TrongpaiExpat
October 15th, 2006, 19:17
I just got back from a short trip to Pattaya and here is my personal impressions on two topics, The Nook and the Beach at Jomtiem.
Niddys Nook: I really wanted to give it a shot or try the cheese berger but I walked past it two times and there were just no customers and it did not feel inviting. On my third pass in three days at 930pm it looked like some customers at the one table outside. I approached with trepidation. There are four chairs on one side and two sofas on the other. The customers turned out to be staff or friends of staff . No one was inside, the two tables inside are set for four and I just did not feel comfortable going inside. I hate taking a table set, when I am alone, for 4 when there's only two tables, what would happen if 8 customers suddenly appeared? I sat at the outside chair with a side table and felt like I had walked into someone's house uninvited. Someone approached me and asked me "what I wanted", Well, how about a fruit shake? I asked in Thai and got a strange look, I am speaking Thai, I think he was expecting English, so I switched to English and he answered in Thai, mai mee no have, want beer or cocktail? No want alcohol, what do you have with no alcohol, only coke. No want coke, do you have any fruit juices?, no have, Sprite?, no have. How do they make cocktails without juices? I dared not ask about the cheese berger. I was never presented presented with a menu. I just got up and left and said thank you. I wondered over to Memories and had my second delicious special pork BBQ sandwich this trip and felt right at home and comfortable like I was family. Next visit, comfortable or not, I am going in the Nook!
Dogtan Beach: Customers were scarce, low season and not much sun I was told. I saw the same old Farangs at the same old chairs from previous visits, two, four and six months ago. The same old fella with the light brown Moe Howard toupee with gray hair sticking out the back, the same old nervous looking man who keeps looking behind for something or someone, the same few large guys who seem to complain a lot and this one large guy who has the smallest ankles and feet that I have ever seen, how his feet support him is a mystery. Then the assorted Euro's with the speedo-look being stretched to the limit. Round bodies laying in repose under the palms with Thai massage boys at various stages of kneading looked like something in a Fernando Botero painting. Conversations among farangs seem limited to three topics: Urology, cardiology and complains about Thai boys not doing what they agreed to do or what they did after promising not to.
As I was having my last parting breakfast at Two Faces this older gent comes in a meter taxi with a bag and a waking stick, he had booked a room. I asked if he just came in from the airport and his opinion of the new airport. All he said it's, modern but they lost his luggage. He then went on about having a bladder infection and he had to go to a Bangkok hospital to have a catheter put in and once he was drained he was ok. Probably prostate enlargement. As soon as he has some problem with a Thai boy he will fit right in at chairs on Jomtiem. I hope his heart is ok.
I had an enjoyable time but a week is enough and I am now back in more normal Bangkok.
Niddys Nook: I really wanted to give it a shot or try the cheese berger but I walked past it two times and there were just no customers and it did not feel inviting. On my third pass in three days at 930pm it looked like some customers at the one table outside. I approached with trepidation. There are four chairs on one side and two sofas on the other. The customers turned out to be staff or friends of staff . No one was inside, the two tables inside are set for four and I just did not feel comfortable going inside. I hate taking a table set, when I am alone, for 4 when there's only two tables, what would happen if 8 customers suddenly appeared? I sat at the outside chair with a side table and felt like I had walked into someone's house uninvited. Someone approached me and asked me "what I wanted", Well, how about a fruit shake? I asked in Thai and got a strange look, I am speaking Thai, I think he was expecting English, so I switched to English and he answered in Thai, mai mee no have, want beer or cocktail? No want alcohol, what do you have with no alcohol, only coke. No want coke, do you have any fruit juices?, no have, Sprite?, no have. How do they make cocktails without juices? I dared not ask about the cheese berger. I was never presented presented with a menu. I just got up and left and said thank you. I wondered over to Memories and had my second delicious special pork BBQ sandwich this trip and felt right at home and comfortable like I was family. Next visit, comfortable or not, I am going in the Nook!
Dogtan Beach: Customers were scarce, low season and not much sun I was told. I saw the same old Farangs at the same old chairs from previous visits, two, four and six months ago. The same old fella with the light brown Moe Howard toupee with gray hair sticking out the back, the same old nervous looking man who keeps looking behind for something or someone, the same few large guys who seem to complain a lot and this one large guy who has the smallest ankles and feet that I have ever seen, how his feet support him is a mystery. Then the assorted Euro's with the speedo-look being stretched to the limit. Round bodies laying in repose under the palms with Thai massage boys at various stages of kneading looked like something in a Fernando Botero painting. Conversations among farangs seem limited to three topics: Urology, cardiology and complains about Thai boys not doing what they agreed to do or what they did after promising not to.
As I was having my last parting breakfast at Two Faces this older gent comes in a meter taxi with a bag and a waking stick, he had booked a room. I asked if he just came in from the airport and his opinion of the new airport. All he said it's, modern but they lost his luggage. He then went on about having a bladder infection and he had to go to a Bangkok hospital to have a catheter put in and once he was drained he was ok. Probably prostate enlargement. As soon as he has some problem with a Thai boy he will fit right in at chairs on Jomtiem. I hope his heart is ok.
I had an enjoyable time but a week is enough and I am now back in more normal Bangkok.