TonyT's 8th Thailand blog:
A month in and around the country:
March - April 2025.
Page 11
PATTAYA (continued)
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TOP: Hotel from Beach Road.
THIRD LEFT: Some of the guitars all of which have been played by famous or well known guitarists. Bo Diddley, Slash (U2), ZZ Top, The Cult, etc, etc.
THIRD RIGHT: View from our room.
FOURTH & BOTTOM: Views of around the pool area.
THURSDAY 17th APRIL:
Songkran in Pattaya rolls on and on. Some people (mostly farangs) don't know when to give it a rest and confine Songkran to the 'official' three days. It's no joke that after 16th April you are walking down a Soi for a meal in a restaurant and some moron cowardly sneaks up behind and chucks water over you ending up with you having to sit and eat in soaking wet clothes; sorry, but it's not funny.
Don't get me wrong, I totally respect Songkran and all its virtues but I feel it's spoilt by people who don't know when to call it a day. Ok give someone carrying a water-gun a dose but people just walking or sitting on a bus on their way somewhere leave them alone.
However, today we had total escape from the nonsense in Pattaya city. We got a taxi out to pay a visit to some old friends, Graham and Tee Constable who emigrated here 2 years ago. Graham sold-up his house and belongings and bought a magnificent spread on the outskirts of the city. It's called Tranquility Resort and really is impressive. It comprises several on-site bungalows which they rent out, beautiful gardens and a large swimming pool.
It took nearly 30 minutes to get there and it was great to see them again. We all had long catch-up talks and went off to a local bar/eatery.
Taxi back took half the time.
A meeting with old friends Graham & Tee Constable who emigrated here in 2023.
FRIDAY 18th:
Penultimate full day.
Today is the start of the annual Wan Lai Festival. Dozens of bands, street food, intensely loud music all along Beach Road.
Quote from the "Pattaya Mail" newspaper:-
Pattaya’s Wan Lai Festival set for Songkran finale — Expect splashy crowds, road closures, and heat.
Wan Lai”, which means “day that flows”, but is generally lumped together with and commonly referred to as Songkran. Although Wan Lai is only one day – the last day – most people link it to the earlier holidays, creating an extra few unofficial days of Songkran.
Very hot today. Walked down past Soi6 to take a look at the Boeing 747 plane that's now a trendy restaurant. Pity it was closed; too early in the day.
On the way back to Pattaya Klang we stopped off for a 90 minute foot massage;pretty good one.
Jumped a Baht-bus along Soi Buakhao; Aom wanting to shop at a salon supply place in Pattaya Tai but, sadly, it was closed. Another bus down 2nd Road into an incredibly noisy bar playing Thai music with more bar-girls than customers. Only stayed for one beer than strolled down to Beach Road. Getting very hot and thirsty by now so another bar and some beers was called for. Stayed for an hour until the morons with the water guns started to show up. What I don't get is that some people were turning up at some bars at 2:30pm and paying up to 50 baht for a tub of water beside a table just so they could soak people walking past; sad, all so very sad.
Back at the room for a spell before going out for food later.
Walked all the way down Beach Road to get food; on the beach side as the maniacs were chucking water about. We didn't fancy sitting in a restaurant in wet clothes. I wore a waterproof this time but I got just as wet as I sweated so much under it.
Over the many times we've been to Pattaya, we've ended up dining in the Pattaya Beer Garden and always had good food. I ordered a pepperoni pizza this time. However, on this occasion I have to say it was the worst food I have ever had in Thailand. My pizza had so much tasteless mozzarella cheese on and a few paltry bits of pepperoni it was, frankly, disgusting. I dislike mozzarella cheese; it's like eating tasteless rubber bands. The other items we ordered; fried chicken pieces and spring rolls were equally rubbish. The only saving grace was the fish Aom ordered; that was really tasty.
Next time I'll stick to Thai food.
Walked slowly back down Beach Road. It really is a spectacle seeing people by the hundred sitting out on the beach enjoying Wan Lai.
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LEFT: A soggy walk down Beach Road.
RIGHT: People on the beach at 11pm.
SATURDAY 19th:
Wan Lai (which means “day that flows”) has appeared in earnest with water fights starting in the morning.
Took a Baht-bus down Beach Road to Pattaya Tai with the object of Aom buying a load of beauty products to take back to UK. Alas, the store was again closed because of Songkran; wasted journey.
I found the heat today VERY oppressive and walking along Pattaya Tai was an ordeal so we popped into a cafe and got some cold drinks down. Walked up to Soi Buakhao and got another bus as far as Pattaya Klang getting a dose of water in the process.
A foot massage was called for close to our hotel. Massage was OK but a very noisy rabble outside spoilt the P&Q. Back to the hotel and down to the pool where festivities were under way, including a huge foam machine.
We agreed we'd had our fill of having water chucked over us and decided on a evening meal in the hotel.
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TOP: A frothy fun and games at the Hard Rock.
2nd LEFT: One of the attractions on the beach.
2nd RIGHT: The main pool at the Hard Rock.
BOTTOM: The retired Jumbo 747 now a trendy restaurant; only in Pattaya.
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