The other Pattaya

[lonelywombat]

I was invited to a friends parents barbecue for Good Friday lunch, and their neighbors in the mid seventies were
discussing their walking tour of SE Asia. I found the BBQ and the white wine more of interest.

However when they got to Pattaya I pricked up my ears and recognised things like Welcome Hotel, Budda Mountain and
Jomtien Beach. It was when they said they used to walk along the beach until the properties were fenced down to the waterline, and the Temple staircase that was over 200 steps to the top, that I started to get curious.

When the photos were passed around I did not recognise a thing

They stayed at Welcome Jomtien Beach and it is at least 3k from the gay beach

In Chiang Mai they had met people who were booked into the Adriatic Palace hotel and they walked everyday down to meet them often stopping at Rabbit for coffee. In the area past Rabbit and Pattaya Park is where they would like to buy a condo right next to Adriatic. Further round from there is where the private homes fences, come right down to the waterline.

A long walk each day for a young man but for two approaching 80 amazing.

Their Budda mountain is not the one overlooking Pattaya but further south where there is a massive carving of Buddha into the mountainside. It can be seen for miles. The steps were in a chinese museum behind one of the temples.

What shocked me was that I did not recognise one of their photos of Pattaya and I have been there at least 40 times in the last 16 years.

Their Budda mountain is not the one overlooking Pattaya but further south where there is a massive carving of Buddha into the mountainside. It can be seen for miles.

Lovely spot -- I was there last weekend with friends -- it is near Bang Sarae and near Nong Nooch park (image attached).

http://upload3.postimage.org/111743/RIMG0067_1.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/111743/photo_hosting.html)

Sadly I did not find out the name of the place, and the Thai friend who brought me has a very heavy accent in English, and I would not be able to write it down.

In the Chinese museum, there are some original terra cotta soldiers from Xian, donated to Thailand by the Chinese government. There are also some fantastic bronzes, and some strange paintings -- traditional style scrolls but with contemporary content such as buses and cars.

[jinks]

http://upload3.postimage.org/112008/khao_chee_chan.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/112008/photo_hosting.html)

The Image is Khao Chee Chan.
"The Buddha who has brightness and sublimity"

Seen here with the late David Ferguson, know affectionately as "david in pattaya"
http://upload3.postimage.org/112014/14_jpg.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/112014/photo_hosting.html)

Last year thai friends took me for a tour of Buddha Mountain and Nong Nooch Gardens. It was a lovely tour.

Buddha Mountain is administered by the Thai Navy and had some very handsome lads on guard. One of my friends hit on one of the guards who very much enjoyed the attention and joking.

Nong Nooch Gardens is a very special place with gorgeous gardens and landscaping.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Joe_M01/NongNoochGardens0May2005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Joe_M01/NongNoochGardens2May2005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Joe_M01/NongNoochGardens3May2005.jpg

For a paltry 100 baht Nooch Gardens offers a great few hours. I been there about 10 times in 5 years. Will go again. Best if you have no one waiting to return you to Pattaya. Then you walk and gawk on no time schedule. About 3 hours is about right. But up to you.

for the great shots of the garden.
i have never been there but am returning to pattaya after a years absence ( busy in Bali and a new partner ) and it will definitely be on the to do list .

[lonelywombat]

I received a PM with the following url in it
It is most interesting with some nice photos

http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blo ... &tb=1&pb=1 (http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blog=5&p=744&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)

[AMARETTO-old]

for sharing this url. It is the best blog about Thailand, I have never read.

What shocked me was that I did not recognise one of their photos of Pattaya and I have been there at least 40 times in the last 16 years.

It is such a pity that sex tourists to Thailand think that it is only the bar/club areas that are worth a visit.

Pattaya has many attractions well worth a visit outside of the Jomtien/Boyztown/Sunee area and all within a short drive or bus ride. The tropical gardens are a fine example of what is within a few miles of South Pattaya yet practically unknown by sex tourists.

The same goes for Bangkok, believe it or not Silom is not the be all of Bangkok, take a Tuk Tuk away from the Silom Road area and explore some of the fantastic attractions that exist here. If you prefer company then take one of the local boys out for the day and let him visit these places with you. Probably many of these boys from outside of Bangkok will never have visited these places and will be happy and grateful to you for taking them with you.

At Christmas I drove some friends visiting from the USA from my home near Lumpini Park out to the Oriental Hotel for dinner and they were amazed at just how many things of interest that there were in that short drive. They had visited Thailand four times prior to this visit and had never ventured further than an area bordered by Soi 6- MBK and Lumpini Park, to them this was Bangkok!
Experience the real Thailand and not only the fairytale world of bars and clubs and you will not regret it.

NBN: Hear, hear. I always cringe when people lament that because their flight arrives BKK after midnight, they cannot get to the bars that night and "waste" a whole day. Waste? There is plenty to do that first day before the bars open, but alas the focus is on sex sex and more sex, probably with a healthy dose of alcohol. What's wrong with going to the hotel, taking a shower, getting a good nights sleep before exploring the city, going shopping, going to the beach (if Pattaya, Phuket, etc), and/or getting a massage? Still have time to take a nap before heading out for the hedonistic pleasures the night of the not-wasted day.

[lonelywombat]

. It is the best blog about Thailand, I have never read.

ooops
I am sorry about that.
Checking back to find why it would not load has lead me to a feast of comment on thai life that
will keep me occupied for some time
try this
www.thai-blogs.com (http://www.thai-blogs.com)
Richard is one of the founders of this blog and is most prolific
click on Richard and on the RHS scroll down archives to culture in pattaya about 85% of the way down
That is the article I was referring to