I am now in Pattaya, a very gaudy, decadent beach resort two hours from Bangkok. The disconnect between the Girly girls and Girly boys and religious offerings of incense on the street at religious shrines is quite a phenomenon. It is definately honky tonk of the highest level. The place is filled with bars, beer halls, massage parlors, souvenir shops and seafood restaurants where you buy your king prawns or lobsters by the kilo before you start. (I just had two prawns couldn't afford three.) There is a full moon and I am enjoying it.Made friends with my neighbors at the end of my meal, a Japanese man of 71 and a lovely Thai woman in her late twenties I think. Here are also food carts, pizza joints, Irish bars and The Hard Rock Cafe.
There are Russians, Iranians, Germans, Japanese, English, Americans, Arabs, Australians, Indians, Koreans, French and Chinese here. My hotel which happens to be terrible is also full of Russians and Indians. Ii have not heard anyone speaking in English. There seems to be many families especially from India. Yesterday we went by speedboat to an island for a few hours. I had trouble getting into the speedboat which was just off shore. You had to wade in and climb aboard. The Indian women had their long saris to deal with as well. The island was pretty tacky but the lunch was seafood straight from the sea. We stopped on the way there and they tried to sell some paragliding or however you say it and it was amusing to see people take off and land. I might have tried it twenty years ago.
By the way there are a zillion seven eleven stores here plus KFC and the golden arches. Everywhere there are Starbucks. Incredible. In every city in Asia I have seen these stores.
I am going to the beach today and then to a floating market. Tomorrow a botanical garden and then back to an airport hotel in Bangkok to leave for Bali at 6:15 AM on Friday
Judy
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