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A Birthday -- Thai Style

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I?ve never done a trip report before, but was encouraged by someone I had sent this to as he said this board never gets to hear stories like this. If so, hope it's a good read.

 

I was having my second short time with a nana girl when she was intentionally showing me her ID card. I couldn?t understand why at the time, but was sure something was up. When she left it next to me when she went to shower I looked it over carefully, but still couldn?t get the hint. She eventually announced her birthday was next week. Aw, what a blockhead, I get it now! I had been studying the picture, the village, especially the age, everything but that. So I eagerly announced I would take her out for her birthday as I always love partaking in Thai birthdays. She asked several times if I was being just a sweet mouth and I assured her I?d be there.

 

As her big day drew near, the one thing I wanted to establish carefully was that no money was going to be given to anyone as I knew there would be multiple people going. In the past I?ve handed out multiple barfines and tips freely on such occasions, but these days figure why go unless they really want ME there and the reaction would be a good test. No sense going along if my place is just the guy funding it. And besides, it?s a given I will be paying every bill and taxi throughout the night anyway so more than that I just see as silly money now.

 

Not knowing exactly what to expect, I walk into NEP and there were 4 people already changed and waiting at a beer bar for my arrival and to my surprise they didn?t even want me to pay anyone?s bar! They were also ready and wanted to go right away, another nice surprise! So that was easy and an unusually good start to the night. The reason I say ?4 people? is we ended up with quite a varied group; my birthday girl, a katoey, and one girl with her boyfriend; all early 20?s. The katoey was a light skinned, voluptuous little number. The guy was pretty innocent and quiet as if it was his first day in Bangkok taking in everything, and his girl and my girl were close and fun loving dek serves.

 

They wanted to go to Hollywood or RCA?s Morgan which are major discotek?s for the younger crowd, but all I could think of was the ear splitting sound systems at those places and had been lobbying for Coliseum. They went for it and really liked it a lot. I knew they would.

 

Coliseum always surprises Thai?s because they think it is going to be some kind of boring indoor beer garden, but then they see the bands, the food, the shows, the heaps of other Thai?s there and they really get into it. We got stage side seats and our table was played upon during one of the shows. Now I knew my girl loves to dance and while Coliseum does have a bit of dancing late night, it?s kind of tame so I planted the seed about heading to Luciphers if people wanted to dance later in the evening. Luciphers is little known, but the hottest little dance spot in the whole city as far as I am concerned. She turned 21 and I had brought a nice cake along and 21 candles, though it was kind of funny as they were like 6 year olds lighting the outside candles first and then trying not to get burnt going for the inside ones. Speaking of cake?s it?s rare that I find one that tastes right. This one tasted exactly like butter; frosting and all and that just doesn?t seem right. Don?t even talk to me about those gelatin frostings, ugh!

 

So with all the great entertainment we have a feast of wonderful thai food. One food I?ve started to acquire a taste for and see Thai?s order occasionally is raw shrimp (not the live dancing variety). Sounds crazy, but it?s drenched in lemon, garlic, chili?s, bitter melon, and a few more things. It gives you an explosion of flavors and is always the first dish to empty. I?ve even had it in Laos and remember a Laos guy telling me how some places can be a little too salty or too sour, but some are just right. This one was just right too! I?ve never ordered it as I don?t yet know the name of it though. Another favorite we had that?s good while drinking is ?moo dat dio??strips of dried pork that tastes between bacon and jerky with a red dipping sauce; awesome! I usually let Thai?s do all the ordering, but may throw a few hints into the mix to let them know I?m into their Isaan specialties. But the very best dish I?ve run into at Coliseum is salt water perch over an on-table fire with a lemon sauce, chili?s, and garlic called ?pla gra pong nam manao?. It?s so good there, it?s sure to have Thai?s coming back just for that. For those without that much experience in Thailand, the nice things about places like this is you never pour your own drink; it?s always topped off to the brim by the attentive staff from your next to cable cart with all the mixers. Coliseum also has 2 and 3 liter kegs of draft Heineken they can put on your table. And I may only rarely need to fill my plate as often Thai girls like to do that for you, giving you the best parts in the process.

 

It was midnight and everyone was enjoying themselves, but now enthusiastic to see what Luciphers was all about. I think I enjoyed it 10 times more than they did. We had already downed a bottle of scotch and had more drinks at Luciphers and we were all fairly tipsy. It was pretty full and everything was perfect for dancing; it wins best lighting, best music, best steam clouds, best everything in my book for dance places. Unlike me who kind of stumbles around, I was admiring that my girl is a very good dancer. I don?t have a watch or a mobile phone as I don?t want to be concerned with such things as time or disruptions, but I caught my girl looking at her watch and I remember the time--1:58am. Luciphers is still going strong, but I figure oh she?s calling it a night, that works, I?m feeling pretty good. Surprise, they all want to do karaoke now!

 

So now we taxi out to somewhere I?ve never been (I think they said phetburi) doing karaoke for another 3 hours with another bottle of scotch and a little food. The karaoke place we went was one of those very basic rooms Thai?s like with little more than an archaic TV and a few barren tables and stools. Karaoke is something that?s grown on me over the years here. It?s not the type of thing I disliked in Japan and the US where you get up and make a fool of yourself in front of people. It?s a way for Thai?s to sing about their dreams, their desires, their successes, and their hardships. It?s like reminiscing one?s past and future life through song and has a tranquilizing effect where you don?t know why, but you just keep staring at that TV for hours. You also spend a little time chatting, eating, and drinking the night away with people close to you; wonderful. I?ve now got my little arsenal of Thai songs I can do which is always a crowd pleaser to Thai?s. By the time we leave, I?ve definitely drank the most ever for me this year and I think we instantly fell asleep the moment we stumbled from the shower to the bed. I don?t even remember hitting the bed and judging from various signs the next day like the sheet on upside down I figured I must have been close to my limit of passing out.

 

Over time I?ve switched over to short times and have only a few long time?s this year and this one was wonderful. That feeling to wake up and discover there?s someone there you really like is the best. Another transition for me is regulars and I?ve only barfined 3 new girls all year, with this one being the latest. Thai birthdays are great! I was really impressed with the stamina of her friends going all night. But I guess a birthday is one of the high points in the year for Thai?s where in the west we have lots of big activities like taking vacations and so forth.

 

I knew I had hit the nail on the head when the phone rang two days later asking if I was interested in going out for some maw lum (Isaan folk dance and music)! Soon I said; there?s time in the future to charge up for another memorable night.

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