Armando
April 20th, 2021, 13:53
I assumed from a thread some months ago that Babylon was now closed. Judging by a number of sites thrown up by google, it seems it is definitely open. True? Whatever, I thought a thread of memories of this most iconic of gay sauna/spas might throw up some interesting posts similar in a way to memories of Soi Twilight.
The 'present' Babylon is of course its second incarnation, the first having been located in the much smaller building at the top of Soi Nanta/Mozart (where there is now a different kind of beauty spa). At the outset it occupied only about half the total space in the building. Later the other section with more rooms, its own staircase and a second coffee shop on the ground floor was opened up. I remember hearing about it quite soon after its opening around 1990/91. Some years earlier I had sampled what I believe was the first gay sauna, Volt off Asoke. Soon I had ventured to Obelisks with its jacuzzi on the roof. Then there was one which I enjoyed many times. It was located on the right at the end of a sub soi off Ploenchit between what is now the Holiday Inn Hotel and Central Department store. I spent New Year's Eve there in 1986 and met a delightful guy who worked at a nearby hotel. I took him to the amazing Royal Barge Procession held later in 1987 to mark the King's 60th Birthday.
Babylon, though, was very different. The entrance had Thai artefacts in a glass covered case on the left before the reception desk. There was also a small sitting area which got crowded at weekends. I quickly learned it was important to get there early. Departing the sauna around 7:00 pm or slightly later, in addition to the seats all being filled there would always be a queue waiting to get it. Most in those days seemed to be younger Thais and young to middle-aged farang. I think the changing room was on the first floor (memory lapse!) as was the cafe filled with patrons in their towels or robes. At the weekends there would be live music, usually on a guitar or some other quiet instrument so that conversation was easy. Indeed there was gentle music piped throughout the sauna, most of it from the classical repertoire.
Oddly, or so I thought, there was a small massage room almost in the cafe. For at least two years it was staffed by a lovely young lad named, I recall, Gun. If I had not hooked up with another patron, I would always try to have a massage before dining. Gun was wonderful! On the same floor there were only 8 or 9 small rooms. With the expansion, after 6:00 pm a partition would be opened and another 8 or so became available.
On the top floor was the open-air bar with tables covering most of the area, and a shower area at the end furthest from Sathorn Soi 1. I believe there was also a staircase at the opposite end of the bar from the showers which led down to ?. There my memory has another gap. I expect it was to another shower area. Sitting in the bar area with a gentle breeze blowing was magical, always with loads of eye candy passing back and fore. Occasionally someone would return your gaze and join you for a drink and then down to the rooms. My only concern was when Panthip Court (now Panthip Suites) was being built and towered over Babylon. I always assumed those on the top floors with binoculars would see us all enjoying ourselves.
Rooms were regularly cleaned. The staff were always extremely efficient and polite - and most were cute. I always thought it felt more like a club than a sauna. I managed to keep my activities to enjoying the sight of beautiful bodies and what we had all come for - sex. Only once did I let my guard down. Leaning against a wall just as it had got dark outside (and was therefore dark also inside), I heard a voice behind me. He asked my name. What a strange question to ask in a sauna, I thought. It turned out he had recently hooked up with a guy named David and he wanted to make sure I was not him! I was not even curious because it was an Australian accent. Sorry, I said. I'm only interested in meeting Thais. It turned out he was in fact Thai. He had lived in Australia while studying at a Sydney university for three years and developed a strongish Australian accent! After I turned around it was difficult to make out his features, but he looked interesting. End result was we finally ended up not just in a room, he accompanied me for dinner outside the sauna and then back to my hotel.
By the next morning, i knew I was smitten. Over the next few months, I returned several times just to meet up again with him. He always met me at Don Mueang. Once I only had about 20 hours available and so we spent them in each other's arms holed up at the airport hotel. We started talking seriously about becoming much more than a casual fling. Although we both wanted it, it was totally impractical as we lived too far apart. I did think about trying to get a sabbatical and coming to live in Bangkok with him for a year. Eventually reason took over and we realised that we could never be together more than occasionally. One morning with both of us in tears, we said goodbye. I never saw him again as he returned to Australia.
But that was merely an entr-acte. My Babylon visits continued. The most remarkable memory I have of those later years before the move was again of waiting outside a room. There were quite a few Thais waiting, including one who came and stood in front of me. Peering through gaps in the accordion-like doors to try seeing some of the action inside was a common desire. Eventually, the two in that room came out and the Thai guy took my hand and led me inside. We lay down on the bed without taking off our robes. His back was to my front and so I slowly slid my hand downwards. I then had a theatrical-like 'double take'. The erection I discovered was the largest I had ever experienced in the country. It must have been close to 9 inches! I draw a veil over what then happened!
For a reason I still cannot work out, I never liked Babylon in its second incarnation further down the soi. I can understand why many loved it, especially with the pool and the large gym. A couple of years or so prior to the move, a Thai friend had recommended another newish sauna off Soi Aree - Chakran. Beautifully decorated in a Moroccan-type theme, it had an intimacy the new Babylon was to lack. It's small pool was in the building with a bar to one side. I loved just sitting on the loungers with a drink watching the almost exclusively young Thai patrons descend from the first floor on the open stairs opposite. Close by was the large jacuzzi and an even larger L-shaped dark steam room. Some years after it opened, that area would be curtained off to become a totally nude section. Was that the first one in Bangkok? I think so. I ended up loving that sauna much more than the new Babylon. By around 2005, though, it began to lose its lustre as it had become a venue for mostly sticky rice. But this post is about Babylon so I will end here.
The 'present' Babylon is of course its second incarnation, the first having been located in the much smaller building at the top of Soi Nanta/Mozart (where there is now a different kind of beauty spa). At the outset it occupied only about half the total space in the building. Later the other section with more rooms, its own staircase and a second coffee shop on the ground floor was opened up. I remember hearing about it quite soon after its opening around 1990/91. Some years earlier I had sampled what I believe was the first gay sauna, Volt off Asoke. Soon I had ventured to Obelisks with its jacuzzi on the roof. Then there was one which I enjoyed many times. It was located on the right at the end of a sub soi off Ploenchit between what is now the Holiday Inn Hotel and Central Department store. I spent New Year's Eve there in 1986 and met a delightful guy who worked at a nearby hotel. I took him to the amazing Royal Barge Procession held later in 1987 to mark the King's 60th Birthday.
Babylon, though, was very different. The entrance had Thai artefacts in a glass covered case on the left before the reception desk. There was also a small sitting area which got crowded at weekends. I quickly learned it was important to get there early. Departing the sauna around 7:00 pm or slightly later, in addition to the seats all being filled there would always be a queue waiting to get it. Most in those days seemed to be younger Thais and young to middle-aged farang. I think the changing room was on the first floor (memory lapse!) as was the cafe filled with patrons in their towels or robes. At the weekends there would be live music, usually on a guitar or some other quiet instrument so that conversation was easy. Indeed there was gentle music piped throughout the sauna, most of it from the classical repertoire.
Oddly, or so I thought, there was a small massage room almost in the cafe. For at least two years it was staffed by a lovely young lad named, I recall, Gun. If I had not hooked up with another patron, I would always try to have a massage before dining. Gun was wonderful! On the same floor there were only 8 or 9 small rooms. With the expansion, after 6:00 pm a partition would be opened and another 8 or so became available.
On the top floor was the open-air bar with tables covering most of the area, and a shower area at the end furthest from Sathorn Soi 1. I believe there was also a staircase at the opposite end of the bar from the showers which led down to ?. There my memory has another gap. I expect it was to another shower area. Sitting in the bar area with a gentle breeze blowing was magical, always with loads of eye candy passing back and fore. Occasionally someone would return your gaze and join you for a drink and then down to the rooms. My only concern was when Panthip Court (now Panthip Suites) was being built and towered over Babylon. I always assumed those on the top floors with binoculars would see us all enjoying ourselves.
Rooms were regularly cleaned. The staff were always extremely efficient and polite - and most were cute. I always thought it felt more like a club than a sauna. I managed to keep my activities to enjoying the sight of beautiful bodies and what we had all come for - sex. Only once did I let my guard down. Leaning against a wall just as it had got dark outside (and was therefore dark also inside), I heard a voice behind me. He asked my name. What a strange question to ask in a sauna, I thought. It turned out he had recently hooked up with a guy named David and he wanted to make sure I was not him! I was not even curious because it was an Australian accent. Sorry, I said. I'm only interested in meeting Thais. It turned out he was in fact Thai. He had lived in Australia while studying at a Sydney university for three years and developed a strongish Australian accent! After I turned around it was difficult to make out his features, but he looked interesting. End result was we finally ended up not just in a room, he accompanied me for dinner outside the sauna and then back to my hotel.
By the next morning, i knew I was smitten. Over the next few months, I returned several times just to meet up again with him. He always met me at Don Mueang. Once I only had about 20 hours available and so we spent them in each other's arms holed up at the airport hotel. We started talking seriously about becoming much more than a casual fling. Although we both wanted it, it was totally impractical as we lived too far apart. I did think about trying to get a sabbatical and coming to live in Bangkok with him for a year. Eventually reason took over and we realised that we could never be together more than occasionally. One morning with both of us in tears, we said goodbye. I never saw him again as he returned to Australia.
But that was merely an entr-acte. My Babylon visits continued. The most remarkable memory I have of those later years before the move was again of waiting outside a room. There were quite a few Thais waiting, including one who came and stood in front of me. Peering through gaps in the accordion-like doors to try seeing some of the action inside was a common desire. Eventually, the two in that room came out and the Thai guy took my hand and led me inside. We lay down on the bed without taking off our robes. His back was to my front and so I slowly slid my hand downwards. I then had a theatrical-like 'double take'. The erection I discovered was the largest I had ever experienced in the country. It must have been close to 9 inches! I draw a veil over what then happened!
For a reason I still cannot work out, I never liked Babylon in its second incarnation further down the soi. I can understand why many loved it, especially with the pool and the large gym. A couple of years or so prior to the move, a Thai friend had recommended another newish sauna off Soi Aree - Chakran. Beautifully decorated in a Moroccan-type theme, it had an intimacy the new Babylon was to lack. It's small pool was in the building with a bar to one side. I loved just sitting on the loungers with a drink watching the almost exclusively young Thai patrons descend from the first floor on the open stairs opposite. Close by was the large jacuzzi and an even larger L-shaped dark steam room. Some years after it opened, that area would be curtained off to become a totally nude section. Was that the first one in Bangkok? I think so. I ended up loving that sauna much more than the new Babylon. By around 2005, though, it began to lose its lustre as it had become a venue for mostly sticky rice. But this post is about Babylon so I will end here.