Yujin

After four seasons, last night was the final episode of TURN: Washington’s Spies. I’m a big fan of books, movies, TV shows based on actual historical facts. Overall, the TV series was fairly consistent with historical facts although there were some dramatic liberties taken. There aren’t too many TV shows like this so I’m going to miss it, but that weird melodious voice of the actor who played the British officer Simcoe will be forever stuck in my head (an ear worm) . http://www.amc.com/shows/turn

I just finished reading Walter Lord’s “The Miracle of Dunkirk: The True Story of Operation Dynamo”. Lord’s recounting of what happened at Dunkirk gives a new meaning to “cluster fuck.” I'm looking forward to watching the movie.

I never stayed at the Baron Beach Hotel, but on my last visit to Pattaya (3 years ago), I took a tour of the hotel since I was thinking about staying there on my next visit. Overall, the hotel had the the look or the decor of a Tiki bar or a rundown Trader Vic’s restaurant (there aren’t that many Trader Vic’s around anymore so you’ll have to Google and look at some pictures to get my comparison). The room that I looked at was one of their cheapest and it was a very old and basic. I believe they have some remodeled rooms, but those are the higher priced one. The photos on their website are embellished to make the hotel look better than it actually is, but 99.9% of all hotels are guilty of this. The “glam” photos of the hotel are going to raise your expectations about the hotel. If you don’t expect too much, you’ll be fine with the place. The location is great so if all you want is a cheap room rate, four walls, a locking door, a TV, a working A/C, and a bathroom, The Baron Beach Hotel is perfect for someone who only needs a place to sleep without too many frills. The swimming pool is smaller than what appears in on their website. When I toured the hotel, the swimming pool was surrounded by chaise lounge chairs and each chair was occupied. If you stay there, be sure to write a review. I’d be interested to know if my observations were on target or totally wrong.

I never used it, but on my last stay, Areca had desktop computers in the lobby that allowed guests to access the Internet. I believe usage was free.

If you have an e-reader, I highly recommend subscribing to BookBub for a weekly alert on free and discounted e-books that match your interest. It’s a good way to build up your e-book library. My problem is that I’ve downloaded more e-books than I can possibly read in my lifetime. https://www.bookbub.com/home/ Currently, my favorite authors are Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, and Joseph Wambaugh. I’ve read every novel that these three authors have written. I recently finished Stephen King’s “11/22/63”. It’s a very long novel to read. The first 1/2 was a little slow, but the second 1/2 was so interesting that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it. I believe it’s going to be made into a TV series. For those who are or were in the military (especially during the Vietnam War era), Karl Marlantes “Matterhorn” is a fascinating read about combat leadership (or lack of it) during the Vietnam War. I’ve been told that it’s on the reading list or syllabus at the US Army and Naval War Colleges.

For some reason, the "hotel review" section wouldn't let me post this review so I'm posting it here. http://www.arecalodge.com/ I’ve visited Pattaya five times over the past 15 years. On each visit, I’ve stayed in different hotels. This is my first stay at the Areca Lodge. I stayed there for seven nights in mid-March 2015. I booked directly through their website and I was charged one-night stay to hold my reservation. I booked a DELUXE room at an internet price of THB 1,900 (inclusive of VAT). When I arrived, the front desk offered me a one-year membership in their ACE Club for THB 890. The ACE Club benefits are 15% off all in-house services at their massage / spa, their hair lounge, and all food & non-alcoholic drinks. It also reduced my room rate for my DELUXE room to THB 1,650. Since I was staying for seven nights, the cost of the ACE Club membership was worthwhile since it saved me THB 1,750 for a seven-night stay (THB 13,300 vs. THB 11,550). If you’re staying for less than four nights, joining the ACE Club is probably not worth it. There are three towers: Areca, Corona, and Evergreen. The Evergreen Tower is the newest of the three and it has its own entry and front desk. My DELUXE room was in the Areca Tower which is the oldest of the three. Although it’s in the oldest tower, my DELUXE room did not disappoint me. It was not “worn-out” by age or use. Instead, I found my room large, modern, comfortable and well-maintained. If location is important, the Areca Lodge is at the edge of the LK Metro bar zone. The Devil’s Den is less than a minute walk away. The hotel is GF friendly. My room had a small room safe (too small for most laptops). Small refrigerator. Free WI-FI, but signal wasn’t the strongest. Free good buffet breakfast. Hotel staff is friendly and helpful. Large tour groups do NOT stay there. It’s popular with farang families and couples. I met one couple who planned on staying there for over a month. The two fitness centers have old, but usable exercise equipment. For those who like to sunbath, both swimming decks / pools have good sun exposure throughout the day. Unlike other Pattaya hotels that I’ve stayed at, the building heights do not cast a long or significant shadow over the pools. My preferred method of exercise is swimming laps. In looking at the hotel photos, the Blue Ocean Pool appears to be larger / longer and more suitable for swimming laps, but I found the Cabana Pool to be the better of the two. I found more guests using the Blue Ocean Pool since its designed for socializing in the water. The kidney bean shaped Cabana Pool wasn’t as crowded and it has 16-yard length (my wild guess on measurement) of swimmable water so it was my preferred pool. There’s another 1 yard that’s not swimmable since there are step benches for sitting and soaking at one end. You can tell that the Areca Lodge takes great pride in their swimming pools. At home, I swim 3 to 4 times per week in an indoor pool and an outdoor pool during the summer. Outdoor pools are notoriously difficult to keep clean, but the Blue Ocean Pool and the Cabana Pool are two of the cleanest pools that I’ve ever used (cleaner than most indoor pools that I’ve used). The only downside that I can give of the Areca Lodge is that if you’re an early sleeper, the mind-numbing beat of techno music from the nearby beer bars can keep you awake. If that’s the case for you, be sure to stay at the Evergreen Tower since it’s further away from LK Metro bar zone or bring a set of Mack’s silicone earplugs http://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Soft-Silicone-Earplugs/dp/B004RRGUCY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1427248473&sr=8-7&keywords=mack+ear+plugs+silicone I’ve always stayed at a different hotel every time I’ve visited Pattaya, but I’ll probably break from that pattern and stay at the Areca Lodge on my next visit since my experience was very positive. My ACE Club membership is valid through March 10, 2016 so hopefully I’ll be back before then to take advantage of the ACE Club discounted room rates. I’m not going to upload any photos that I took of the Areca Lodge to this review. Instead, if you search YouTube, you can find several videos that were uploaded by guests that’ll give you a better visual on the Areca Lodge. If you’re looking for a hotel in US$50-$60 range, I would wholeheartedly recommend the Areca Lodge (at least for their DELUXE room).

With the Russian ruble rapidly losing its value, I read on the Bangkok Post that Russian tourism to Thailand has dwindled to almost nothing and hotels that catered to them are struggling to fill vacancies.

From this news article, TransAsia has 68 pilots, some 29 pilots were suspended after failing or missing safety tests, a week after a fatal crash. Ten (10) pilots failed oral proficiency tests designed to show how they would handle an emergency. If these numbers are correct, more than 40% of TransAsia pilots have been grounded. It kind of reminds me of the problems that they have in India where airline pilots were found to have paid bribes to avoid proficiency flight exams but still get certified and hired as pilots. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31404500

My room window / balcony did not face 2nd Road. It faced south. It wasn't completely quiet, but bearable since it wasn't the rhythmic electronic thumping sound that drives me nuts. I once stayed in a hotel on Soi 8 and I asked for a back room to avoid the music from the beer bars. It didn't help. That was real bad.

I tried to post this in the hotel review section, but no luck so I'm posting it here: Hotel: Bay Breeze Hotel Website: http://www.baybreezepattaya.com/ Dates of stay: Oct 12 - 16, 2010 This was my first stay at the Bay Breeze. I reserved a “standard room with balcony” for 800 Baht (US$27) per night. This was a low season rate. I liked the location. It’s down Sai Song Soi 11 off of Pattaya 2nd Road. When I got off the BKK to Pattaya bus, the baht driver said he was familiar with the Bay Breeze. I even gave him the map that I had printed off the Bay Breeze’s website. I soon learned that he didn’t know where the Bay Breeze was located. He kept stopping at every hotel that had the name “Bay” in it and insisted that it was the Bay Breeze and I kept telling him “NO, WRONG HOTEL.” After the third time he stopped at the wrong hotel, I realized that Bay Breeze was only a block away so I gave him 20 Baht and decided to walk the distance since it would be quicker than having him drive down Beach Road and back up 2nd Road. The hotel is in a fairly quiet location, i.e., no nearby go-go or beer bars blaring loud music. Soi LK with the Devil’s Den, Billabong and a number of other similar clubs is a short distance away. There are other go-go clubs and beer bars nearby, and the Walking Street is within walking distance. Across the 2nd Road, there’s Mike Shopping Mall and the modern Central Shopping Mall. Trying to walk across 2nd Road while dodging traffic can be a life and death adventure. The street that the Bay Breeze Hotel is located (Soi 11) turns into Soi Honey and about 1/2 block down the street from the hotel is the Honey Body Massage Parlor. About three blocks away, Dream Teen Massage is on Soi 21 which runs between 3rd Road and Soi Buakaow. A little further down Soi 21 is P.P. Body Massage Parlor which is touted by taxi drivers since they pay a commission for customers. My hotel room was small, but clean and comfortable. There’s 9 floors. I was on the 8th floor. The hotel has only one small elevator so it can be slow at times. If the elevator ever breaks down, there’s no alternative except to hoof it up and down the stairs. The hotel does not offer free breakfast, but there is a restaurant in the hotel. I never ate there. Breakfast is also offered at a small restaurant across the street on Soi 11. If you want the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, the Apex Hotel and Diana Inn are a block or so away. Further down 2nd Road, the Lek Hotel has a breakfast buffet. The hotel is girl-friendly. There’s a dick-head who wears a baseball hat with “security” on it. When I checked-in, he grabbed my one bag to take it to my room. I tipped him 15 baht and he pissed and moaned that it wasn’t enough so I gave him 20 baht. He still pissed and moaned so I took 10 baht away. I told him that I needed the 10 baht. He grabbed my bag as I checked out to load it into the van, but I ignored him when he had his hand out for a tip. The room had free Wi-Fi and I had no problem with access. My only significant complaint is that the room had a safe, but it didn’t work (why I don’t know). I was told that I had to use the safe deposit box at the front desk. I saw other guests using them so I guess I wasn’t the only one who had a room safe that didn’t work. The hotel has a swimming pool, but it’s located under an overhang so there is very little sun exposure if you want to sun bath. The hotel has cable TV with limited English channels. Instead of CNN, it had FOX (or faux) News. My room’s air conditioner got my room too cold at nights so I turned it off and opened the window. Since I was on the 8th floor, there was a breeze and the street noise didn’t keep me awake. The hotel took my reservation without any pre-payment or credit card hold. For the low season rate, I would stay here again. If you’re looking for a place that’s more expensive, cheaper, has better amenities or different location, your choices of hotels in Pattaya seems endless. The Bay Breeze Hotel is a good option for consideration.

Several years ago, I experienced the same thing. I had a late arrival so the Dynasty (Bangkok) wanted my CC information to guarantee the room. They only ask for CC information on late check-ins. I decided to "roll the dice" and not give my CC. I showed up around midnight and they had no room for me. I went to the Majestic Suite and Nana Hotel without any luck so I started walking down Soi 4 until I found a hotel. After a 18-hour flight, I had some anxiety about not finding a room. If you've got your heart set on staying at the Dynasty, you're going to have to give them your CC information or find some other acceptable way (?) to guarantee the room. If you're deadset against giving your CC information, I'd recommend booking one night at the Nana Hotel and move the next day to the Dynasty.

My biggest concern about the A380 is the 800 passengers. If an emergency happens, it'll take a long time to evacuate the plane and imagine the panic, the pushing, and shoving to get out. You'd be smothered to death trying to escape. I recently saw a TV show about airplane disasters. One of the disasters occurred on the ground when two planes collided on the runway and the planes caught on fire. Many of the passengers died of smoke inhalation.

Thanks! I thought "cheeky cow" was a term of endearment. It could have been a problem if I had used it with the wrong (or right) woman.

"I went for a pint with this one bird and she turned out to be a real cheeky cow." I'm assuming "cheeky cow" is a British slang. I did a quick Google search, but I couldn't find a clear definition as to what it means. Could one of our esteem Brits can give me a translation as to what "cheeky cow" means in the context of the above first sentence, i.e., is it a compliment or an insult? Thanks!

Winston's need to return home for proper medical treatment is an important lesson for all of us. Many of us have health insurance through our employers or credit cards that will cover treatment overseas. However, getting back home is the problem if you're seriously ill or injured and can't fly via a commercial airlines. The only "travel" insurance that I buy is medical evacuation or air ambulance coverage through http://www.medjetassistance.com/ You can purchase coverage for an entire year or several weeks. A friend of mine had the fortune or misfortune of using their services. While in Ecuador, he jumped off the top of a waterfall, hit the water wrong, and broke his back. Within three days, an air ambulance flew down to Quito to pick him up and fly him back to a hospital in his hometown of San Francisco. He was totally amazed and grateful at their quick response.

What price range do you consider "cheap"? If this fits into your price range, you might want to consider Woraburi Inn on Sukhumvit Soi 4 : http://www.woraburi.com/new/woraburi_inn/w...raburi_inn.html When I stayed there several months ago, there were several European families with small kids staying there.

I stayed at the Pattaya Centre Hotel last May (2002). I had never stayed there before. I did some research and the reviews were so-so. I had read that it went through recent ownership or management change and the rooms were remodelled. Since I thought there might have been some positive changes and I liked its location, I decided to give it a try. Instead of booking through their Internet site, I e-mailed them to ask for a better rate. They responded with the following rates: Standard Room 942 baht; Superior Room 1,060 baht; Junior Suite 1,295 baht; and Panorama Suite 1,648 baht. These rates do NOT include breakfast which is included in their Internet rates. I thought their breakfast buffet was real bad so not getting a complimentary breakfast was no big deal. The Panorama Suite is large and it includes a balcony that overlooks the ocean. My room had NOT undergone any remodel. I was disappointed with its appearance. The room looked a bit worn. Since the Panorama Suites face the ocean, the winds really whip against the building. It woke me up a couple of times during the night when I thought the balcony sliding glass door was going to bust open from all the shaking by the wind. Since I was paying for one of their best rooms, you would have thought that the TV would have had a remote control. I inquired at the front desk and I was told that some rooms have TV remotes and others didn't. Mine didn't and there was nothing that they could do about it. I didn't argue since they had a very poor selection of English language channels (two that I could find). The hotel must use a satellite since the reception was terrible. Every four minutes or less, the TV would have nothing but static for five to ten seconds. One of the biggest gripes about this hotel from others was that the hotel staff was surly. I've got to echo those same comments. The front desk, however, is no more or less friendly than those at the Nana Hotel in Bangkok. There was one thing that really pissed me off about my hotel room. . . the uneven floor in the bathroom. There was a 1 1/2 inch step in the middle of the bathroom floor. I think they put in the 1 1/2 inch step to contain any overflow of water from the shower or toilet, but I was constantly stubbing my toe or stumbling over it. It was a real hazard for me during the middle of night when I had to piss. This hotel does cater to tour groups from China. The tour groups are their "bread and butter" since it guarantees occupancy so the hotel has no real incentive to improve. I also noticed groups of Germans (at least when they spoke it sounded German to me), Arabs, Hindus, and Vietnamese staying here. It seems most were families and not the usual single men. There are a few positive things about the hotel: It is guest friendly with no extra charge for an overnight guest, but they do check ID. Nice swimming pool. Close to Walking Street. In conclusion, I wouldn't stay there again. In hindsight, I should have checked out after the first night and checked in at the Eastiny Inn. For the lower price and better kept rooms, the Eastiny Inn is a much better deal although the noise from the beer bars can get annoying.

In Pattaya, it's the swimming pool at the Hard Rock Hotel. It's the best pool I've seen in all of Thailand.

In response to Fatboyfat's posting: When did you stay at the Eastiny Inn? I stayed there last May and they nevered charged me a guest fee. At least I don't think they did. . .

I usually arrive in Pattaya via public bus from Bangkok. In Pattaya, I take a baht bus to my usual hotel on Soi 8. The baht bus driver always know where I'm going when I tell them "Soi 8." Next time, I plan on staying at the Residence Garden Inn; however, I've never been there before. In fact, I don't think I've ever been in that neighborhood. What are the chances the baht bus driver will understand me when I say "Residence Garden Inn?" Is there a nearby well known landmark or street that's more likely known to a baht bus driver?