tm_nyc

Pattaya
Hotel
My main criteria for a hotel here was that it had a balcony with an ocean view. I had originally wanted to stay at Baywalk Residence in one of their suites which had an ocean view, however the pricing was on par to the Hilton and I didn't want to pay those prices, especially in Pattaya. I ended up finding the Hermann Hotel which was much cheaper and had the ocean view (well, half ocean view, which was sufficient) and balcony I was after. It's only a short 10 minute walk to BoysTown. The room is big and well-appointed, and reasonably priced. Only drawback was a couple of times early in the morning (maybe like 5am) I could hear a Thai lady yelling in the corridor. Bar
Only managed to get to X-boys, and it was quite good. There wasn't a huge rotation, but the show was quite good, very varied and at times hilarious. Later on, towards the end, the show boys were just dancing on stage with their dicks flopping about, mostly condomless if I remember correctly. Didn't off anyone on this occasion. Massage
Paradise: Had a great time with a boy here. I'm versatile but was in the mood for topping that day so I asked the boy who greeted me who can bottom, and he said all boys here can, so I ended up just going with him. I still ended up bottoming though?? Go figure..  Relax: Started with a foot massage before deciding if I wanted more, the foot massage was good so I decided to go for an oil massage. Had a good time with the boy, I just wanted light fun only that day, but I think more could be on the cards as he tried to stick it in at one point. Transport
Rather than use the cheaper bus from Suvarnabhumi that drops you to Jomtien bus station, I booked Bell Travel Service online in advance. A little more expensive (325 THB), still leaves from Suvarnabhumi but once you get to North Pattaya bus station, you are transferred to a mini bus which drops you to your hotel (and then vice versa on the way back). The bus itself was comfortable and in a 1-2 seating configuration. Other
They are currently ripping up the sidewalk on the non-beach side of Beach Road, so that can be a bit chaotic as you can imagine. To be continued...

This recent trip was the longest I've stayed in Thailand (nearly a month) and was enjoyable despite some random health issues that decided to pop up. Rather than a day by day account, I'll just outline some interesting points.
Bangkok
Bars
Dreamboys: I went here a few times, mainly to see my favourite boy and managed to off him just once. I think he is popular because on another two occasions I visited the bar, he was already booked by a customer. I felt as though the quality has dropped since last time, but there are still some gems.  Screwboys: I was surprised by the high quality here actually, and there were lots of good choices to my taste. I had a short list of two, and it so happened to turn out that they are brothers (and Vietnamese). Took the older one first, and his English skills were really good and he was quite charismatic. The following night I went with the younger brother. Both were satisfactory, nothing earth shattering but an enjoyable time nonetheless. Mamasan was helpful and wrote down the badge numbers of boys that could do my requests. Freshboys: Didn't off anyone here, rather just watched the show and had a drink. I liked the choices here though, lots of toned twinks. Tawan: Just went here for the show as the boys here are much too big for me. Really relaxed atmosphere (although packed in like sardines), and the most x-rated show with a fucking show and jerk-off show amongst others. There were a couple of smaller looking guys in the rotation that would have been suitable for me, as well as the waiter. Banana bar: The majority of the show is katoeys, but they are the most stunning I've seen in all of the bars. The boys don't get much stage time, but I did spot one that I had offed previously when he used to work at Freshboys so we had a drink together. Smoking is allowed in this bar so you will smell like an ashtray when you leave. Moonlight: Went mainly for the show, which is very tame these days. Lots of good options in the rotation though, plus there are the models. Hotmale: A good line up here, and a good show (with very nice dicks). I went back with a Cambodian guy and he was lots of fun. Jupiter: Firstly, very impressed with the quality here. All model material and I could have easily gone with any of them. Mamasan told me the off fee and expected tip for boy, which he said 3000 for short time which I thought was a little on the higher side but maybe because they are models, the higher tip was expected. Or inflation. I ended up going with a nice Cambodian boy, sex was pleasant (but not earth shattering), and afterwards when I gave him 3000 he asked 'is that all?' I was confused, so then he said his rate was 5000. I was dumbfounded. To avoid any conflict I offered 4000 which he accepted. Note to myself for future, to always ask the boy what his tip expectations are, even if you know what the market price is. Kinda left a sour taste in my mouth, but this doesn't reflect so much on the bar itself. You live and you learn, and I'll put it down as an expensive mistake. Sol: The only bar I didn't manage to get to, but there is always next time. Massage
Prime: I went here quite a few times, as I always do, and it's always high quality and run like a well-oiled machine. Advance bookings are required, although I think they are getting a little quieter now that high season is slowing down a bit. Jey Spa: My first time here. I booked in advance a boy who I had been admiring for quite some time, and I was really happy I finally met him. Exceeded my expectations too. Facilities are quite nice, and they are very responsive on Line. Senso: Only my second time here. The boy that I had last time was on vacation, so I chose another who was smiling and waving at me. He was a lot of fun and definitely worth a repeat when I come back. Kman: Last trip I had an excellent time here, so ended up booking the same boy and had an excellent time again. Prices here are much cheaper, but I tip generously. Hotels
Quarter Silom: Good location. The rooms are a little small but well-presented, and with some interesting lighting controls. Rooms are not sound proofed, so you will hear everything. This hotel attracts I think mostly gay clientele, and there is lots of eye candy. Crowne Plaza: Probably my most favourite hotel in the area, but it does come with a hefty price tag. Very quiet, and very guest friendly. I came in late one night with boy in tow, and a manager-like person even pressed the elevator button for us. Le Siam: It's decent, and I did like staying on the other side of Silom Road for once. There are heaps of food options on Convent road which was great. Room size was okay and it is a little dated, but the price point was appropriate.  Other things of note
I finally met the esteemed @vinapu in person! My first forum member I have met, and we had lunch at Happy Beer Garden, whilst having pleasant conversation. Nice to meet you! To be continued...

From The Nation
In what is seen as a countdown to the demise of the Move Forward Party, the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously on Wednesday that the main opposition party and its former leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, were guilty of seeking to overthrow the country's constitutional monarchy system.
The nine Constitutional Court judges voted unanimously that Pita and Move Forward’s election campaigns, by proposing to sponsor a bill to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code, had violated Article 49 of the Constitution.
The court ruled that the election campaigns were unconstitutional and an effort to topple the democratic system of government with the King as the head of state.
The case against Pita and Move Forward was filed by Theerayuth Suwankesorn, a lawyer known for his defence of Suwit Thongprasert, an ex-activist monk formerly known as Phra Buddha Isara.
Theerayuth’s suit named Pita the first defendant and Move Forward the second defendant.The court ordered Pita and the party to stop seeking to annul or amend Article 112 either through speech or writing or any other way of expression immediately, as demanded by Theerayuth’s suit.
As a result, the defendants must immediately cease using their rights to seek to annul and amend Article 112 through unlawful methods.
Although Theerayuth’s suit did not ask the court to disband the party, the ruling was seen as providing a cause for Move Forward’s opponents to ask the Election Commission to seek the party’s dissolution later.
Political observers expect the opponents would ask the EC to invoke Article 92 of the Political Parties Act to ask the court to disband Move Forward.
Under Article 92 of the act, if the court finds any political party guilty of seeking to overthrow the constitutional monarchy, the EC can gather evidence and petition the Constitutional Court to consider dissolving the party and banning its executives from elections for 10 years.

Spot on!
One evening last week, 8:20pm. Mack and friend walk past two doormen for a gogo bar, on his way to Foodland.
Doorman 1: "Boy bar, gogo bar," making arm movement to invite entry into his bar.
Mack: "It's only 8:20. You're not even open."
Doorman 2: "Have many boy."
Mack: "And I have many hungry. For food."
Doorman: 1 "Come back later?"
Mack: "Maybe. We'll see."
Doorman: 1 "Tip?"
 

Came across an article about the prospects of professional football in Vietnam. Its most redeeming feature was the inclusion of a photo I thought worth sharing.

That's great... What a civilized country!

NOTE -- From time to time a feel good story comes to my attention. Today it's from Vietnam where a school for kids orphaned by Covid appears to be thriving.
From VN Express
Da Nang school opens new chapter for orphans

At a school dedicated to children orphaned by Covid, a distressing chapter of their lives is closed so they can move on to a journey full of hope.
At 5:30 a.m. one Sunday, 13-year-old Ba Thong asked his teacher to be excused from class so he and his team could complete their unfinished robot project. With the teacher's approval, the boy went knocking on each of his teammates' doors. Six children with drowsy faces then hurried to the robot lab.
"Let's take it all apart and redo it," Thong said, eyes fixed on the nearly completed robot that had yet to reach the test run stage.
The whole team agreed.
Having taken part in a robotics program the previous afternoon, they were aware of the shortcomings of their product, which they had built over four months of arguing and agreeing with each other.
With just over 10 days left until the national robotics championship, everyone wanted the product to be in its best shape.
The children’s participation in the tournament is the pride of Hope School - where 230 children orphaned by Covid, from 41 provinces and cities across the country, study and live together. More than two years after the pandemic, the children, under the guidance of their teachers, have overcome pains together, and each has matured in their own way.
Hope School was opened by FPT Corporation in Da Nang to receive Covid-19 orphans from across Vietnam, providing care and education for them until they turn 18.
Continues at
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/da-nang-school-opens-new-chapter-for-orphans-4705710.html

Soi 6 shops close at midnight but if you arrive just shy most guys will still accommodate you. Some guys stagger the time they report for work. If they come before noon they get to leave at 10 or 11pm. Personally I think best time to go is mid afternoon to early evening.
Told you that luck would change in Bangkok. 👍

After a rather long pandemic-related break, I visited Bali again in December 2023 - January 2024. Here are my findings - I'll try to keep them factual, succinct, and to the point.
A. General picture of how Bali looks like now. The pandemic has had a devastating effect on them. Pretty much every single restaurant and place of business I remember from before the pandemic is not there anymore. Up-market places (e.g. Bambu, Mauri - these are restaurants if you wonder) are still going strong but they are more an exception to the rule than the rule. December and January are supposed to be high season there (well, not exactly because of the rain season, but still, this is one of the busiest periods there, normally). This year, the average occupancy in Seminyak in December was 37% only. It went up to about 75% around Christmas and New Year but went back to well below 40% immediately after. The locals are worried: they claim they'd had an amazing summer with tourist numbers being much higher than normal but from October onwards, it suddenly went all quiet yet again. To give you a practical example: normally, it takes about an hour to get to/from the airport to/from my hotel in Seminyak. This time, the drive was only 30 minutes. The absence of the usual tourists is very much palpable: the usual Australians are not there anymore and the influx of the Russians and the Chinese still cannot compensate for it.
B. The scene and the entertainment sector. Apparently, Seminyak is not the centre of nightlife and entertainment anymore. For some inexplicable reason, it all has moved up to Canggu. Nobody understands why. I've never seen Potato Head and Ku De Ta half-empty - they are now. Even Finns (a beach club 'up north' from Seminyak) is going out of fashion now. I am not a party person and I strongly dislike clubs. I can only report that the good old Seminyak places are still there (MixWell, BaliJoe, etc) but they are less crowded than before. To be fair, I've NEVER been inside any of them, so I can judge only by the look from the outside. The good old 'spas' are still there as well - the Banana Spa, Elegantz, Adam's Apple etc - but they look very sad these days: I had to pass by the Banana Spa entrance several times over 3-4 weeks, and I've never seen any sign of activity at all. I wasn't tempted to sample the offers in any of the usual places (see the list above): they all have the look of abandonment and desperation.
Connoisseurs of Bali (or just the readers of my earlier reviews) might remember the reports about M Spa at the heart of Seminyak, just next to Ku De Ta, The Seminyak hotel and the flea market, that was closed for good in 2019. It had been an iconic establishment there for many decades but, as I've been told this time, everything had changed when the owner of the premises Paul (some might still remember that the building M Spa was based at was called The Paul's Place) died in late 2018 - early 2019. The heirs had no interest in retaining his property business and all his properties were put on sale immediately. Sadly, M Spa couldn't secure the necessary funds to keep The Paul's Place to themselves and they had to vacate the premises. They have been refurbished and yet another faceless and completely empty (I've passed by them daily and have never seen a single pundit there) generic massage parlour is operating there now (girls offering foot massage). I don't think it will survive.
C. The business. I relied solely on the apps, this time. Interestingly, the most popular app over there is still Grindr. Hornet is almost unheard of. Scruff is still reasonably popular but Growlr, which used to be used quite extensively, isn't anymore. Jack'd is a waste of space. All of the apps work perfectly well via a VPN and, bizarrely, for days in a row without any VPN whatsoever. Here is what the menu in December 2023 - January 2024 looked like. A massage (we are talking massage, not 'massage') might have cost you as little as IDR 85k and up to IDR 200k (at the time, US$1 = IDR 15k approx). As usual, there was no correlation (either direct or reverse) between the cost of the service and its quality. A massage session with extras would be IDR 400k - IDR 750k. Again, there was no correlation (either direct or reverse) between the price and the quality of the service. To be clear - we are talking outcalls here (i.e. the 'masseur' will visit you at your hotel).
- service providers. Before the pandemic, almost all service providers were either Balinese or Javanese. It's not like that anymore: during my 3 and a-half week stay there, I encountered this time a much wider range of service providers: Sulawesi, West New Guinea, Borneo, Bali, Java. Many of those were employees at Adam's Apple, Elegantz, Banana Spa before but decided to go freelance.
- massage. Generally, the quality has deteriorated (we are talking massage rather than 'massage' here). These days, even if you request a Swedish or a deep tissue session, it will inevitably transform into a Balinese massage session when you are massaged by an elbow and a forearm, mostly. Before the pandemic, if I asked for a deep tissue, I'd get it (not necessarily of a good quality). These days, it is Balinese only, even if you ask for something else. This was my major disappointment. Even in (expensive) hotels, you ask for a deep tissue massage and end up with 'forearm and elbow' in the end.
- service quality, customer service and product stewardship. Generally, it still remains high. Unfortunately, the hard times do influence the quality though. Before the pandemic, I couldn't have imagined a conversation like that: "Sir, could you give me IDR 800k now and I promise I'll give you a free massage tomorrow?" Bali used to be one of the very few places where conversations like that had been unthinkable - sadly, not anymore.
- individual reviews.
= A Sulawesi guy, early 30s, former employee of Adam's Apple, Elegantz and Banana Spa. IDR 400k for the job (massage + extras). Massage was very mediocre: not enough pressure, poor technique, slipped into 'forearm and elbow' almost immediately. The endowment was small, didn't perform well, asked for IDR 800k as an advance payment for a free massage afterwards (obviously, he didn't get the money). I didn't contact him again.
= A Balinese guy, mid-30s, a spa worker (a regular hotel spa, not a gay spa). IDR 750k for the job. Exceedingly good massage but did slip into 'forearm and elbow', eventually. The endowment was average but very good fucking technique, genuine passion. Met twice.
= A Balinese gay, early 40s, IDR 700k for the job. Very good massage, didn't slip into 'forearm and elbow'. The endowment was huge by local standards (i.e. average European), outstanding fucking technique and genuine passion (I came hands-free). Met him 4 times.
= A West New Guinea guy, late 20s. Free service (see below). Average massage, a rather small endowment but great genuine passion and very good technique. Met him 3 times.
= A Javanese guy, late 30s. Free service (see below). No massage, average endowment but great genuine passion and very good technique. Met him once.
= A Borneo guy, mid-40s. IDR 600k. Very good massage, didn't slip into 'forearm and elbow'. The endowment was small, but he was a very good bottom. Met him once.
= A Javanese guy, early 40s. Free service (see below). No massage, very small endowment but he was an outstanding and passionate bottom. Met him once.
D. Free services. I've been visiting Bali for many MANY years, and it was the first time that anyone - moreover, several people - explicitly told me they wanted a free session with me. These are mostly local professionals ('local' doesn't mean Balinese - it means someone who lives there now; 'professional' means a person of independent means who isn't a spa worker/masseur/etc) and could be as young as 25 and as old as 50. Judging by the pre- and postcoital conversations with the locals, the main reason for it is the lack of foreigners: while they are still used to the earlier abundance of choice, the choice isn't there anymore, and they are getting desperate.
 

Yes!  My favorite guy from Natural headed home to VN yesterday.
 

It's crazy how big Prime has grown. I think the New Year rush is well over now as I was able to walk in and get a massage this evening with no wait. I didn't realize that they'd added another building to their portfolio. I wonder how many people are employed by their massage factory. I think I was handed off to four different people on the short walk across the soi to the other building. It was like a relay race.
Excellent 90 mins massage. My masseur had surprisingly rough hands, but used just the right amount of pressure throughout. En suite shower in the new building was a nice surprise. There's a good reason this place is the standard.

From Pattaya Mail

A CCTV camera catches the moment when the drunken thug assaults a foreign tourist, all caused by a dispute over the 200 baht price tag for a bottle of beer.
Recent concerns about disruptive incidents affecting Pattaya’s tourism image reached a pinnacle when an individual armed with a knife assaulted a foreign tourist in Jomtien. The incident which occurred at the intersection of Soi Na Jomtien 20 escalated due to reported dissatisfaction with beer prices set at 200 baht per bottle.
Police arrested the suspect, identified as 52-year-old Bunsuk Kwan-on on January 19. Bunsuk was apprehended near the crime scene and found in possession of a fruit knife, believed to be the weapon used during the incident. Authorities also seized his clothing from the attack and a digital camera.
During questioning, Bunsuk admitted to being the individual captured in CCTV footage. He claimed to have intervened based on a young woman’s harassment allegations by a foreign national, insisting his actions were misinterpreted. Notably, Bunsuk exhibited signs of intoxication, along with a lack of remorse and humorous remarks. As the investigation continues, Bunsuk Kwanoen faces charges of physical assault and carrying a knife in a public area without reasonable cause.
==================
From Pattaya News
 
 

On my first visit to Thailand, I was 38. On my last visit, I am 76. My stamina was reduced, as was my libido, but I still had a great time in Bangkok. It was my first visit to Taipei and I liked it okay, especially the area round their skyscraper Taipei 101.
I was shown so much respect. In both places. people volunteered their seats to me- yes, I look old!. It happened many times. And I went to massage parlors where  I was treated with great respect and even admiration. Yes, the guys paid attention to my old body, but rather than criticize or avoid, I received admiration for my current shape and accolades for what they could see of my years of body building. I do look fit for a man my age,, having lost 50 pounds in the last two years.
In Brazil in September at a sauna, a boy said to me with seemingly great sincerity "You are so handsome!" I immediately laughed, but in retrospect, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Live and learn.... found out today St Moritz in Medellin is really quiet on Sundays. It was hopping on Friday. But today only a few pretty chicos and one masculine guy were working. Fortunately the masculine guy is very good at his job. The three hottest guys there were civilians. They were holed up somewhere. But two came out to put on a BJ show in the bar area with one going down on his very tall, very good looking friend. I think they may have been northern Euros given how blonde the really tall one was and no sign of a suntan. Also found out the front desk has a street cam so you can see when your ride arrives. I went out to the deserted street a few minutes early and a guy appeared out of nowhere heading straight to me. I headed back in and the desk guy opened the door right away and the stranger followed me in. He left after a couple minutes of conversation. They wouldn't let me leave until we saw the Uber pull up. The desk guy and the masculine massage guy came out with me both shirtless and looking very macho. I was glad because the stranger was hanging out across the street.

I have seen guys retire and expire in the Philippines and Thailand, one common problem with those guys is they thought they could retire there and still carry on like a tourist. Without having plans to keep busy all they did was live the high life (so to speak), drink all day and night going from bar to bar their health soon deteriated to the point of no return. Moving to places like Thailand or the Philippines to live, in my view a person needs something to keep occupied with (other than drinking and whoring around), an interest in a hobby, maybe take up a course and do some studies etc, just something to keep the mind busy.

Olddaddy - some time ago you wrote something in one of your posts that really bothered me -
something like - what do all of the farang retirees do in Jomtien to pass the day - sit on their balconies looking out onto the sea.....
Well, I moved to Jomtien from the EU in September 2022 as a new retiree - and after 6 months I became bored looking out onto the sea from my balcony.
That was the HARDEST part of being a new retiree - how to repurpose ourselves?  What is our new purpose in life.
Out of the blue - my ex-boss from the EU called me on a day that I was really bored - he asked me what I was doing.
I replied, I am busy counting endless seashells on the seashore.....
He laughed and said to me - "Do you want a NEW chance to use your brain and be intellectual again?"
I jumped at the opportunity and I replied with a resounding = YES.
So, within a month I was back in the EU in early 2023 on a 4.5 month short retiree consulting contract using my brain and it felt so good to have purpose again.....
After night after night sitting in the Supertown Jomtien Complex sitting and drinking I was rapidly becoming more and more depressed and becoming negative - and that is not me - I am usually a happy lucky guy with a lot of energy.
The Supertown Jomtien Complex is made in a way that does not allow us to expend energy - the mantra is:
"falang sit - falang drink"  ==> and it you go against this program they get upset as I tried on many occasions to stand and even dance....The preferred Supertown program is for us to be sedentary and to spend our money....and I find this program SO boring and not stimulating....
So Olddaddy - I did not like what you wrote some time ago about retiring in Jomtien as I was SO confident that I would find a way after my new retirement to BOTH use my little brain down on the 3rd leg (which I did and often with great satisfaction) --> but the joy from using your 3rd leg brain does NOTHING for stimulating the real brain.
Anyone who is already retired in Jomtien - what is your secret to find ways to stimulate your brain to give it intellectual input and challenges??

Flew Singapore airlines flight from New York- Singapore, used miles for Business class- was a bucket list item- Longest flight in the world, solid 19hrs.

I liked it better than dividing the trip in Tokyo, got way more sleep and then a 1:45 flight from Singapore to BKK instead of a 6-7 hr flight from Narita.

Went to VIP immigration section upon arrival, was kind of full,  I followed a Thai guy that just snaked his way in between everyone with kids, they were too busy taking care of the kids, that we went unnoticed.

My bag was 1st one out and found Mike Taxi right away and off to Pattaya we went.

Staying at the Ambiance, booked this a few months ago and got 5 nights in a king superior room for $97 usd....comfortable beds, nice towels and sheets, convenient to everything and the receptionists all know me....

Took awhile to defrost the frozen mini fridge, so lost whatever time gained in BKK, ADD about certain things 🙄
Walked around,  stopped by Paradise massage and a few of the guys caught my attention....the one that spoke English, wasn't the best looking, but had something about him that attracted me to him, I asked him for a sample of his massage and it was really good....I told him maybe tomorrow, and went to Dreamboys to see a few guys I know to check on them.

With the price quoted at Paradise, all in...seemed like a better deal than the go-go bars, so I asked the guy that since it was almost closing time, if he'd come to my hotel, obviously he said yes, he hadn't had a client in 2 days....( he's not THAT ugly).

Did EVERYTHING that I asked, only didn't give me the full hr massage that he promised, so I explained to him that's how to lose repeat business, over stupid shit. He promised to make it up to me if we go again, let's see...I'd go with him again.

Grindr is very active...it's 5 am, I'm ready to sleep....tomorrow my plan is Jomtien about 2pm for manicure/massage on the beach then try Sansuk about 5-6pm and maybe another round with the Paradise sauna guy, or someone else from there.

Since I'm not very good with trip reports, I'm going to try to report a little every day....see how that goes.

Pic is of the Singapore seat made into a bed, other than Gulf Airlines first class....I think this is the best bed for flights to Asia.

 

From VN Express

By Phong Anh   January 20, 2024   Thousands flocked to the Night Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thao Dien area, home to the southern metropolis's largest expat community, on its opening evening Friday. Crowds gather in the pedestrian-only “entertainment zone” bordered by Xuan Thuy, Quoc Huong and Nguyen Van Huong streets from 7 p.m.
Security forces were also present to ensure safety and order.
This was the first night street in Thu Duc City – Saigon’s “city within a city” – and it would be open from 7 p.m. every Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. the next day.
The event predominantly features food stalls. For a six-month trial period there will be jazz and rock concerts, don ca tai tu (traditional southern Vietnamese folk music ) performances, and a variety of shopping options and activities.

Inside the night street zone, Thao Dien market and a riverside park at the foot of the Saigon bridge are pleasant places to enjoy local culture and the scenery near the water. In the near future, the area expected to open a river bus route.
HCMC currently has eight night street zones, including the Bui Vien and Nguyen Hue pedestrian-only streets in District 1.

From NHK Newsline

A Japanese steam train that used to run on the Thai-Burma 'Death Railway' plies the rails in Thailand today thanks to the loving care of Thai mechanics.
Continues with video
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20240117203211249/

Recently noticed I hadn't received mileage credit for my last trip to bkk so called airline customer service. Since I was crediting miles to a partner account, they told me to contact that airline to initiate the process. Thought it was unusual work around but I followed through. The partner (AA) took my flights numbers and ticket number and said they would submit form to carrier (CX). Five days later received email from AA customer support, requesting copies of ticket receipt and boarding  passes.
I hadn't retained boarding passes for outbound flights but did manage to find my return boarding passes still in my carry on backpack. Sent those along today.
Lesson learned: Don't dispose of those boarding passes until you've seen the miles on your account, especially when itinerary involves partner carriers.

Oh I forgot to mention the great lounge of Latam in SCL. They again traded my B789 with open suite to an old B788 but at least I really enjoyed the lounge. Really good in Asian standard!

I just spent 5 days in Santiago de Chile. Zero Sauna or GP activity, so please move on if that’s the only thing you are looking for here. I normally wouldn’t bore our fellow members of ‘standard’ city trip report, but as Santiago is so out of radar, I decided to give a brief report.
 
First of all, I have to say that I was truly impressed by this country. It’s my first trip and I didn’t expect it’s to be so functional. It’s a latin American country where most things work, and often in a quite logical and efficient manor! The second thing which kinda shocked me is how adverse the nature here is. I’ve always seen south America as a blessed land with benign climate. Chile is more desert and very seismical. It’s even more impressive that they built the tallest building in Latin America, the majestic Costanera tower, which looks curiously like a twin of WTC tower III North in Beijing.
 
The airport arrival and the trip to the city centre was extremely fluid. It took me less than one hour from the airplane door to the hotel room door. I stayed at the Intercontinental for the first 4 nights and it took the Uber only 20 minutes to complete the 24 km journey. The driver told me that some Chinese company built this new high way with mostly tunnels and it has shortened the trip time by half. The Intercontinental is very solid, a bit outdated but the service is just top. The lounge is one of the best ones I’ve been to, counting Asia. Later I found out that there is even a Mandarin Oriental! For the last night, I moved to Olá Santiago Tapestry by Hilton. I really wanted to try this new brand of HH. It’s simply to the Moxy of Marriott, minimalist and trendy, targeting young customers. They generously gave me a 5 pm late check out as my flight to NYC is after 11 pm. 
 
The city is obviously affluent, and very easy to navigate. It has a very efficient public transport system, combining metro, bus (they call it micro here), bikes and scooters. A trip costs less than a dollar and it can last up to 2 hours with up to 2 changes. Uber and Didi are cheap, with a trip from Las Condes to the historical centre costing less than 5 dollars. The mobility is essential to the living standard in a big city and Santiago did it right. There are many malls with international and local brands, without the absurd surcharge as in Brazil. Hermes is 50% more expensive than in Europe so at the same price level as in the US. Young people buy mostly in Shein, Temu and Mi, all Chinese.
 
Currently 1000 Chilean peso make up for 1 euro so it’s easy to calculate the prices. Scotiabank offers fee-free withdrawal to my travel credit card of Revolut. 
 
It was extremely easy to get a local sim. I got one from WOM for 1 euro in Costanera with 1G data and 50 minutes of calling time, then charged in their app 3G more data and unlimited social media for another euro. 
 
I did some investigation on real estate prices. In a good area, las Condes, Providentia, etc, a nice condo goes for 3k euros per square meter. Renting a simple room in the centre could cost as low as 150 euros. Considering the slower end salary being around 1k euros, it’s actually easy to have a decent living. That said, I did notice some off-chart expensive things sold in the centre, such as a scone of fries for 10 euros in a random Venezuelan diner. 
 
China is by far the biggest trading partner of Chile, reaching a bit shy of 40% of their export, 3 folds of to the US, followed by Japan and Korea. I spent the weekend with a young investment advisor of private banking in one of the major banks here. He told me that in general Chileans feel very lucky of having choosing Asia instead of America as their main partner. They are afraid that north America wouldn’t have taken them seriously and the rest of South American neighbors are just too broken. At the same time, they are deeply worried about the economic slowdown in China, hoping it would be a softer landing. 
 
The city itself doesn’t have many world famous touristic sites. Actually most people I met were surprised that I came for tourism, staying so long and only in Santiago. Some noticeable ones include: serro San Cristobal, serro Santa Lucia, the historical centre, and numerous museums and cultural centres. It’s a bit frustrating that most sites close early at 5 or 6 pm, but the day time lasts until 9ish. They stick to the same time zone as San Paulo even they are much more to the west.
 
There are interestingly lots of flee markets, mostly in the Lastarria area. It seemed to me that the vendors are just normal people trying to make some extra income or simply get rid of their unneeded stuff, clothes mostly. 
 
The only less satisfying part of my trip was sex with the locals. For some reason, at least the guys I talked to and I met, most of them have quite small cocks. When I say small, it’s like under 13 cm. Physically speaking, the Chileans look pretty European, with a indigenous touch, which is actually a good combination. But all the cute faces just couldn’t make me overlook their shortcomings. There are also a alarming percentage of bottoms, more than 70% I talked to. Funnily, half of the claim-to-be tops flipped to bottom after they saw my cock, and I have merely an above average Asian cock. I’ve never been to a similar situation in Latin America. They also don’t have the same gym culture as in Brazil, so lots of overweight. I met on average three guys per day and the good ones were mostly foreign immigrants, two from Venezuela, one colombiano and one Cuban. Guys are in general eager to please, especially to who they consider ‘hung’. So all well (normally endowed) fellow top members, please line in front. 
 
I didn’t hire any GP nor went to a sauna due to the above mentioned reason. I was already disappointed enough by what I was on Grindr and during my free encounters. There are guys on Grindr offering their talent but from what I saw, the talent was quite limited, too. I did take the offer of the certain ‘21 cm’ boy for a professional massage. He quoted for 20k for 45 minutes. It was the first night shortly after I arrived. I didn’t have any pesos with me. I countered offered 20 usd as it was all what I had and he accepted instantly. It was a more pointless poking and rubbing but I believe he tried his best. After the massage, instead of taking the money and leaving, he proposed sex for free. Who am I to reject a ‘21 cm’? Even there were 3 or 4 cm missing. The next day, I got a message from him saying that my 20 usd bill was a bit torn so he couldn’t do the exchange. Between time I have withdrawn the pesos so I exchange my 20 usd bill back. He kept talking to me on the following day, without mentioning of massage nor money. On the 4th day, he asked if it was possible for me to help him to unlock his blocked Grindr account using my phone number. I gave him the local sim number. He insisted using my main phone number and I saw that the verification code was from google. I obviously refused to give him the code. He then threatened to come to my hotel and make a scene. I told him that he could come as he wish and I might call the police if I sense something fishy. Before checking out, I did inform the hotel the incident and they said they’d handle it if he indeed come over. I’m pretty sure he was just bluffing. How stupid these people think we are?

If you're wondering why money changers are so demanding that US $100 banknotes are in pristine condition it's because it's among the most frequently counterfeited note circulating in the Kingdom.
So brazen are the crooks who deal in the business that they've now begun offering their wares on LINE. This Bank Post article describes how police ordered $80,000 in bogus currency and nabbed the sellers at the transfer point.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2725727/duo-arrested-with-fake-dollar-bills-worth-b2-8m
 

A reminder to be kind. One member banned for 60 plus days for abusive behavior. No need to attack anyone here.

I don't go to Foodland for memorable meals. I go there for predictable. quick and economical meals.
The memories are provided by those who accompany me.