11 days

It's been what.. Almost 11 days since I last blogged.

A lot of things are happening. Hubbee's here now, magkasama na kami uli, we had a celebration of our 3rd year anniversary (which I will write about if I have time), I had to tour him around in Bangkok and in Pattaya, I had to teach him on some things he need to learn about our place and the people, and I have a part time job now which really took a lot of time and energy from me. It was just crazy!

Naiipon na ang mga entries sa utak ko. And this is what I hate. Automatic na nag-so-store nang blog thoughts ang utak ko at di ko siya maalis. Kaya kapag nagkaroon na ako uli nang blog time, babawi ako in a major way. Sobrang daming kwento! For now kasi, if I have a spare time, I just relax and reserve my strength sa kwarto dahil patayan itong isang trabaho ko. Ubos lakas talaga siya. I swear. One heaven and hell combined experience. I will also write about it soon. Very interesting siya!

I seriously miss blogging. Writing. Putting my thoughts into words. I used to have a lot of time. Because it was just me. But now, since hubbee's here already, I spend some time with him also, aside from work and other stuff. I guess I'm back to the same routine I used to have in the Philippines. Managing my time to many things so I can balance it. So! Till my next update. Which you should not miss! Pasabog ang mga susunod na stories =)

Happy 3rd Year Anniversary Hubbee!

After Almost 3 Months

Walang katapusang exchange of BBM messages. Tinapos na lahat nang dapat i-send sa email na kakailanganin. Binilin na ang lahat. Nakapag-skype na at naituro na ang dapat ituro. Napayo na ang lahat nang dapat malaman. At tinatapos na niya yung bagahe niya. Last day na ni hubbee sa Pilipinas today. Busy na siya to prepare his things for his flight tomorrow. This is it! I will finally see hubbee after almost 3 months.

Tuloy pa din ang dasal ko. Na sana makalusot siya sa Immigration sa NAIA airport. Sana hindi siya harangin. Sana walang maging aberya. Grabe ang kaba at pag-aalala ko dahil pag naharang siya, nganga na lang ako. Wala nang hubbee, nasayang ang lahat nang effort, masasayang pa ang perang pinambili nang ticket. Lahat na nang dasal at orasyon, ginawa ko na. Sana naman, mapagbigyan ang hiling nang aking puso. Para sa aming 3rd year anniversary celebration. Please po!!!

Mag-aayos na din ako. Papunta na ako nang Bangkok later at makikitulog sa aking kaibigan doon na si Marlowe. Para bukas, deretso na ako nang airport dahil early flight si hubbee. First time ko din pumunta nang airport bilang magsusundo at hindi pasahero. So kailangan ko pumunta nang maaga at baka maligaw o malito ako. Malaki pa naman ang airport nang Bangkok. Sana matuloy ang lahat. Sana matupad ang lahat nang pinlano. Sana may susunduin akong hubbee. Sana...

Have a safe flight hubbee! I claim na makakaalis ka. I'll be back blogging in the next coming days. Iu-update ko kayo sa mga susunod na pangyayari. See you all folks! See you in the next coming days Pattaya! Hopefully, with my partner...

Driving In Pattaya

Ilang taon din ang pinagsamahan namin ni Khenzo sa Pilipinas. Kasama ko siya lagi kahit saan ako magpunta. Madalas nga, kausap ko yun. Kinukuwentuhan ko nang mga frustration ko sa office kapag nasa parking lot lang kami. Minsan sinisigawan ko kapag gusto ko lang maglabas nang sama nang loob o galit. Hindi ako iniwan nun. Especially yung mga emergency cases. Naasahan ko siya nang maraming beses kahit minsan, tinotopak din siya, pero subok na subok na ang aming ibang klaseng pagsasamahan.

Khenzo is my car in the Philippines.

As mentioned in my previous entry, before I left the Philippines, kumuha ako nang international driver's license just in case I will drive here in Pattaya. I thought it will take a long time pa nga for that to happen. I thought matatagalan uli bago ako mag-drive. I thought mami-miss ko nang sobra ang humawak nang manibela. Pero nung dumating na yung sasakyan nang cousin ko a month after I arrived here, nakapag-maneho na uli ako. We call her "mimi". That's the name of their car. 

I'm used to driving a manual car. It was my first time to drive an automatic. And yeah, it's easier. You're just like driving a bump car. Just gas and break. But what made the transition difficult for me was the position of the driver's seat. Sa Pilipinas, sa kaliwa ang driver's seat. Ang pang kambyo mo, kanang kamay. Dito sa Thailand, ang driver's seat, nasa kanan. Kaya good thing at automatic yung car kasi wala namang kakambyuhin sa pagmamaneho. It's just drive, neutral, reverse, park, and that's it.

The other day, I had to bring my good friend at the Bus Terminal dahil pauwi sila nang Pilipinas. I had to drive his car at ihahatid ko pabalik sa bahay nila. Pasuyo lang. And guess what, it's a manual car. I had initial hesitations kasi nga, right seat, so kaliwang kamay ang pang kambyo, eh di naman ako kaliwete. I had to drive test first before we left. So far, naka survive naman ako. Nakauwi naman ako nang buhay. And I'm happy to say that I'm officially good in driving here in Pattaya. I just know I am. Hehe.

Mabilis din ako kumabisado nang daan. Malakas kasi photographic memory ko. Mabilis kong matandaan yung mga nakikita ko lalo na pag naulit. Marami na akong alam na pasikot sikot and driving in Pattaya is not that so difficult. Para din kasi sa Pilipinas. Their traffic rules are just like us. If you know what I mean. Kaya kapag naiiwan si mimi sa bahay, lumalabas lang kami ni nana, drive around, pick-up Ray, pasyal pasyal lang. I'm just happy that Von Viajero is now an official Pattaya driver. I just missed the feeling of driving a car. Hehe.

The Tom-Dee Culture

It's not just gay men who are all over this city. Girl to girl couplings can be found everywhere in Pattaya too. Do you picture now why this city is called the sin city? Hehe. But it's important to know that you should not call them lesbians here, not like in the Philippines. They prefer less general monikers, more specifically 'toms' for tomboys and 'dees' for ladies.

As you know, tom is a woman who behaves like a man. They’re exactly like boys, only their bodies aren’t the same. Let me share the tom-dee culture here in my own perspective.

To be a 'tom' is to adopt the male gender role completely: wearing jeans and T-shirts, binding breasts to their chest and refusing, even in the bedroom, to disrobe and shatter the illusion of maleness. To be 'dee' is to girl-it-out to the max: lipstick, sparkly handbags and heels.

A tom is like a guy but way better to most of the dees. Toms take them shopping, carry their bags and, in the bedroom, focus exclusively on pleasuring their dee.

There are bars made exclusive for girls only. Customers or patrons are toms served by dees to give them the pleasure they want, or sometimes, just the company or attention they need. Thailand’s unflinching acceptance of same-sex couples is hugely appealing to lesbians outside the country too. If you visit BangkokLesbian.com, it has become a forum for lesbians in Bangkok who don’t play by the tom-dee rules. Of the 1,100 members, about half are Thai.

They even have an exclusive magazine for toms. I was surprised to see that in one of the convenient stores here. If you go to some of the bars and clubs in Walking Street, you would see toms working as staff, doing the job used to be exclusive for men before. I never had a certified tom friend in my life. I had dees, but not toms. I'm curious to know how it is, how's life as a tom, and how is it different (or there's none) to gay guy's life. Maybe, someday, I'll have a tom friend. And will get all the answers to my questions...  

The Best In The World Is In Fear

It's been raining for days in Bangkok. I asked my good friend Marlowe what's the situation down there and how is he. He told me that their class was suspended as the flood is rising in their school ground already. Instead of giving me more updates, I thought of asking him to write an entry that I can post in my blog about it. He used to write also but he admitted that he's more of a technical writer and not a story teller like me, which is fine.

So here's an update in Bangkok's wet situation from my correspondent Marlowe! Haha.

THE BEST IN THE WORLD IS IN FEAR
By @marlowecj

Bangkok which is recently named the Best City in the World by Travel & Leisure Magazine for three consecutive years (2010, 2011, and 2012), is now engulfed with extreme fear as the rainy season brings heavy downpour everyday to the Thai capital. It can be recalled that exactly a year ago, a massive flooding affected Thailand and left millions of Thais with enormous trauma.

The vast and unusual volume of rainfall in past few days couldn’t be handled by the city’s drainage system and this brought minor flooding in low-lying areas in some parts of Bangkok. The government initially had water test on how to drain the run-off from the northern and central plains of Thailand but officials were not ready to drain the rain water that overflowed from the drainage and canals in the city.

Parts of Ratchawithi Road near Sanghee Intersection in Dusit District, Bangkok were inundated after a two-hour heavy downpour. Classes in schools nearby were dismissed early and students cheerfully waded in the floodwater. This is another test to the resilience of Thais who despite the distressing effects of last year’s deluge, continue to live a positive life and are still able to wear that world-famous Thai smile.

Bangkokians maintain to live a normal life amidst the fear of being inundated once again and tourists continue to flock to every amazing tourist destination in the city. With positive thoughts to combat all challenges at hand, Bangkok is ready to prove that despite the intense fear for flooding, it is still the Best City in the World.

- end -

So don't feel bad Manila for the situation down there. Bangkok is also experiencing the same thing. And just like them, we too are resilient! Here in Pattaya, it's been raining also but not that much. There's no flood and life is still fun and exciting here in the sin city of Thailand. Thanks Marlowe for the update in Bangkok!!!

The Anniversary Surprise

Hubbee just got punked!!!

Today was the day. I planned the anniversary surprise together with my former boss Chi Santos to make our upcoming celebration a special one. And it was a success!!! Here's the plot:

I told hubbee a few days ago that I'll be coming home soon since it's our 3rd year anniversary already on the 26th of this month. I was not giving an exact date. I just keep on saying it's very very soon. Until he keeps on asking when. So I just said, just wait for the text from Chi. As I have asked her to pick me up at the airport. Fast forward, the other day, Chi already sent the text message that she'll meet up with him this friday (which is today) to pick me up at the airport.

8:00 pm. Starbucks in Centris in Quezon City. It was time for the big surprise. But before that, I already sent the e-tickets to Chi so she can print it and hand it over to hubbee when they see each other. She will pretend that before going to the airport, she'll just have coffee first for a little catch up, and then, in the middle, she will hand over the envelope and will pretend that it's an airport pass and she will ask him to check if his name is spelled correctly.

And tadaaan! Upon looking at what's inside the envelope is his ticket going to Thailand this tuesday. Not to my surprise, it took him a while to finally get what's happening. That's him. He hates suprises and he responds slowly to surprises. Haha. I was expecting to get the first message thru BBM but he tweeted it instead. "Nakakainis ka nang sobra! Alam mo naman I hate surprises! Just watch the video of Chi later". Then a smile of a success plot all over my face! LOL.

He bought it. He really thought that I was coming home. He was even prepared as he brought extra shirt and underwear just in case we'll sleep over at my mom's house in laguna. Chi was great. She was able to record the moment. That's a superb multi-tasking skill. Haha. I can't thank her enough for doing this huge favor. I know she's busy but she took time to do this. You're the best! I'll make it up to you when you visit me here in Thailand soon!

Sleep tight hubbee, you only have a very few days left to prepare (wink). LOL.

The Making Of A Model

One time, nana and I had to help our dutch friend Anne for her hair and make-up as she has a photo shoot that day for her portfolio. We had to go to their apartment to do the job which is just in another soi from our village. Okay, so it was just nana who did the make-up. I don't know that stuff. I was just there to take some pictures and to give my creative opinion about the look. 

Anne is the girlfriend of Chem, and is currently a teacher of kids in one of the schools here in Pattaya. She's aspiring to become a model and to start it off, she has to submit her portfolio to one of the modeling agencies in Bangkok. I would love to take her pictures but she booked a photographer already for a fee. This was a done deal already. I was so willing to do it for free.

We enjoyed the making of a model moment because we were having fun. Chem was very supportive of this plan of Anne and we're all there to throw also our support. Anne has the height and the looks of a model. But she admitted that she needs to learn more on posing for the camera. But I know, if she will get really serious about it, she may have a spot in the industry. Who knows!

Good luck Anne! We're all here to support you!!!

One Week To Go

"I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it!"

Aminin mo, naalala mo yung kanta sa statement na yan! Haha.

Yan ang laman nang utak ko ngayon (akalain mo, may laman pa din. LOL). It's the big day! And a lot of things will surely happen these coming days. - for clarification, it's not my birthday ha.

However, they are all confidential for now. Haha!

You'll see what's going to happen next. I just know, and believe, that things are bound to happen according to plan. Sana nga! Ang hirap magplano ha! Kaya sana, jusko, ako'y nananalangin, sa lahat nang pwedeng dasalan. Luluhod ako, kahit saan, kahit sa mga tala, matupad lang ang lahat.

"O amang bathala, ako'y iyong dinggin, ako'y iyong pagbigyan!" (sabay pasok nang background music).

Kinakabahan ako. Sa totoo lang. Pero bahala na si batman. Pati na rin si superman, si wonder woman, si green lantern, si flash at lahat nang bumubuo nang Justice League. Alam ko, makapangyarihan kayo. Please, for once, and again, can you use all of your super powers to make this happen? Please?

One week to go. Okay. Breathe. Relax.

Afternoon At Jomtien Beach

Last week during nano's off, after we went to the embassy to fix his visa, and after visiting a condominium to take some photos, we went to Jomtien Beach to relax and enjoy the good sunny weather. It was just me and the couple, and since Ray was at Tesco, we picked her up and brought along with us for that unplanned beach relaxation. She had no choice. LOL. And since Kuya Ogie lives in Jomtien area, we called him up to follow.

Finally! After more than 2 months of me being here in Pattaya, the plan to go to the beach and spend some time there finally came true. I can recall how many attempts to fulfill that plan but they all were gone with the wind. LOL. It was just the perfect day for that beach relaxation to happen. The people you want to spend that time with are there, the sun was up and shining brightly, and the cool breeze was giving us a fresh air making it more relaxing and enjoyable.

We didn't swim. All we wanted was to sit and relax, and forget about our worries in life. That's what you normally enjoy when you're beaching. As I have said previously, there's nothing much to expect from the beach in Jomtien. You can just relax, have the option to swim, or you can order food and they will cook it for you, serve it on your table, and eat with the sea as your background. That's it. Minus the annoying beach vendors who keeps on selling stuff to you.

While the sun is setting, we left the beach and went back home. I had fun. I was relaxed. Same as with the people I'm with. These are the simple moments you enjoy here in Pattaya. And last week, that afternoon at Jomtien Beach with the family you consider here in Pattaya, was just one of the nicest things that happened so far to my stay here. I wish my tita was with us. Too bad she has work. To our next beach getaway. Maybe in one of the near islands. Maybe with hubbee? We'll see..

The Piano Guys

One word to describe: FANTASTIC! The Piano Guys are genius. Who would've thought of doing that? Awesome! Check out their website The Piano Guys and see more of their brilliant creations. You can also find their videos in YouTube. I have nothing more to say. Just see and hear for yourself!

Kap Koon Krup

When you say "thank you" in thai language, you say "kap koon krup" if you're a male and "kap koon ka" when you're a female. I normally pronounce it "kap koon kap" because their "R" is normally silent. However, for almost 3 months here in Thailand, I'm still accustomed to saying "thank you". I'm a polite person. I got used to saying thank you to people at all times. So it's a hard habit to break and change it with a different language. Besides, thai people in Pattaya are used to "thank you" because of the large crowd of foreigners.

When thai people say thank you in their language, they mix it with a gesture called "wai". They place the palms and fingers of both their hands together as in a prayer position in the center of their body. Just like how Ronald McDonald do it in the picture. It is also accompanied with a slight bow. How you do it is you bow your head to your hands, not putting your hands on your forehead. Thai people will correct you if you don't do it properly.

Everyone does the wai here. In groceries, in stores, malls, 7-eleven, everywhere. They never fail to thank you when you buy something from them. I know wai is common in southeast asia especially in buddhist countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Laos too. It is not a religious practice but can be part of rituals in religious observance.

I remember during my social studies in high school, my teacher told us that Southeast Asia was subjected to a process of "Indianisation" and so probably, the wai has its origins in the indian practice of "namaste". It's a common gesture in Nepal and India and apart from being a social gesture, it is also a symbol of respect and even foreigners that are fluent in spanish or english can automatically see that it is a gesture of respect. So there, kab koon krup is one of the first thai language you should learn when visiting Thailand. The wai is not necessary but a good one to try. Just make sure to do it properly so not to offend their practice.

Barney In Disguise

You see, here in Pattaya, when I stroll and my digital SLR is with me, or even just my blackberry phone, I can't help myself but take pictures of interesting people. But I do it secretly. I don't have the guts to do it while they know I'm taking pictures of them. Damn, my stalking skills got enhanced here. Haha.

One time, when I was at Central Festival Mall, I saw this one guy foreigner that caught my attention. Oh, hindi si itsura ha, isipin niyo na naman, ang hilig hilig ko. LOL. He was all in violet. His phone has a violet case. His polo shirt is violet. His shoes is violet. His shorts is almost violet, haha. And I'm thinking, is his underwear violet too?

Is he Barney in disguise?

I bet he is gay. It's too flamboyant for a guy to wear all violet and look okay. I have a poor gaydar so I can't tell. I can only assume. Hehe. But yeah, I had to follow him so I can take a picture of him so I can blog it. This is the most successful shot I had. Hehe.

He actually looks like Cholo on that shot. Haha. But it's not him.

Food Discoveries IV

Here's another set of food that I have discovered here in Pattaya.

1. Khanom Tuai - it's a two-layered coconut consists of smooth coconut jelly capped with silky coconut cream. They are molded both in small cups and larger saucers. Tuai in thai language means cup or small bowl. I eat this by scraping the coconut cream into my mouth and then toss the jelly. Yummy! This is one of my favorite desserts here in Thailand. It's sold in streets. But I bought it here in our village thru a mobile kart.

2. Sala - like most of the fruit that I have seen here in Pattaya, this fruit normally comes in large bunches and are reddish pink or maroon in color, depending on their variety and origin. The Thai variety sports spiny bristles, unlike the ones seen in Indonesia or Malaysia that are hairless, and often referred to as ‘Snake Fruit’ due to their scaly skin. It's initial flavor is sweet, followed by a tang of sour which is not at all unpleasant. It’s a little like rum and raisin ice cream.

3. Sugar Palm Fruit - okay, when I first saw this, I thought it was a giant circle-shaped eggplant. But It wasn't. It's a fruit. Haha. It's where the "kaong" from our halo-halo in the Philippines comes from and it's native to tropical asia. I have tasted it before but it was my first time to see the actual fruit. The british guy na kasama kong bumili that time calls it ice-apple. That's how they call it in UK.

4. Khao Lam - a very interesting and tasty Thai food dish. Sticky rice mixed with sugar and coconut milk. This mixture is filled into bamboo sticks and then baked for many hours. To eat the sticky rice that is cooked in the bamboo, you will need to split open the bamboo vertically. The vendor who sells Khao Laam will normally do it for you. It will not be easy to split the bamboo at home, so make sure that you get this task done by the vendor.

5. Avatar Fish - it's really not called avatar fish here in Thailand nor it's a fish. It's actually a dried squid cut weirdly in that shape. Nana just call it avatar for its weirdness. And that's how we call it since then. Hehe. This I have not tried since I'm allergic to seafood. Just thought of sharing this to everyone. They say it has a salty flavor that makes it perfect to use as a salty crunch on salads. Good to try for those who enjoys dried seafoods.

Colorful Khais

Khai in thai language means "egg". Here in Pattaya, I had a chance to see colorful khais which really amazed me. For someone who have been exposed to white eggs only for all of my life (except those colorful eggs during Easter Egg hunt), it's quite interesting to see, and actually know, that there are other colors of egg out there. I've heard about the blue egg in Europe (but I haven't seen one) but here, I saw brown and pink eggs aside from the usual white eggs. I actually thought they were dyed but they weren't.

So I did a little research about it and found out that when the egg passes through the abdomen of the chicken, the color is applied on top of a white egg. What determines the shade of brown is the “Genetics” of the parents. This brown egg is what they call the organic egg here in Thailand. Actually, this egg can be scraped off quite easily with your finger nail. Now the white eggs where we all filipinos are accustomed to comes from Chickens like the Leghorn. It is just an egg with no color added and the egg shell has no pigment added.

Now the pink egg is quite the mysterious ones. And some say it comes from the gay chickens. That was a funny one! But others say they are preserved eggs. Inside the egg is actually black and the yolk is brownish, similar to century egg. The eggs apparently are preserved in a mixture of lime, clay, salt, and rice hulls for a few weeks, a method of curing eggs dating back hundreds of years. They come from special chickens in the south of Thailand. Pretty interesting, right? I wish to see blue and green eggs someday. Because they do exist!

Photo Walk: Pattaya's Centara Grand Mirage

Thai Lechon

Lechon as we know it, is a popular food in the Philippines which we got from Spain when spaniards came to our country before. Although they have shared that to us, we pinoys have made our own version that is truly distinct and can only be found in the Philippines. Even Anthony Bourdain declared that the best roasted pig in the world is found in the Philippines!

The word "Lechon" was derived from the Spanish word "leche" which means milk, thus its literal translation in English would be roasted suckling pig. It is prepared throughout the year more specifically during weddings, birthdays, holidays, and other occasions. The pig is cooked and is placed over burning charcoals whilst being roasted on all sides for several hours - until the skin becomes crispy. The most popular part of lechon to filipino people.

I'm not a fan of lechon. I don't jump around when I go to occasions and see a lechon on the table. Lechon is just a lechon for me. But I was able to taste the regular lechon and the famous cebu lechon back then. But so far, the tastiest and yummiest lechon I have tried is the one in Iligan. Superb! That's the lechon you see in the picture ----->

Here in Pattaya, they also have thai lechon. It is burned over charcoal also, just like the way we burn it in the Philippines but the pig's tummy is cut in the middle already, making a squat position for the pig while being roasted. And the skin color is yellowish, not like ours which is brownish. In terms of taste, ours is still the best. Not being biased or what. Just being honest.

In some provinces here in Thailand like in Trang, they also have Roast Pork Festival to promote tourism. Just like in Balayan, Batangas in the Philippines. But their recipe originated from China, not from Spain. Because chinese use this in ceremonies and traditions giving offerings to ancestral spirits and gods. Similarities of beliefs between China and Thailand.

Learning Russian

Anna Hristenko, or "Anya" as how we call her, is a good friend whom I met thru Cholo. Anya is from Russia who went here to Thailand to work. She used to work in Lima Lima Club where Ray works and where Cholo met her but now she transferred to Bangkok. But every week, we get to see her as she visits Pattaya every sunday during her off.

Anya is a sweet girl. We call her "Barbie" as she has the resemblance of the famous doll. She's easy to get along with despite the language barrier. But she's learning quickly and adapting more english words to her vocabulary. Even a few tagalog actually. She's a dancer but can sing too. She's scheduled to visit Philippines and see Boracay. I'm excited for her!!!

I've seen so many russians here in Pattaya and they are all sexy and pretty but Anya's look (for me) is distinct. Not because she's blond, but maybe, it's her personality. Most of the russian girls I see has this strong look in their face. With her, she's like a baby. Every time she visits us, we always have a time learning russian language. She's very patient to teach us the russian translation of english words we want to know. And she enjoys it when we get and pronounce it correctly.

A few words we're fond of using with each other are "ugly", уродливые if you write it in russian, but pronounced as "uroglovi". I'm just spelling it the way I hear it in english word. Then there's "kanyeshna" (Конечно) which is "of course" in english, "Thank You" is "fashiva" (Спасибо), and a few more russian translation. It's quite interesting for me to learn the language but I admit it will take time for me to adapt to it as I am also adapting myself to thai language. But it's a fun experience learning russian language!

Being here in Pattaya exposes you to many different culture, people and language. It's fun! But if I plan to stay here in Pattaya, I really have to learn the thai language first. Next will be the russian language and the french language. Those are in my list and hopefully, if God's will, in years time, I can speak different languages already. Hmm, okay, my imagination is working. Then that will be cool! I will just have to upgrade my memory card inside my brain to take all of these. Haha!

Adorable Dandan

Last week, our very adorable Dandan, the youngest daughter of ate Connie and kuya Atoy, celebrated her first birthday. Nagsama sama uli ang mga pinoy na bisita nila sa bahay nila who are mostly working at Walking Street or mga nasa banda. Halos lahat eh medyo kilala ko na. Familiar faces na sila ngayon sa akin. Halos present lahat at siyempre mawawala ba kami doon. LOL.

It was cute also nung nagsama sama yung mga baby. Para silang magto-tropa. Nagkasabay sabay kasi nabuntis mga pinay singers dito kaya halos magkakasunod sunod yung mga baby. Pinakahuling nagbubuntis ngayon ay si nana. Ewan ko ba kung anong naganap nang mga panahon na yun at nagkasabay sabay silang lahat. Di ko alam kung trip nila yun o ano. Haha.

May lechon, egg pie, siyempre ang favorite na pancit palabok ni ate connie, lumpia, at kung ano ano pa. Sarap! Busog lusog na naman ako. Yung may mga tugtog that night, maaga umalis to prepare pa. Ang mga natira eh yung may mga normal na trabaho sa umaga. Doon na dumating sila nano, cholo, chem at iba pa. Inuman na ang nangyari nung gabi. 

Before her birthday, I was asked by the parents to shoot Dandan for her give aways. Kaya a few nights before the celebration, kinuhanan ko pa si Dandan. Lucky for us that she was in the mood for the shoot. Both parents were there to cheer her so she can give us her cutest smile. It's easy to capture innocent and natural shots from babies when they are in a good mood. You just have to deal with their unpredictable movements but it's all worth it after. Regalo na ni tito James yung pictures niya. Hehe. 

Happy Birthday again Dandan. We love you!

The Rain

One of my favorite DJs in the world, Peter Luts, a belgian music man and a producer too, is back with another smashing release! The Rain is a real dance floor filler and gives you a glimpse of Bangkok as the music video was taken in that city. I just thought of sharing the video to everyone. Enjoy!!!

My Short Cambodia Exit Story

In my entire stay here in Pattaya, nakaka-tatlong exit na ako sa Cambodia. This coming saturday, e-exit na naman ako, Nakakapagod din pero wala naman akong choice. I'm actually starting to get used to it. But let me share to you my very short Cambodia exit story based on the picture you see in this entry.

The guy in the middle is a thai national. Siya yung driver nung van. Out of the three drivers I've seen from my exits, siya yung cute. Maganda ang height, ang mata, polite at pagbubuksan ka pa niya nang pinto pagsundo sa'yo, at pinakamabilis mag-drive. Yung normal na 3 hours na drive, nakukuha niya nang 2 hours. Parang express ride. Bata pa kasi. The other two drivers, medyo may edad na.

The girl on the right is a thai national na nag-aassist sa exit. Nakakatuwa kasi marunong siya mag-tagalog. Sa dami ba naman nang pinoy na araw araw nag-eexit doon. Natuto na siya. Yung guy naman sa left side, pinoy yan. Nagta-trabaho siya sa Tree Top Adventure. Bad trip ako jan. Ewan ko ba, basta bad vibes siya sa akin. Sa itsura at aura niya. One time, nagpatugtog yan nang malakas na music from his cellphone. Di ako makatulog. Kaya ayun, BV na ako sa kanya.

So there, that's my little story about this stolen picture, from one of the exits I had in Cambodia. Share lang. Hehe. 

Guide to Pattaya's Boyz Town

As you've heard it, Boyztown is the heart of gay tourism here in Pattaya. While the city is well known as a sex tourism destination catering mostly to its straight customers, this place in Soi 3, just a few minutes away from Walking street and the Pattaya Beach, is the place for gays.

The entire street is filled with rows of gay bars where you can see thai boys dancing on the stage or just sitting in front of the bar in skimpy underwear. Everything is possible there, but everything has a price. Here's a little guide to Pattaya's Boyz Town for all you curious readers out there..

Although there are also a few gay bars in the neighboring Soi 1 and Soi 2 ("soi" means "street" in thai language), but they are in between regular girlie bars. If you want exclusive boy bars, then Boyz Town is the best place. The bars on the other streets might have just a few boys in each, and if you don't fancy any of them, you will have to walk further along the street to find the next gay bar. You can bar-hop to your heart's content, tasting the goods along the way until you find the right one.

For someone like me who don't frequently go to those places, walking down through Boyz Town was an unnerving experience because of the aggressive barkers and door staff trying to lure you in. Since I had no plans going inside, it is best to act confident and be firm when you say you only want to look from the outside. But if you plan to get inside, one of them will escort you, and if you are happy with the way the place looks, you can choose to stay and buy a drink while you watch the boys at the bar dance.

According to some people, not all dancers in the bars in Boyz Town are gay. Remember that this is sin city where sex tourism is the livelihood of many thais. So, many boys are willing to be gay to earn a living. They also said that you can privately have a good time with the boy that catches your attention inside the bar, or can take him to your hotel room by paying a bar fine. Of course, each service (if you know what I mean) has a price. You'll just negotiate with the boy you want.

Honestly, boys of Manila are still more attractive than the boys here in Pattaya working at Boyz Town. Mas yummy at mas delicious. That's just from my own perspective based from what I've seen and observed (not tried, okay). Ang papayat kasi halos nila. I guess, that's their market here that might be interesting for most of the foreigners. Although hindi naman lahat payat, may iba din na may katawan. Pero bihira din ang may itsura. Merong pa ngang medyo may edad na. May mga restaurants din, hotel and gym sa Boyz Town. Again, catering for gay customers.

Nakakatuwa lang ang experience na yun kasi gusto ko lang kumuha nang pictures para sa blog ko. Pero nahirapan ako. Kasi nga kinakabahan ako. Kaya ang ending, tatlong pictures lang nakuha ko. Isa nung hapon kung saan wala pa masyadong tao pero kinabahan pa din ako, then yung dalawa, nung gabi na, nung buhay na ang Boyz Town. Pero malayong kuha. Haha. Di talaga ako kampante mag-isa sa mga ganun. Para lang akong tanga. Kahit sa totoo lang, dapat nga mas free ako kasi open ang city sa ganun. Ewan ko ba. But it was a good and funny experience.

So with the unlimited choice of boys on offer in Boyz Town and the fact that they are willing to do anything for a price, a gay customer could get carried away with their fantasies. However, it is best to be cautious and bear in mind that prostitution is illegal in Thailand (can you believe it?) and there is a strict punishment for underage sex. Ask for ID cards if you are in doubt about their age. If you will bring them to your hotel, be mindful with your valuables. And please, do not forget to wear protection. Mahirap nang makakuha nang sakit dito. Again, it's a sin city!

Pagdating ni hubbee, iikot ko siya doon. At least, may kasama na ako. Di na ako kakabahan. Curious naman ako what's inside. For fun lang and for me to write something about it. Abangan!!!

Photo Walk: Pattaya's 1st Car Show