PeterRS

My one concern is having photos taken as I have no idea where or in what format they might appear. Personally I think photography in or near bars and restaurants should be banned. Sadly, with most Asians desperate to tske photos of every single dish they eat, that just won't happen.

Quite agree. But if a spa only has four boys on the premises - and I have both experienced this some years ago at Senso and read about it more recently in this forum - fitting the specification surely does not always work.

Certainly tips are not expected. I recall my first-ever visit to Tokyo decades ago. I stayed at the huge Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku and had to have a lovely young porter bring the bag to my room. Stupidly i tried to tip him. He recoiled as if in horror and would not accept it. As for the boy bars, I expect most will not accept a tip, but a few will - and be embarrassed doing to. Personally I do not tip.

Am I not right in thinking based on reports here that Senso frequently has very few masseurs available?

Since starting to work, I have always been much more of a late person. On working days (when I still worked full time) I'd rarely be in bed before 1:00am and ready to start sometime late morning. Now I am slightly less late getting to bed, but the habits of a lifetime are difficult to change.

I don't know why but several of the pics are still just blank!

Totally agree. The "forgot password" on Sawatdee is a disaster. You never get a response.

Ditto

The Ruen Urai restaurant in the Rose Hotel off Suriwong (close to its new building and at the end of the swimming pool) has been a favourite of many readers for years. Last night, Friday, as I have done every time he has visited Bangkok for over a dozen years I took a friend there for dinner. For the first time the restaurant was totally empty apart from the owner at one table and the two of us at another. It is in the medium expensive category. Our bill for drinks and three courses came to Bt. 1,943. It is a lovely venue for dinner, but I fear if it gets no customers on a Friday evening, the end may be nigh. I sincerely hope not.

Again you misquote me to fit your own narrative. I have never once stated the parents were responsible - and it is totally incorrect of you to even suggest that. How many times must I state taht what I wrote was this? "Perhaps – although this is only being hinted at and may not be fact - a misunderstanding on the part of the boy’s parents on how to deal with such very substantial on-going substance abuse, and a steady build-up of anger." You say you "imply"! Please realise once and for all you implied wrongly and only do so to fit your version. You are wrong! If you imply, then you should state that when you make your first post - and not leave it so you can cover up your earlier inaccurate comments.

Error posting apologies

And the point is . . .?

Excellent guide, thank you.

No I think it is a stupid idea! As others have written, we all age and we age in different ways. Some have had plastic surgery and may not look as old as they are. Others have had the same surgery and look worse! Ageing is an issue for families, friends and neighbours - not cheap pot shots taken on internet sites.

We were already advised some time ago that visitors to Europe from non-Shenghen countries will have to start paying a visitors' fee of around €20 from the end of 2026. And that includes UK visitors. Venice started the movement last year in an effort to cut down on the number of day trippers who pay no accommodation tax and often bring in their own food. For many days in the year, they have to pay a €5 tax. Now Rome is jumping on the bandwagon. One of it smost popular sites, the Trevi Fountain, will charge €2 to get close to it from February 1 next year. Personally I think it's a good idea. There are now so many tourists around it it is often impossible to see the fountain, only the sculpture at the back. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp89p41gr06o.amp