It's a Freak Show

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  Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

I am sitting in an air conditioned cafe on the corner in a nicer part of Chiang Mai.  The cafe has full surround glass so I can see the full intersection and all the comings and goings on the street.  It is about 40 degrees at high noon here with about 99 % humidity.  The minute you walk outside you are dripping wet and I have rented a bicycle so I had to find a place to dry off. 
Sometimes I even amaze myself and have to think that I seriously have developed some ADD patterns.
This morning, before 10 am, I decided to leave the flea bag place I was staying - it took me half a day to find it yesterday - rent a bike, ride around and find a new place after checking out a bunch of places, rent a new room, return halfway across town to ferry my stuff in a few trips on the back of my bike....yes, even my big bag - I had the woman in the new guesthouse take a picture as I looked like a lunatic and my driving was not so great either.  Then I unpacked, did laundry, hung it out on the balcony and rode around seeing temple after temple after temple....Chiang Mai - temple and freak city.....
Then I was so wet, I stopped in here and ....voila...for me it is Shanghai-la.  I have been sitting here surfing the net as I am taking my little gem of a computer into the big computer supermarket in hopes of finding a nice nerdy boy who can figure out how to st me up to work offline.

Anyway - sitting here in my booth at the window has afforded me the disgusting viewpoint of all that is bad about Thailand.  The last couple in the adjoining booth was a huge He/She with the largest breasts I have ever seen.  Hulk Hogan sized guy - Thai, with the skimpiest little dress on exposing the mammaries that had to cost a fortune.  He/she was with the staunchest British banker type - probably 65 years old, obviously very wealthy and getting his 'freak on'here in Thailand.  The 2 previous couples were also sex rentals - no conversation, the girls obviously feeling creeped out by these disgusting men, yet having to have breakfast with them after a purchased night or week.  On the street going by is a 60ish man, all dapper and dressed up with his Thai boy rental - a kid of about 15, dressed up like him.  A little me, thing going on.  The rest of the neighborhood looks like creepy guys out trolling because they have either just got here, ran out of cash, or between rentals.  That, and the couples who have obviously spawned - old white guy and young Thai wife and a little baby......What a blight on this lovely country.

I got here yesterday after an exhausting couple of days of travel.  Flew from Bali - early, early and arrived into KL, the airport is 90 minutes from the city, met a really nice woman at the Hostel, had dinner and had another really early morning to get back to the airport to fly here.  The last few days have felt like the amazing race and I now don't want to be on that show anymore....

I wish I liked it here more but the sex tourism stuff is really disgusting.  I had an email from my friend Laura who was here last week and she left because of it.  I don't know what the answer is, as there is no turning back now for Thailand with the big money these pigs pay is far too tempting to turn down for so many girls.  Maybe Laos has it right.  They have outlawed relationships between foreigners and Loations - Loations are not allowed to be alone with a foreigner and the police actually have the right to do Hotel raids.  Like Cuba as well.  Guess you can't have everything - freedom and creep free zoning.

Long time ago when I was here before, this stuff was confined to the tacky resort areas and now it is so normalized it seems to be a new way of life and a thriving career choice for the young Thais.  I feel for them as it doesn't look like they are enjoying themselves.They have nice clothes but....

So - that was just a quick snapshot of what I am doing.  And you???  Still haven't heard from many of you.  I do want to know.  Drop me a line.  What do you see outside your window.????

Back to the bike and a search for a helpful nerd.

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