there last month so I don't know if the report is accurate. I recognize that this reply to the topic is sort of based on not so certain hearsay there is the possibility that something or maybe nothing has changed. LOL

Photo from the elephant show

Sorry, folks...I'm still experimenting with inserting photos...I didn't leave space to continue my report, so now to get back on track...the main building was constructed in the early 1980s as s means of highlighting traditional Thai crafts. The carvings relate to teachings from ancient days. The scale is, in President Trump's word "huge". Best and I spent almost two hours at the Sanctuary, we took in the half hour culture show and had a fruit drink. I declined the elephant ride and the carriage ride. Two things of note: to get to the Sanctuary, one has to descent a stairway build into the hillside At the bottom guests are given construction hard hats - as a portion of the sanctuary is always under rehabilitation, the other is that it's quite a climb going back up the hill. Luckily I have my Poseidon Hotel climbing experience to guide me. Best shows me the carving areas, we are too late or too early for a demonstration...so we head out to the car. Where to next? Best and the driver devise a passenger's eye view of downtown Pattaya with Walking Street and the beach as a focal point. There is some back and forth between Best and the driver, some question about food....I'm not hungry, maybe later. So we head out to Nong Nooch - where we visit the gardens, impressive, take in the the Thai culture show, which happens in a Vegas style show room with Vegas style pacing and costuming. It's sort of like a local version of where Elton John appears at Caesar's Palace. Seats were assigned and when we got to ours, someone was already in them. The usher decided not to argue with those in our seats and moved us up to some up front reserved seating. The show only lasted 30 minutes, I liked it but wondered why for such a short show there were maybe 2,000 Chinese tourists in the hall. (The parking lot was a sea of tour buses - which is not normally a good sign for me. So we exit and are not directed to an exit but to an arena for an elephant show. I'm sort of conflicted as I grew up on the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey circus with its elephants. And as I was leaving for Thailand it was announced that RB B&B was closing down as they no longer had an elephant show - due to clams about cruelty to animals. The area is filled with elephants of all sizes and ages. They are positioned so that audience members may have photos taken (on sale in the lobby on the way out) riding the elephants or being picked up by their trunks. For the purchase of some bananas, one can feed the elephants (pictures available in the lobby). The elephants are skilled at taking gratuities and passing them to the trainers. Eventually, there is a formal show. The informal show of the interactions between elephants and picture taking audience members is another type of show and quite amusing. Most of those interacting with the elephants are Chinese. I looked at the crowd and could only identify about a dozen western farangs. The format show is very similar to what I remember from the circus; this one also had elephants playing football/soccer. Best alerted me that the show would end in a few minutes, so we headed out and got some food from a stall and watched the crowd emerge with souvenir elephants, photos, being met by maybe 100 guides with recognition flags or poles. They then moved onto the food stalls or waited in line to ride the elephants. Best and I watched. It was now approaching mid afternoon, so we headed back into town after a pause to admire the Nong Nooch gardens - very few tourists here. We go back to the hotel. I pay the driver. Best hasn't forgotten my wanting/needing to check out the Copa and suggests it might be a good idea to show me how the baht bus system works from Jomtien. So we head out, when not being a guide and a student, Best works in a guest house. He very familiar with Boyztown and when we get there shows me some short cuts for navigating in the area. I check out the Copa and decide on staying at Poseidon. We head back to Jomtien. I thank Best and pay him his fee. He offers to meet me in Boyztown the next night - I'd told him I'd be staying in Jomtien tonight and enjoy Boyztown on Lunar New Year's eve and New Year's day. I give a "maybe" and I'll text. Before climbing up to my room, I walk around the complex and notice a tailor shop nearby. There is an interesting Thai style shirt hanging outside. As i look at it, one of the staff comes out and starts talking to me, I go in and look at the fabric. Thirty minutes later, I'm being measured to some shirts and two pairs of pants. I'm getting three Thai silk shirts made to measure with an average pricing of about $20 each. The pants are in the same price range. At home the shirts would be 3x the price and the pants would be $50 if they were off the rack and fit me badly. I agree to return for a fitting check the next day. Back at the hotel, I follow pretty much the previous night pattern, dinner (this time sitting with some other guests I met in the lobby), then a short nap and a shower, stroll (cruise?) the complex, run into Cee from last night, he gives me a hug and kiss and invites me to a party. I decline and go to @Home. It is some sort of Bingo night. Large crowd, lots of boys. Jan, a Cambodian, joins me. I like him. I buy him a drink, after a while we have a meeting of the minds, which a bit later leads to a stair climb and a meeting of our bodies. Nothing extraordinary but pleasant. After some post exercise cuddling, he returns to work and I have a glass of wine in the hotel bar, and then retire for the night. I remember before turning off the light to cancel the Copa reservation.

Wake up...it's about 7. Think a bit about yesterday, the frustration with how long it took to get to Pattaya, the out of service internet, etc. Make notes about what went wrong, realize that I'd wanted to visit the tailor Numazu mentioned, but couldn't pull up the details on my phone or iPad without wifi. Grumble, grumble...then I made notes about what went right: the Poseidon, it's restaurant, it's staff, my room (those steps get easier and easier and are probably good for my hamstrings). Cee when I brought him to the room was impressed...probably more by the hot tub. Cee is also on the list of what went right. Gentle meeting of two mature guys. I go downstairs and learn from Kaye that the restaurant doesn't open until 9! Realization dawns that this is a beach resort, no one needs to get up early in an area where the nights are designed to be late. Go for a walk to the beach. Have to make a decision about tomorrow - it will be Chinese New Year's eve. I've made a booking at the Copa in Boyztown. Figured (when I was back in the US) that I'd be closer to / right on top of the action if I was at the Copa...but i sure like where I am. Decide that as part of my tour today, there will be a Boyztown stop so I can check out the Copa. I've already asked the Poseidon if I can extend, so I need to decide within the Copa cancellation period what to do. It's now nine o'clock and I have the eggs and bacon with a basket of pastries. Orange juice and tea complete the repast. Go back up to the room to grab my phone for possible photos (I've been catching up on Numazu's and Vinapu's reports, both of which have photos. Maybe I'll take some today. I've no idea where we are going. I booked with SiamRoads (thanks, Moses). Best is to be my guide and Moses reminds me that he is a new guide. Best, who arrives right on the dot of the agreed 10 am time, also tells me that I am only his second tour. He didn't quite believe me when I told him on the phone that the tour today was up to him. I said, I know little about Pattaya and only about more about Jomtien. He makes some suggestions, I say "up to you". It's fun for me saying the same thing I tend to hear from the boys. I mention that I need to check out the Copa but other than that I just want to be a tourist. He checks if I'd prefer a taxi or a car. We settle on a car and he makes the arrangements. We head off for our first destiniation which turns out to be the Sanctuary of Truth. Figure that's a good place to be at a time where the US President is in a world of alternative facts. I didn't know what to expect, so when we arrived and the driver parked and we began walking though some pretty dull flat open space, I wan't very hopeful. Then we turned a corner and from the top of a hill saw

Oh is the kind of guide, who, when the schedule goes off the rails, he finds a way to make the tour a plus. He was my guide a few weeks back, the plan we had made was disrupted as it was on the 100th day after the King's death and traffic filled streets turned into parking lots. He moved us onto the river to get around. He a great guy.

Aimless, wandering Wake Tuesday morning, somewhat strange to have had the bed to myself. Usual morning stuff, usual breakfast at the hotel buffet. Messages from Van and Uyn...Uyn's arrived at home, Van when he was leaving from Bangkok. Also a surprise message from Yoyo responding to my asking a few days back if he was in town. Happy New Year wish...he's in Vietnam (surprise). After catching up on the news from home and tending to email, I go for a walk...decide to go to Siam Paragon, change my mind, head to MBK which I enjoy for its mix of seemingly everything. Pick up some gifts from two shops. In both cases, I was the first customer so the baht I tendered in payment is waved over all of the store's goods as a blessing. Back to the hotel, read, think about packing up for the trip to Pattaya tomorrow. Just think...don't really move from the sofa for a while...honestly, I'm sorting through feelings and considering what it will be like to be a butterfly for the coming week. PM to DivineMadman for a meet-up tonight. Contacting the maestro of massage, sets my thoughts to massage. Start out for Arena, never get there as I pass Prime and go in and order up a two hour Thai beating. It was grand! Sort of "danced" out with lots of stress left in the massage room. It's about 6pm, wander around Silom, thinking about dinner. Aim for Madrid...find it, two other customers inside and two outside the restaurant. Four ladies of a certain age tending to customers, bar, cash register, kitchen. I have the Madrid's version of spaghetti carbonara. Not bad, not fantastic...good comfort food. Try to imagine what the restaurant, which is a bit of a hole in the wall den, was like during the Vietnam war era when the Madrid was a CIA meeting spot. Wander through the night market, which is still being set up. Enjoy watching the energy expended in setting things up for selling and anticipating the effort to take it all down in a few hours. Back to The Raya, use the time before meeting DivineMadman to reorganize my suitcase and carryall. Head out to Hot Male Bar where we both arrive at almost the same moment. Catch up on what we've done since Jupiter and what "our boys" might be doing/are doing He is getting ready for a trip to Malaysia and co-ordinating his friend and his friend's offs. Usual back and forth with the bar boys, Michael (Noom) is very flirty. He is the one whom two nights back had been on the periphery when I had a street food chicken meal with Van and Uyn before we went to Jupiter. He tells how he is going to be fined for being late unless he gets an off (an aspect of the business, I'd never considered). DivineMadman observes that the lighting in the clubs and even on soi Twilight is such that it puts everyone in a good light. When one moves away from the light, looks can change or shift. We agree it also works as to how the boys see us. I buy drinks for Noom, La, and one of the other bar boys. After some more flirting and remembering I'm a certified butterfly, I interact with Noom. Check out and learn that he is almost as tall as DivineMadman (who is encouraging me to off Noom). While we talk, another bar customer begins chatting up Noom. I'd been planning on going to FreshBoys or back to Classic to see if my dancer flame was working. A bit more back and forth from Noom...he's from Issan, does everything, etc. Up to You on a fee for his time. What the hell, why not. Say good night to Divine Madman who smiles. Noom has an off, won't be fined, and I have Noom. For the first time at The Raya we stop at the desk and he gives up his identification. I don't think the hotel cares, they have a policy in the lobby that there is a 1000 THB charge for guests not registered or known by the desk, but I've noticed foot traffic that goes directly to the rooms. Noom once in the light of the room gives some proof to what DivineMadman was speculating about lighting. His use of light makeup is noticeable and his tattoos a bit more prominent. He showers and then I shower...he didn't invite me and I didn't push into the shower or suggest. He is on the bed as I towel off. Long lanky body, average endowment, good sex but fairly routine. At the end he chuckwows for a good spray across his chest. Wipe off, no shower or request for one. Tells me he's going home rather than go back to the bar. Butterfly tally - meh. I take another shower and go to bed. On to Pattaya, a frustrating day Up, the morning routine out of the way, finish packing. Check out of the hotel. Driver arrives early. I'm using PT Taxi which was mentioned by Numazu in one of this reports. 1100 THB to Jomtien, including the tolls. A late model Toyota. Young and fit driver. He parked in The Raya's lot (who knew they had a parking lot?). It takes almost three and a half hours to get to the Poseidon Hotel. Road work and more road work. We get off in Pattaya and there is more road work. I've arranged with Moses for a guid eo give me a half day orientation and tour with the caveat that I'd contact him when I was at the hotel. I'd selected the Poseidon based on Ryanasia's report (not that I hoped to duplicate his use of the facilities ). Also, Numzau, the master of detail, wrote of the dinner he had there. It is also close to Dongtan beach and sits at the entrance/exit of Jomtien Complex and its bars and boys. Kaye, the desk and all purpose major domo, tells me he'd like to upgrade me. But asks if I'm ok on a room on the fourth floor in the section that doesn't have an elevator, he hastens to tell me that he will get my luggage to the room. I agree and must admit that, while the steps winded me, the room was huge with a large sleeping area, a balcony with comfortable chairs, a desk, a sitting area, a jacuzzi tub that could fit five, a separate shower, etc. Television, dvd player...very nice. Kaye gets the suitcase up, then brings me flowers, and a drink. Then he tells me the internet and the phone are out of service due to a construction crew somewhere cutting lines. I can't contact the guide and am a bit irritable from the ride and climbing the stairs (by day two, I just "race" up them without it being a problem. I go for a walk, down to the beach, scope out the massage parlors, check out Venue's show time, and notice the bars being readied for the evening. @Home, a bar I enjoyed in September is setting up for a major party as its front is completely covered in blue and white balloons. Back at the hotel, still no internet or phone I tell Kaye that I was supposed to contact my guide. Kaye tells me give him the number and he calls on his mobile. Guide and I exchange courtesy apologies, it wasn't his fault that we missed connections, but he is Thai and wants to apologize for my not being able to do what I'd planned. We agree to meet at the hotel at 10 the next morning. I tell him the tour will be "Up to Him". Decide to have dinner at the hotel. The menu is mainly northern European (German and Dutch) with some standard classics and a few Thai dishes. Incredible and reasonable priced wine list. I order pate, schnitzel, and a red wine. The portions are significant. At some point, one of the owners stops by to ask how I am enjoying the food, I praise it but mention the portion size. he asks "have you met our chef?"...he tells me I'll understand when I do. Later the chef will circulate among the guess. The chef is of a size proportionate to the portions of the plates. Not only is the food truly fine but the presentation of it on the plates is a small work of art. I climb back to my 4th floor eyrie and hear my iPad blinking in messages, the internet is back. I catch up on the world and email. The NY Times arrives and absorbs me for enough time to move the clock to a time to check out the bars. It's Wednesday night and there is a good crowd and lots of boys, I consider seeing the show at Venue but as usual the advertised time is only approximate, so I go back along the bars. On my initial walk to Venue, I'd noticed a guy at 4T, we'd smiled, he reminded me of someone in the Bay Area who I'd been interested in once upon a time. Anyway on my reverse trip, I asked to join him. He's a bit older than the boy "boys". We talked for quite a while over drinks, a bargain is struck. Cee, the name he gave me, and I head out for the hotel. As with The Raya and soi Twilight, the travel distance from 4T to the fourth floor of the Poseidon is short. Showers together, he has a compact body. We have a good time. He's in his early thirties and is not in a rush. His experience shows and there is no rush. When we are finished, he stays an we talk for a while. He invites me to a party as his club the next night. We part. A bit later, I walk down to and along the beach. I've missed the show at Venue. I'll survive not seeing it. Time to sleep.

Maybe...and maybe strong feelings can be confusing and somewhat messy. Consider the alternative: the unemotional life. It's not as rich or varied. My humble suggestion is to continue wondering while you muddle though being human.

Short comment: "Ditto" Numazu. Your approach is semi-identical to mine. The mamasan can be helpful and/or a pest. Two of my best offs on my last visit were facilitated by helpful mamasans. And, then, there was one that didn't work out. I'm halfway through my trip report so the whens and wheres will surface soon.

Pause...Parting...Party On I wake, check where Van has moved to on the bed. Go to the hotel buffet. Begin thinking about the rest of my trip. Van will leave for home and Tet late tonight and any butterfly barriers will disappear. Could be interesting to see how this turns out. Return to the room, Van is almost awake, when he is up and about we have a shower together. It's almost noon and each of us has some errands to run. Van needs to get some pain ointment for his parents. He finds it in the second pharmacy we visit. He buys 5 tubes. We head over to a Starbucks, which is really just a time filler. I sense, or in my case know, we have said goodbye in our minds and are marking time until it's time to part. Van has agreed to be the designated gift carrier for friends who aren't able to be home for Tet. So he heads off to meet up with some and collect the things he will be carrying back. I start out for the Pilot pen store on Silom. I particularly like the 1.0 point ink thickness one they make, my mind is preoccupied, still sorting out the surprise of Uyn's descent into my life yesterday and the pleasure it gave me, working through the strands of the many times with Van. So preoccupied that if it hadn't been for a quick Thai woman, I'd have been hit by a car turning into a cross street. I admit, I wasn't looking. She was... I thank her, we bow to each other. I get to the store and pick up a half dozen pens. Crossing Silom, I'm very careful and place myself in the midst of a group to cross the traffic flow. I consider going to Arena for a massage, decide to postpone. Wandering through the side and back streets, I decide on Prime. I sign up for a two hour session. Half foot massage and half Thai massage. Good decision with a bit of amusement. When I go to change into Prime's massage pajamas, I find the set I've been given will fit a small Thai teen but not me. A farang size is found. Back at the Raya, Tien is just leaving again to buy some whisky for a friend's dad. He's goes to Family Mart and returns in a few minutes. Then heads out to pick up another friend's computer to carry to Vietnam. Not sure (and it's none of my business) how he will manage all the stuff he's carrying as he's closing down his dorm room and has that stuff, the candy and food he bought at Tesco, clothes, jacket, etc. His ride is picking him up at 2am. We agree to part in time to give him time to collect all his things. We talk a bit more about nothing special. Head out to Mango Tree - one of two places we've settled on for departure meals. Mostly Chinese in the outdoor dining area. One table has four generations, with the oldest doing his best to eliminate a bottle of whisky, the others, excluding the baby, working through a couple of bottles of wine. Happy year of the rooster! At dinner, Van tells me he is happy I like Uyn. Uyn is a good person, he says, good for me (he tells me). He is concerned that with working at this new job in Vietnam, he may not be able to see me when I'm in Bangkok and take care of me. I should know Uyn will take care of me for Uyn's sake and for his. So the ulterior design of his surprise yesterday is revealed. Sweet. Stop at Hot Male bar on the walk back to the hotel. Van says goodbye to La, our greeter/grabber friend. On to the hotel, a shower together, then a couple of hours of cuddling and spooning and a bit of goodbye sex. It's time. Important goodbyes are often muddled. This is one of those times. I give hime the remainder of what I had promised minus the expenditure for his leather jacket. I add a $100 US bill, tell him I want him to be a millionaire when he gets home. Neither of us, knows how to actually say the goodbye. We hug, hold on tightly, one last inappropriately appropriate round of touching. He leaves. I sit and try to sort through things. Too soon. To break my mood, I go over to Hot Male, La tells me to go up to the midnight show. I'm given my regular seat, 2nd row center, non-smoking side. Don't know the boys, though they look better that when I dropped in in October. Recognize several waiters. Notice one new boy with a mop of hair, but he's sitting with someone. I don't call anyone over, watch the abbreviated show, pay for my drink. Decide to take a look at Screwboys as they have a 1am show. Six or seven staff members outside, happy to escort me in...I order a 350THB beer. Three guys on stage when I come in. Mamasan brings beer and tells me show will start soon. A few minutes later, there are two boys on stage - one of whom is locked into looking at his phone. The other customer who was in the bar has left. Ask mamasan what was going on...there was a party last night, Vietnamese boys gone home....seems the two boys on stage are the 1am show. Ask for a cut in drink price. Settle on 100 THB and I leave. Hotel. Sleep. The whole bed is mine. Sad/happy.