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ggobkk

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Everything posted by ggobkk

  1. When I stayed at Tarntawan in early May, I noticed the International NY Times is no longer provided. Since I get the paper on line, I neglected to ask why. For English language readers, there was the Bangkok Post.
  2. Mac was my guide in early May. Before I arrived we had worked out a plan of sights to see, then the heat wave hit. Mac was inventive in finding cooler alternatives and providing lots of details about sights. He was very attentive to his customers.
  3. Tip preference - give it to the housekeeper directly. If not possible, then leave the tip in the open, on a desk or on a pillow. As to cleaning, I go out and find my room cleaned when I return. On arrival I ask the desk to let housekeeping know that I'd like a double order of towels and they appear shortly after being requested. This is true wherever I travel, in Bangkok, I base myself at the Tarntawan.
  4. Just back from a short visit to Bangkok. I contacted Ya -who was going to be guiding outside of the city. He arranged for Mac to be my guide. Mac was eager to be helpful and made some good suggestions - such as a trip to the floating market. The weather was hot (very hot) and he devised as least three inexpensive ways to be on the river.
  5. It's on Surawong. I get my N/S/E/W confused. So if you're facing the Tarntawan Place Hotel - it's to the right about three blocks, just before the stop light.
  6. This is my first ever forum report. Sorry for its length. It covers my third visit to Bangkok in the past year and a half. I’d intended for a longer visit and to include Pattaya, but my time frame got constrained on both ends so I cold only get six full days in Bangkok. May 5th - After a 12 hour flight to Tokyo on United, a four hour layover, and then 6 more hours on ANA, I arrived at BKK close to midnight. ANA enforces a relentless class system and frustratingly holds back us plebeians until the business class passengers have strolled off the plane. Based on my last visit’s experience where the immigration wait was close to an hour, I was pleasantly surprised to find there was no back up and once cleared, the wait was for my luggage as the clock turned the 5th into the 6th. May 6th - It took about 30 mins to get to the Tarntawan where I was welcomed back by the staff and by my friend, T, waiting for me. I met T last year. He is Vietnamese and employed at Hot Male. We first met, I was coming off a mediocre short time experience with a Dream Boys dancer and a “these guys are way too muscular for me” run at Tawan. I had decided to return to Soi Twilight and started exploring at Hot Male. Usual pushy mamasan gave me a good seat, guys looked good, one (T) smiled and the more I watched the more I liked what I saw. I smiled back, nodded, he came over, and the usual dialogue took place and we left together for what turned out to be a two-day long time. So when I mentioned I was returning, he offered to meet me. I said I wanted to be a butterfly, but also wanted to see him. The day I arrived was the day he was coming back from his regular visa run, so there was no off fee. It was an excellent welcome back, T made me very comfortable, showered me down, and gave me a full menu of sensual greetings. In the morning, I had breakfast at the hotel, woke T up, offered him breakfast, instead had a “cuddle” and told him I’d meet him at Hot Male that night. I went off on a tour of the neighborhood, was hit by the heat. I’d left the San Francisco Bay area temperatures of 17C to walk out of the hotel to 32C. I checked out the Raya Hotel and see its future possibilities, I had lunch at S&P, then went to Prime for a massage. Excellent massage very professional, maybe too professional as there were no extras. Still hot (as it remained for my entire trip) so I added on a foot massage at Prime. Foot masseur was tall with cheekbones that could cut glass, and great arms. Great hour well spent. Back to hotel to sleep off some jet lag, met a friend for dinner at Dick’s, then to HotMale to meet up with T. New mamasan – this one in a suit. Once I sat down T joined me, I checked out the guys on stage and in rotation, to my inexperienced eye, it seemed that HotMale had upgraded its line up, mixing in differing body types, some twinks, some muscle, some healthy guys who take care of their bodies without going overboard (my preference). During the early show, hard cock visible from the second number on. Choreography better than last year (if memory serves), show is tighter and moves quickly. T with the help of Google translate described the attributes and willingness of the dancers I was interested in…anyway after more hand gestures, typed translations, etc, I worked out a plan to base myself at HotMale (happy mamasan) and off different guys and have some duos with T and that night’s guest artist. Which this night was #9, Jack, who is a hugger and let my hands roam freely at the club and more freely at the hotel. (Drinks 400, off fee 500 x 2) Jack didn’t rush and we became mutual explorers of one another. It was a pretty detailed exploration with some very high highs and freedom of entry involved. Note (personal), while I think of myself as fit, I am of an age (72) that stamina lasts only so long, and as I need to explain to each first time “guest” while my appendage is still good at saluting, the good doctors at my HMO in their vigilance to prevent prostate cancer, have pretty much reduced my prostate product from flowing to dribbling. After about 30 minutes, T joined in (I’d asked to him to wait in the other room) and there was some more holding, hugging, and stimulation. The 3 of us, then had some drinks from the minibar and google translations. Jack left after about 4 hours, I gave him 2,000 baht. T remained – as he would for the rest of my visit. After a joint shower, we went to bed. May 7 – up early (too early), I’d arranged for a tour from SiamRoads, guide Mac, who arrived at 9. We (Mac, T, and I) went to the Royal Palace where it was a mob scene of umbrella wielding Chinese tour groups elbowing and shoving to get through the security check point. It was 31C which made a bad experience miserable. Many years back, I toured the Palace and found it exhilarating, this trip it was crowded and I had to shield my eyes from umbrellas and dart under raised selfie-sticks. After two hours, we left (note: there it was a five-minute slow shuffle to exit the Palace as there was wave after wave of tour groups entering. Mac found us a cab and we went to River Walk to have a cold drink in the air conditioned coffee shop and discussed what I should see while in town. We then cut through the buildings and took the Sheraton’s free river shuttle to Taksin, said goodbye to Mac (until tomorrow) and took the sky train to Siam Paragon. From walking around Siam Paragon, one would think the Thai economy was booming. Maybe it was tourists, but it seemed tourists and locals were in balance as to numbers, couldn’t tell who was spending and who were only “malling” for the air conditioning. Bought T two shirts at UniQlo. Sky train to Sala Daeng, back to hotel, joint shower, I took a jet lag catch up nap, T watched movies on YouTube on my iPad. Awake, dinner was street food, chicken, soup, and rice (40 baht), then to Hot Male where we met up with Peter (#30) paid the fees, and went to catch the show at Dream Boys (drinks 450, told off fee was 500). Show not much different than when I was there last September. Room crowded, Peter told me that many were speaking Vietnamese, I heard quite a bit of Mandarin, only about 10% were round-eyes like myself. At one point, I counted 40+ boys on stage. Guessing there were another dozen upstairs getting into costume, that’s a lot of flesh on parade. (Found out later that Boys Bangkok was closed for the slow season and the boys were incorporated into Dream Boys show). Rotation seemed somewhat haphazard. We sat along the wall opposite the entry, good vantage for the stage and the off stage changing area. Several groups of women scattered about, one women sitting alone, gave many hundreds of bhat in tips to the cross dressers. Given the numbers on stage, I could only see one of the boys sitting with any of the audience and he was captured by one of the women groups. Left before midnight. Went to hotel, same routine as previous night, Peter and I, then T joined us. Peter left with my appreciation and 2000 baht). May 8 – Mac came to hotel, taxi to Bang Ramat and the floating market and lotus lake. It’s amazing to me that a 20 minute, 15 mile, taxi ride costs about $6. In San Francisco I’d need a bank loan. Strolled though the open markets and food hall, rented a boat for two hours for 500 baht and enjoyed the coolness coming from the water as the boatman motored us through the canals. Took a break (doesn’t every tour have a break at a rest stop?). Spent the 20 minutes feeding a couple of loaves of bread to the the waiting fish. Went back to the starting point, toured more of the shop stalls on the opposite bank of the river, then a taxi to MBK. Had lunch at Yayoi’’s Japanese restaurant, then went bowling. Very amusing, I’m mediocre, T tends to want to throw the bowling ball as if it’s a baseball, and Mac had never seen a bowling alley. Three rounds of games,. Scores all below 90. Good time had by all. Back to hotel, said goodbye to everyone, told T I’d meet up with him in the evening, and agreed to a river tour for the next day with Mac. Went to the room, got out my map and used it to find The Prince Spa. It was hot and, fool that I am, decided walking would be good for me. Maybe it was, but the heat and the somewhat inaccurate map made for a grumpy journey. Arriving at The Prince, I went up a stairway which went nowhere, coming back down a really attractive well proportioned young man who was clearly arriving to work showed me where the entrance was. I was hot, very sticky, and somewhat out of sorts, when I entered the comfortable lobby with its glass wall. It was early in the day and there were maybe 20 guys of all types making themselves noticed. Really a beautiful/handsome group to look at and select from. The manager after having one of the shirtless boys bring me cold water, went over the cost structure, didn’t get into any details about the guys. On another day, with less aggravation about getting to the spa, I might have been more specific about what I wanted…but, actually, I wasn’t sure, other than I wanted to relax. I’d had a full on full service wake up session with T in the morning and given my plumbing, that meant that was pretty much it. So, given the variety of choice, I went with Vinapu’s recommendation and chose a a smiling wiry masseur who made in effort to get my attention. He is from Myanmar and told me he had been working in Bangkok for 5 years.. I decided to splurge and took a tw- hour cream and oil massage in the Jacuzzi room. I justified this by convincing myself I was worth it (not much convincing needed) and because the spa takes credit cards. When I went to pay, the credit card machine wasn’t working…so back to cash. I noted on the pay sheet that the masseur’s name was Poe, he said his name was Bo, but as he couldn’t get my name’s syllables right, who knows what he is actually called. His picture isn’t on the website so I’m sorry my identification of him is sketchy. OK to the details, many have posted some disappointment with The Prince, I went because I wanted to see and experience a luxury massage parlor. Well, it was fantastic. Poe (I’ll go with that as his name) took me to the room, slowly undressed me, than himself where I cold see he was well endowed and that his wiry body was well muscled. He took me to the shower and washed me down, then to the cream massage, he was hard in a few minutes and didn’t fend off my touches. I was well into into the knowing strokes, when it was time to wash off in the Jacuzzi. Poe made this a sensual experience and provided by with my first ever underwater bj. Rinsed off, we returned for the oil portion and Poe made this extraordinary (for me), over all good strokes, full body to body contact, his fingers into private places, and as he absorbed the oil from my back and chest he glistened as if in a scene in a fantasy dream. He went at it and I joined in, he got me to a very pleasurable and totally unexpected climax (see comment above). He then joined in with his climax and we held on to each other for several minutes. Then it was back to the Jacuzzi which he transformed with colored lighting and a waterfall (very talented that Jacuzzi). Poe continued with the sensual touching and caressing and deep kissing. Then it was time to dry me off, lay me back, down, more drying, some more cuddling and kissing…and well, time was up. Poe dressed me as slowly as he had undressed me earlier and guided me back to the the main lobby. There were now only about 8 boys behind the glass and five customers (some were waiting for their choice(s) to bring the massage oils). Poe bought me a cold drink and I gave him a tip (3000 baht, worth every baht). He disappeared and after a few minutes of observing the other customers and remaining boys and mulling over what had been an incredibly sensual, erotic, and massaging experience, I departed. Leaving, I saw that the parking lot was now full, and in addition to the cars, there were six expensive motorcycles parked in front of the spa. Business is good. Walked back to the hotel, didn’t notice the heat, got in touch with T who met me and we went to Jim Thompson’s for dinner with an old friend of mine, younger than me but a friend of long standing. T and I went back to the hotel, I (google translated) filled him in on The Prince and how good it had been. We just cuddled through the night. May 9th Slept in. Breakfast at the hotel, Mac came by around noon and we went to River Walk and caught a river board that took us to an island near Nonthanburi. The boat trip was about an hour and very relaxing. Did some touring around and then a taxi back to the the hotel. T and I went to MBK as I wanted some light cotton lounge pants (150 baht a pair), we wandered around in the air conditioning, and then back to the hotel as T had planned an in room event, I guess inspired by my talk about Prince. In short order, he began to shave off my chest hair, and then provide his version of a bath tub massage and then after a shower and wiping up lots of water from the floor, we adjourned to the bedroom. Street food that night on the way to Hot Male to pay T’s off fee. I assume the word was out that T’s friend/patron/easy mark/etc was a “good heart” as I received a big greeting from the mamasan, and was quickly visited by Jack, Peter, and several others. On my previous visit, when meeting up with Peter, I’d observed one young looking, new dancer (#18) being offed by two guys. He had bowed to me as he left wearing a ball cap that made him look like an Asian Justin Bieber. Now, I nodded to him when he was on stage and he made it over, moving Jack aside. He was/is younger in appearance than his ID showed. He looks 19, ID says he’s 26. Hands all over me and welcoming my hands, quick to kiss in the club. Name is Boy or maybe it’s Nam or maybe it’s Tuan (which is what’s on the ID). Arrange with T to come to the hotel in an hour. Pay his fee, ask Boy for a short time and pay his fee. Back to the hotel, arrange with the security guard for T to come up when he arrived. Went to room where Boy was an energetic (almost too energetic) guest. Found that I could slow him down a bit as he is ticklish and that made for a fun fairly unsophisticated forty minutes of bedroom give and take. T arrived and we had some beers, Bo left with 2000 baht. Spent internet time catching up on things at home and too many emails while T watched another movie. Went to bed and found him attached to me when I woke. May 10th – had arranged with Mac for a split day. We visited several wats and climbed to the top of Golden Mountain. Did a taxi tour of Chinatown and the Flower Market. Light lunch at S& P. Mac departed. I went back to the hotel, contacted T and asked him to meet around 6. Mac, T, and I went to Fuji (Silom Center) was a nice dinner, then took the Sky train to Taksin, and a river shuttle to a high rise complex (I lost my notes and can’t remember the name and the credit card charge hasn’t posted yet) where there was a restaurant with a sky bar. The river cruise was about fifteen minutes with a breeze and a view of the lights. The sky bar had only a few customers but a glorious view over the river. Had some drinks and enjoyed the view. T was entranced by it – based on his comments, I’m not sure he had ever been that high up on a building before. I must admit the view was incredible and the drinks were way less expensive that at Hot Male or Dream Boys. Back to the hotel, goodbye to Mac, T gives me a rubdown, a shower, and some extras, I go to sleep and he watches more movies. I wake very early and un-cuddle from T. I was leaving very early next morning and wanted to be on line with ANA to secure a front of the plane of economy seat. I’d been assigned one in the next to last row of a 777 and with only a two-hour layover in Tokyo on the way home. ANA’s rules allow changes beginning 24 hours prior to departure. So at 6:50 am, I’m logging on and secure a seat on the aisle in row 12. Now wide awake, I catch up on politics at home (still scary) arrange some meetings, and agree to fly to New York on the 17th to help some friends prepare to move from NYC to Washington. Lots of plane time in a two-week period). Get back in bed with T cuddle with extras and we both get up around noon and have breakfast. Go to MBK to get another pair of 150 baht Thai pants. Peter calls, he’s a cook in his other job, and offers to cook and bring over lunch around two. Tell him T’s with me, that’s fine all around and at 2 he’s at the hotel with a delicious duck lunch. Lots of shop talk between T and Peter. A couple of beers are drunk. Before it’s all over, the three of us are in bed, with me in the middle of the sandwich. Not sure, but suspect that T and Peter had planned this. Whatever, it was my only three way of the visit and quite a lot of fun as each of them knew different things I liked and I was open to letting them have their way with my aging body which they proceeded to work over. Afterwards, as we proceeded to shower and use more water and towels, Mac called and asked it it would be ok if he came by to say goodbye. What the hell, why not…we agree on 7. Peter needs to go and return the plates and containers and go to the club to work. We talk until he has to depart, which is when Mac arrives. T and I met him in the lobby. We have a drink and go to Dick’s for dinner. Special roast lamb dinner with potatoes, etc. It’s 32C and I’m having an English winter meal! Say goodbye to Mac, again. T and I return to the hotel. I am fond of him and appreciate he tells me he will miss me. Suspect he may mean it. I don’t know when I will be back but promise to make sure he knows when I decide. I have to get up at 2:30 to confront my travel day, so we adjourn (after I pack) to the bedroom when I am tightly enfolded with T. 2:30 comes with my iPad alarm abusing my ears. T insists on showering with me (one last change to look at his great body) and then dressing me item by item. He double checks the room for what I neglected to pack (my sun hat and some socks are found). While he is doing this, I put some bhat in his back pack. He hasn’t discussed fees or gifts this whole time and never did – I base my “gift” on six nights of long time offs and 10% for not asking. Down to check out desk, pay the final charges, good bye to the security guard who has gotten to know T and the others, semi-tearful goodbye from T, car to the airport, waving goodbye as I drive away. Airport, 5 hours to Tokyo (with an empty seat next to me), two hours in Narita, 9.5 hours on United to San Francisco, two empty seats next to me +++++, clear immigration in ten minutes, 20-minute wait for my luggage, BART train arrives in ten minutes, and an hour later (some 24 hours after getting up) I’m home. It was a good trip, I’d wanted to do many more things, visit Senso, Hero, return to Arena, but there is (hopefully) a next time. This was an incredible visit, shout out to Vipanu as suggesting a method of choosing a masseur from a posse of them. It made for two of the most incredibly sensual hours of my recent years. And to T for his caring and for his recommendations on other “guests”. That’s my report.
  7. I started this topic a week or so before I was going to Bangkok. I returned home this morning. I brought some cash but mainly used the TMB ATM near the Tarntawan. I took out 20,000 thb so the bank charge of 200 thb was equal to 1%. As my credit union doesn't add any other transaction fees that was what I paid. I checked this by looking at what was taken from my account at home. I did a $100 test at an exchange near to Soi Twilight. TMB was marginally better...if I was paying a bank card rate + TMB charge, then the exchange would have been much better.
  8. Thanks...your posts are very helpful. I will bring some cash. I will AVOID the airport ATMs - correcting past habit. My credit union waives overseas costs on withdrawals, I will make sure to use THB option not home currency - correcting another past mistake.
  9. I'll be venturing to Bangkok next week. This will be a short visit of 6 days, weather predictions indicate it is supposed to be hot. My hope is that some of my interpersonal interactions will also be hot. I've made copious notes from board postings/suggestions/ etc and will try to write a report on the visit. I've booked a series of day tours with Moses' recommendation: Siamroads. It's been fairly seamless in making the booking and planning the touring with good give and take from Ya. I booked tours as my visit last fall was circumscribed by Sol Twilight and environs and shopping centers I could get to by public transit. The last time I did any touring was in 1972 when I did a post college trip which took me to the major sights and kept me away from where I was last fall. I suspect some of the major sights are different or that I'd now remember them. I made my second trip 20 years later. On a night off from friends, I walked from my hotel on the river toward Sol Twilight and stopped at the first sight of boys congregating and...well things went from there. I think it was a place on Soi Than Tawan. I remember at least a dozen boys on a stage, not sure there was a show. No recollection of the name but it did have a 2nd floor with rooms. I was totally out of my depth but was able to swim through the night. No further visits until one early last spring followed by another in the fall. Didn't think to make notes but had a mix of experiences (Sol Twilight, Tawan, massage places, and one attentive bar boy who I will see at least once this visit). Will try to be more organized as to reporting. Now for my question. I followed with interests, the board postings on recommendations for currency exchanges. My credit union does not charge me for any currency exchange costs when I use its atm card so I use that and don't carry much cash when I leave the Bay Area. I will again be staying at Tarntawan. Last visit, when cash was needed I went to the closest ATM. I am suspecting that some bank atms are better than others. Suggestions, recommendations, etc are appreciated.
  10. Private schools, classical languages, semi-cooler than saying one likes adolescents and gets thrill by it also being dangerous.
  11. My first trip to Thailand, two generations ago, I was quickly sent to the toilet by something I ate. The next visit, a generation later, I survived until the last day when I took a river cruise and had some food from the food table. In the past two years, things have been better. The link is to an article from the NY Times that I've found helpful in traveling and dealing with local food. It's by Jane Brody http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/staying-healthy-while-traveling-the-globe/?ref=topics&_r=0
  12. Anddy, the Tarntawan buffet is still a morning ritual.
  13. His FB page has notes from friends indicting it was a brain abscess and that he had been in the hospital for a short time. Sorry to hear of his passing. He had been scheduled to be my guide in May. Ya contacted me with the news this morning.
  14. Thanks for your reports, the detail, and the remarkable efficiency in using your time.
  15. The chart is a true gift. Thanks
  16. Just a quick note, I've been to Bangkok and Thailand a number of time, going back too many years to think about, so I won't. I'll be returning in May for a week's visit. Decided it was time to see more than just a neighborhood or two, so after reading this thread on the board, I contacted siamroads.com. First email went awry, second got me a quick response from Ya. He set up a chat on Messenger and quickly he and I were on the same wavelength. Totally, reorganized my planning for the better. Ya will not be in Thailand during my visit, but arranged for Guss to be my guide. I'm posting this because the level of service, attention to detail, and Ya's ability to sense what I was interested in from the chat text and make suggestions was superb. I'll update this after my visit.
  17. In casting about for some hotel information (that's another post), one of the hotel managers included the following comment in his emailed reply There are two major holidays clashing with your planned visit to Bangkok. Japan is celebrating a "Golden Week" after the May holiday (until 08 May 2016) and China is celebrating May Day holiday as well. We are expecting high occupancy until at least the 8th May as we have joined some overseas promotions for those holidays. I'll make a wild guess, that prices and crowds will be up...
  18. Vianpu - thanks, I checked that out online, location good, but wasn't impressed with the pictures of the rooms. I may do what you do - try different hotels.
  19. Thanks Divine Madman i it was an old bulletin board that I first saw it mentioned, I've walked by it, and a new friend who's a BKK guide suggested it as a change. I suspect I'll stay at Tarntawan as I have it policy of no extra charge down already
  20. I'll be visiting Bangkok from May 5th for 6 days. In the past I've stayed at Tarntawan and been content. A friend recommended that I think about Swisslodge. I looked at the website and it's a good one. The pricing for a week's stay is less than Tarntawan. Any comments, is there a fee for "guests"? - that could even out the pricing question immediately.
  21. Blued certainly has a lot of listings in Bangkok when I check the explore option a few minutes ago.
  22. Still trying to figure out "c"'s place in all this...
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