Pattaya

What a place, it makes Vegas look like Disneyland. A little confronting the first day but we both really loved the experience.  One strange experience was the seemingly 1000's of Russian (ex USSR countries ?) tourists, with small kids and children.  Seems an odd destination for the family.  I do believe Thailand is one of the few warm, close places Russians and former Eastern Bloc country citizens can get to with no Visa requirements, making it easy to travel.  They certainly were everywhere.

Toni adapted instantly to Pattaya, loving the food from the street vendors, she never tried the Insects as she wanted to buy a small sample of all of them (update: she did when we cam back after Cambodia) but they would only sell her a plate full of each kind.  She was getting massages,

These massage ladies looked after us

even having her hair done and interacting incredibly well with the locals and her big smile and warmth of spirit showed through to the locals and they rewarded her similarly.  I am naturally a little more stand offish then she is, so it was a wonder to see her lapping it up.  We went to a couple Go Go's and shows,

Start of Pattaya's infamous Walking St

Walking St

with her enjoying them even more then I.  We stayed at the Page 10 Hotel, it was relatively upmarket but  provided a refuge from the hurly bury of the bustling City of Pattaya.

The street vendor food was superb: cheap, quick and very tasty.

Enjoying the first food from a street vendor

The Hot Chill test saw the rest of the table in paroxysms of laughter

Toni's favourite eatery on South Pattaya Rd

They certainly did not follow our western food hygiene regime.  Oddly, no hordes of sick and near dead people from food poisoning, perhaps they are onto something, we're anal about food hygiene but not about quality that is affordable, unless you DIY, they prefer quality over hygiene, I know what I preferred. 

Thailand is renowned for it;s Ladyboys, so Toni was keen to enjoy one of the many shows, we stumbled across one while walking home one evening, Toni had a few beers and got up to dance and sing with them.

Toni gets up and struts her stuff with the ladyboys

with a local celebrity !

One interesting anecdote,when walking about the areas with Beer Bars and outdoor clubs with bands,  is the Thai peoples difficulty with pronouncing "r"'s so the cover band's made you smile, I though one band were decrying an instance of jaundice, with their cover of "Yellow Liver"

After a couple days sampling Pattayas delights, we headed over to Koh Larn for the day, an Island about 30mins ferry ride in the Gulf of Thailand

Next Blog...