I have been living in Pattaya for more than 15 years now and if you have followed me a bit on this blog, you know that over the years I have enjoyed the exuberant nightlife in this always vibrant city.

But the years are counting and that going out is getting less and less. I lead a quiet life as a pensioner, mess around in and around my big house, make articles for Thailand blog and amuse myself with, among other things, pool billiards and the occasional game of poker on the internet. It seems a bit boring, but that is not the least, I am healthy in body and limb and enjoy my life every day with a beautiful and sweet Thai woman.

Occasionally there will be a splurge with a lot of beer and, above all, a lot of fun during a nightly pub crawl. I don't plan something like that, but it often happens spontaneously. This was also the case last Monday, which I am now reporting on

Tiger Bar, Soi 8

A couple of English and Finnish billiard friends asked me to join them in Megabreak at the Tiger Bar in Soi 8 to drink “a few” beers. It was already 11 pm and I was actually just about to go home. They had to insist for a moment and I was there. I often get invitations like this, but usually I politely say no. I've often seen it, but the Tiger Bar has an edge for me.

It's an ordinary little pub, nothing special in itself. However, you could call the owner special. His name is Andrew Bosman, but everyone calls him Bozzy. He comes from Adelaide in Australia, speaks a very little Dutch, because his parents are from Haarlem, from where they emigrated as a young couple in the late XNUMXs. Bozzy is a perfect host and when he is there - he still has a job in Adelaide - it is always fun and busy.

After two laps, or was it three?, or four? our party thought it was time to continue the journey somewhere else, so on to Walking Street.

I Bar, Walking Street

It was now close to closing time of most (a go go) bars and many visitors then go to places that are still open. One such is the I-Bar (Insomnia Nightclub), which still attracts plenty of people until about 4 am. If it is true that bar visits in Pattaya have dropped drastically, then it certainly does not apply to the I-Bar. Crowded and it takes a while before we found a suitable spot for our group.

I've been to the I-Bar before, it's definitely not my music - or what should pass for music - but I still think it's a nice place to be every now and then. People of all ages come, but the majority are considerably younger than me. The sight of the young audience, who are having a great time, also gives me a pleasant feeling, so that I can endure the noise.

It is a place where many holiday loves arise, but just relaxing and meeting people is already fun to experience. I still recommend it to anyone who feels young.

JP Republic Nightclub

A few years ago, the JP Bar was often the last station of a pub crawl. It was an unsightly pub with billiard tables, where the ladies from all sorts of bars, who had not scored a man, took a last chance to outwit some pub tiger. I've been there once, but usually it was my time to drop out and go home. Life in JP Bar went on until about eight or nine in the morning.

But JP Bar is no longer there, the entire building, in which The Music Factory, for example, has been demolished. A new building was erected, which now houses the JP Republic Nightclub. Also there at about four o'clock hundreds of visitors, who enjoy a light and acrobat show, supported by thunderous music, provided by a DJ. Nice if you like it, but it soon became too much for me. After half an hour I had seen it all and said goodbye to the group.

Finally

A Finnish billiard friend in the group had made some video recordings in the I-bar, in which I could also be seen. He posted the images on Facebook and soon there was - nice - comments on my presence there. “Hey, Gringo in the I-Bar? What the hell! So Gringo, still in the running? Well, I may be old, but I can still enjoy young people. Let's just say the older the crazier!

About this blogger

Gringo
Gringo
Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!

11 responses to “The older the crazier in Pattaya”

  1. Gringo, the Bamboo bar on the left at the beginning of Walking street, isn't it another bastion for late night barbers and ladies hunting for friendship for a night?

  2. willem says up

    Hello and yes you only live once
    Gr William

  3. ries says up

    keep going – keeps you young
    nice story to read
    ries from belgium

    • John says up

      I think it makes you old early that nightly pub crawls, I stopped in time.

  4. Carlo says up

    Although I also turn close to 60, I think the I-bar is super fun and is my regular place to spend a night.
    Usually I find the music to my taste; reminds me of my time in the Boccacio long ago. And you always find good company.

    • chris says up

      hahahaha
      I am 66 and have never been to the I bar.

  5. luc says up

    The first time I came to the Insomnia I was 39 years old and I already felt old there!

  6. Jacques says up

    The bar and disco experience in Pattaya walking street what can you say about that. Gringo has given his vision and that is his right. Every person is different and if you haven't tried it, you don't know if this is something for you or not. Years ago I also had to visit those tents with my wife, because that is culture sniffing optima forma according to her. My wife and I differ quite a bit in this area, I must confess. In my younger years I went to discotheques and you can still find them in walking street. I have an aversion to regular beer bars, they have no substance at all, unless you are looking for a prostitute or have to give substance to the addiction. For me it is sitting there, because with a glass of coke and not looking for other female beauty than my beloved, a punishment exercise with annoyance all over. I'm not up for that anymore, because it's all so transparent and only grafted on many intakes of the well-known alcoholic drinks and scoring a lot of female beauty. Incidentally, without thinking too much by many people who are working on in my opinion, because there is enough misery behind the theater happenings on the spot.

    But to each his own and for me this was the discotheques. When you make your entrance there you feel the fibe and soul or rap music is my preference. Those sickly old English classics are killing me by now. But those discotheques are no longer what they used to be in the Netherlands. You will find a multitude of people there and what do you think also the prostitutes, because you will find them everywhere in these areas as to be expected. Often already tipsy or drunk and various among the consciousness-altering substances and that is noticeable by their behavior. The last time I was there with my wife and daughter was at least 10 years ago and that was enough for me too. The prostitutes couldn't help it even though I was standing there with my family at the bar to grope my crotch several times and I wasn't happy about that. I don't come for that and my wife was laughing about it, but yes, she had consumed all the necessary alcoholic beverages. Then the border is pushed as we all know. I thought it was totally disrespectful behavior and once again a reason to stay away from there as well. These kind of visits are not that important and I have not shed a tear so far I can share with you all.

    The bambo bar that Peter is talking about is just outside walking street and there you can "enjoy" those English top hits from the past years. So if you're a fan of that go for it. Admittedly that was a bar where it was reasonable to stay in terms of relative peace, appearance and dancing options. I left some drops of sweat there because of dancing with my wife, but that need is no longer present for us either. At some point you will get over it. But sometimes when there are friends or family left from the Netherlands who want to see it, then I am a tour guide and then the mind has to be reset to zero and then it will work. Incidentally, there are also prostitutes there, but mostly a bit older and they don't get any of those jokes I described earlier. There you can still sit and dance without too much hassle.

    • Patrick says up

      Sad story. You look just like a pastor. Then just say you want to go out with 500 baht, then you don't have to tear down the beer bars.

  7. Joseph says up

    Well, don't be so pathetic about Gringo. You are still a strong young handsome man. Have you often seen beautiful young ladies throw their eyes at you very greedily. Just buy some glasses, or do you miss those longing looks because of the cigar smoke?

    • Gringo says up

      I'm not pathetic at all, Joseph, on the contrary, I've deliberately omitted my still-present attraction of beautiful young ladies from the story so as not to arouse reader jealousy, 5555!


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