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Old grey-headed men trying to buy love also seem to be everywhere as well. Perhaps the ladyboys are in the middle trying to keep those two groups at bay?

So, I went to the ONLY gay bar in Jakarta, Apollo bar.....AMAZING. Too time consuming to post pics....it's late.

I'll post this here because it's Indonesia.... Been to Bali before and had a great time...this trip I wanted to try Jakarta...I like big cities, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Bangkok, etc... usually more than beach places as I am a vampire and mostly go out at night and don't care for beaches. A german friend of mine explained it pretty well to me, when I went to Bali he described it as openly gay no problem, many gays have been going for years but they are used to white guys (Aussies go A LOT)....He said Jakarta, mostly white business guys with no much time to play around ...So I would be a novelty here and I wouldn't even need to leave my room, they will blow up my phone with messages. He was right....50/50 money guys and guys wanting to hook up...mostly tops. I just had a 23 yr old guy leave and he came at 1:15 sec's and then again at 3mins, consecutively ....he said he doesn't have gay friends and doesn't do casual hook-ups (who knows)....but I was amazed. Not many drink alcohol here so is a different vibe, just sober sex.....only my 2nd day so far we'll see what the trend is later....just wish I had the same sex drive as the last guy, lol

How exactly would 'both" work?

I have to make a living somehow!

Hi hank, I just had three encounters their. Two were on my honors list (lol), namely cambodian guy and q. The other one was myanmar guy (looks korean) he was ok but fuzzy. I didn’t know q appeared on a porn show when we met. I’ve only knew it after my trip. He was nice and clingy (just like what i would want) when we were in the bar. Performance wise he knows how to satisfy his top. We were all over the place when we did it. As for camboadian guy (the twinky with abs) he was also a total performer. Between the two , i like camboadian better. He just ok in the bar but the bed stories were totally different. How was your experience in moonlight hank? Please share your top pick . Lol

Last night(Friday) was the opening of the new “Manhatten 21” in Centro! Several of the guys who were there told me it was oof and they had 50 working guys show up! 16 suites all with showers. It has 5 floors with 3 floors occupied and the 4th and 5th for future expansion! It is open Monday thru Friday. I was told that centro is pretty empty on weekends so it was decided to be closed on Sat and Sundays since they are traditionally slow nights at the saunas! i will see it in person next friday.

Yeah...it was you that brought it up...how many trips to Brasil and you don't know this.....but it depends how good looking you are and if you post a pic on your profile if the the right phone will work for you....(sarcasm)

One can only imagine what the visa on arrival area is like during Golden Week...on 2nd thought, better to not think about it...

Going back to the OP about Starbucks not posting its menu in Thai and then as the posts grew in number, the question of what this might suggest to a Thai only speaker... I am of an age that I can recall dining in some of the grand restaurants in NYC (which were mainly French - Cote Basque, Pavilion, etc) and the menus were only in French...to ask for a translation was an invitation to be condescended to...

HOw strange. I usually find exactly the opposite! I expect it has something to do with times of departure and arrival. Normally I depart mid morning and the Priority Lane seems to have a lot of biz passengers. I mostly arrive in the evening. You have to fight your way through hundreds waiting for visas on arrival but Ive rarely had to queue for more than two minutes. I hope I never find myself behind a tour busload of over 70s!

Day 4: Feliz Natal, Merry Christmas It’s late December; can you feel the chill in the air? No? Why, you must be in Brazil for Christmas. It was hot as hades in Sao Paulo this Christmas Eve. We had an impromptu party the night before with Leo, Alex, and a bunch of their other friends in Alex’s flat, and it ended with me sleeping on the floor in the kitchen (long story). I woke up with a pillow resting my head and a blanket over me. I looked at my phone and read Alex’s message to me on Whatsapp: “I left for the airport to go see my parents for Christmas. I left a set of keys by the door. Help yourself to anything. Merry Christmas! It was almost 1 PM. I remembered that Leo was hosting Christmas Eve dinner at his place. It was the same for Leo, Christmas is for family, and he was supposed to go to his Grandmother’s house with his mom and siblings to spend Christmas there. But because I was here, he decided to host an “orphan Christmas”, just like the orphan Thanksgivings I used to go to in my 20s in the USA. He invited a few friends over to join us for the dinner. He will cook. I will just have to show up. After I extricate myself from the kitchen floor and manage to brew a cafezinho and cook some eggs and cheese over toast, I tell Leo that I was going to go to his place to help him with dinner. I received some photos from him of his haul from the Mercado earlier today: two whole chickens, some beef ground and steaks, a bunch of vegetables, farofa ingredients, etc. Leo is not kidding around. “Sou Master Chefe,” he tells me. I laugh. That show gets around. I take a shower and get ready to head over to Leo’s place. I had a flight to Salvador early tomorrow, so I decide to pack my shit as well, with the expectation of sleeping at Leo’s tonight, and leaving for the airport from there. As I haul my suitcase down to street level I get a Whatsapp from Carlos, the garoto next door from yesterday. He asked me if I was going to the sauna today and if he can see me again. I quickly sent him this graphic, from Sauna Lagoa’s Facebook: It took him a while to answer back. Then he said: “This is bad for me. I need money because I am going to see my family tomorrow.” I was in the Uber on the way to Leo’s at this point, and I thought about what to do for Carlos. It was Christmas, I was in a charitable mood. Everyone deserves a good Christmas. I asked him what he was doing tonight, for Christmas dinner. He said he had no plans. He wanted to work tonight and take a bus to his small town in Minas tomorrow and spend the day with his family. I told him maybe we can meet tonight, for dinner, and other things, but I had to clear it with my host first. I get to Leo’s place and he was in full-tilt Christmas dinner prep. A friend of his, a 23-year-old office worker from Rio, was there helping out. He was black, cute, and had the most amazing smile. He tried some canned English phrases with me but I told him I wanted to practice my Portuguese instead. I turned to Leo and asked him about Carlos and him possibly joining us for Christmas dinner. Leo had to think about it, probably wary of inviting a perfect stranger, and one who was a prostitute, to his house for a meal. He eventually said it was fine, the more the merrier. He made me promise that Carlos was not a psycho. I told him I was not sure because I only spent an hour plus hours with him. Leo asks for the guy’s Whatsapp and he talks to the guy for a few minutes. Leo signs off on the guest, and tells me to call an Uber for Carlos when he was ready. After figuring out logistics, I was going to call Carlos an Uber in an hour. Luckily he lived in north Sao Paulo as well so it wasn’t an expensive fare. He will also take his suitcase with him as he will leave for the bus station after the Christmas party. After that, I helped with cooking, which included merging two chickens together and stuffing both with farofa: An hour and a half later, I call Carlos an Uber. 30 minutes. Leo tidies up the house a bit, and his friend continues to make food. Carlos arrives, looking smashing in a tight sleeveless shirt and jeans. He brought two bottles of Salvagem Catuaba, a sort of sweet wine-like drink made from local native plants. Carlos asked me if I had Catuaba before. I shook my head. “It’s an aphrodisiac,” Leo interjects, “not that you need help in that area.” Leo winks. I laugh. Carlos blushes. This was gonna be an interesting night. Another one of Leo’s friends arrived an hour later. A girl in her mid-20s; who brought dessert. The feast was complete now. It’s just a matter of getting everything prepared. Everything smelled so good by the time everything was cooked. Carlos seemed to be pretty comfortable and easy-going with meeting everyone in the house. And Carlos’ better qualities stood out outside the sauna. All we do is objectify guys in the sauna. Getting to know these guys out of the hypersexual atmosphere of the sauna, and seeing how cool they really are makes them even more sexier. Leo was also having a blast teasing Carlos. When it came time to ask about Carlos’ sexuality, he said he was bi but was more hetero. “Does he have sex like a hetero?” Leo asks me. “He has sex like a man,” I answer diplomatically. Carlos appreciated the response and kisses me. At midnight, after all the noises of the fireworks outside, Leo and friend served dinner. Everything looked great, and we all partook at the table. The Catuaba was chilled and was the drink of the dinner. Carlos sat next to me, and made sure my plate was always full and I got the choice cuts of chicken. Do I look incompetent when I eat? Why do guys try and feed me every time I eat with them? This Christmas was pretty chill for sure. Yes, there was a language barrier with me having to ask them to repeat themselves whenever they speak too fast for me, but everyone was pretty cool about it. Yes, I was away from my friends and usual friends back home, but I am making new friends and memories. And of course, Carlos, the garoto next door now turned guest for Christmas, was a good sport. I don’t know if it was because he wanted a big tip, or if he’s just a genuinely nice guy (possibly both), but he was giving me the ultimate boyfriend experience tonight. Not that I needed any of this at a night with friends, but it definitely added to the experience. Lots of attention, held hands, and discreet kisses between bites. It was probably his default mode whenever he spends time with clients, or maybe he likes me. It doesn’t matter I guess. After dinner, more alcohol was plied and everyone was chatty and social. After some class photos we played the game “spin the bottle” but with a twist: If the bottle landed on me I had to choose someone to ask me a question, in Portuguese, and I had to answer in Portuguese as well. If the bottle landed on anyone else, I had to ask him or her a question, in English, and they had to answer in English as well. It was like Rosetta Stone’s version of Spin the Bottle. It was Leo’s idea, perhaps to help me with my Portuguese, and probably because all night everyone was asking me how to stay stuff in English. It was a fun game, and I held my own. My Portuguese was definitely much better than everyone else’s English proficiency. Surprisingly, it was Carlos who’s English was best among the others. Perhaps because he needed English proficiency as a Garoto de Programa (I’m just guessing) for gringo customers. One of the questions I asked him was what was his biggest dream in life, and he responded, correctly in English, that he wanted to start a restaurant with his mother. A very sweet answer. It was 3 AM by the time everyone decided to get some shut-eye. Leo readied his room for his two friends, while he gave Carlos and I his mom’s room on the second floor. I felt weird defiling his mom’s room like this but I guess Brazilians have less scruples about this than Americans. We both get some hugs, kisses, and some “Feliz Natals” from everyone as we retire to the second floor. We only had 3 hours to rest and “other things” before I had to make my flight to Salvador, so it was clear there was no sleeping tonight, with Carlos here. We both laid down Leo’s Mom’s bed and talked for a while, while cuddling. Of course, cuddling turns into kissing, and then caressing. Clothes slowly come off. Carlos’ silky white skin comes into full view. His tattoo-less body was a change from other GPs I’ve been with, which made the experience feel different. I didn’t notice it before. And because I was in an actual house in a bedroom, and not a sauna, it was as if I was home back in the USA. Carlos’ cock and ass though, was all Brazilian. Cock big, thick and uncut, ass plump, firm and delicious. He excelled as much in foreplay as yesterday. But without the strangeness of a room in a sauna, the foreplay somehow was better. When it was time to fuck he got on his back and his legs up in the air. I started thrusting but the bed was old and squeaky and made a noise with every move. We tried to move the bed off the wall so it was nice banging against the wall, but it was still making noise. “No chao?” I ask, pointing to the floor. Carlos takes two pillows and lays on the floor, one pillow under his head, another under his ass, creating an easier entry angle. The floor made no sound. We, however, did. After meticulously cleaning up our mess (fluids everywhere: lube and cum), we take a shower together. We had 30 minutes before I had to leave. We get ready to leave, and then head over downstairs to Leo’s bedroom and I go in. I wake Leo up to tell him we were leaving. I call an Uber for Guarulhos. The Uber comes, Leo lets us out of his house, hugs us both and bids us farewell. I will see Leo again in Rio 6 days from now, for the New Year “Reveillon” celebration. But now, I am Salvador bound. Carlos goes with me to Guarulhos, holding my hand the whole way. At Guarulhos I check in and then we both get a little “Café da Mahna” for the road. Carlos thanks me for the wonderful time and for inviting him for dinner. He said he would have just either taken the bus to Minas or spent Christmas dinner alone if it wasn’t for my invitation. “It worked out I think,” he says. “Everything happens for a reason. I was meant to meet you at the sauna yesterday. I would like to see you again after this. Maybe without friends next time.” I concurred with his assessment of things, though my Brazilian dance card is getting pretty full. I’ll find a way to make this happen. I always do. I give him 250 reals. 150 reals for the sex, and another 100 reals because it was Christmas. He pocketed the money without counting. I call him an Uber to the Tiete Bus Terminal, which was only a 20-minute car ride. He hugs and kisses me as a goodbye. “Merry Christmas!” he finally says, in perfect English, before getting into his Uber. This was probably the best Christmas gift I have given myself, ever. I felt really really good. Travel Tip: Airfares on December 24 can get expensive, but get way cheaper on December 25. It was a $100 difference for me going to Salvador from Sao Paulo. Boytoy Tip: When in Brazil for the holidays, it would be good to get a boy’s number when in the sauna, in case the sauna is closed for Christmas or New Year's Eve, if you want company on these days. Next: Salvador!

I’d definitely prioritise safety over fun in Lebanon. I can relate the experience of a good friend, a gay man, who was there on vacation 3 years ago. He’s savvy and he had visited 2x before, travelling with another male. On this last trip, he was travelling in a taxi a long distance to visit a particular site in the Bekaa Valley when the taxi was stopped at a roadblock. The roadblock was manned by Hamas and they decided to detain him and dismissed the taxi. He was held for about 4 hours and questioned as to his reasons for visiting. Luckily he was able to establish some rapport with one of the leaders (as they had both lived for some time in Madrid) and they decided to release him. The guards summoned a taxi to take him back to the city and told the driver not to charge him but to send the bill to Hamas.

My point above about ladyboys was a bit subtle and I am not picking on you Z. However, I never really understand why all gay men can't just accept the YUGE differences in our community. I don't want sex with ladyboys (most of the time) but they are part of the culture and I welcome them. I have seen on the forums too many comments that are negative about ladyboys, fem boys, gay boys, etc. What some like others do not, vice versa. Coming out in NYC for me was an odd place as things were so segregated. There were clubs that catered to just gay Latinos or butch lesbians or drag queens, etc. What I have always preferred is a place that is inclusive of all and accepts all. Ladyboys, fat ladyboys, gay boys, fem boys, manly guys, and not gay boys but gay for pay. All should be openly welcome IMHO. As far as the shape, most people do not like bigger guys or ladyboys. Yet, look at the crowd. It is a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, ages, etc. Each one has their own likes and preferences. Good bars should have something for everyone. But, I would never presume that my type is other people's desired type. If that were the case, Thailand gogo bars would be filled with only tattooed bad boys.

maybe they've remodeled , no center bar like that, is a dance floor.... But was a fun week, met some really nice/fun guys....was with one moneyboy (useless) and one massage guy, very nice and good $7usd for massage 14 with ending......took me a week to spend what I usually do in BKK in a day and a half,lol

Darn! missed you by a couple days again!! and again.....Sane thing happens in Merida! :-)

Started using Qatar about four years ago, also. My first New York-BKK biz fare was about $2,500. I had no complaints. Compared to the other Gulf hubs, I found Doha fairly easy to get around with spacious concourses and a comfortable lounge. Fares are now on a par with other major carriers and prices have about doubled. But it's not the in-flight service that I'm taking issue with. The problems I recently encountered can only get worse when Qatar eliminates the frequent flier phone contact center. When website access is the only option, you're forced into a cookie-cutter decision matrix. I much prefer to talk with a live rep to navigate the tricky process of attempting to check and confirm upgrades. You can no longer do that on Qatar. As you say, things have changed. About flight rules, if a partner airline sells you a ticket with its flight numbers on it (code sharing), it becomes the issuer of record. This process is distinct from simply transferring your miles to another network carrier and flying with that carrier's flight numbers.

Happy New Year Vinapu! I have tried to send you a personal message but I can't figure out this strange new site. I am hoping to be in Pattaya in May so perhaps paths will cross again. Best regards biguyby.

It’s always satisfying to get a guy who knows how to please you. Next visit im hoping to get a regular boy. It’s nice to have a friend/lover you can look forward every trip. Thanks for some info hank. I’m always pleased to get some inputs from other forum members who are very generous with their trip reports and advice

Agree... same time (sept 2018) , i visited screwboys 4 nights in a row hoping to see the guy i off from my trip in dec 2017. I remember he works before in a hotel, he lives with his mom in bkk and was 33 years old then but silly me i forgot his name and didnt ask for his line during our encounter. He was no longer there. We honestly didn’t made so much connection but i was smitten by him during our chats back in my room aplus he was a total performer in bed (lol). Intimacy, stamina and all. But a bkk trip is still a trip of a lifetime, so i move on . Find other guys who can deliver. Moonlight was a gem as there were alot of guys who did deliver.

The pics from the internet seem to be a different place, no? cover charge was like $15 usd...so most of the people were middle class and up....except for me

Is there a good selection of guys to choose from at Lagoa the Thursday -Saturday nights after Ash Wednesday?

Kkkkk ... I think many readers will see that as a typo for Ass Wednesday. Interesting question. I thought that following Shrove Tues and the commencement of Lent, Carnaval was 'never say die' ... I believe that one year I arrived early in Lent and there was more in terms of residual festivities still going strong compared to penitents in sackcloth.

Floridarob, It seems that a few posters on Trip Advisor had a good time there also. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294229-d3308315-Reviews-Apollo_Bar_Club-Jakarta_Java.html Some random pics from the net:

A few quick notes- I think I prefer Clube 11 based on its location.... Walking distance to Lapa and Pelourinho so when you finish, you still have options on things to do... My first time going I did not pay attention to the direction the uber driver took me, the 2nd time he went through Lapa and I figured out exactly where I was so I was able to walk back in the area once I was done at the sauna... The buses are also very easy to get use to get around the city as long as you know the locations posted on the buses and exactly the area you are staying in or trying to get to... If you just like spending money, uber is convenient and all over the place AND pretty cheap

What makes news here is often the norm in other places. Flying into Saudi Arabia it was often 3-8 hours of wait time. And, getting out could be the same. I missed 2 stampedes inside the airport immigration area by less than minutes both times. Thailand is stable and normally reliable with their immigration. I love coming in as I have always been welcomed with a smile and a welcome to Thailand message. Six hours would suck though.

So much to decipher for an Asian....the High speed option is LTE, free service is 256kbps, the high speed option is $50 usd a month, unlimited, unlimited 1) you work? 2) You're only going to Brazil now, so stop it. 3) Get over the size. damn Asian, do your homework! 4) Dual Sim..IPhone user, welcome to the future, I've had a dual sim Android for years 5) Damn generic Asian .. .just threw # 5 in for fun

in tawan i did not ask. in other clubs (jupiter) 2.000 bht, moonlight (2.000 - 3.000). moonlight has a really good quality. moonlight models want 5.000, but majority of them do not perform satisfactory - according to mamasan. regular boys at moonlight are much better choice. grindr 1.200 - 2.000 (but sometimes you do not get, what you see on picture)

Tee is back. My friend informed me last month that Tee is back at Moonlight.

Thanks vinapu. I feel relieved. Whether it’s short or long time , i always feel its best to take a guy i have connection with. Creating a moment with that boy even for a fee is something i want to take with me even after my trip.

nothing rude, call boy over( preferred for me) or ask mamasan to call him for you , buy him a drink , have small talk and then decide to off him or send him back with small tip 100-200 for his time. It happens all the time and boys are used to it, some even may collect more from those small tips on good night than short time tip. If you see there's no chemistry , cut your loses and send guy back, pity off doesn't make sense for either one. The same if you like boy but you sense that he is somewhat reluctant, doesn't engage you , looks at the stage , not at you , sits stiff etc. Sure sign he is not keen - chalk it off to experience and start looking for a next prey. As for ' get a feel" , in some bars you may take it literally and check the goods , in other it may be out of bounds so don't be too forthcoming until you get a feel of the place so to speak.

Excellent idea, if the garoto who calls you has any money. However, most calls I get from garotos who call from pay phones are collect calls and the garotos do not have any money. The type of service you described is a forwarded (virtual) number. However, the number making the call cannot call collect. Hence, we are back to which phone system works for each person. Oh, with regard to discussing phones on this Salvador site, I believe it was the OP who said he could not summon Uber because he had no wifi signal. It was his post that got the discussion going about various phone systems so that he could use Uber when he had no wifi signal. As was often said about Gerald Ford, he could not walk and chew gum at the same time. More than one issue can be discussed if is relates to material triggered by the OP. I think many learned a lot from the various phone systems discussed herein, subject being triggered by the OP. Peace

I had a chance to talk with neung during my visit last September. He’s one of the more pleasant mamasan i talked to. I had some bad experience with a mamasan their. He was very pushy and insisted that I should take the guy because he needs to be return after to get another customer. I’m a newer forum member so forgive me for asking this, is it rude not to take a guy immediately just because you are still uncertain if you want to off him or not? I was hoping to get the feel and see if we have connection before paying bar fee and taking the boy out.

The inability to check on availability of upgrades prior to purchasing a ticket is nuts! Qatar is a OneWorld airline. So I assume its miles can be spent on other carriers in the Alliance. n recent years all carriers and most hotel chains have been revamping their mileage/points schemes. Travellers now have to spend more to gain less. And if my experience is anything to go by it is becoming more and more difficult to use them. I decided three years ago to get rid of all miles and this year my hotel points. I don't travel long distance much now and upgrades are not much use to me for short /medium range flights. I search around for cheaper fares. If you book far enough ahead, its surprising what good deals can be had.

It’s funny that I was discussing about him the other day with a couple of friends. I really like his body, upper and lower body well balanced, I hate guys with bigger upper body but neglect the leg work. He also has natural looking toned body, a kind of supple muscles compared to over gym worked rigid muscles. He is actually very popular, each nights I visited Jupiter, he was almost always offed. A friend of mine also said every time he goes with Jupiter boy to a club, he finds #34 there too with customers.

I use the fast lanes the last couple of years that i quality by age. Never had to wait on arrivals, late morning or early afternoon, but there is a que at departure close to midnight, but not long wait.

Here’s a full face photo (publicly available on his Facebook). Compared to the stunning bar stars and other hunks, he does fade somewhat into the background, and also had some acne when I last saw him in January. But I was rather touched by his sweetness and lack of greed- seems to be typical of Burmese? He doesn’t seem to be very popular among Jupiter’s Asian and women customers and was very surprised to be offered a 500 tip, even tried to make me take it back.

nothing wrong with him and his face other than he is wearing a cap which i find unsexy

Enough about phone plans...Its not that big of a deal...Nobody ever can stick to a topic...Now I get why people stop posting on these forums... The topic is about Salvador...Not about phone plans....

Just a reminder that anyone 70 and over is entitled to use the Priority Pass Lanes. No need to have a biz or first class ticket.

I totally agree. I was just struck by the fact that, for me, the goi-go bars had 4 or 5 possible offs each night and I would walk up and down the Jomtien soi and find nothing for me. I didn't find any bars in Boys Town that did not have workers I found attractive. Sunee, also has nothing for me.

So, I gave up on Grab in Pattaya. Still, I never climbed a Bhat bus. Why? With all the reading I have done and the questions I asked I arrived with the idea that a taxi in Pattaya was a rare sighting. Not so. To be clear, I spent some 25 years traveling only to Bangkok and on retirement 8 years ago switched to Pattaya. However, I had a very narrow view of Pattaya as I would arrive at the Ambiance and never leave Boys Town. Staying in Jomtien raised an issue of getting back and forth. Actually, I never waited more than 2 minutes for a taxi to come by. Average fair about B200. Yes, I know it's a lot more than a B10 trip. I understand that but as in all things I don't live there I have limited time and this worked well. Boystown. I felt very sad. January 13, my first night in Pattaya and BoysTown was remarkably slow. I arrived at Toy Boys at my usual 8:30 - yes early. I always am and the bars always sat me down and I had a drink while the guys assembled. Very accommodating; they still are but the place was empty. "come back 10 PM, best time, no boys" I went over to Cupidol and they had a few. As promised more came by 9:30-10 PM and the selections were nice and I enjoyed myself. But, damn the soi is empty and sad looking. I will be monitoring this space for updates as this was not what I expected. Jomtien. The main soi of Jomtien Complex running down from Poseidon was busy. Lots of people. Gays in bars augmented by non-Gay sightseeing folks from the Agate. Sadly, Jomtien - despite the huge attraction of the Poseidon - is not my place. The bars are the opposite of Go-Go bars. In a Go-Go the guys are on stage facing the audience and the orientation is totally to appeal to those customers. Sure, we can argue about music, lighting, quality of shows, types of underwear, etc. The guys are facing me, oriented to my sight lines and, clearly, there for me. I was told that these Jopmtien bars are like the old Host Bars of Bangkok. No, not so. I spent years in Charmming, Adam, and Alladin. For some years I stayed in Saphan Kwai just to be near them. Host bars had a group of guys, fully dressed, sitting on one side oriented toward you, looking at you, smiling at you, etc. No shows, no underwear but the same face to face, "take me home" idea. Jomtien is a soi with open to the air bars facing each other. The chairs all face the soi and you sit with your back to the bar area. However, and this is huge for me: the guys are all in the soi between the chairs of facing bars trying to persuade people to come in. If you want someone it is up to you to get his attention and get him over. Frankly, I do not like this system in any way. Many people are there for a drink with friends, etc. I'm not. I'm shopping. I need the merchandise to be better displayed. Now for my controversial statement. Feel free to jump in but this is my 12-day sampling result: the guys in Boystown are far, far better looking than the guys in Jomtien. Perhaps there is a reason you work with your clothes on? But, how does that explain the faces? The pimples, the shaggy looks. OK, now yell at me. Frankly, never again. I will miss the Poseidon. Of course, it's not too far for dinner. Massage places. I have little to report other than a harsh opinion. The guys working at the Ambiance still look cute and last trip I worked my way through each and every one - some twice. Here's the harsh part. I saw not one single massage guy in Jomtien, and there were many, who I would have enjoyed. I found none of them attractive. I did not check out the places near Tukom so I can't say. Honestly, I hate to say this and don't understand it. Toy Boys, Cupidol, Dream boys, Ambiance massage all have handsome, often toned, guys working there. I saw very few guys in Jomtien who could get a job in the go-go bars. Just one man's humble opinion. My final note is the Tailor shop: Siam Next Fashion. Leave Poseidon, walk to the road and turn rightt. The place is maybe 40 feet down. I had a sports jacket made of linen and silk, fully lined, working cuff buttons, etc. as well as trousers with silk to the knee lining and two silk shirts for $227 dollars. Beautifully done.

After a fun evening with Mr. Scewboy, truly a doll and finely made. Next morning I feast ( facetiously ) on the smallish breakfast at Tarntawan; Making a mental note that there is a large hotel across the street where I could buy a better breakfast. Perhaps next trip, the omelet is not that bad. This day is dedicated to the newish Ganymede spa recommended by the estimable Divine Madman. To get there I use my new T-mobile phone and data plan ( recommended to me by this board ) and make my first use of Grab, recommended by Paulsf. Where would I be without everyone's help? Grab works fantastically well. Not only is it easy to use, charges to your credit card removing the need for the driver to have changed and it provides the driver with a google maps set of directions. Behind me are the days when I would ask for the "Grand Palace" and be taken to the Royal Palace. Being forced to tell the driver that I was "alas, not dining with the King" will no longer be a source of embarrassment. Ganymede is located on a soi before a resort and is gated. The driver followed along carefully and found it. I believe this would not have been as seamless without the app. I have no Thai and invite you to imagine communicating this to the average taxi driver. The spa is new, well appointed and very inviting. The "massage therapist" I selected from their Line account timeline is named Kevin. Actually, I made the appointment before leaving the US and was delighted when it all worked out. He's Vietnamese and gorgeous. We had so much fun I booked him to come to me at the hotel the next day. No problem, he showed up the next day 15 minutes early and was a delight, we lunched together. I humbly thank Divinemadman for his excellent blog. Lunch was at Madrid Tavern, everyone likes pizza, even the Vietnamese. Frankly, I wondered how good this would be. When I say pizza I'm thinking of the New York ( New Jersey ) style and this Madrid's is not. It is, however, a very good thin sliced Neopolitan type. I appreciated the ability to order a small which is perfect for one. Until I leave for Pattaya you can assume dinner, drinks and teasing chatter with Jack at Maxi's every night. Now, off to Moonlight. Ah! The legendary Moonlight. I remember it when it was the brand new Jupiter 2000 named to welcome the millennium. I also remember when that area housed a room I shared for a week with a lovely lad from Issan, one of Barbiery's best. Frankly, I enjoyed it better when it was my room. No, that's not fair. It's a nice place just too much hype for me. I've never been a Vegas guy. The "models" are just not my type. I recognize their good looks and obvious attraction to others; however, the "floor models" are more my speed. Still, I return to Scewboy for the evening and choose a doll from Chiang Mai. Who makes a fine end to a very nice day. In summary, I was only three nights in Bangkok which I regret as I enjoyed it and ( sigh ) still miss the delightful Jack. But, I supposed you guessed that. The crowds were not large for high season, Maxi's is good. Madrid is good and the Tarntawan is perfectly fine and the endless speculation seems unjustified. Tomorrow I'm off to Pattaya and my first visit to Jomtien.

Ah, Jack at Maxi’s. I remember him very well. He was brand new to Maxi’s when I first had him be my waiter in Mid-November. Pat and the other waiters were very protective of their newbie co-worker.

Mahershala Ali is my biggest man crush! Never watched True Detective before but will do for him alone!

The ‘gayborhood’ in San Juan is on the other side of the highway from the traditional tourist areas of Condado and Ocean Park. Its an easy 10-15 minute walk from most hotels to the three main clusters of bars, discos and bathhouse located in the Santurce Arts & Culture District. Gay Bars in San Juan’s Condado Tourist Area: Although Condado used to be the center of all gay nightlife, over-gentrification has left the traditional tourist strip with only one remaining gay bar. But don’t worry – its a short walk under the highway to the Santurce Arts District where all the action continues just a 10 minute walk from Condado hotels. #11. Oasis (formerly Splash) – 6 Ave Condado across from the Marriott, next to Sandy Beach Hotel. Monday night is very popular with lots of strippers, low lights and much too much artificial smoke/fog/yuck… Look for Walgreens and CVS and walk toward the beach. Open afternoons til night. Neighborhood bar and tapas restaurant just a few steps to the beach. Atlantic Beach Hotel/Oceano Restaurant Beach – Also check out the beach in front of Atlantic Beach Hotel and Oceano Restaurantwhich is still very gay most days. Two blocks from Oasis (formerly Splash) if walking on the beach. Look for Calle Vendig if arriving via Ashford Avenue. The Atlantic Beach Hotel is listed in many gay guides – but call them and ask if you will be allowed to bring a friend up to your room – in the past, travelers have reported a strict ‘no visitors’ policy. Street Cruising – Lots of gay guys and gals live in Condado – so cruise along Ashford Avenue any time of day or night! Gay Bars and Clubs in Santurce Arts District: If you are at any of the Condado hotels – you can get to the Santurce Arts District by just crossing over or under the highway. There are three clusters of gay bars in the Santurce Arts District: Stop 18 at R.H. Todd Ave & Ponce de Leon Ave near the Metro Theater and Museum of Contemporary Art. Stop 22 is further down Ponce de Leon Ave at the intersection of De Diego Ave near the Fine Arts Center & Puerto Rico Museum of Art. Stop 24 is another 7-10 minute walk near the the intersection of Ponce de Leon and Calle Bolivar or Calle San Jorge. You can easily walk between each of the areas in about 10 minutes or grab a taxi. Note: ‘Stops’ or ‘Paradas’ are how locals estimate location along Ponce de Leon Avenue in the Arts District. This is a remnant from the old trolley system which hasn’t run since the 1940’s. There are no signs with the numbers (even at the bus stops) but all locals and taxi drivers will understand the general location from the ‘stop’ or ‘parada’ number. Santurce: Stop 18 Gay Bars – across the highway from Condado near Metro Theater & Museum of Contemporary Art. These are on Calle Condado (mislabeled Avenida Condado on the street sign) which is one block to the right if you are facing the Museum of Contemporary Art. The street has abandoned buildings and looks very seedy – but is generally safe. If someone approaches you just say ‘No Thanks’ and move on, just like you would in NYC. There are also a few straight bars on the block, so be careful and don’t assume everyone is gay – use your ‘gaydar’ and be respectful. If taking a taxi – just tell them ‘Stop 18’ and then go one block to the bars. #6. SX – 1204 Ave Ponce de Leon – Late night strippers and dance every night. Find the stainless steel door (usually with a doorman) and then go downstairs. There is a straight bar just next door at street level, so don’t get confused. Hot bartenders, strippers, loud music, dance floor in the front. Go upstairs at the back and then downstairs to find the darker, less noisy ‘hang-out’ area. #7. VIP – 613 Calle Condado – Very popular with the young Reggaetón and hip-hop crowd. Starts late and stays open after the other bars have closed. Same building as Scandalo but closer to Ponce de Leon. #8. Scandalo – 613 Calle Condado – late night strippers and more. #9. El Chinchorro de ‘W’ – Calle Condado on the block before Circo. New gay bar and snacks with great Happy Hour prices. Very popular late night! #10. Circo – 650 Calle Condado – Multi-level video bar and disco. Mansion Lounge – this is a straight bar in the middle of all the gay action on Calle Condado.KRASH Disco – 1257 Ave Ponce de Leon (next to Metro Cinema). Closed permanently for several years, but is still in many guides – so we’ve listed it for reference only Santurce: Stop 22 Gay Bars: Across the highway between the Fine Arts Center & Puerto Rico Museum of Art. If taking a taxi, tell them Ponce de Leon & Ave. De Diego – Santurce. #4. Tia Maria Bar & Liquor Store – 326 Ave De Diego – Neighborhood Gay Bar. Open from afternoon til midnight or 1am on weekdays, later weekends. Make sure you go on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday nights for gay Karaoke from about 9pm until ??? #5. The Palace – 1501 Ave Ponce de Leon (2rd Floor) – 2nd floor disco and rooftop bar/terrace. Just around the corner from Tia Maria. Update April 2, 2016: They have now put up a new sign saying ‘Coming Soon’ and the entrance around the corner has a notice ‘Coming Soon’ as Papi’s Club… so not sure what will emerge… I’ll update as soon as I get info… Santurce: Stop 24 Gay Bars: This is the intersection of Ponce de Leon and Calle Bolivar. If you arrive from Ocean Park via Calle San Jorge, go past the San Jorge Children’s Hospital and up the hill to San Mateo Church. Then only one short block downhill to Ponce de Leon. If walking along Ponce de Leon from Tia Maria and The Palace, you go past the Ciudadela Condo Complex, First Bank, Arrivi Theater, Cobian’s Plaza (turn right for Temptation) and some vacant buildings until Abracadabraand Hotel San Jorge (for Zal Si Puedes). If taking a taxi, tell the driver ‘Stop 24’ at Leonardo’s or Cobian’s Plaza & walk one block. Bartender Angel at Temptation! #1. Temptation – 608 Calle Bolivar – Just one block from Cobian’s Plaza (3 blocks from Tia Maria and The Palace). Club is open from 9pm every night with Happy Hour Specials (see below for details). No cover charge. Everyone is welcome! Weekly Drag show at 2am on Saturday night! Temptation is easy to get to from all major hotel areas by taxi, driving (plenty of free street parking in the area) or even by walking from Condado/Ocean Park or a short walk from the other bar areas. www.temptationpr.com Happy Hours EVERY NIGHT at Temptation! #2. Zal Si Puedes – 1700 Ave Ponce de Leon. Small, friendly club catering to the 40+ crowd. Open Wednesday – Sunday nights from about 10pm til about 2am. Drag shows are mostly Thurs – Sat nights about 11:45pm but a diva may show up at any moment. Friendly and Fun! Located at Hotel San Jorge. The bar has seating for about 15 people – but often has up to 50 crowded in for shows plus spill-over on the street. You’ll see all the classic Latina Divas – like La Lupe, Yolandita, Paloma San Basilico, plus Barbara Streisand and Donna Summers thrown in if you’re lucky! #3. Xteamworks – 1752 Ave Fernandez Juncos. Bathhouse on second floor open from 6pm til about 2am Sunday – Thursday and until 6am on Friday and Saturday nights. A little hard to find, so check out their website for map. It’s next to a gas station with 24 hour mini-mart and upstairs from a sign store. Look for the doorbell next to the steel mesh gate on the right side of the ground floor entry. Very discrete from the street – very hot once you get there! Too far to walk home, so make sure that they help you call a taxi back to your hotel – or head back to Zal Si Puedes (two blocks away) or Temptations (four blocks away) and continue the fun! -------------------------------------------------------- From a recent gay guide on san juan. Pretty exciting ...

Kika is a Mediterranean restaurant on Soi Convent. Map There was a good amount of buzz in the Bangkok foodie world before they opened, which turned out to be pretty well-deserved. They open early at 10:00 for breakfast/brunch and go late - 1:00 am (although I wonder if occasionally they close earlier if no one is around?). I think the food is quite good. Not as expensive as some places. More expensive than the street food joints nearby. Portions are large. French fries are excellent. If you have your heart set on one of the specials, get there earlier rather than later, because I believe they do run out. Now that Vesper has gone all-cocktails, it's a nice convenient neighborhood spot to grab a bite when one of the Silom Complex spots or Hooters just won't do. Best of all it's very gay/gay-friendly. Last week I took a friend from one of the bars to dinner there for his birthday. The only looks we got were longing lusftul/jealous looks from some of the other patrons and the usual smiles from the cute male and female staff. It's not gay all-male as in Balcony or Telephone Bar, but it's very comfortable and fun. The regular customer crowd is very mixed, and, no surprise, mostly expats.. Special shoutout to "La Vida Kika", the Sunday "Tea Dance" party every Sunday afternoon/evening. It's a boisterous fun gay/mixed party crowd that spills out onto the sidewalk. Is High Tea on Fire Island? No. But it might be a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with friends or to meet people, and kudos to Kika for having it. Kika Website La Vida Kika. Kika Facebook Pet peeve: The menu is only in English, so you will have to translate for local companions.

We are all for big change tonight. Tomorrow morning each of us will be 1 year older Happy and sexy New Year 2019 for everybody !!!

I generally don't like changes, and this is one of the changes I don't like. But I'm here and will continue.

yes , even more boys/men and temples