Bored with the repetition of past holidays in Pattaya, I decided to do a few things differently this time around the block.



I found that by altering my daily routine from:  sleeping until noon, lounging around at Jomtien liked a beached whale with a hangover every day, napping in the afternoons and partying until the wee early morning hours with the boys, I was able to discover a few new hidden pleasures in Pattaya which I'd like to share.



I disciplined myself (tough as it was) to take a few days each week and call it quits at midnight and go to bed at a reasonable hour.  It was amazing how wonderful it was watching the sun come up from my balcony and enjoying the task of making breakfast with my boy friend.  As cute as he is shuffling around the kitchen in his underware and one of my oversized shirts, he really doesn't like anything to do with early morning tasks, and rarely, if ever, tunes in to the planet Earth until his eyes have been glued to the TV screen for at least an hour.



I would leave him behind snuggled up with a blanket on the living room sofa and head out to enjoy the sights and sounds of the early morning.  It was always too early for the restaurants at View Talay to be open, so I would almost always head towards Jomtien Beach.  



In all the years I've been visiting the orange chairs, I was surprised at how much I didn't even know the guys who had been working there.  7 years of attaching the towel to the back of my chair and bringing me my favorate Zapalope (pineapple) shake and newspaper, and I didn't even know one of them by name.



The first time I showed up at Jomtien at around 7:30 AM I almost didn't recognize the place.  It was so peaceful and tranquil without people.  I almost felt as if I was trespassing on the oceans right to privacy at that hour and walked slowly as to not disturb it.  I found 3 of the boys who work at Rits standing together on the oceans edge fishing.  Well, not exactly deep sea fishing, but fishing none-the-less.  Their equipment consisted of one foot lengths of bamboo with fishing line wrapped around it.  They were using small minnows they had gathered in a net as bait and stood there posed with backs arched as they casted their lines into the wind.



They all looked surprised when they saw me walk up and immediately handed me a line and asked me to join in.  In the hour or so that I spent with them, I learned each of their names (correctly) for the first time, and more importantly, got to know them as real people.  They also seemed to enjoy getting to know me a little better as well.  They've always referred to me as Vic, but this time wanted to know my whole name.  They wanted to know where I came from and what it was like in Chicago.  They seemed to show a completely different level of interest in me as a person...and I with them. This meeting of friends at the oceans edge was repeated numerous times during my holiday and I think it's safe to say that a new bonding friendship has evolved as a result.



I experienced similar interactions with Thai people who I've either known, or just see all the time (and ignore through my haste), which was equally rewarding.  



I've been buying spicy pappaya salad from the elderly woman at Jomtien (across from the police station) for years and came to realize that I had never once looked into her eyes.  She doesn't speak a word of English but we were able to communicate just fine.  She was aware of my interest in her skill and methods for making this salad, as well as the art of using a mortar and pestal, as 6 months ago I tryed to capture this unique cooking method on my cam corder.  



This time I simply sat next to her (no camera) and gave her an appreciative smile as she continued arranging her ingrediants on the sidewalk.  Two motorbike drivers had already placed their orders for this scrumtuous dish, but she didn't seem so rushed by this at all.  She took each individual ingrediate out of it's basket, held it up in front to me and recited it's name in Thai before placing it in the mortar.  She continued this process almost in slow motion until all the ingrediants were ready for mixing.  Then she looked up at me, handed me the pestle and pointed to the mortar.  At that very moment I realized how much I'd been missing and how truly wonderful these people are.  At first I just smiled and shook my head "no" but she patiently placed the pestle back into my hand and pulled my hand towards the mortar.  By this time, two more other elderly Thai folks walked over to observe us.  They also had big smiles on their faces.  Maybe it was due to my ackwardness at not knowing what to do with the pestle, or maybe they just wanted to be part of the moment...who knows.



Passing that street corner will never be the same again in my lifetime.  Now, she stops what she's doing and always gives me a great big smile and hand wave.  I, in turn, always walk over to say hi to her, and if she's not too busy, I take a seat on the sidewalk next to her for a few minutes just to enjoy her company.



Before leaving Pattaya I visited her for the last time and presented her with a small vase of wild flowers that my boy friend and I had purchased the night before, along with a picture of me and my dog Amos in Chicago standing in 3 feet of snow.  Her eyes told the whole story as she tryed to thank me.  We will be friends forever.







  

Edited by: Dodger at: 27/11/05 9:39 am

Thanks D for another of your insightful cameos.



On Pattaya at dawn: Yes, it's a shock when one first observes the tranquility of the place at that time.



On Lit's boys: I've not learned their names, but am charmed by the nick-names each has given me over the years - which they remember each time I return.



On Som-tum: Although it ranks high on most Issan guy's favourite foods, and although my Thai course taught me all the ingredients, tools and methods to put it together - I don't eat it: an acquired taste I've not acquired.    

I did not have to get up early to know the names and whereabouts of the beach attendants'names. Another way is to stay late in the evening and providing beer or 100 Pipers to all, and you will also have a great time - especially if the boys are nice and cute (and believe me you can say that about the yellow chairs boys near Rit's place ....)

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Nice thoughtful writing Dodger. Thanks



Dboy

 

Beautiful story Doger!

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, Dodger.



I doubt if I will get up early enough to experience your early morning visit to the beach, but just knowing such a possibility exists enhances the enjoyment of my current stay here in Pattaya.



Chok dee, Vic.

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Sanook. Just want to have fun in the sun.