Dodger
January 11th, 2015, 05:34
Hi you maniacsтАж
Well, another fun-filled adventure comes to an end after enjoying 3 months in the sun. I just returned home to Chicago where below zero temperatures were waiting for me with open armsтАжugh!
I purchased a condo in Bang Saray during my previous holiday which became the center of my attention during this trip as well. I enjoyed taking frequent trips to BS from my apartment in Pattaya guiding the workers who I hired to do a total renovation, e.g. new tiled flooring, ceiling lights/fan, new electrical outlets, re-pluming of the kitchen water lines, installation of new kitchen w/full size SS refrigerator and custom built pedestal w/granite top and 2 ceiling pendent lights, a new love seat/sofa, 2 full-size wardrobes with custom built storage cabinets on top, new bed, custom made wooden vertical blinds on sliding glass doors, new hardwood front door with dead bolt lock and balcony screen door, complete paint job (3 coats walls and ceiling) trimmed with wood floor molding and upper crown molding. I really enjoy interior design projects especially the space-management aspects when attempting to design a 40sqm studio which has the same functionality of a full size suite. I have to admit that so far IтАЩm pleased.
As many of you know, Thai workers have to be managed at all times. Knowing this before I started this project proved benefitual as Thais do not think linear тАУ nor do they perform construction tasks caring about straight lines and IтАЩm a straight line freak. I had them redo the electric outlets because they were all on angles versus parallel with the floor and I thought the guys who were mounting my vertical blinds were gonna kill me. I just refused to accept work that wasnтАЩt done rightтАжthat means тАЬstraight lines.
After spending 6 months (2 holidays) in stores searching for the things I needed for the renovation project I can tell you, without a doubt, that Home Pro is the best all-around store for buying appliances, home entertainment, Euro kitchens, lighting, toilets, sinks, showers etc. and their delivery and installation service is outstanding (located in Big C Extra Pattaya Klang). Home Works is over-priced and does not have near the selection that Home Pro offers. The best place (price and quality) for building materials, i.e., tiles, paint, electrical, hardware, tools, etc. is Thai Watsado (Sukumvit Rd. just 1 mile past Macro). I made many trips to Home Works, Big C, Index (Sukumvit RD.) and others as well and usually walked away disappointed.
I always arrived in BS around 7:00 AM (a 30 minute motorbike ride from PTY) just in time to watch the fishing boats return from their nightly fishing. I enjoyed sipping my birdie ice coffee and watching the boys unloading their catch тАУ as well as taking showers out on the boat decks after the chores were done. I got to know a few of them after visiting as many times as I did and they are really fun-spirited. The boys are mostly Cambodian and severely under paid and commonly spend their afternoons working in the farm fields surrounding BS for extra money. IтАЩve seen many who would be real show-stoppers if they were on a gogo stage in Pattaya, but I prefer them just as they are in a more natural setting.
The boy who I met on Gay Romeo last year from Buriram stayed with me again. He attended a fashion design (sewing) school in the day time and we were together in the evenings when I returned from my tasks in BS. I only visited the bar scene in Sunee about once every week or so and canтАЩt tell you any more about the scene than you already know. My friend from Buriram was all the company I needed but I enjoyed getting sloshed on Leo Beers occasionally and chatting with old friends.
I sat with my friend Craig from America (AKA Undaunted) one night reminising about the olds days in Pattaya, specifically Sunee Plaza which of course has been in a steady decline over the past 5 or 6 years. The days when there were literally hundreds of smiling boys around every corner. When the boys treated you as a тАЬspecial guestтАЭ versus wanting to be served by you as they do know. The days when people who complained about someone smoking a cigarette would be drowned out by the shear vibrancy and sounds of people having fun. The days when you could buy a silly necklace from an old Indian women and her young son and for 10 baht, or have your picture taken feeding a wandering elephant. The days when you were afraid to off a boy too early, regardless of how hot he was, for fear that you would spot one even hotter as the evening wore on. The days when you could take a short stroll from Sunee over to Soi Day night and hit Hollywood Disco or one of the many karaokeтАЩs which stayed open till sunrise. Yes, those were the days.
I hope to complete my renovation project next Spring and also plan to do some more traveling with my trusty backpack. IтАЩve been pretty much grounded the last two holidays and IтАЩm really looking forward to seeing the sights again. IтАЩm contemplating going to Uttaradit (or Phrae) during the Songkran period which I did several years back and had a blast. I also want to visit Kanchanaburi again just for the thrill of sleeping on one of those house boats on the river and waking up to the sight of him standing naked on the bamboo porch and the sounds of the croaking bull frogs.
Cheers
Well, another fun-filled adventure comes to an end after enjoying 3 months in the sun. I just returned home to Chicago where below zero temperatures were waiting for me with open armsтАжugh!
I purchased a condo in Bang Saray during my previous holiday which became the center of my attention during this trip as well. I enjoyed taking frequent trips to BS from my apartment in Pattaya guiding the workers who I hired to do a total renovation, e.g. new tiled flooring, ceiling lights/fan, new electrical outlets, re-pluming of the kitchen water lines, installation of new kitchen w/full size SS refrigerator and custom built pedestal w/granite top and 2 ceiling pendent lights, a new love seat/sofa, 2 full-size wardrobes with custom built storage cabinets on top, new bed, custom made wooden vertical blinds on sliding glass doors, new hardwood front door with dead bolt lock and balcony screen door, complete paint job (3 coats walls and ceiling) trimmed with wood floor molding and upper crown molding. I really enjoy interior design projects especially the space-management aspects when attempting to design a 40sqm studio which has the same functionality of a full size suite. I have to admit that so far IтАЩm pleased.
As many of you know, Thai workers have to be managed at all times. Knowing this before I started this project proved benefitual as Thais do not think linear тАУ nor do they perform construction tasks caring about straight lines and IтАЩm a straight line freak. I had them redo the electric outlets because they were all on angles versus parallel with the floor and I thought the guys who were mounting my vertical blinds were gonna kill me. I just refused to accept work that wasnтАЩt done rightтАжthat means тАЬstraight lines.
After spending 6 months (2 holidays) in stores searching for the things I needed for the renovation project I can tell you, without a doubt, that Home Pro is the best all-around store for buying appliances, home entertainment, Euro kitchens, lighting, toilets, sinks, showers etc. and their delivery and installation service is outstanding (located in Big C Extra Pattaya Klang). Home Works is over-priced and does not have near the selection that Home Pro offers. The best place (price and quality) for building materials, i.e., tiles, paint, electrical, hardware, tools, etc. is Thai Watsado (Sukumvit Rd. just 1 mile past Macro). I made many trips to Home Works, Big C, Index (Sukumvit RD.) and others as well and usually walked away disappointed.
I always arrived in BS around 7:00 AM (a 30 minute motorbike ride from PTY) just in time to watch the fishing boats return from their nightly fishing. I enjoyed sipping my birdie ice coffee and watching the boys unloading their catch тАУ as well as taking showers out on the boat decks after the chores were done. I got to know a few of them after visiting as many times as I did and they are really fun-spirited. The boys are mostly Cambodian and severely under paid and commonly spend their afternoons working in the farm fields surrounding BS for extra money. IтАЩve seen many who would be real show-stoppers if they were on a gogo stage in Pattaya, but I prefer them just as they are in a more natural setting.
The boy who I met on Gay Romeo last year from Buriram stayed with me again. He attended a fashion design (sewing) school in the day time and we were together in the evenings when I returned from my tasks in BS. I only visited the bar scene in Sunee about once every week or so and canтАЩt tell you any more about the scene than you already know. My friend from Buriram was all the company I needed but I enjoyed getting sloshed on Leo Beers occasionally and chatting with old friends.
I sat with my friend Craig from America (AKA Undaunted) one night reminising about the olds days in Pattaya, specifically Sunee Plaza which of course has been in a steady decline over the past 5 or 6 years. The days when there were literally hundreds of smiling boys around every corner. When the boys treated you as a тАЬspecial guestтАЭ versus wanting to be served by you as they do know. The days when people who complained about someone smoking a cigarette would be drowned out by the shear vibrancy and sounds of people having fun. The days when you could buy a silly necklace from an old Indian women and her young son and for 10 baht, or have your picture taken feeding a wandering elephant. The days when you were afraid to off a boy too early, regardless of how hot he was, for fear that you would spot one even hotter as the evening wore on. The days when you could take a short stroll from Sunee over to Soi Day night and hit Hollywood Disco or one of the many karaokeтАЩs which stayed open till sunrise. Yes, those were the days.
I hope to complete my renovation project next Spring and also plan to do some more traveling with my trusty backpack. IтАЩve been pretty much grounded the last two holidays and IтАЩm really looking forward to seeing the sights again. IтАЩm contemplating going to Uttaradit (or Phrae) during the Songkran period which I did several years back and had a blast. I also want to visit Kanchanaburi again just for the thrill of sleeping on one of those house boats on the river and waking up to the sight of him standing naked on the bamboo porch and the sounds of the croaking bull frogs.
Cheers