Mr. Smooth

One of my favorite places to stay was the Kahama Hotel, a very short walk to the beach. The first one was working there at the sports bar, and in order for her not to get in trouble with "dating" a customer staying there, as they like to refer to it as, we had to do some secretive planning on her day off. The other, a massage girl, spent a few days with me and got very comfortable in the hotel room enjoying the size and comfort of the bed whether I was next to her or not. I should point out that in all my trips there, in just one instance, was money ever discussed prior to returning to my room or apartment. The attitude with them has always been to "be fair" when they left the next morning. And I mean closer to noon and not some 6 am runner after the phone rings with some "family emergency" that they need to go immediately.

I recently returned from a 2 week trip to the Kenya Coast, just north of Mombasa. I stayed in a rapidly growing beach town called, Mtwapa. It can be considered the "Pattaya" of Kenya I suppose for all the girls available, though not "the in your face" atmosphere that Pattaya provides with the numerous beer bars and agogos, with scantily clad women stand outside with come hither smiles and vague promises of the delights that await the curious interloper if he enters. No, rather in Mtwapa, there is a more subtle scene, but make no mistake, the women you come across are very much interested. But for the vast majority of the time, they have the attitude where they allow you as the man to take the lead as if performing some old version of chivalry, though in reality, why they are letting you think and behave that way, it is really them who in their own way, are in control the entire time. It creates a very enjoyable dicotomy in this hobby. In Mtwapa, and Kenya in general, I've found that it is the hunter who is, in fact, the hunted. This last trip had a dark cloud of negativity hanging over it from the start and it all felt like an aborted mission, leaving a less than desirable result. Not from the girls, but just involving the cancellation of return flights, the closing up of basically all nightlife venues, the suspension of flight operations due the the coronavirus pandemic, and the mad dash I had to go through to just return home, for which I was extremely lucky. A couple of days after my Emirates flight arrived from Dubai to San Francisco, I was informed that they had halted all flights in and out of Kenya. I was literally on one of the last planes out. So, rather than simply report on this most recent trip, I thought I would post some pics and commentary on previous trips as well, and for those who might ever contemplate going somewhere else and, just as important, have an attraction for the "well tanned brunettes", of East Africa, I'll try to post some of the women, hotels, food and beaches that are there, as well as my overall take on the attitude of the women themselves. And maybe provide a bit of a diversion to all the serious business going on in the world, and this board, involving the battle to defeat this virus that has basically shut down the world's economies and put all of our travels in a holding pattern for the immediate time frame. But when the travel situation does reopen, the girls of East Africa will be more than willing to make your acquaintance and provide you with as memorable experience as any that you have had anywhere else. After 8 years of visiting, it sure has for me. An example....a couple ladies who I've "crossed paths" with on previous trips. The one in the t-shirt is actually from Kampala, Uganda. Both were sexy as hell and very engaging to chat with due to their speaking English in their "Queen's english" accent. Was music to my ears, among other body parts!

I think the market will determine to what degree Pattaya returns. There were already too many agogos around for the talent available. When you have women with flabby spare tires around the middle working the poll, you know there are just way too many venues for that. Way too many beer bars as well. How many times have any of us walked past 100 beer bars just to get to our favorite watering hole and might see a few dozen customers at most spread out among all those bars? The town was flooded with just too many. The Indian restaurants....hope 90% of those go belly up. An eye sore is what they were. I do hope the massage businesses can recover, that is the thing I miss the most about Pattaya, aside from the craic with mates at a few favorite bars that I go to. No better deal than an hour with a skilled professional to work out the kinks, and maybe a little extra if she's willing, or for an after work tryst back in your room. The street food vendors I hope will survive. I always had at least one meal a day from those carts, those kebabs or an order of shrimp fried rice. And what is better in the late afternoon than a fresh chunk of the sweetest, juiciest pineapple you've ever had from a street cart. Best 20 baht you can spend! It will be back in some form or fashion, maybe the overall scene will be scaled down a bit, but for those of us who live there, or those that visit on a trip for a couple weeks once or twice a year, we will find our lane and enjoy the scenery and take part in whats available. I think there will be a rebirth, so to speak, and whatever shape that Pattaya emerges from, it will still satisfy our wants and desires and leave us with new memories to relive in our mind as that town has never failed to do in the past.

I've received RFM from 3 continents. Yeah...I get around a bit in my travels. Can't save the world in these times of a global economic shut down, but did send along a few bucks to 2 women I've known for sometime so they can buy food since the government put the country on curfew and both have lost their jobs at the restaurants they each work at. While I was gone, I had my bi-weekly paycheck direct deposited, can still easily pay the upcoming April bills including my mortgage and by not going to work for 2 weeks, am saving on gas for my commute, probably a good $75-80 dollars. I'm fortunate in life, and I'm not going to try and win the race for having the largest pot of gold while being lowered into the cemetery plot. Sent them both $50 USD and believe me, they will both know how to stretch that to make sure they and their kids will be able to eat for a while. If I'm called a sucker for doing it, it's fine. I'll live with that accusation.

I've been home for 5 straight days since arriving back from Kenya. Another week of the self quarantine. I could do a lot of little cleaning projects around the house and yard but in truth, have spent probably more time this week on the board here than ever before. There are a tremendous number of guys here with a great sense of humor, especially the Brits and Aussies. Love some of the quips you guys come up with. A Hollywood screenwriter or aspiring novelist should be scanning this board for such conversational gems and one liners. Have grown a bit weary of all the wall to wall corona stuff on the news. Have gotten several RFM from two continents, as a few women I know have been thrust out of work from their restaurants and shops and need money to buy food while the markets are open during daylight hours. I've helped out a bit but can't save the world. Have spent time watching old Anthony Bourdain shows from his Travel Channel days, some music programs on AXS tv, as well as a few pay-per-view movies on DirectTV. I should probably start walking for a while around my neighborhood for a bit of exercise, and attempt to learn a couple of beginning guitar lessons off YouTube, have had a guitar gathering dust in a bedroom closet for over 20 years. Had always meant to "get around to it", and never have. Need to get out and do a bit of grocery shopping and maybe order for pick up some Chinese food, as I have a fantastic place a few minutes drive from the house. Excellent teriyaki chicken, top shelf! Hope all of you and your families stay healthy and safe.

Phil, you have developed a bond with your customers (friends) both those living there and those of us living in our far flung countries. We see the way you treat your staff, with respect and humanity, and for your very welcoming ambiance for all who enter. That bond is not common, it takes time and trust to earn that. But when you do, you can see the rewards with all the repeat business and with newbies coming in because "they heard about the pub" and wanted to check it out. Your latest move is yet another reflection of you as a person, in being concerned with people first over money. The human touch, you might say. And because of that, you can bet, those of us who have enjoyed a drink or 10 at your place, who have enjoyed the sports, the music, the craic or the girls, will be back in force like never before. We want to support those we as customers, or friends rather, feel care about us, knowing we will be welcomed with a sincere greeting, and all feeling right at home. Your place is about as close to a modern day "Cheers", to take after that classic tv show, as there is in Pattaya. That bond you have built with us will be as strong as ever. Once this passes, and it eventually will, and you are again open for business, to turn a phrase from one of my all time favorite movies, "Field of Dreams", if you are open, people will come. We, all your friends and mates from the four corners of the world, will most certainly come. You hang in there, mate!

On self quarantine now at the recommendation of my doctors office upon returning from Kenya with Emirates, and jumping through a few hoops to finally get back. The highway running past the San Francisco Airport was maybe 5% of normal traffic, very eerie to see, so I guess the "stay at home" mandate from the governor of California is being obeyed by the people for the most part. I had a scheduled trip to the DomRep in May, that will be cancelled. A trip to Belize in late July is most likely going to be cancelled. I think I'm done with travel this year until I retire, which I'm looking at doing at the end of November. I'm looking at a 4 week trip to Thailand, with short trips to other spots in the region, just after Christmas, as long as things are back to normal then, or as close to normal as possible. I have no doubt that the travel industry will need a lot of time to get all ramped up again, and more important, regain the customers trust in being able to deliver the service they are promising. And also the governments of the countries we all love to go, what sort of protocols they will institute, if any, that we will need to adhere too. Just too much to worry about now, like family, as has been mentioned earlier. My biggest concern is for my dad, he's 78 has a heart condition and respiratory problems, emphyzema being one of them. If this thing got a hold of him, it's curtains for sure. It's up to all of us to make smart decisions in our personal lives to do our part in leveling off this virus. But make no mistake, the way of the world these days will be to politicize this thing at some point, and the cable news will only be too eager to go down that road. It's funny though, how all these problems and concerns and protests about this or that, how we are killing the planet, etc....all that nonsense has gone by the wayside in lieu of the virus taking the lion's share of broadcast and cable news. Lets love and care about our fellow man now folks. One day we will return to normal and get back to hating our fellow man and stabbing him in the back. And it will be all right there as the lead story on Sean or Rachel or Morning Joe or Anderson or the BBC. When that happens, we will all know were back to normal again.

I just returned from Kenya via Emirates after a couple of previously cancelled flights to get me back home. I was at the Dubai airport this past Sunday morning and it was a very chaotic environment. Massive crowds of people in all directions. My flight to San Francisco was supposed to be Saturday, but Emirates cancelled that one and rescheduled me for the Sunday flight instead, which made what was a 4 hour layover become a 28 hour layover, and caused me to book into the International Transit Terminal Hotel for a mere $267 USD for the night, far and away the most expensive room I've ever booked. The lines at the Emirates ticket counters stretched back a couple hundred people in the B Concourse where I was. And they only had 3 staff working to help everyone. Took me well over an hour in line even though I was only about 25 people back from the front. Flew an A-380, a huge double deck behemoth, with 4 mighty engines. Must have had 400 passengers, and all had to be photographed with an infrared camera to make sure no one had a fever and be denied access to board. Took 2 hours to go wheels up for that 16 hour long haul. I was never so happy, or exhausted, to finally walk through my front door after a trip. My American buddy sent a message to me early Monday letting me know that Emirates would be shutting down all flight operations in Kenya effective Tuesday. So, I literally was on one of the last planes out of the country.

TS, usually we are on opposite sides of a point in the political thread, but on this, I am right there with you. I honestly believe this is a media driven story and blown out of proportion. For perspective, in the United States during the "flu season" as measured between mid-October 2019 and February 20th, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 29 MILLION people have gotten sick with the flu, 280,000 have been hospitalized and 16,000 have died. Included in those deaths are 105 children who have died as a result of the flu. Again, those stats are just in America. I am sure that European countries have similar per capita results from their populations. I've yet to watch a news broadcast over the winter where the stats on the flu were the lead story or how much less economic output will result from the numbers of sick people contracting the flu virus, or the tragedy of thousands dying because of it. As of March 3rd, the Corona virus has infected an estimated 100 people in America and 9 have died. A tornado just ripped through a town in the state of Tennessee last night while most folks were sleeping, killing 29 people at last count. I bet outside of that particular region of the US, the headlines won't even have it as a front page story. But I bet the Corona virus will be from coast to coast. All a matter of perspective. Or, as the joke that's going around here now is that the Corona virus has killed fewer people than boyfriends who have been dumped by Taylor Swift.

Been a nice rally in recent days by the Yank dollar. Not long ago, it was a frog hair over 30, now within spitting distance of 32. Yeah....35 would be nice!

Haven't been there yet, but maybe once the weather warms up for a concert. Some big names coming up. I couldn't afford to just hand over a $100 dollar chip to anyone, any idea how many Tiger beers that would buy in a beer bar? Lol.. Actually the biggest casino "in my backyard" is Thunder Valley, which is huge with the Asian crowd. In fact, heard through the grapevine at work that some of my fellow employees of Filipino descent are always working overtime to compensate for their gambling habit, or their WIVES gambling habit! Lol.. They also have an amphitheater for large acts, maybe the classic rockers who can no longer fill an arena sized venue but can still draw them in at a 3500-5000 seat venue. Think Peter Frampton. If you ever decide to head up on a weekend, give me a couple weeks notice here by pm, and I'll see of I could drive up and meet for lunch.

Fantastic pics Yessongs. I must say, you and your wife make a lovely couple. I haven't been to South Lake Tahoe in several years but it has to rank as maybe the most picturesque lake in North America, if not the world. Some great motorcycling in the warm weather months as I rode my Harley on weekend rides many times. May I suggest this summer taking a drive up Highway 88, or even through Yosemite National Park on Highway 120, on up to Highway 395 and take a ride along the eastern slope, the more majestic side of the Sierras, and spend the night in Bridgeport. An almost forgotten side of California that very few actually bother going unless they are familiar with the camping and fishing, if you're into that, and breathtaking scenery. You won't regret it and neither will your lovely wife.

I received a whatsapp message from a Canadian friend of mine earlier today (Sunday) who spends 4 months each winter in Thailand, rents an apt in Central Patts but travels around the country while there, and he told me that the beach was very light with tourists and the boats that sit in Pattaya Bay that take tourists to the islands, are currently sitting empty without all the Chinese. He said they have virtually disappeared at the moment. While it must be nice as a western expat or tourist to have the beach to themselves and much less pedestrian traffic to negotiate on the Beach Road, it can't be a very good feeling to all the vendors who earn a living in large part from catering to the Chinese tourists who make up much of their customer base. But I would hope that the tourist board, or whatever government agency is in charge of promoting Thailand tourism, decides to make an all out effort to bring in the western tourist as they will actually spread around their spending cash into a variety of Thai hands rather than the consentrated number of folks who make their money from the organized tours of Chinese tour groups.

Absolutely shocking about Kobe Bryant, and that his 13 year old daughter perishing in the crash as well. Just 41, a huge influence on the players today and probably the number one pro athlete in Los Angeles over the last 25 years, since Magic Johnson retired from the Lakers. Not only an MVP and a 5 time NBA Champion, but after retiring, the man won an Oscar. His passing will be felt for a long time. RIP

From what I can see, I think she looks very nice! Add in the fact that her coffee is great and you have yourself a nice win-win to start your day.

Great pics, Yessongs. Even with no more Dennis De Young, they still kick ass. I agree about the Rock n Roll HOF snub. Thank goodness, the Doobie Bros, a band that had there major arena hey day when Styx did, finally were voted in this year. Along with those rock n roll icons, Depeche Mode, Whitney Houston and Biggie Smalls. Don't get me started! Since you're a guy who still digs the 70's bands who are still out there touring, not sure if you are aware, but Dan Rather, the former CBS anchorman, does a program on AXS TV called The Big Interview, where he talks to many of these classic rock bands and singers, including Styx, and gets them to tell the behind the scenes stories about a particular song or tour, there personal lives, there successes and regrets. A very good program that you would probably love. A couple other shows that are in that same vein on that network are hosted by the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, and Brian Johnson, the former lead singer for AC/DC. I love watching these shows and hearing about their lives and inspirations and how they are still going strong 40-50 years or more after starting out. Great stuff!

My first time in Pattaya was on my second trip to LOS, as my initial time spent in Thailand in Feb 1994 was all in Bangkok. When I discovered Pattaya, I was in love with the place! And a whopping 25 baht to the dollar! 150 baht bar fines and 1000 baht for an all nighter! Stayed at a soi 5 motel midway down for 350 baht, since demolished a few years later, and had a beer at Vic's Beer Bar, 40 baht, on Beach Rd just before Soi 6. What followed was a baptism of pleasures I had not enjoyed since the "Eros Hauses" in Frankfurt, Germany nearly a decade before when I served in the US Army. That trip ended those many years ago with a vow that THIS was the place I was going to live when I retire as I was boarding my flight home. The one memory that stands out is watching from across Beach Rd, seeing an old, beer bellied guy with grey hair, a deep tan, wearing speedos, wrap around sun glasses and a big smile on his face while he was holding hands with a very attractive, very petite early 20's Thai girl and walking down the Beach Rd. At 29 years of age, that old guy instantly became my hero and I wanted to be like him when I got to be his age. I'm on my way since I have acquired the beer belly. The speedos? Uh....I don't think so.

Thats the thing about Metro. The number of bars where you can sit outside and be a part of the atmosphere to me is a great attraction to the place. Going inside a bar or an agogo is fine and I've done it plenty. But in doing so, you limit your visibility to what's inside while shunning all the visual delights outside. The set up with so many bars that face each other from across the soi, contributes to the festive atmosphere and people parade. Against that sort of circus, going inside an agogo can often be a let down, especially when getting a load of the prices of LD's or bf's, for women who might not exactly be the stunners you would expect when entering. To me, the vastly reduced number of beer bars that once proliferated on both sides of Walking Street and opened up to the people watching has been the biggest change, for the worse, over the 26 years I have visited. For so many to be replaced by brick and mortar enclosed bars and agogos, it has lost much of it's luster from previous years. I sincerely hope that as long as LK Metro is in existence, those open air beer bars will long prosper and not go the route of WS.

As the promotion banner above Kilkenny shows the beer prices at happy hour, anyone has got to admit, for that price sitting down having a beer with that atmosphere filled with music, pleasant aromas wafting in the air, people watching, and the numerous ladies either working as staff at the nearby bars or just in passing along the soi, it is a great deal of fun to hang out on Soi LK Metro on any given evening. Even at basically 30 baht to a USD, for about $2.30 a beer, a guy could sit there 4-5 hours enjoying the scene with his mates or even solo, and not have it put a crimp in his pocketbook.

My one and only trip there, so far, was last March and I had a great time. I spent more time on 136, but as the hotel was on 130, I walked by all the bars mentioned above if they were located along that first block in from the river. By working at those bars, do you mean you are a part time manager at all of them at the same time or do you work at one of them on any given night and then a different one the next night? Will be back again whenever I return to Pattaya as it will become a permanent part of any Thailand trip from here on out. And maybe a place to seek out a long term rental for a few months after I retire.

Are the prices displayed on the fish and shrimp and mussels, etc...per kilogram? When I'm in Pattaya, I love to buy a bag of those steamed mussels for 50 baht. But I think I saw 60 baht on a mussels display and that cost is a great deal if for a whole kilogram. I'd buy several fish and let them clean and cook them for take away back to the loom.

If a guy won the lottery and just happened to be at a bar on Soi 6 buying drinks for the ladies and other customers alike, what's the problem with that? Whether we win the lottery or just save our money to afford a trip to Pattaya, if that is where we choose to go, why not spend our savings/winnings where we like to go? If I won, and happened to be in Pattaya, I would have no problem ringing a few bells or just quietly motioning to the bartender or waitress to get a round for the house. LePub would definitely be on my short list of spots to spend my newly acquired riches. My old hangout of two decades, the Shamrock, would be another, as would the Classroom a few doors down. The one thing I would absolutely never do again if I did win the lotto, would be to never, ever, ever........fly economy. It's biz class from here on out, baby!!

The Yank greenback is continuing it's slow motion slide downward. Probably barely over 29 by Christmas.

Had that swing by Garrett hit Rudolph with the crown of his helmet to his head, with the force he used when swinging, then we very well might be talking about something else here, like perhaps criminal charges for assault. If this happens in the street, then it's a wrap and somebody is be arrested. In a game of controlled violence and mayhem on every play, the line of what is honest, hard fought competition and going over the edge, can be a sizable one, a line that allows for often giving the player the benefit of the doubt with emotions running high. Usually an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the offending player and you move on to the next play. But with this, there is no mistake, no excuse. He was suspended for the rest of the year but Pouncey should immediately appeal his suspension to the league, as his response was in coming to the rescue of his teammate and quarterback. I guarantee you, among his fellow NFL players, there is no one being held with greater respect, particularly with other fellow offensive lineman throughout the league, than Pouncey. And the players for the Browns, after beating Pittsburgh for the first time in a long while, have their victorious moment forgotten due to the actions of their teammate as the only thing being talked about is the fight at the end. Naturally, CBS, the network that shows AFC matchups, will be leading the charge in the build up for the rematch in Pittsburgh, with all the over the top hype of a used car salesman in the hope that it will draw a larger than normal audience share. They will most likely feature that game in more media markets than it normally would draw.

Glass, as a guy who loves to watch documentaries, such as the one on Ginger Baker I posted before, I also watched one on Robert Evans some years back called, 'The Kid Stays in the Picture", another fascinating behind the scenes look at a guy who played such a large part in the entertainment industry. Haven't checked, but that also might be on YouTube as well, since the doc is from about 2003 or 2004 I think.