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…dancing with the devil in the city of angels…

~ Ramblings, Rumblings and Travel Tales: Bangkok and Beyond

…dancing with the devil in the city of angels…

Category Archives: 7 Shots

7 Shots: Thai Smiles

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Photography

Who needs a winning lottery ticket when you're lucky enough to have an umbrella in Thailand?

Who needs a winning lottery ticket when you’re lucky enough to have an umbrella in Thailand?

And you thought I’d already finished beating the Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella pun to death this week . . .

Huh. Who (besides Jabba) ever thought umbrellas in Thailand would be as ubiquitous as the ever popular Plastic Stool? Not me. At least not until I was stuck coming up with a subject for today’s post and turned to my collection of photos I’ve taken while in Thailand for some inspiration. And suddenly, umbrellas were everywhere. And here I thought they were just used by diminutive elderly local women slowly plodding along crowded Bangkok sidewalks where they can unfurl one without warning with the intent of poking some farang’s eyeball out.

7 smiles 2

But no, it turns out that umbrellas crop up in the Kingdom even other times when you least expect them to. Which would be when it is raining. Not that a major downpour is an unusual experience in Thailand, but seeing someone armed with a good umbrella during those times is scarce. You see a lot of cheap umbrellas. The kind that turn inside-out with the first gush of wind. And all the street markets are still festooned with umbrellas during the rains too. The vendors have just been smart enough to unfurl lengths of plastic sheeting above those umbrellas to keep them dry. In fact, you can’t hold a street market without umbrellas. I think it is in the Thai Constitution. Even when it is a night market and there is no rain. Or sun.

7 smiles 3

Flipping through my stock of photos, I got all excited when I ran across a Monk Shot! that was an Umbrella Shot! too. Until I ran across the next one. And another one. And another. There are quite a few wats featuring a Buddha sitting or standing under an umbrella too. And again, my heart began beating faster when I found a photo of Buddha statue carrying an umbrella. Huh. Evidently one of the mudras I forgot to include in my post on that subject was Carrying Umbrella. ‘Cuz I found several shots I’d taken of that not-so-unusual example too. Even if in that particular pose the umbrella is closed. I’m not sure how enlightened you have to be to walk around with a closed umbrella over your shoulder when it’s raining or high noon. But then I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming back in my next life umbrella-less.

7 smiles 4

Rumor has it that some Russian spy, like back in the ’70s, assassinated someone in London by using the poisoned tip of an umbrella. I think there was a Bulgarian involved too. Because that’s the kind of thing Bulgarians would be involved in. Not that that has anything to do with Thailand. Other than with the recent collapse of the ruble Thailand is becoming Russian-less once again. (Shame that.) But I do wish I’d been carrying a poison tipped umbrella on that day I met the bastard who started this whole 7 Shots thingy off. Trying to cull through my umbrella shots for just seven has been a chore. Even after I threw out those from Bali, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore. On the plus side, that means I can do a 7 Shots post for each of those countries in the future. Just featuring umbrellas.

7 smiles 5

Ditto for a 7 Shots post on umbrellas at wats. Because what surprised me in the number of umbrella shots I’ve taken is how few were photos specifically of an umbrella. At least in SE Asia, umbrellas photobomb your shots frequently. Of course the huge metal umbrellas often seen at Thai temples are an iconic shot and qualify as specific umbrella shots. But evidently the Buddha is quite fond of umbrellas too because they pop up at wats frequently. I even have a photo of a line of bells from a wat in Chiang Mai, each with an umbrella over it. ‘Cuz if an umbrella is good for the Buddha, it’s gotta be good for his bells too. I’ve taken specific shots of umbrellas at the Umbrella Village in Chiang Mai too. ‘Cuz you kinda have to. And I kinda had to include one of those photos in today’s post too. Which made for a much better photo than my friend Helena’s ass with a freshly painted elephant on it, a shot from our day spent at the Umbrella Village that should warn you away from taking that excursion yourself. But don’t worry. I’m pretty sure a 7 Shots post of lesbian ass is not in your future. And since she is my friend, I won’t mention some of the similarities her ass and an umbrella share in common either.

7 smiles 6

Even sticking to those photos just from Thailand that include an umbrella numbered in the hundreds. Seriously. Ubiquitous Umbrella Shot! may become my new photographic meme. I don’t even have to snap any additional ones. So despite Jabba swearing he’s never seen umbrellas for sale in the Kingdom, unless the government gives them away like it does with rice, someone must be offering them somewhere. That or I have an umbrella photo fetish that I wasn’t aware of. So yeah, winnowing my photos down to just seven for today’s post was difficult. And while there were many I liked better and many that were better composed, since I may be starting a new trend my final shot for the day will be an almost unbelievable Ubiquitous Plastic Stool Shot! featuring an umbrella. I know. It’s a good thing it’s Friday so that you have the weekend to recover.

7 smiles 7

Now if I can only find a photo of a monk sitting on a plastic stool holding an umbrella, my life might be complete.

7 Shots: The Kiddy Edition

08 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Photography

Kiddy Edition 1

With me it’s the proverbial question about the chicken or the egg: Do I dislike children because I’m gay and therefore (traditionally) not supposed to have any of my own? Or is it that I detest rug rats so much that the universe decided that It would be better off if I was gay and childless? Not that it really matters. Either works, both keep my life free of despicable mini-humans and their runny nose lifestyle. If I really needed someone in my life who craves constant attention while giving little to nothing back, I’d get a cat. At least you can train a cat to use a litter box.

Kiddy Edition 2

But as with the elderly, who are equally as useless and best avoided at all times, when I have my camera strapped around my neck, invariably I find some little tyke who’d make for a good photo. So they’re not completely useless. And those photos serve as a quick reminder when one of my friends wants to bore me with pictures of his kids that I have vacation photos I can bore him with too. Plus, in doing so, there’s always the unspoken message that it’s because of his brood that he spent his two-week vacation at Disneyland while I took a month to travel the world. That goes down as a win-win in my book.

Kiddy Edition 3

The one cool thing about kids is that they have not yet learned how to hide what they are feeling, their emotions are always on the surface, and their unguarded expressions were made for the camera. Their world is filled with wonder, new things, new experiences. And the look of a child can help you remember, while you’re bitching and moaning about your plane being delayed, your hotel reservation being lost, the taxi driver who tried to scam you, and the Thai/Farang dual pricing scheme at some attraction you just had to visit, that the reason you travel in the first place is to recapture that sense of wonderment with the world. At least until that kid’s runny nose reminds you that you caught a cold again because nothing breeds germs faster than the recycled air on a plane.

Kiddy Edition 4

Seeing what their parents did to them, like their latest hair cut, is often good for a laugh too.

Kiddy Edition 5

Thanks to that bastard I ran across in Malaysia who started this whole 7 Shots thingy off, photos of the little ones don’t often make it through my final cut. Some though are still too good to completely delete. And then there are those that I’ve discarded in favor of a shot of that particular child that I liked better. Some time ago I posted a Bonus Shot – Curiosity At The Wat – that perfectly fit that theme. It was only recently while cleaning through a bunch of old files that I ran across some of the other shots I’d taken of that kid (the opening shot in today’s post). He was such a cool, stylish little dude. I coulda done an entire 7 Shots post of him alone. And may still do so. The one of him when he ran over and punched his dad in the nuts is priceless. Although that shot was more about the dad than the kid. Since I missed honoring Father’s Day in Thailand last Friday (aka the King’s birthday) maybe I’ll remember next year and post that photo. Considering the Crown Prince’s recent antics, it might be appropriate.

Kiddy Edition 6

Several years ago I also posted one of a series of photos I took of the kid above. I say kid, instead of boy or girl ‘cuz I usually can’t tell which is which at that age. And some slightly disgruntled parent once corrected me when I used the non-gender specific ‘it’. My bad. In any case, I took a lot of photos that day and while the one I previously posted was probably a better composition, I’m still hooked on these shots for two reasons. First, no others from that excursion better reminds me of that day, even though the photos of this kid have nothing to do with where we were or why we were there. Second, it was my first experience with one of Thailand’s bathroom buses. Which are kind of a group-hug, Thai version of a porta-pottie. Only more disgusting. The kid, and I assume its father, were up front in the driver’s seat. Which made for a better shot than what was going on in the back of the bus. And explained why Take Your Child To Work Day has never really caught on as an event in Thailand.

Kiddy Edition 7

As is usually the case when I’m choosing my last of 7 shots, I wish that bastard had rounded up to an even 10. I’ve got several good candidates for today’s post of little kids who were selling postcards at every place I’ve ever visited in Cambodia; knowing poverty sells almost as well as sex (and I am NOT going there) those kid’s handlers usually make sure they are appropriately dirty and urchin-looking so that tourists will over-pay for their worthless stock. I’ve a handful of photos from Bali too of future massage shop workers, little girls on the streets of Kuta who you know will be headed that way as soon as they learn how to pronounce, “Massage, mistah?” correctly. But as endearing as photos of the plight of kids in third world countries can be, I’ll wrap this one up on a higher note and post this one to remind you that sometimes in life the best thing you can do is jump on a lamppost and enjoy the ride. ‘Cuz as disgusting a children can be, acting like one when you are an adult is always the preferable way to go.

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Bonus Shot:  Curiosity at the Wat

Bonus Shot: Curiosity at the Wat

7 Shots: Oldies But Goodies

7 Shots: Oldies But Goodies

Bonus Shot: Little Temptress

Bonus Shot: Little Temptress

7 Shots: Oldies But Goodies

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Photography

oldies 1

I’m not particularly a fan of either kids or old people. Extremes have never been my thing. The young and the old both tend to have the same problems – they get grumpy for no apparent reason, drool unexpectedly, have trouble forming a coherent sentence, and occasionally need their diaper changed. In my book, it’s best just to avoid the experience. But when it comes to photography either the very young or very old make for a good shot. They’re very expressive. Kids don’t know how to filter what they are thinking yet, and old people can’t be bothered. So I end up taking a lot of shots of both age groups. With kids I’m usually a bit more circumspect thanks to the fans of Sunee Plaza and my not wanting to appear to be one. But old people are fair game. Plus they don’t move quick enough to avoid my camera lens.

oldies 2

They say that life is the road to death; all you choose is your speed. Aging is inevitable, getting old not so much. There is a quiet dignity in old people’s faces. At least in those who age gracefully, who wear their wrinkles like a badge of honor. I think part of what attracts me to the old ‘uns as photography subjects is that there is so much life in their faces too, representing both the life they’ve lived and how much youth remains. And while I’ll generally snap shots off of faces in a crowd that interest me, I tend to engage the old folk I meet when I travel and often end up taking far more than my allotment of 7 shots of just that person alone.

oldies 3

I could have easily made this a 7 shots post all of the lady in the first photo above. I ran into her in Bali, indicated I wanted to take her picture, and then watched, amazed, as her face transformed itself through an entire gauntlet of emotions. This one – the first I took of her – looks like she’s giving me stink-eye, but instead it was a look of disbelief, questioning my sanity. Even though she spoke no English she’d understood my approach. I told her how beautiful she was. ‘Cuz flattery works in any language. And by the time she managed to affix a smile to her face, she really was beautiful. That’s a great shot too. But afterwards, when I showed her the shots I’d taken, this one caused her to laugh. So it ended up being my favorite.

oldies 4

From the old backpacker local in Luang Prabang, to the possibly a nun lady keeping a minor temple clean in Cambodia, to the old man taking tickets (from farang only) at a wat in Laos whose decrepit face mirrored that of the temple’s crumbling facade, it amazes me how willingly the elders in SE Asia are to spend some of their time interacting with a visitor, when nine times out of ten the two of you share no common language. And yet you manage to carry on a conversation anyway. Maybe it’s that my own age is advancing to a point where they feel I’m almost a contemporary. Or maybe it’s just they have nothing better to do with their day.

oldies 5

Considering what the Khmer Rouge did to the people of Cambodia, life could not have been easy for the old pseudo-nun who posed, beaming a glorious smile for me at Angkor Thom. Her smile was a testament to how enduring the human spirit can be. And the advanced age of the veggie seller at the morning market in Luang Prabang should be what sticks in my mind, but it was her pride in the produce grown on her family’s farm that came through. And while the last shot of the two women at the Burma boarder may not qualify as oldies in the ancient sense, that contemplative look of what tomorrow may bring fits well with the other shots in this post.

oldies 6

More recently during my travels I’m finding myself being stopped and asked to pose for some amateur photographer. I’d like to think it’s because I look so much like Brad Pitt. Or even that it’s just the strangeness of meeting a farang. But fear that it’s those wrinkles that have begun appearing on my face, those badges of honor that attest to the life I’ve lead, instead. I hope, at least, those photographers sensed my youthful spirit, or the dignity of my years. Because if they just thought it’d make for a funny shot then all I’ve managed to accomplish is to have become an old fool. Even if that may be closer to the truth.

oldies 7

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7 Shots: Hand Jobs

7 Shots: Hand Jobs

Bonus Shot: Georgetown Delivery

Bonus Shot: Georgetown Delivery

7 Shots: Of 7

7 Shots: Of 7

7 Shots: Of Seven

10 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Photography, Wats

7 7 #1

Okay, so math has never been my strong suit. But I’m beginning to consider the restrictive 7 of the 7 Shot Rule is perhaps intended in the same vein as the Thai use of 108. Not that I’m ready to shoot, or post, whatever number of photographs I feel like on any given day and call it 7 and done, but I am taking the baby step of using 7 to quantify any shot of multiples. Which is a good thing ‘cuz repeating patterns and pretty maids all in a row always attract my eye. Although in my case the maids would have to be ladyboys at the very least. But ya know what I mean. I refer to it as the bar boy effect. One bar boy standing on stage in his underwear is of minor interest, a dozen or more is always worth your time. And thank the gods for cell phone cameras, huh?

7 7 #2

I’m sure y’all would be a lot happier if today’s 7 Shots post was 7 photos of 7 – in the 108 sense – naked bar boys, but I tend to run across the flimsy excuse I’m using for a theme today when visiting wats most often. And I’ve yet to find a Buddhist temple with naked bar boys on display. Which may explain why wats aren’t high on most sex touris’ to-do list. Although you’d expect the confessional at Assumption Cathedral to have a line out the door and down the street filled with those who enjoyed the pleasure of Bangkok’s night-time offerings the evening before. Maybe Bangkok isn’t big on Catholics’ travel plans. Or maybe the good fathers at Assumption Cathedral have implemented a fast-pass confessional line for punters where you don’t actually have to voice your sins. You just hit a button and a pre-recorder voice sentences you to ten Hail Marys and tells you to go forth and sin no more. Yeah. Fat chance at that.

7 7 #3

But I digress. And while ‘the devil is in the details’ may not be the appropriate cliche to use for explaining my fascination with repeating patterns at wats and why those photographs tend to elicit strange looks from friends who demand to see my most recent travel photos, the fact is that after you’ve visited a few hundred temples in Thailand you have to find something to hold your interest. Other than the occasional hottie novice monk. It’s probably a good thing Buddhists don’t believe in confession. Otherwise the senior monks would spend their days listening to the sinful thoughts and acts of priests visiting from Assumption Cathedral. Huh. Come to think of it, I probably have enough photos of hot monks to do a 7 Shots: Monk Hotties post. Maybe I missed my true calling. Stay tuned.

7 7 #4

7 7 #5

7 7 #6

7 7 #7

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7 Shots: Unamerican Graffiti

7 Shots: Of History

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7 Shots: The Best Of The Best #4

7 Shots: The Best Of The Best #4

7 Shots: Hand Jobs

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ Comments Off on 7 Shots: Hand Jobs

Tags

Photography

h1

Often I pick a photographic theme for a trip to force my eye to pay a bit more attention to what surrounds me. It’s usually some innocuous idea that flittered across my mind that also allows me too play around a bit with which photographic subjects qualify. You’ve probably seen some of the resulting shots here before, even if they were never identified as being part of a specific trip’s theme. Others, like the Ubiquitous Plastic Stool Shot! have become legendary. There are also recurring themes that exist for no better reason than they tend to always draw my eye. People’s hands are one of those. They say that the eyes are the mirror to your soul; for me someone’s hands tell a much fuller story. And if you’ll quit thinking about that last happy ending you had at your favorite rub and tug shop, these shots might show you what I mean.

h2

Since I have a few hundred pictures of people’s hands, abiding by the 7 Shot Rule, as usual, was a difficult chore. Even trying to cull through the lot and select only the best still left me with far more than seven. So I needed a sub-theme. And the idea of hands from an employment perspective seemed to work. As long as I wasn’t too strict with what qualified as employment. Think more along the lines of life’s work. Or the work that finances you life. Or that feeds your soul.

h3

Even those of us who travel off the beaten path (and I don’t mean visiting those places everyone else who worships Lonely Planet visits too) primarily meet locals at their workplace. Which must suck for them. Not only because that often means they have to deal with farang all day but that it is a constant reminder that everyone else is on holiday and they are not. It’s kinda like being a bank teller. You spend your day watching hundreds of thousands of dollars pass through your hands, while earning minimum wage. But there is work and then there is work. Those who manage to snag a job doing something that they are passionate about are lucky. Even if they don’t make a lot of money, they still reap rewards. Even if at the hands of farang.

h4

As I sorted through the mass of photos that fit within my sub-theme, that thought (working at a job you enjoyed, not the happy ending that is still hovering at the forefront of your thoughts) was on my mind. And while I can’t guarantee that everyone of these photos represents someone who loved the work they did, I think if there were accompanying shots of their smiles you’d probably agree I hit the mark. Thais are known for their smiles. Frequent visitors tend to learn just what the hundred of smiles every Thai had mastered actually mean. And those beamed by each of these folk were honest ones; they had more to do with their contentment with life than with the little bit of cash meeting me brought their way. Especially the old guy challenging one and all to a game of checkers on Khaosan Road. I wouldn’t call him a hustler. But unless you were an idiot you had to know you were gonna lose if you took him up on his challenge. And his smile was worth every baht I lost to him.

h5

The photo of ticket taker on the Chao Phraya express boat is the only one in this group that immediately says work, and the only person who you could not immediately feel joy radiating from thanks to the work she was doing. Not that she was grumpy. She was just busy. The boat was packed and part of her job is tracking which customers she’s already collected the fare from and which she still needs to hit up. I was with some friends and already getting tired of being the tour guide so rather than being the one to say which pier we’d get off at, I made one of them ask the girl to let them know when they’d arrived at their destination. Needless to say, there was little joy radiating from my tour group thanks to that job either. And while being a tour guide is probably not part of the express boat ticket takers’ job duties, as busy as she was, she did manage to make it back to our group in time to tell us when to disembark. I tipped her a hundred baht. And there was nothing fake about the smile that 100 baht note bought me either. That my travel companions all now thought it was customary to tip ticket collectors was an added bonus.

h6

Come to think about it, I coulda named this post 7 Shots: Hands That Have Been In My Wallet. Not that I feel obligated to pay everyone whose photo I take. But each of these seven did, either as a tip, donation, or payment. And it wasn’t just because I was visiting a temple, or buying a snack at the Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai. Rather my hand went to my wallet because of the obvious enjoyment or pride each showed in what they were doing, in what their life’s work entailed. That tends to set someone apart from the pack. And while each, I’m sure, was appreciative to have a few baht handed their way, I like to think that someone recognized their pride in and love of what they were doing meant more.

h7

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7 Shots: The Grand Palace

The 7 Shot Rule

The 7 Shot Rule

In Thailand Money Really Does Grow On Trees

In Thailand Money Really Does Grow On Trees

7 Shots: Un-American Graffiti

22 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots, Bangkok

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Photography, Transportation

Khaosan Road is a good spot in Bangkok to see American automobiles from the '50s. There are a lot of American hippies from the '60s there too.

Khaosan Road is a good spot in Bangkok to see American automobiles from the ’50s. There are a lot of American hippies from the ’60s there too.

I know that title sounds like a reference to the House Committee on Un-American Activities but it’s an allusion to George Lucas and not Joe McCarthy. And while you may think Star Wars when you hear George Lucas, I think American Graffiti. ‘Cuz my buddy and I took a hit of window pane when we went to see the first Star Wars movie and those that followed have just never made any sense to me. So I’m talking about the golden years of the American automobile and not X-Wing Fighters. Not that Joe McCarthy doesn’t play into the theme of this post too: despite the gorgeous automobiles they helped produce, unions and their organizers were assumed to be commies back in the ’50s. Not unlike how the Tea Party views unions today. But then the Tea Party too is becoming a thing of the past. They’d probably have done better if their platform included bringing back the 1955 T-Bird rather than reestablishing an American utopia that never really existed outside of the television studios.

unamerican graffiti #2

George is a local hometown hero where I live, there’s even a statue of him downtown. And, again, it’s because of American Graffiti, not Star Wars. Even though the latter would probably do more for tourism. But George’s earlier flick was a homage to the weekend nights of his teen-age years spent driving up and down the same stretch of pavement and that pavement happens to still exist and belongs to what once was a small speck of a town squatting in the Central Valley of California. Mel’s Diner, may or may not still exist too. I’d have to check. It keeps re-opening and closing again, and then opening elsewhere before being re-opened in or near its original location. Kinda like a Jedi mind trick on the local populace.

unamerican graffiti #3

Every few years the town fathers decide it’s time to recreate the city’s golden years and promote weekend cruising along the strip again. Most are old white dudes who were born and raised in the area and somehow manage to forget their forefathers did their damn best to prohibit that activity back when they were young. And then being old white dudes who actively support the Tea Party, they also tend to forget the valley’s demographics have changed over the last fifty years and now when all the cool old cars from the ’50s and ’60s do make an appearance on the strip, they’re all low riders. So instead of downtown being filled with modern day versions of Opie from Mayberry RFD, the local Latino gangs show up, violence ensues, and the town fathers’ plans turn into a night or two of the police busting up the low riders cruising the Strip instead. Just like in the good old days. Which pisses everyone off. Except for me. ‘Cuz I’m a big fan of irony.

unamerican graffiti #4

Outside of California, everyone thinks we are a bunch of dope-smoking hippie astral travelers, forgetting that Saint Reagan was from California. And ya know back in the day Nancy would have just said no to the idea of cruising too. The truth is the conservative right is well represented in the Golden State, and the Central Valley is a hot bed of conservatism. Not to mention Mennonites. But they don’t count because we use electronic voting machines now. So the local vote tends to go to the Republicans, even though Tea Party aficionados are out numbered by Latinos three to one. No problemo. Our governor is a dope-smoking hippie astral traveler, so anything the local conservatives attempt to do he thwarts anyway. The irony is that the Latino community is, by and large, conservative themselves. And would vote Republican if the Grand Old Party would embrace their conservative ideals instead of trying to pander to them. The Tea Party could double its voter roll by signing up new members during a low rider version of American Graffiti night if they’d spent those last fifty years getting to know their Latino neighbors instead of just hiring them as gardeners. Instead they view immigration reform in the context of a foreign invasion. And think nominating Marco Rubio as their presidential candidate will lure the massive Latino voting block to their team.

unamerican graffiti #5

Marco is the Tea Party’s golden boy ‘cuz they think since he speaks Spanish he can reach all of the people they’d like to see deported. A ten minute conversation with their gardener would dissuade them from that train of thought. Latinos are not a homogenous voting block. When it comes to Latinos, those with the strongest prejudice against Latinos are Latinos. If you don’t believe me, go ask a Mexican if his family is from Guatemala. I’d have said Cuba – like Marco’s familia is – but then you probably wouldn’t be alive long enough for me to say I told you so. Even those Latinos who do decide to vote Republican in 2016 will not vote for Marco Rubio because he speaks Spanish; they’ll vote for anyone else because he is Cuban. Not that it matters anyway. Everyone has already conceded the race to Hillary. Which is a good thing. ‘Cuz I really want to vote for Marco, but don’t want my vote to be the one that puts him in the White House. ‘Cuz I don’t support pretty much any of his beliefs. But there is just something about him that makes me want to bang the hell out of him. And it’s about time the U.S. had a doable president. Or another eight years of Bill Clinton. Which, face it, is why Hillary will win the race.

unamerican graffiti #6

So locally, we just had another attempt by the town fathers to turn back the hands of time, and the local paper sent a staff reporter to cover the event. They could have made the error of sending an old white Tea Party fan, but instead compounded their error by sending a fish too young to even remember the film much less the glory days of cursing the strip. Her take on the event was that celebrating the golden days of the American automobile was quickly becoming a thing of the past because all she saw was a bunch of elderly men with gray beards or gray mustaches, a rather myopic view considering the large number of Taco lunch trucks that had descended on the Strip. But she thought she’d come up with a cute twist to her story, that the only people interest in cars of that age were those of that age themselves. Which only proved fish are no better at appreciating cars from the ’50s than they are at doing math. And she decided the reason that young (white) people were under-represented at the event was because today’s youth treats its automobiles as they do most other things in their life: as a disposable commodity. Which does little to explain why most of the garages on my block turn into mini-repair and body and fender shops every weekend. But then most of those homeowners are Latino and don’t count. Until election time rolls around again.

unamerican graffiti #7

Cambodians, on the other hand, evidently don’t count at all. There used to be a large Cambodian wat about a mile from my house. It looked nothing like the wats in SE Asia, but along with the Mennonites you would occasionally spot a monk in saffron around town. Too bad I never saw one driving a 55 T-Bird, ‘cuz that woulda been a cool photograph. But unlike the Strip, the town fathers decided that temple had nothing to do with the city’s history so they used eminent domain to buy the land, told the monks to get the Buddhist version of hell out of Dodge, and then turned around and sold it to Walmart to put in a new super-sized store. Which is a very American thing to do. So now I have to travel to SE Asia to see Cambodian monks. As well as automobiles from the ’50s. Because I’m not Latino and when they hold an American Graffiti night locally, I don’t fit in with all the low riders. But then otherwise today’s post would have been a Monk Shot! instead of a 7 Shots post, so I’m not complaining.

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One Triumph Leads To Another

One Triumph Leads To Another

7 Shots: Of History

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Gay GoGo Bars

Soi Twilight has always been in a state of change; even the old Twilight bar revamped itself as the New Twilight at one point.

Soi Twilight has always been in a state of change; even the old Twilight bar revamped itself as the New Twilight at one point.

Old timers – and you don’t need to be that old to qualify – still call it Soi Twilight in honor of the original gogo bar of that name in Duangthawee Plaza. Newbies haven’t a clue why since that bar at the head of the soi eventually morphed into Hot Male although the popular name for the soi never followed suit. Over the years the bars that make up the gay tourists’ soi of dreams have changed names, occasionally changed decor, and at times have seemed to change boys far too infrequently. I remember a guy I offed from Barbiery, which eventually became Dream Boy and eventually moved across the street into the soi who was still plying his trade a decade later and still claiming to be 23. Somethings change along the soi, somethings don’t. That it is a place many gay tourists love remains a constant. As is that it is a place many gay sexpats hate. Regardless, Soi Twilight just keeps truckin’ on.

Screw Boys once made a temporary attempt at a presence on the soi before moving back to Patpong.

Screw Boys once made a temporary attempt at a presence on the soi before moving back to Patpong.

The boys on the boards love to predict the end of the gay gogo bar scene in Bangkok, but those posters tend to die off before seeing their predictions come true. Bars do come and go, but more often than not it’s nothing more than a change of name. There’s an ebb and flow to what – and how much of it – you get to see inside of those bars too; crackdowns have always been part of the soi’s history for one reason or another and the most recent – while once again being championed as proof the soi is on its way out – appeared to me to be more of a rewind back to the days when visiting a bar did not mean having a screaming little queen fucked on your lap. And I think that’s a good thing.

Future Boy's sign went under several face-lifts, with the bar packing them in nightly regardless of what the neon said.

Future Boy’s sign went under several face-lifts, with the bar packing them in nightly regardless of what the neon said.

I’m pretty sure first time visitors are just as enthralled with the shows today as most of us were on our debut visit to the soi regardless of just how much flesh is, or isn’t, on display. For most, it still is beyond anything they could see back home. And the take away aspect of the bars’ business has always been the larger lure. Those waxing nostalgic over what once was, when the shows titillated more than took sex acts beyond any act anyone actually performs while having sex would probably enjoy today’s shows. If they could allow themselves to quit bitching about the cost of a drink. But then that’s one of the things that hasn’t changed – sexpats have been complaining about the high prices charged on the soi (and predicting its downfall because of that) for as long as the soi has existed.

After several months of remaining dark, Ocean Boy opened where Future Boy once held sway. And then followed that bar's precedence before reopening again as Zeus last year.

After several months of remaining dark, Ocean Boy opened where Future Boy once held sway. And then followed that bar’s precedence before reopening again as Zeus last year.

The first gogo bar I ever visited was the pre-Dream Boy Barbiery and if you grabbed a seat by the door you could catch quick flashes of what the boys wouldn’t show on stage as they headed for the dressing room. By the time Twilight became New Twilight, every night at 10:00 they had a rotation with the entire stable appearing buck-ass naked. Within six months, Future Boy had guys swinging from the rafters while being impaled. I’d bet history will be repeating itself and nudity followed by outrageous feats of orgasmic couplings will be the standard on the soi again before the year’s end.

Back in 2008, Fresh Boy X  -  previously known as New Fresh Boy  -  was one of the soi's hottest bars.

Back in 2008, Fresh Boy X – previously known as New Fresh Boy – was one of the soi’s hottest bars.

The soi has changed over the years, constantly updating itself. A few of the bars have changed little, others have changed names with the seasons. Rub and tug shops have done the same; Red Massage became Mario’s Massage by changing a sign; Bangkok Massage took over the space where X-Man once was – then closed and reopened as itself again. Restaurants are now part of the scene thanks to Dick’s success, but once there were no street-side cafe’s where you could while away the hours watching the action on the soi. Beer bars have popped up more recently and add a fresh look to Soi Twilight. Not that that idea itself is all that fresh. When Fresh Boy X and its not-long-lasting successor Siam Angel Boy closed their doors a beer bar cum pool hall opened in their place to much head shaking and predictions that that wouldn’t last. And you can still rack up a set of ball there today.

By early 2009, Siam Angel Boy, which had replaced Fresh Boy X, became nothing more than a happy memory too.

By early 2009, Siam Angel Boy, which had replaced Fresh Boy X, became nothing more than a happy memory too.

It seems that Soi Twilight’s demise has been a favorite topic of discussion almost as long as the soi has existed. Ten years from now that will probably still be a perennial favorite among those who never really enjoyed the soi in the first place. Every time a bar closes, sage heads nod, sure they called it right. When a new bar opens in its place said sage heads begin to whine over how much the place dares to charge for a drink, claiming the soi will soon go dark. All over again. The internet, massage shops, Gay Romeo, and Grindr have all been anointed as the new trend that will sound Soi Twilight’s death knell. And yet the sound of, “Show Now!” still reverberates down the soi. Because Soi Twilight has never been about what it isn’t, but rather about what it is.

Fronting the soi, Banana has come, gone, opened, closed up for renovations, made a brief appearance as part of the Hot Male chain, and then opened again as Banana. Same same but different, it mimics the life of the bars on the soi.

Fronting the soi, Banana has come, gone, opened, closed up for renovations, made a brief appearance as part of the Hot Male chain, and then opened again as Banana. Same same but different, it mimics the life of the bars on the soi.

Soi Twilight has always been in a state of flux. But that’s not about its death, it’s about its growth, it’s about its ability to change with the times. Soi 4 has been around even longer. And has witnessed even more changes than Twilight. But you seldom hear anyone claiming that soi will soon be a thing of the past. But then the face of Patpong has changed greatly too, as has Nana Plaza. And Soi Cowboy. Reinventing itself is something Bangkok has always done well. Despite what you may have heard, Soi Twilight and its bars are not a dying scene. It is an even fresher and more lively scene than it was a decade ago. And probably will be even more so in the decades to come. ‘Cuz just when you are ready to write off a historical landmark in Bangkok, someone steps in and gives it a new life. Just look what happened to Don Muang. Unless they decide to turn Duangthawee Plaza into the city’s newest shopping mall, of course.

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7 Shots: Of Noom

26 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in 7 Shots

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bangkok, Photography

n1

While I’m away Phil – the current love of my life – has been kind enough to update my blog’s front page daily and I could not think of a nicer way of thanking him than posting an article filled with pix of Noom – my other current love of my life. Which would make you think I shouldn’t have two loves of my life, much less one. But that’s the kinda guy Phil is. Easily abused. Of course, to be fair (to me) I wouldn’t be posting Noom’s photos if Phil would allow me to post pix of him. So, as usual, it’s not my fault. And, as usual, you are probably wondering how I manage to be in any sort of a relationship, period.

n2

Not that Noom originally was in favor of my posting his photos on my blog either. So all of the early ones are of his back. No problemo. That’s one of my favorite features of his. But after he decided he’d become an internet star, he allowed pix showing his face too. Just not nude shots. Which is probably a good thing ‘cuz picking out my favorite 7 shots of Noom was difficult enough and it woulda been rude if everyone was a clothing optional photo. Besides, that leaves me a second 7 Shots: Of Noom post to go. Unless Phil rethinks his stance first.

n3

It is also probably good I prepared this post before my trip. One of Noom’s favorite folders on my computer is the one bearing his name, filled with photos of himself. He browses through it on every trip. For hours. And while I still haven’t managed to wrap my mind around the concept of taking only seven photos of a place, Noom would have an even more difficult time limiting today’s post to only seven shots of him. And then I’d have to post seven days of 7 Shots: Of Noom posts just to make him happy.

n4

I thought I’d run these chronologically, but decided not to. After picking this set out I also thought I should select a few others where he is not wearing black. But he looks good in black. Almost as good as he does in the flesh. And although it was my original intent to not include any shots of him showing skin this time around, I decided not not to too. Mostly because the one I’ve included here is one of my favorites. Not just because of the skin or that he looks so adorable in it, but because it’s from a series of shots I took of him one morning and just before snapping this one, he farted. Which embarrassed him. But now that smile he has on his face in that shot takes on an entire different meaning, huh?

n5

The photo above is not one of the best I’ve ever taken of him either. But it is my favorite. Well, at least my favorite where he is not naked. It is from the period he decided to try out facial hair, which I prefer him without. But it is difficult to get a photo of him without his realizing his picture is being taken and without him then posing for the camera. And his smile in this shot is pure Noom. Happy with someone else’s enjoyment of life. And you have to admit it’s a better smile than his “Ooops, I just farted one”.

n6

What didn’t make the cut were any of those that Noom asked me to take. Which there are hundreds of. Anytime we are visiting somewhere he hands me his camera to take his photo preferably standing in front of some sign that identifies the locale. I know he is the important part of those photos, but I’m never sure if he wants the focus on him or the sign or landmark. If I decide it’s the landmark, after taking the photo, when he checks to see if it is acceptable – which he always does – he tells me I got it wrong and need to re-take the shot making it a close-up. If I decide he wants a close-up, then I didn’t get the entire landmark in as he wanted. So those are not only posed shots, but his fake smile is usually crumbling a bit because he’s had to instruct me on how to take a photograph. Again. I think I need to tell him how popular selfies are these days.

n7

Noom is always willing to pose for the camera. If I make it a quick enough of a shot I can captured a non-posed photo of him. Sometimes I resort to taking the shot with the face he wants on film, then I crack a joke and he laughs and I get the shot I wanted instead. Later that day when he goes through my shots to delete those he thinks suck, the non-posed ones get the axe. As do any naked ones that are too revealing. Fortunately he doesn’t know you have to empty the computer’s trash can too. I just have to be sly and not file those in the folder bearing his name or the next time he goes through it he gets a frown on his face, sure that he had deleted that shot in the past. So there’s a third version of 7 Shots: Of Noom – seven photos he thought no longer existed. Although I’d just as soon post seven shots of Phil and Noom together. But that’s up to Phil. Feel free to put any pressure on him that you’d like while he is handling my blog during my absence.

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Sawatdee and welcome to the new and improved Bangkokbois Gay Thailand Blog! Okay, so it’s not necessarily improved, just hosted on a new site. And it’s not just about Thailand, though that still is the main focus. And it’s not all gay either, unless you’re not and then you’ll think it’s pretty damn gay I’m sure. All of the penis might tip you off. Which means if you are not of the required legal age to be looking at penis other than your own, you should leave. And go tell your parental units they suck at their job.

But it is a blog and one out of three ain’t bad. Besides, Bangkokbois Pretty Gay Mostly About Thailand Blog For People Of Legal Age is just too wordy. But so is Dancing With The Devil In The City Of Angels, which is really the title of this blog.

As cool of a title as that is, Google just ain’t sharp enough to figure out that means this blog is mostly about Thailand. And pretty damn gay to boot. The penis part even Google figured out. Which is a good thing. ‘Cuz Bangkokbois Pretty Gay Mostly About Thailand With Lots Of Penis Blog For People Of Legal Age, I think, was taken by someone else.

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