Soi Cowboy

　　It was Soi Cowboy which our friend took us to after dinner, saying "Women don't usually want to visit it, but it's not prohibited for women to step into the alley." The Thai word of "Soi" means small street or alley, and Soi Cowboy was one of the most known entertainment districts. Our group, consisting of 4 men and 2 women, went into the alley. We entered in Baccara, which was located at the very back of the alley. I wanted to take pictures of shops and bars around on the way to Baccara, but I was too overwhelmed by the surrounding atmosphere that I wasn't able to snap even one picture. I'll show you pictures of my friends below. If my wife wasn't beside me, my face would have become another face. (grin)
　　I had assumed that such places were dangerous in general, but I didn't feel such anxiety. I saw few women as tourists or customers, but there were various kinds of people, like local people, international tourists, men, women, half-men, half-women,,,. We tried to take a TUKTUK, a three-wheeler, to our hotel. My friend had a favor to ask the driver to take pictures of his TUKTUK with me and I'll show you my picture with a TUKTUK. I enjoyed the whole day from Ayutthaya to Baccara. Bangkok became one of my favorite cities in the world.

ソイカウボーイ

女性はあまり行かないところだが、行ってはいけないわけではないからと、友人がニヤニヤしながら案内してくれたのがソイカウボーイ。男性４人、女性２人のグループで狭い路地を入っていった。路地の一番奥、バカラを目指した。（どういうところかは、写真を見て想像してください。”Soi Cowboy Baccara"でググると写真も出てきます。）ここでもまた僕は周囲に圧倒されキョロキョロするだけで撮影を忘れ、ＵＰする写真は友人からもらい受けた写真。友人と話したのだが、『それぞれカミさんが一緒でなければ別の顔になっただろうな』という感想。(^_^;)

こういう場所はどこでも危険が伴うと思うのだが、ここでは危険な感じはしなかった。さすがに客としての女性は見かけなかったが、いろいろな「種類」の人間がいたとだけ書き残しておこう。帰りはトゥクトゥクに乗ってみた。これも現地の友人がいればこそ。交渉してくれて最後に写真を取らせてもらった。もちろん、すこしチップを払ったが。アユタヤツアーからバカラまで楽しい一日だった。明日はバンコク市内観光と同窓会の予定。