March 31, 2007

200 days and counting

I have not yet realised that I will go to Thailand for only one stay this year. Not enough time, unexpected expenses, so I will go only in October. My flight is not booked yet, but the travel fares seem to stay on the same level as before, so I am not in a hurry.

From what I read every day on the boards, things seem to change quickly in Thailand. Some say there are very few people in the bars especially in Bangkok, others report about unexpected raids for all kind of offenses, and the baht is at its highest level against the euro since the end of the year 2002. I wonder if this country will still be a dream destination in five or ten years.

Of course I am already planning, because this is the best way to be able to stand boredom, dullness and stress at work. Will Tam be with me ? I did not phone him since more than 2 months, and he did not call me back as well. "Mutual oblivion" would be a nice way to break up ... And I think more and more of staying alone this time in Thailand, like before : free to go where I want to go, to "off" whoever and whenever I wish, to choose a cheap hotel when I think it is enough for me and to turn air-con down if it is too cold in the room... Pretty trivial I know but holidays are so short and freedom in everydaylife so scarce ...

If I am alone again I know I will miss going with him to thai places, chatting about all and everything, and feeling so good with someone I trust and love... but I have reached a point where freedom claims its rights again, be it for only one stay. I just fear to stumble into him in Pattaya, because I know I will immediately cry my eyes out and run towards him....

March 11, 2007

March 10, 2007

Bangkok memories

Since I come to Thailand, I never gave Bangkok a miss. In fact my first stay (eleven years ago) was spent only in Bangkok but it was only for ten days, and I never felt bored at all, as I still had to discover everything...

My first hotel was the well-known Malaysia Hotel which was strongly recommended by the "Men of Thailand" Guide (which is not issued any more). This hotel had - and seems to have still now - a special atmosphere, and a nice smell that I will never forget.

My days were devoted to visiting Bangkok tourist attractions and hanging up in eating places ; at night, I made my way to Patpong where my favourite haunts were the Galaxy Bar and Khun Sweet Cigar ; in these days, Soi Twilight was still very quiet with only three or four bars, and I (already) prefered the seedier bars in Soi Anuman Ratchathon. I ventured to Pattaya only on my second stay in 1996, but was very disappointed by the boys there and left quickly ... how times have changed ! 

Nevertheless after one year I decided to test the bars in Saphan Kwai, where you could go only by bus or taxi. It was a long trip in the evening traffic jams, but I immediately loved the boys bars there. I met a boy in Aladdin who was my boy special for about two years and whom I was really in love with.

I remember that at this time, seeing the Victory Monument from the green bus (line 74) was always a great time, as it meant I was getting closer to my dearling ... This is why I regard this place as my special place in Thailand - unfortunately looking at it from the Skytrain through glasses covered with advertising is much less romantic nowadays ...

Victory Monument
Victory Monument

It was another Saphan Kwai boy who convinced me to stay in a Saphan Kwai hotel. "Malaysia no good", he said, and advised me to book in the "Embassy" Hotel which is next door to the Saphan Kway gay bars. His name was Dong, and he enlightened my life in 2000. He was a gorgeous isaan guy and I had a short trip with him in Buriram and Ubon, but he did not wanted me to go to his home ... "too poor". I had met him in "Street Boy" bar during my first stay in May 2000, we staid mostly together during my second stay in 2000 but I couldn't find him again when I went back in 2001.

I "offed" some other guys from the Saphan Kwai bars, all of them being very nice and cute.

Each time I go back to Thailand, Saphan Kwai is now my starting point : I love the location (which was still better when we landed at Don Muang), the atmosphere and .. the boys, and I am still grateful to Dong who convinced me to take this area as my second home away from home.