Sydney Circular Quay Manly Ferry is one of the most famous trips in this great city. I remember a slogan from when I was a child, “7 miles from Sydney & 1000 miles from care”. This was the slogan used by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company in 1940 to describe Manly “Australia’s Premier Seaside Resort”.
Nice small hotel in a good location, for a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.
Docked at Manly wharf.
You can sit here and watch the ships roll in.
Lunch at Manly
Sue & I eating traditional fish & chips at Manly beach, and they said in the 40s, “7 miles from Sydney & 1000 miles from care”. 🙂 Thanks for visiting my Sydney Circular Quay Manly Ferry photo blog.
Please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history.
Tyrrel’s Hunter Valley
Sydney Melbourne Hunter Valley
Sydney Melbourne Hunter Valley in 1996 started on the Gold Coast where I was living life to the max. The highlight was a great road trip in my Porsche 928 with good friend Ross Kennedy to the Hunter Valley, Sydney, Falls Creek & Melbourne. Also caught up with an old friend from the Gold Coast Jill McCrossan, one very sexy lady.
Talking about sexy ladies
Well Emily certainly was in that category.
Please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history, check it out if you wish, also note this post contains nudity, so if you are bothered by naked humans please leave now.
Drinks at Saks
Drinks at Saks before going to the Ray White ball at the Sheraton Mirage. From the left we have a girl whose name I forget, then Phil (Swifty) Gregory, Claudia Scrupin, Duncan McGuiness, Emily and yours truly David Herd.
Little did they realise at the time but Swifty and Emily would marry and have a couple of kids.
Great photo, if I say so myself. 🙂
Such a beautiful big smile.
Saks was our main haunt
Saks was a great bar at Main Beach owned by Duncan McGuiness and Steve Solomon. Their main business was building upmarket housing estates. A couple of very nice guys who sadly went broke around 2011 and their company Solmac went into liquidation.
Saks with Eugene and Debbie. This was a memorable night at Saks, I watched as Plugger Lockhart kicked a famous point to put the Swans into the Grand Final.
One of the hottest babes in 1996
I met Donna Turnerin Sydney when she was 18 yo, even after various husbands and 3 or 4 children she still looks as hot as ever, especially in my kitchen. 🙂
Hot Hot Hot in Sydney Melbourne Hunter Valley
It is now 20 years later in 2016 and Donna is still a hot chick.
My favourite song from 1996
The technicolour team
Duncan McGuiness, Jim Bell, Ross Kennedy and David Herd.
At the polo
These two gorgeous babes were known as Lushy and Mushy, can’t remember their real names. 🙂
Ami and Alan Pearson.
Alan was a friend of mine when I lived in Adelaide in the 70s, he now earns his living as a musician in Airlie Beach.
Mami & Mariko
Two gorgeous Japanese girls who often called into my home in Upton St for drinks and fun.
I did mention fun didn’t I? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Everybody loves Tim Tams.
Billy James & Allison Schroeder
Billy was a well known Gold Coast real estate identity and Allison one of the sexiest chicks in town.
Allison 18 yo in in 1987
I was lucky enough to take Allison out a few times in 1987 my first year living on the Gold Coast. Although I was about 25 years older than her I used the “tried & true” technique, I promised her the world and bought her an atlas. 🙂
Visiting Tim in Sydney
Ross Kennedy and I took a road trip in my Porsche to Falls Creek for some skiing, stopping on the way at the Hunter Valley & Sydney. I knew about Rossco’s fascination with gangsters and the underworld so naturally I took him to meet Big Tim Bristow at his home in Newport.
Tim’s beast
We were there an hour or two listening to some of Tim’s stories most of which I had heard before many times. As usual Tim’s phone never stopped ringing, but there was one call Ross & I will never forget. Roger Rogerson was in many ways more notorious than Tim, he was known for being a ruthless crooked cop who shot first and asked questions later, the most famous case being where he shot and killed Warren Lanfranchi in a back alley in Chippendale.
Oaks Hotel with old friends
Derek Pugh, Ian Rich& Paul Slaughter, Pauls sister on the left and his girlfriend Clode on the right.
Falls creek, let the games begin.
We had a terrific few days, drinking too much and having some of the most spectacular falls ever seen at Fall’s Creek. Little did I realise after this 1996 adventure I would never ski again.
Melbourne
Drinks with Rossco’s friends in South Yarra, from the left Ross Kennedy aka “Shoeless Joe Jackson, David Herd aka “The Cincinnati Kid”, Craig Belcher and Johnny Mac.
Yum Cha in Chinatown
This gorgeous girl Jaqui O’Brien actually lived in my house for a few months in 1987, she then worked with me for a short time in 1998. A lovely lady until she had one drink too many, she then turned into a nightmare. Rossco came up with a classic name for her, “Jacqui Petrol”. 🙂
Rossco & DH
The high rollers have hit town. 🙂
On the subject of gorgeous girls
Meet Jill McCrossan, another super hot chick I was lucky enough to be involved with.
Felling no pain
I’m too sexy for my shirt. 🙂
A day at the beach in Coffs Harbour
We had a great couple of days at Tony Murphy’sapartment, the spa was excellent. 🙂
Both sides look great
A great view from every direction.
Meanwhile back on the Gold Coast
Natalina from the coast and Rodney Rosenfeld from Melbourne.
John Sinclair & John Cece
Both these guys moved from Adelaide to the Gold Coast, they were good friends and now mortal enemies. 🙂
Great fun in Manila
Here I am with Simone and Doug Ritchie in some club in Makati. 🙂
Pascal, Junko and Rene
Pascal was gorgeous girl, 1/2 French & 1/2 Vietnamese, Junko is the Japanese wife of my good friend Phil Thomson and Rene was a rather sexy Australian girl. 🙂
And the beat goes on
This is a rather significant photo, on the left is Larry Krausz, a good friend to all of us. It’s now 2017 and he is fighting a huge battle in Robina hospital on the Gold Coast. Larry suffered a major stroke on October 28th in Pattaya where he had been living large for almost a year. Our best wishes are with Larry, hopefully he will recover enough to lead a comfortable life.
Maybe one more look at Donna
Certainly one of the sexiest ladies ever to decorate my kitchen. 🙂
One more shot of lovely Emily
As you can see Emily was a total knockout.
New Years Eve at Mustang Sally’s.
One of my regular Main Beach haunts.
Farewell folks
Thanks for visiting my Sydney Melbourne Hunter Valley photo blog.
Spanish Coast Ibiza Madrid was a shock to me when I returned after 36 years since my last visit. I couldn’t believe the number of condominiums along the Costa Brava.
Please forgive the photo quality, my 1.2 mega pixel Canon was my first ancient digital camera.
Ibiza beach
It was the off season in April so the people were few and far between, consequently I thought Ibiza was fairly overrated.
Valencia
This trip was part of an around the world journey starting in Bangkok before moving to Spain then on to Venezuela, Cuba and Los Angeles.
David herd in Valencia
Valencia was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BC. The city is situated on the banks of the Turia, on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula, fronting the Gulf of Valencia on the Mediterranean Sea. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain.
Better shot of the same place.
Found this on my friends Jean-Paul Facebook page.
Benidorm, we hated it. 🙂
I think the average age of the English and German tourists was mid 70s, there were walking frames everywhere. We went to a couple of bars and restaurants that were copies of similar places in Blackpool.
Cold beers in Benidorm
I was travelling with Les who was a friend from the Gold Coast.
El Campella near Alicante
Revisiting this seaside village was full of nostalgia for me. I had great memories from way back in the late 60s when I was travelling around Europe in a VW Kombi with 2 Kiwi guys. Campella was one of our favourite places where we ate Paellas and washed them down with gallons of Sangria. In those days the men would go fishing off the African coast and the women would sit on the beach making and repairing the huge fishing nets. It was a different world then.
This was 1965
This was Rosemary & Mary, two American girls we met in Campella all those years ago. 🙂
Here are the 2 kiwi guys
Keith Wagstaff & Dick, the photo was taker in Konstanz in Switzerland.
Deja vu
So here I am again 36 years later eating Paella and drinking red wine, the more things change the more they stay the same.
La Manga
We stayed one night in La Manga, who knows why? Certainly nothing to write about here.
On to Madrid for a little history
It was nice to leave behind the walking frames and pommies (Englishmen) drinking pints and singing songs from WW2.
Madrid
I really need to visit Madrid again one day.
Palace Hotel
Thanks for visiting my very ordinary post on Spanish Coast Ibiza Madrid with poor quality photos, please have a look at some better efforts in the section below.
This colour coordinated guy shot past us like a guided missile. 🙂
This is more our speed
As you can imagine it is far too hot to walk the course.
Unless we meet one of these guys
Then we go faster, much faster. 🙂
Here we are Legends in our own lunch time
Duncan Paul, David Herd, Steven Bates and our sweet caddies.
Mitch Grosky goes straight up the middle
Mitch made it look easy.
Legends Golf Club Malaysia Mitch Grotsky
The course was magnificent.
Legends Golf Club Malaysia
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Legends is one of the toughest tests of golf in South-East Asia. Legends can be best described as dramatic and can always be found in excellent condition.
The original concept of this resort included three championship courses: one designed by Jack Nicklaus, one by Arnold Palmer, and one by Gary Player. Only the Nicklaus course and nine holes of the Palmer course have been finished, though. The Gary Player course remains in the planning phase.
The par-72, 18-hole Jack Nicklaus course opened to golfers in 1997. This 6,710-metre (7,338-yard) course features views of the neighboring palm oil plantation. Don’t be surprised if monkeys stop to check out your game on the back nine too.
Legends Golf Club Malaysia Lovely par 3
Legends Golf Club Malaysia is a beautiful course, if you are a golfer put it on your bucket list.
We almost had the course to ourselves
A guy called John Hallisey said “My worst day on the golf course still beats my best day in the office.”
Where else would you rather be?
We almost had the course to ourselves.
My lovely caddy
With two hole to go the storm came in and blew us off the course as so often happens in South East Asia.
Legends Golf Club Malaysia directions
Rated 16th best course in Malaysia, it,s hard to believe there are 15 better. 🙂
Prague capital Czech Republic, in 1993 I travelled by train through unspoiled mountainous landscape from Berlin to this fascinating eastern European city.
Many historical events occurred there, and it is a traditional setting for demonstrations, celebrations, and other public gatherings. I borrowed this photo from Wikipedia, there was no blue sky when I was there. 🙂
It was very cold
It was February or March and very cold, here I am outside Outside St. Vitus Cathedral.
At the Prague railway station I was approached by a well dressed elderly man asking if I had accommodation. He took me to his home where he and his wife rented a couple of rooms. It was a lucky break for me, the room was comfortable and cheap ($23 aud) with an excellent breakfast. Vaclev was a university professor and told me a lot about the history of Prague. On his day off he kindly gave me a tour of this wonderful city which was extremely kind of him.
Here is where I stayed about 3 stations from the centre of Prague.
Cold night in Prague
Freezing actually. 🙂
Crossing the Charles Bridge
The historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century.
Lunch with Oliver
Oliver is a good friend of Andre Buzek (the crazy dentist) who was also from Prague. We spent some time together drinking beer and discussing Andre’s crazy antics. 🙂
Here’s cheers Oliver, nice to meet you.
Sadly our friend Andre lost his life in a car accident in Cub a, RIP.
Prague capital Czech Republic
Prague 1993 and McDonald’s had already arrived.
A lasting memory
It was quite late one evening and I was the only one in the Old Town square. Suddenly I was hearing trumpets playing in the deserted snow covered square in the heart of Prague. It was a fantastic mystical moment I will never forget. I borrowed the above photo from Wikipedia.
In the fourteenth century the city built around the Prague Castle expanded to the right bank. The history of the square goes back even further: as early as in 1091 a market existed at the site of the Old Town Square.
I hope to visit again one day.
My apologies for the quality of the photos, they will certainly improve on my next visit.
This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2000.
Bangkok Samui sexy babes
Bangkok Samui sexy babes in the year 2000. I spent New Years Eve two years in a row, 1999 in Samui for the millennium & in Pattaya NYE 2000. The millennium was special for me due to a brief romance with the Italian princess pictured above. He name in Barbara Manelli and she was hot, hot, hot. 🙂
This it not part of my travel blog, just part of my personal photo & travel history from 2000.
Thailand New Years Eve
Thailand New Years Eve This is how Chaweng beach looked early New Years Eve 1999, in fact my friends and I had dinner right there on the beach. The photo quality is terrible due to the early days of digital cameras.
New Years Eve 1999
It was a terrific night on the beach even though my whirlwind romance with Barbara aka Gypsy was over by then.
Barbara Manelli aka Gypsy.
Oh my! She was one of the sexiest most gorgeous ladies I have ever had the pleasure to be with. The affair didn’t last much more than a week but the memories will stay with me forever.
Be patient we will move on shortly. 🙂
The romance was short but sweet. 🙂
Even now in 2015 I still occasionally think of her with affection.
I stayed at the Relax Bungalows a few times and found them very comfortable on a quiet section of the beach. Still very cheap if you book through Agoda, between $50 and $60 per night.
Dr Evil and his two favourite ladies, Jane & Gypsy. In fact Jane was with me in Koh Samui in August 1999 when I first met Barbara.
My special three pack.
This is a special photo, only 6 or 7 times in my life have I been able to get 3 girlfriends in the one photo, priceless.
Bangkok Koh Samui sexy babes
So many girls and such little time.
One girl and two boys.
That’s Thailand for you, sometimes things can be very confusing. Of course one of the boys is Pothole aka John Martin, and he doesn’t care which one he winds up with. 🙂
Girls from Soi 33 Santana Bar
Soi 33 was one of the best areas for bars and restaurants.
John Sinclair loves Bangkok
My friend John in a familiar pose.
Bangkok girl called Dow.
What a gorgeous face.
Another Bangkok girl who’s name I forget
I do remember however that she was a very sweet lady.
Great shape in Bangkok
I am fairly sure she hits the gym. 🙂
Cold beers in Pattaya
Tony Murphy, Michael Dowd, John Sinclair, Rush and David Herd.
One final look at Gypsy
Barbara will always be one of the most exciting ladies I have ever known’ Many thanks for visiting my Bangkok Samui sexy babes photo blog.
This it not part of my travel blog, just my personal photo & travel history from 2003.
Samui Bangkok Pattaya 2004
Samui Bangkok Pattaya, another three trips in 2004. It was a quieter year for travel after my amazing busy year of travel in 2003.
One of my favourite pastimes
I have to maintain my 110 kilo weight. 🙂
Another favourite pastime.
Her name is Jan and she soon became my favourite Pattaya princess.
Another Cherry Bar princess
A beautiful smile & a very sweet lady.
Aussies out of control
Richard Blair aka Mr Stingy out of control in a Soi 8 beer bar. He only recently discovered Pattaya and was carrying on like most newbies.
Samui Bangkok Pattaya
Another two Aussies, John “Pothole” Martin and Ken Shelly have discovered their nirvana.
Pothole & friend
Here is Pothole with what seems to be an attractive Thai lady that he had just negotiated a short time liaison in his hotel room. Of course she turned out to be a LadyBoy which made absolutely no difference to him, in fact he happily described the whole event in great detail to the rest of us sitting around the pool. My only comment is “too much information”.
Happy street vendor
Thai people have taken street food to an art form, however care should be taken when choosing what to eat.
Gorgeous Thai girl at Sabai Lodge
As they say in the classics, if you have got it, flaunt it. 🙂
The flight to Samui was very tiring for Stingy, on another note Thailand is the only country in the world he is considered a “handsome man. 🙂
“Stingy” Blair and Ken.
It was around this time I gave Richard the nickname Stingy. It came about when he and Ken were on the beach and a Thai lady was reading his palm. She looked at him and said “you are a very wealthy man, but Stingy”. Of course she was spot on, so many times Richard would be drinking with Ken and showing off by buying lots of drinks for the girls behind the bar knowing that Ken would have to pay half the bill, but the girls would think he was the hero. As soon as I heard what the girl on the beach had said I gave him the label “Stingy” which has stuck with him until today in 2015. I also taught Ken to always have separate “bins”, meaning Bills, when drinking with Richard so he couldn’t pull his usual bill splitting stunt.
Koh Samui sunset
Taken at Chaweng beach from my preferred beachside hotel, the Baan Chaweng hotel.
There are a number of reasons I prefer Samui to Phuket, first they restrict building to not exceed the height of the palm trees. Secondly there are not as many noisy Australian tourists which suits me fine. Like most places however progress has not been kind, to me Samui was more enjoyably in the late 90s and early 2000s. Many of the older charming buildings in Chaweng have been replaced by gold shops etc, such is life.
Ken Shelly and a BBQ prawn
I used to see a lot of Ken in these early days, however in the last couple of years when he comes to Thailand he does his best to avoid me, (he is not alone) c’est la vie. 🙂
Nana Plaza Bangkok sex sin sleaze it’s all there. I have been a frequent visitor for 20 years & have seen the LadyBoy population rise from 10% to around 40% today. This does not suit me at all, give me the sexy young girls any day.
Sadly Richard passed away aged 76 on October 15 2022.
Phung aka Cleopatra
My favourite Bangkok girl, we met in 2001 at Nana Plaza and got together every time I was in town until about 2009 when she left the business. It’s now 2015 and I hear she is living with a guy in Europe.
Cleo with the huge smile
Without a doubt one of the most terrific Thai ladies I have ever met.
John Sinclair and Rod Perrin, RIP.
Rod was an ex Sydney cop who retired and moved to Forster on the NSW coast. These days he spends most of his time in Thailand. John was originally from Adelaide and after 3 or 4 failed marriages moved to the Gold Coast. He spent around 10 years there before moving to Thailand around 2002.
Gorgeous Eve likes her pepper hot.
The biggest pepper grinder I have ever seen. Eve has a German sponsor from Airlie Beach, a very odd type of man who regularly travels to Thailand. I am on his black list, then again I am on quite a few blacklists. 🙂
Atlantic Bar Pattaya
Another gorgeous girl in Pattaya.
One more to finish
So many girls & such little time. 🙂
You too can have a body like this if you abuse it.
Thanks for visiting my Samui Bangkok Pattaya photo blog from 2004. I eventually moved to Thailand in 2011 and am enjoying a stress free life in paradise. I do an around the world trip each year, please check out Seven Super Cities trip in 2014 and my Eastern European Odyssey in 2015.
Salvador North Coast Brazil is Brazil’s 3rd largest city. Most of the population is in part descended from African slaves, who were mainly from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Benin.
Praia do Porto da Barra
We stayed in a hotel opposite this beach which is is only 5 kms from the historic centre Pelourinho.
Fort de Santa Maria
Logo Nassau organized civil guards of Recife, Paraíba and Itamaracá to reinforce the troops and set off on April 8 1638, at the head of a naval fleet of 36 units at 3,600 Europeans and Indians. He began the assault on Salvador in April 16, landing and gaining the surrender of the strong St. Albert, St. Philip and St. Bartholomew.But as Bagnuolo and the Governor-General had overcome their differences, Pernambuco army and the local garrison were united against the invasion consequently on the night of May 17 & 18 Nassau lost 300 men.
I met Monica on the beach
Mark it down as a big mistake, everything was ok for the first 2 days then she went kind of crazy. I actually cut my trip short by two days and flew back to Rio de Janeiro to catch up with Renilda, a gorgeous lady I met there the previous week.
Crazy Monica 🙂
Crazy is an understatement, anyhow after a brief fling I got out of Dodge. 🙂
Pelourinho
The Historic Centre known as The Pelourinho is located in the western zone of the city’s centre, and was named for the whipping post (Pelourinho means Pillory) in its central plaza where African slaves received punishment for various infractions and disciplinary purposes.
The Pelourinho, is extremely rich in historical monuments dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Salvador was the first colonial capital of Brazil and the city is one of the oldest in the New World (founded in 1549 by Portuguese settlers). It was also the first slave market on the continent, with slaves arriving to work on the sugar plantations.
Salvador Bahia Brazil
Once the capital city of Brazil from 1549 up until 1763 when it was succeeded by Rio de Jeneiro, Salvador da Bahia is considered to be the happiest place in the country. The city is best known for its food, music and general party atmosphere due to the numerous parties that now take place there.
Pellourinho
Salvador is the second most popular tourism destination in Brazil, after Rio de Janeiro.Tourism and cultural activity are important generators of employment and income, boosting the arts and the preservation of artistic and cultural heritage.
Chief among the points of interest are its famous Pelourinho (named after the colonial pillories that once stood there) district, its historic churches, and its beaches.
Elevador Lacerda
Elevator Lacerda is the first elevator Urban World. In December 1873 , when it opened, it was the highest in the world, about 63 meters.
Elevador Lacerda
This is the best way to get up to the old city and for 15 Reals (each way)
Salvador North Coast Brazil
At the beginning of the 17th century, a crane was used to transport goods from the port to the upper city.
Monica in front of Sousa Palace
Sousa Square (also known as City Square) is a square located in the historic centre of Salvador , where there is a lot of public buildings in the city, such as Sousa Palace (now city hall).
Pothole has a way with children
Pothole aka John Martin certainly has a way with children. A grown up family in Australia & 2 young boys in Thailand.
The rest of the team
Pothole aka John Martin & Tony Murphy.
Thanks for visiting Salvador Bahia Brazil
Thats all from Salvador North Coast Brazil, bye for now from David and crazy Monica. 🙂
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
Copacabana Beach New Years Eve and the cruise ships are arriving. Nine huge floating palaces drop anchor to watch tonight’s spectacle. Music fireworks & noise.
Lovely hostess
I paid $400 for a ticket to a cocktail party on the 12th floor overlooking Copacabana beach. The lovely lady above let me visit the venue mid afternoon to take some photos.
Mid afternoon and you can see the crowd building up. Two million people are expected to gather tonight at Copacabana most of whom will be wearing white.
Around 4 pm the crowd builds up
Through the afternoon the crowd starts to build.
More ships arrive
Nine huge ships arrived for the show.
A burning question
Sergio, we are in Copacabana Beach New Years Eve, do you think our ship will ever come in?
Now here is how we are going to handle troublemakers
Final instruction at 5.30 pm, the Rio cops are a very mean bunch.
The shadows cover the beach
The anticipation is building, you can fell the excitement in the air.
Going home to freshen up
Copacabana Beach New Years Eve an d as far as I’m concerned she is dressed perfectly.
The party begins
Here is where I am watching the celebration, lots of food and booze, after all we did pay $400. 🙂
Here they come
I have never seen a crowd this big anywhere before.
More and more all dressed in white
Copacabana Beach New Years Eve and millions come to celebrate.
The excitement is building & more people arrive
I was in the perfect spot to see everything.
Standing room only
What a night it was, worth every cent.
In the top right hand corner you can see the Sofitel hotel, the location is perfect between Copacabana & Ipanema. For an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.
I’m happy to be above the crowd
Let the games begin.
KERBOOM!!!!!!
The fireworks begins, 2 million people onshore and nine cruise ships anchored off the beach.
Spectacular fireworks
You can see five of the nine cruise ships here in this photo.
Lots of noise
Noise from the Fireworks and the amplified music that is blasting out from huge speakers along the beach.
Here is the live action
Copacabana Rio Di Janeiro in Brazil, NYE, an awesome experience
Copacabana Beach New Years Eve and the beat goes on
The noise was quite incredible.
The show went on for hours
I left around 1 am knowing I had seen the most spectacular NYE celebration in my life. The Sydney fireworks is certainly superior however when you add two million screaming people into the mix at one of the world’s great beaches it is game over.
Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground is in my opinion the best of the red light areas in this great city. Nana Plaza come in 2nd place with Patpong Rd a distance third. Located near Sukhumvit Road, between Sukhumvit Soi 21 (also called Soi Asoke) and Soi 23, within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain’s Asoke Station and the Bangkok Metro’s Sukhumvit Station. The PullmanGrand Sukhumvit Hotelis nearby.
The go-go bars follow the pattern common in Thailand, lots of alcohol is served hundreds of women in bikinis dance on a stage topless or even nude.
Country Road
The soi was given its name by longtime nightlife columnist Bernard Trink, after the late T. G. “Cowboy” Edwards, a retired American airman who opened one of the first bars there in 1977. A tall African-American, Edwards got his nickname because he often wore a cowboy hat.
Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground Spice Girls
When Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was elected in 2001, his government instituted a “social order” campaign. As part of this, all bars, nightclubs and restaurants had to close by 2am, later changed to 1am for all areas not officially designated as “entertainment zones”. (Unlike Patpong, Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza were not so designated). A mandatory midnight closing time was even discussed.
Over the years this policy has eased, and as of 2012, some Soi Cowboy bars stay open as late as 2:30am.
And here are the Spice girls
Soi Cowboy Bangkok is more expensive than Nana Plaza, it is also more spectacular, a Jack soda is 180 Baht, when you buy a girl a drink it costs 220 baht. These clubs love to rob you, so Roland & I tipped the girls 100 Baht cash instead of giving it to the club. Out of the 220 Baht for a ladies drink the girls get 50 Baht and the club keeps 170.
David Herd and Roland Bonnici
Here I am with my friend Roland who is a Sydney Barrister specializing in criminal law. He has more energy and staying power than I do so I now call in the Bangkok Energiser Bunny. 🙂
Lovely face at Soi Cowboy
A sweet girl who Roland bought a few drinks for, he charges $300 an hour to represent the Sydney criminals so $8 a lady drink is small change. 🙂 She of course spun him the usual line saying ” I have only been here for one month after leaving my home in the country. Roland being such a nice guy believed her, naturally I got into his ear to quickly explain that 80% of the girls use this tried & true line of B…sh…t. 🙂
Move baby move
She could really move, should have taken a movie.
More Spice girls
The girls are patiently waiting for customers.
Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground
Soi Cowboy Bangkok is really a lot of fun, some of the bars have rock bands playing far too loud for my liking, however most geriatrics like myself usually prefer the volume to be low enough to be able to communicate this those around you.
Hellooooo baby, where you go?
You will probably hear this question 30 times a night if not more. 🙂
Back to Country Road
Bright lights & gorgeous girls.
They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway
But looking at them just gives me the blues. I can handle this bright noisy scene about two times a year, usually when friends come to town and want to see the sights.
It really is deja vu for me
I guess I have just been hitting the night spots in too many cities for too many years. These days I enjoy myself more in a good restaurant with nice people and soft music in the background. One thing is certain in Bangkok there is no shortage of terrific restaurants, and anything else you want for that matter.
Just check out the look on his face to see how much he loves this wild Soi Cowboy Bangkok scene.
When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.
