June 29, Friday to July 4, Wednesday

June 29, Friday   to   July 4, Wednesday

I am staying in an area called Jomtien Beach, “more popular among family vacationers, on the southern part of the city, and separated from the main Pattaya Bay by Buddha hill. Jomtien is more calm and serene compared to the crowded Pattaya Beach and a paradise for water sports enthusiasts.”

Buddha Hill or Khao Phra Tam Nak, is one of the highest points in Pattaya. I didn’t go see it!  It contains an amusement park for children.

Resting, resting, and resting.  Watching TV and reading.   Finally started updating my e-photos and my blog. 

I took advantage of the washer and did some laundry.  So nice to be able to launder my own clothes.

 Building where my apartment is located in Jomtien Beach

 Street views in Jomtien

 Lots of stores, restaurants and bars in the neighborhood

 Even some "painted ladies"

 Jomtien Beach.  Very narrow between the road and the water, especially with the chairs and umbrellas taking up all the room, making it difficult to go for a walk in the sand.

 OK, on second thought a walk in the sand may not be such a great idea with all that garbage lying around

Lots of hotel and condo complexes in the area

 Lots of rough waves and water sports available in the area

 The main street leading to Pattaya

 One of the truck tuk-tuks

 Getting across the main street can be quite dangerous; no pedestrian crosswalks anywhere

I treated myself to some delicious meals while I was here; this one was surf & turf.
I also tried Mexican, Greek, Indian and Italian during my two weeks here.

Sent an email to Thai Air re extra baggage charge from Hakata Japan to Bangkok.  {Was charged 31,700 yen = $385!  That’s $50 per kilo!  Almost the cost of my flight.}  No luck.  All of you beware if you ever fly with Thai Airlines.  Extra baggage charge is ASTRONOMICAL!

You can’t be in Thailand and not speak about the Ladyboys:  “Kathoey” is a Thai term that refers to a transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. While a significant number of Thais perceive kathoeys as belonging to a third gender, including many kathoeys themselves, others see them as either a kind of man or a kind of woman.  Related phrases include "a second kind of woman” or “third gender".  The word kathoey is thought to be of Khmer origin.  It is most often rendered as ladyboy in English conversation with Thais and this latter expression has become popular across South East Asia.  Many kathoeys dress as women and undergo "feminising" medical procedures such as breast implants, hormones, silicone injections, or Adam's apple reductions. Others may wear makeup and use feminine pronouns, but dress as men, and are closer to the Western category of effeminate gay man than transgender.  Kathoeys are more visible and more accepted in Thai culture than transgender or transsexual people are in Western countries or the Indian subcontinent. Several popular Thai models, singers and movie stars are kathoeys, and Thai newspapers often print photos of the winners of female and kathoey beauty contests side by side. The phenomenon is not restricted to urban areas; there are kathoeys in most villages, and kathoey beauty contests are commonly held as part of local fairs.

Ladyboys are everywhere, very proud of their appearance.  Some of the beautiful Thai young women I have seen on the streets may not have been women at all.  Men of all ages, vacationing in Thailand, get their pick of whatever pleases them!   Conversely, I have no idea if there are any “Men-girls”.  Some older women have shaved heads, but they could be nuns/monks since you can opt in and out of the monk life and many people do spend one year of their lives as a monk/nun in the Buddhist faith.