Soi Six here in Pattaya, Thailand, to be precise. That’s the street where I hung out and quaffed some brews last night. But let’s start with the beginning of the day, shall we?
So, I’m taking care of my morning business when I see that my Fitbit has gone black. All my efforts at reviving it proved fruitless. I decided to check out a mall I’d seen on one of my walks in search of a replacement smartwatch.
I say eventually because I arrived at the mall right about 10 a.m. only to discover it opened at eleven. So, I walked up the road a bit and found a restaurant for a late breakfast.
There was a nice supermarket at the mall where I could finally secure some underarm deodorant–none of the convenience stores I checked had any.
I took a 200 baht taxi ride back to the hotel to have time for a nap and to clean up before my doctor’s appointment at 3:15.
Reader Brian had commented that the Pattaya International Hospital was one of the good ones for foreigners. It turns out it is on the same street as my hotel (Soi 4), about two blocks away. I was impressed with how clean, organized, and efficient it was compared to my experience in the Philippines. My appointment was for a consult with an ENT, and I was called in to see him right on schedule. I told him about my recent breathing issues and blocked sinuses. He stuck a scope up my nose and cringed at the image on the screen. That was a little disconcerting. He confirmed what I had already been told–I have stage four blockage from enlarged nodules that must be removed surgically. He took it a step further, saying he’d remove some of the bone so the nodules would not regrow. I told him I was reluctant to have surgery requiring general anesthesia with my COPD. He acknowledged that could be an issue, suggesting I have the surgery performed in a hospital with an ICU to monitor my breathing during the operation better. He recommended I return to the US for the procedure. He also confirmed that my sinus blockage likely affected my blood oxygen, especially when sleeping and breathing exclusively through my mouth. So, he gave me a prescription that may provide temporary relief, but he cautioned it is not a long-term solution. I need the surgery. The bill, including meds, came to 3,440 baht (right at $100), so about twice what I’d pay back home.
With that unpleasant business out of the way, I headed back out to a marketplace I had seen near the mall. I needed to shop for pasalubong for all my Filipina “friends” back home and a suitcase to carry the gifts on the plane.
Another 200 baht cab ride to the hotel, where I stored the goodies and prepared for my night on the town. I decided to get dinner out of the way first and wanted to try that place across the street from my hotel.
After finishing my meal (I even used my spoon to get all of that sauce in my belly), it was time to set out for my evening of exploration.
So, I’m glad I had a look at the Soi 6 bar scene, but I won’t be going back. Just not my thing. This morning on my walkabout, I found myself on Soi 7, and it was full of wide-open spaces-type beer bars. That’s more to my liking, and maybe I’ll get a chance to swing by there again when the bars are open.
I had one more beer on Beach Road as I headed back to the hotel; I might have had a second if the service didn’t suck so bad. And then, as I approached my hotel, I saw my new favorite restaurant and thought it was fitting to begin and end my evening there.
I’m going to meet up with Dave and Jo this evening, and we are going to try the place on the roof of my hotel called Virgin. Since we’ve never been there, I guess we are.
I hear they had some excitement back home in the Philippines today:
I wasn’t completely satisfied with my Thai pun today, so let me give you this:
Okay, cleanse your palate with this one while I go get showered up and ready for another evening out in lovely Pattaya.
It must be Thai because they used ham instead of bacon.
Aigo, so culinarily timid. Feel the slaps of a thousand ajummas.
I admit I make a lot of Western food when I cook at home because, frankly, I get the Western-food jones myself, and Korean food is so readily available, so there’s no reason to crave it or miss it. But I also have a roster of go-to Korean places that I like, and on occasion, I’ll experiment and try something new (although, admittedly, those experiments often end in regret 2 out of 3 times).
But I’m talking about what I do as a resident of Korea. For the same reason, I (almost) never rag your ass about all the Western food you eat in Barrio Barretto: that place is your home, and when you’re home, you should do what’s comfortable. When you travel, though, it seems kind of sad not to try the local stuff and get a really good impression of the cuisine.
However, I gather that cuisine is not your top priority when you travel: it’s more likely bars, and maybe walking routes, too. In fact, it almost seems as if the thought of local cuisine is, for you, almost unpleasant, as if you were so culinarily conservative that only Amurrican food will do. Is it a trust thing? Are you worried about food poisoning despite having spent so much of your life overseas?
I’m not saying you need to be eating rats, scorpions, calf brains, and centipedes on sticks (I wouldn’t eat those, either), but it would warm the cockles of my heart to see you get at least a little adventurous while you’re abroad.
Then again… maybe I have no room to talk. If someone insisted that I should go rock climbing or parasailing while abroad, I’d likely say “Fuck that. You go. I’ll stick to walking.” So I have my limits, too.
OK, I’ll stop hassling you about food from now on. I’ve bothered you enough. Food is something I’m into, and I’m imposing my values on you. This is your trip, so enjoy. Visit that slut bar. You know you want to.
I decided on the chicken and broccoli.
Insert thumbs-up icon here. I guess my above rant was for nothing.
re: doc’s appointment
At least you got confirmation about your nasal issues. Will you consider surgery in the States, or does that require insurance that you don’t have? Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
re: bar district
Is it weird to see familiar bar names echoed in a totally different town?
It is not stocked with hotties like these, though.
Girls in skimpy, pleated skirts seem to be an almost pancultural thing. Outside of Muslim countries, I mean.
shame on me for not speaking any Thai
You’re only a tourist, so no one should language-shame you for that. I’ll get after you about not learning more Korean after years in country, but who can fault you for not knowing the local language when you’re only visiting?
Is “Repent” seriously the name of a bar there? We have Christians with bullhorns here in Korea, as you know, warning citizens of the dangers of hell and the solace of coming to Christ.
I found myself on Soi 7, and it was full of wide-open spaces-type beer bars. That’s more to my liking, and maybe I’ll get a chance to swing by there again when the bars are open.
I’ll be interested in what you have to say about Soi 7 now that you have a point of comparison with Soi 6.
re: “pissoir”
Pissoir is a French term for—you guessed it—the pisser.
we are going to try the place on the roof of my hotel called Virgin.
Is that the place with all the awesome-looking Italian food? I would violate my own eat-local ethos and go nuts ordering a ton of Italian dishes there. Appetizer, main, salad, dessert.
re: pullout couch
I watch a YouTube channel called The Detail Geek, featuring a Canadian dude who details cars. He often gets scruffy-looking cars with seats covered in unpleasant-looking mystery stains, but he always manages to make those seats look like new. He’d make short work of that couch, I’m sure.
What are you learning about the history of Pattaya? Who are the locally famous people honored by statues, fountains, or named buildings? What famous conflicts took place there? Where’s City Hall, and what do the local temples look like? Are you up late enough to do a long stroll through a big night market? What subcultures leap out at you? How safe do you feel? (I get the impression it’s pretty safe.) What are some crucial Thai phrases for tourists?
Anyway, thanks as always for the photo essay.
John, glad that the doc experience was pleasant enough, The second opinion appears to agree with info you had received previously. Now, just time to get those sinuses cleaned out!
@Kevin – Pattaya was nothing 50-60 years ago. It came into its own with the Vietnam war, when Pattaya became a popular R&R stop for US soldiers. It developed its reputation back then, and it has kind of carried through til today, though it does seem to be getting a bit tamer with the change in the tourist market. No longer exclusively the domain of single Western males; now you see a lot of Chinese (or at least did), Indians, Russians, and even local Thai families, etc.
They have been talking about a high speed train from BKK — Chon Buri — Pattaya — Rayong. Progress is two steps forward and one step back, but at some point John, you may be able to catch a high speed train from the airport to whisk you down to Pattaya.
Just for fun, try some rudimentary Thai.
“Thank you” (as said by a male) is, more or less:
Cop coon crap.
“I love you” (male) is:
Pom raccoon crap.
There are various alternative spellings, but for some reason these are easiest to remember.
Cheers!
Cop coon crap, Drain. I actually had a chat with a bargirl last night using Google Translate on her phone. It worked better than I thought it would.
I doubt I will need to say “pom raccoon crap” this trip, but good to know, just in case!
Brian, the train sounds cool, although honestly, the drive from the airport wasn’t bad.
One thing that has stood out for me because you rarely see it in Barretto is the diversity of the tourists here. Lots of white women, including older ones (I’m talking grandmothers). I hope they don’t stray down Soi 6!
By far, the largest ethnic group I’ve seen around town is Indians. Lots of restaurants around serve their kind of food, too.
Yep, I wanted a second opinion, and now I have it. I guess a trip home to the USA is in my future.
Kev, I think you nailed it–I’m just not that adventurous when it comes to food. If I see something on the menu that looks good, I’ll try it, but I am never in an “I wonder what this is like, let me try some” mode. I’m really not a fan of Thai food in general. We have a highly-rated Thai place in Barretto that I’ve never felt compelled to visit. Anyway, the Thai dishes I’ve tried so far haven’t been bad, so there’s that.
I have a Blue Cross plan attached to my pension, so I should be covered back in the USA. Overseas, I have to pay medical out of pocket and then submit a claim to Blue Cross for reimbursement.
Yeah, it’s weird to see familiar bar names attached to unfamiliar places. Happened in Cambodia too. The bar scene here in Pattaya is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. Even outside of the bar districts, almost every street has a bar or two. I don’t know how they all stay in business. And yes, Repent is really a bar name here. I guess with so many bars, it’s hard to come up with an original name, but that seems out of place.
Yes, Virgin (another odd name) is the place with the fancy food menu. Other than the view, it was a big disappointment. We didn’t even bother ordering food there.
Honestly, I’ve learned zip about Pattaya’s history (besides what Brian shared in his comment). The only shrines and statues I’ve seen are those related to Buddhism, which is huge here. I do feel completely safe walking around both day and night. I never encountered anyone shady at all (other than the usual bargirl games). I don’t know if I’d call it a subculture, but the Indian presence is very large here. I’m sorry to admit I’ve not even learned to say “thank you” in Thai (well, now I have from Drain’s comment). I have gotten to where I put my hands together and do that head nod thing, though. Progress!
McCrarey, looks like the University of South Carolina Medical Center is a possible venue in the future. Get them sinuses cleaned out so you can smell that grub at Maurice’s Piggy Park and Rush’s.
Do your hard-earned dollars go further in Phuket or back home in the PI?
I enjoyed Mr Drain Snake’s lesson on common Thai phrases to use.
Let me recap;
” Thank You” is, more or less, “cop coon CRAP”.
” I love you is’ more or less, “pom raccoon CRAP”.
And what you say when you bring a hot chick you picked up off of Soi 6 back to your hotel room and find out s(he) has a little extra below the equator is, more or less, “oh CRAP”.
Wrap that rascal McCrarey. Pom Raccoon Crap! (why do we have to involve the wildlife, poor raccoon). Peace Out!
Cop coon crap for the laugh, Soju. And damn, how did you know I love Maurice’s and Rush’s? Remembering that almost makes me want to jump on a plane for home. Almost. I’ll probably wait until fall to go back.
The PI is a little cheaper, at least for beer and transportation. I haven’t inquired about bargirl pricing because I’m just not wanting to go down that road (into that cave?). That goes double for a “girl with something extra.”