An evening at the beach

It had been announced for some time in advance as one of the Major Events in Pattaya. The annual, now almost traditional, two-day International Fireworks Festival. This is held to reinforce the start of the high season, to celebrate the King's birthday in advance, but of course above all to generate 200 million extra Baht in turnover. To visit these types of events, it is of the utmost importance to make a thorough planning in advance.

The program

To begin with, there is the program. It runs on Friday evening from 17.00:23.00 pm to 20.00:5 pm and includes a Carnival parade, pop concerts, and fireworks displays from four countries. The thousands of market stalls on Beach Road are also an attraction in themselves. It is impossible for me to follow the entire program, standing on my feet for six hours and strolling back and forth a bit is not enough, so choices had to be made. That wasn't too hard, I'm just interested in the fireworks. At 21.00 p.m., the program mentioned 25 minutes of fireworks, at 21.35 p.m. 25 minutes and at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. another XNUMX minutes. Arriving on Beach Road around half past eight was well in time, I skipped the amuse-bouche, which seemed more like a kind of wake-up call.

The location

And then the location. The possibility of looking somewhere on the roof bar of a hotel had already been dropped. I then feel too much of a 'beobserver' instead of a participant in the revelry. Beach Road was therefore fixed. But where? The easiest option was to walk out of Soi 13 where my hotel is located. That's only 150 meters. However, I had seen some maps with the location of the pontoons from which the fireworks would be set off, and that was quite a bit more to the north. At Central Festival was conceivable. A lot of people would probably think that and the chance of an over-representation of Kamaradski is also lurking there. Moreover, there are hardly any cozy beer bars to have a drink. From the available maps I thought I could deduce that the ideal point was also slightly further north, although that was difficult to judge: The maps were, as so often the case, not to scale. Soi 7 became more and more attractive in my eyes, plenty of places to have a drink and far from the epicenter it couldn't be impossible.

The company

Finally, not unimportantly, it had to be determined whether I would go alone, and if not, who would accompany me. I would love to barf all the girls from all over Pattaya on such an evening and give them all a nice evening at the beach, but that encounters practical and financial objections. Cat and Ning would probably like it, but they are already free that evening so they can and will go themselves. Nana would be ideal, were it not for the fact that she is spending a week on Koh Chang. Kingkaew then? That was a bit exaggerated, I already had plans for Saturday.

It had to be Thaly, one of my latest conquests. She had emerged in no time as a problem-free girl, with a number of pleasant qualities. She spoke good English, didn't nag about (money) problems forever, was affectionate without being constantly attached to you and could enjoy herself for a while if it suited her. And if you asked her something she answered normally, instead of the sweet-seeming "Up to you, darling" which is actually of no use to you. At brunch time, if I ask a girl if she'd rather go to her room or if she'd rather have dinner with me, "Up to you" won't do me any good. Then when I decide to come with her I always feel like maybe she would rather have gone to her room after all, and if I say 'Go to your room' she might feel sent away. In short, Thaly pretty much guaranteed a pleasant evening. I went to book her early. Not that you get a discount, but just to be sure. She thought it was a good plan and we agreed at 19.00 pm. First a drink in her bar, then to the Wonderful Bar. I explained what the exact intention was and of course didn't ask if she had a special place in mind, because that happened to be Up to me tonight.

I expected that we would hear the wake-up call at 20.00 pm, but it did not come. Fifteen minutes later we were on our way. There were very few Baht vans on Second Road, which made sense, because they would undoubtedly have trouble getting back south now that Beach Road was hermetically closed to all traffic. And the vans that drove past were overflowing.

Transportation

Then a motorcycle taxi, which was just on the corner. It was 20.30:7 PM when we walked down Soi XNUMX. I had the Happiness Stars Bar in mind for a drink, there was still time. We were almost there when the first salvo sounded. People poured into the streets en masse from the bars. I saw the flares explode in the sky and on at least a hundred phone screens in front of me. The stream of people towards Beach Road was now taking on an unpleasant shape, I guided Thaly to the left, into the bar. She didn't understand it well at first, logically. I explained that this was supposed to be the delayed five minute amuse-bouche. Since a musical performance of three quarters of an hour was programmed between this starting gun and the actual first show, we could easily wait an hour, in two minutes we could walk to Beach Road. That reassured her and the fireworks stopped again.

At five to half past ten we started walking again. As we had already established, the place was perfect, less than a hundred meters from the place where the pontoons were right in front, and where the main stage was also built. Those hundred meters could still be added and so we were really first rank. Almost immediately after that it went 'Loose'. The various participating countries mainly distinguished themselves from each other by the chosen musical accompaniment. There was opera music, that had to be Italy because I only know the name Pavarotti. A little later, perhaps not very original, rather Catalan than Spanish, but for this occasion extremely suitable and ever overwhelming 'Barcelona' echoed from the loudspeakers. And so it went on and on. A total of four countries, in two acts of 25 minutes each, interrupted only by a fifteen-minute intermission. Each country with its own structure and climax. And, as said, here at the stage accompanied by matching music that gave an extra dimension.

Video

I had planned not to shoot any films, but yes, if it is so impressive, and the camera is still in my pocket, yes, then I can not resist. I did look over the screen to reality, I don't want to be a slave to the camera. It would leave me with a pair of stiff feet and muscle pain in the arms, a nice job for Thaly.

What surprised me was that during the shows there was a constant stream of people moving from left to right in an endless line, without looking at the fireworks. And another row, moving from right to left. I was not annoyed with those people. When I am in such a euphoric mood I am tolerance itself. I was annoyed that I couldn't find an explanation for their strange behaviour. Thalia didn't understand it either. A striking detail was that a drone, presumably with a camera, was in the air. I thought the most beautiful fireworks were those that used parachutes, and the effects that created not round but oval, or even heart-shaped figures. Regular goosebumps and shivers down the back proved that it was a pleasure to experience this. At half past ten the last highlight followed and then it became quiet.

I didn't get a chance to suggest walking straight back to the Happiness Stars Bar to relax the muscles and refresh ourselves, because Thaly beat me to it. She had also been filming and posted a video on a Social Site, with the tag 'happy' and the accompanying emocion, or whatever that may be called. I liked that more than receiving the message 'Miss you' ten times.

Oiled chaos

Her left leg was now on my leg, she was in urgent need of a massage. I was glad I wasn't the only one who has trouble standing more or less at attention for about an hour. And I was a lot older than her. After two drinks it was fine again. Now the last leg, back to Soi 13. I arranged two motorbikes, one didn't seem like a good idea given the crowds and the detour we would have to make. We drove over the heads through Soi 7, crossed Second Road. The latter was easy, the traffic was deadlocked. Crossed to Soi Buakhao (see video below).

I have never seen such well-oiled chaos there. An endless line of cars heading south, virtually motionless from the Pook Bar. And masses of motorbikes that, like a swarm of bees, where possible, seemed to pounce on the sparse traffic from the other direction, but then just in time sought protection again and crawled on, between the stationary cars on the other side of the road. In my opinion, even the drivers had not experienced it so colorfully. They spoke occasionally, but kept laughing. It was a crazy ride, without me feeling unsafe for a single moment. No maneuvers were performed that I would not have dared myself. Making emergency stops or suddenly swerving was not an option, a matter of defensive driving and good anticipation.

Once we arrived at Soi 13 we were all completely blown away by this ride. Strange really, because what was funny or humorous about it? Yet none of us doubted. The drivers also had to wipe the necessary drops of sweat from their foreheads. Instead of the agreed 140 Baht I gave 200 Baht and they were happy with that. I'd better keep these gentlemen as friends, because it would be another night.

Thaly got us something to eat at the street restaurant in front of the 7-eleven. We were ready for that. Another drink to the good end of everything, after which Thaly indicated that she wanted to go to bed. I thought it best: 'Up to you, darling.'

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