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Was it better then or now?

Casablanca has changed a lot since Bogart's day, apart from it being on the Atlantic coast and not the Mediterranean. I haven't been there for 20 years but even then it had become a sprawling and, in places, quite modern city with an unofficial population of at least 5 million. Better options for a bit of relaxed cohorting with the locals would be Essaouira, visited by Mr.J.Hendrix in the 60s and the town has not forgotten, or Mirleft, a dusty but growing village at the foot of the Atlas mountains, once a popular place for northern European 'alternative types' escaping the cold winter. Both places can be easily reached by bus/taxi from Agadir, which often has cheap flights from Europe, but in some ways resembles South Africa in apartheid times. The only Moroccan natives you will meet in Agadir are in uniform or on their way to/from work, from/to their homes in the 'townships'. Back to the Mediterranean, I have had several very enjoyable vacations on Greek islands which all seem to be similar but have significant differences, Leros, site of the real Guns of Navarone, Samos, holiday island but big enough to get lost on exploring mountain tracks, Siros with enough different beaches to keep you busy, Andros only really for nature lovers, quiet and beautiful, Kos for the party-crowd (under 25s) but again big enough to get away from the crowds and close to Turkey. Crete is the jewel in the crown though. Tourist stuff for the tourists, too many beaches to shake a stick at, great food just about everywhere, plenty of ruins for the archaeologically minded, quiet mountain paths for nature-lovers and all on an island that can be leisurely crossed in all directions in a day.

Obviously unless you are a tourist, it was better then. I'd say 70s into 80s judging by the pics. I mean imagine waking up and wandering thru all that green to the beach. Now you run a gauntlet. It's packed. And yeah, raptors. Tourist high prices., you know. Noise traffic, not being able to walk on half the sidewalks. For this I'd rather be in NYC I think. Actual real pizza for one thing. Much prettier water back then too. Eh, it's an industry now. At some point, I think maybe now, it'll be overbuilt and start a slow slide into the dumper then the big tourist numbers will slow down. Might be their next wave is catering to Russians that have invaded and bought condos. Now inland from the water was yeah, kinda wasted use land. Be nice if they moved the whole mess BACK about a half a mile or so and restored the green belt. I would point out that at one time Atlantic City was a WONDERFUL place.

We all know that Pattaya is full of ladyboys, but some areas have more than others. In this thread we hope to cover all the major parts of town where LBs can be found in abundance. Some of you are more familiar with places like Sois 7 & 8 and also Sois 6 & 6/1 than I am, so please feel free to added your tips/info regarding those locations. So let's kick off with Soi Buakhao. Soi Buakhao: Running from opposite Tukcom on Pattaya Tai to Pattaya Klang, there are 2 distinct areas where ladyboys hang out. The first location is Action Street. While almost everyone knows that Sensations is there, it appears that the surrounding bars have copped on that there is a market for ladyboy lovers, likely from watching the crowds that Sensations attracts, especially on party nights. There were ladyboys in most of the bars the nights I visited recently, you won't be at a loss for choice here. The second area on Buakhao is between Soi Diana and Pook Swan, particularly from LK Metro onwards. Besides having Nicha bar, Fantasy bar, Baby Boom and Pooks along this stretch, there are also lots of freelancers hanging about. There really is a big concentration of ladyboys in this area, akin to fish in a barrel.

Last November I saw a Monk with a big bag, a cigarette behind his ear and paying to take a "leak" at the Ekkami Bus Station toilet with a 20 Baht note, surely that cant be right Another occasion in November was when I was having a drink at the Barbie Bar on Soi Chaiyapoon at 6am ( a night-cap of course ) , a few Monks started to appear and one came over to the bar to receive "gifts" from a few girls there, after a "chant" he offered buddha bands (Im sure someone will be put me right here on the name for them?) to them and I politely asked for one which he kindly obliged, when I offered him a 100 Baht Note he slowly looked away which to me was a sign I should not have done that.. I did feel embarrassed by my ignorance

PD and I were strolling through the arcade at Kiss restaurant this afternoon and stopped to look at the menu at Beefeaters. Suddenly this monk appears, beaming smile and begging bowl at the ready. As we ignore him, a hawker with a tray of watches passes by with a disgruntled look on his face and says fake monk, not good. Seemed a tad ironic with all the Rolex time pieces he was carrying.

Came across this one today, fits perfectly in this thread

here ya' go

It is a handy option to fill the gap between Soi 13/1 and Walking St. Unbelievable that big beers are 70 B in that area of any part of Pattaya for that matter outside of supermarkets and convenience stores. The owner seems very friendly and as mentioned kept us supplied with ice without having to ask, nice touch. Here is a photo I posted earlier. We sat to the right of the bar with the high seats on those plastic seats that can be seen stacked. And by night.

They always tell us this stuff once it has occurred!! Don't they know it is going to happen before hand? Check this out: http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/video/?videoid=cbcc2014-0503-1719-0004-244039817600

Well dimitri... what islands do you recommend? Thanks for all the other ideas guys, this is serious business for my future planned indolence. In the early 70s we tried to leave Athens for an island but kept showing up late at the airport (hippies!) & on the 3rd day it was fukkit... where is the next plane going? Luckily for us it was Konya Turkey & all had a swell time in a town where westerners then drew large crowds of curious kids swarming us wherever we went. I don't want to return there now for I know it has joined the modern world & I want to keep the memories of a place with horse drawn taxis & coal fires cooking snacks on the streets. Back then the Greek islands were like a dog whistle drawing the interest of those without much else to do, I assume that has mostly changed for the worse but I hope that there are Still some pockets of easy living, good food & music & decent weather. I notice no one has suggested Tangier or Cyprus either.

This is getting freakish, as I spent so much of time during the eighties & early nineties extensively travelling & Island hopping my way around the Mediterannian (it was sorta the done thing those days) & yet I fully concured with Jim & Panic's choices... And Turkey nearly got mentioned too as it was right up on the list... In fact, now thnking about it, it should have gone before Madrid or Barcelona (especaially Madrid as it's actually in land). Anyway, funnily enough I did, more or less, the same trip back in 1987 when the country was still under curfew, begining in Istanbul & then coaching it diagonally across the country to Antaylia before working my way back up the coast to Istanbul, the only difference being that I stopped off in Marmaris, which at the time was great as the country was not yet really geared up for turism & the now famous resort town hadden't yet been commercialised... I would have loved to have taken in Gallipoli also, but unfortunately I ran out of time & didn't get to go to... However, I didn't find it that friendly, but maybe that's because I was a single bloke trying to find a lot of the 'wrong' places to go, dunno?? Funny thing, I really wanted to include some of the Spanish Islands or some more Greek Islands, but after a little bit of thought, looking back in retrospect, none of them topped up as being all that interesting for me, for anything much other than sex with overweight, spotty, Skandies, lazy days laying on beaches, nice views, drunk nights out or eating seafood... Which can all be had in a lot of other places around the world. But then I suppose it depends on what you want?

wow, and I thought I was alone in thinking some of this stuff. Back home I don't ever go to bars unless MAYBE on a rare Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday I'll go downtown to see if any of the old crowd shows up. The attentive (pushy) types were fun for a SHORT time. I'm on my last 5 days here in Patters, then it's up to Bkk for a couple days and on a plane for home. I'm actually looking forward to being in a place where things mean something again. Been poked, prodded, finaggled, cudjoled, and generally viewed as a walking wallet almost everywhere I've been in the last almost 4 months and it got OLD a while ago. I believe they're more money hungry here 24/7 than back in the U$A. The veneer wore thru a couple trips back. I can see why some would check out Phils, etc. Still, I think it's just a delaying tactic. This trip I actually found myself wondering if I'd come back, EVEN WITH a ladyboy "wife". I will of course but I think my trips of 3 and 4 months are over. Two, with more money to toss around is looking much better. Now, as to the cringe bars...NAME em and discuss, that should be a bit interesting. I've never really hit the bars in Pattaya and would NOT be here were it not for my wife being here, well north of crazy street I might add. I got dinged in Sensations by a cashier givin me change for a 500 when I handed her a 1000 and yesterday someone copped my wallet and the last of my cash at the Pattaya bus station. Although I'm gonna head to a money transfer place and give it another shot for a few days I spose. Hopefully I'll meet up with one or two of you gents. Never met SiamSam for example. Has anyone seen TheGame lately?

Had a great holiday in Turkey some years ago, began and ended in Isatnbul, a wonderful city, we went to Capadocia and even stayed in a cave hotel ( yeah a bit of a cliche, but WTF) great coach network, we bussed down to Antalya, then hired a car and worked our way up the coast avoiding all those mainstream holiday hotspots, but staying in smaller places like Kas and Fethiye.we even took in Gallipoli before getting back to Istanbul, Wonderful place and friendly people. Next we went to Egypt... ticked off but would never be bothered about revisiting, but definitely will get back to Turkey one day. You gents have also put Portugal on the wish list.

I could have made that post myself, Jim... Totally concur, especially the bit about choosing a companion for the night. If they show a little bit of restraint & a certain concern for your wallet, then generally, that'll usually say a lot about them & the way that you'll be treated... The type that keeps priming you for drinks & being pushy will usually be an absolute pain once bar fined... And continually want more... And then more... And then fukin' more... Other than that... I just plain & simply don't really much like that many ladyboy bars anymore, especially the factory 'type' bars with all their glossy, shit shallow, superficiality & arrogance, where you more often than not get treated like a cunt!... They serve a purpose every once & a while & that's, that.

Thanks RX.. the first one is prettiest IMO. The voice is the giveaway as usual.. Also this is the the same CD as in Jaidee last pic above , the CD poster girl