"Don't Cross Over" (that cheating Line), "Bye, Bye Love", "Take Me Home Country Roads", "You Are My Sunshine", "That's Alright Mama", and other of the old time favorite country songs were what they were playing and singing.

It was pushing 11 a .m. and I was on my way to the beach chairs on the beach. It's actually a couple of miles from my hostel. I can walk right out my hostel for the quieter beach and spread a towel out. For all day, though, I enjoy the lounge chairs under the umbrella shade, and I enjoy the walk anyway. 

Today, though, I am just about half way there when I hear some american country music from somewhere. I follow the sound and it's four guys with guitars, harmonica and an accordion. They are not performing for money or on a stage. They are just standing around on the beach sidewalk picking and singing. I expect they do play together as a band, but are now just killing some time. They are all foreigners. I think maybe Americans. A crowd is forming and Thais and foreigners alike pull out cameras and iphones for pictures.

I temporarily abandon my beach chair plans and sit on the beach to listen for a while. They are quite good. Most of the vocals are sung by one guy but, occasionally, it is a duet . I pull out a bottle of water and a slice of pizza bread that I have come to love. I kick back, what's not to like? Solo travel allows plan changing in an instant. 

It's good and a nice way to start the day, but I decide to move on to the chair beach. As I walk, there are things to see that I haven't seen before. I wander off the beach road and drift around town a while, taking photos. Then I decide to go back for more entertainment instead of heading to the beach chairs. 

When I arrive back at the group, there are a couple of people dancing around to the music. One little boy is really getting into the dancing. A couple is doing the two-step on the beach sidewalk. It's a beach party going on now. I never make it to the beach chairs today. It's great to live an unstructured life.

Once the musical group leaves I hear George Straits', "I Want to Dance With You" playing on someones ipod on the beach . That little band of street musicians got everyone in the mood, I guess.

Walking along the beach road I see ribbons and incense sticks around a tree. I have found out the ribbons and incense, and sometimes the drink and food, are left like this to ward off evil spirits. The Thais take it very seriously. You see it everywhere. I have even seen it out hiking in remote areas.

One thing I have noticed here is the lack of smiles in "The Land of Smiles". I mean, the people are friendly if you speak to them. If they don't speak english they at least smile and point if they think they can help. But, when you purchase something, like at a store or vendor, you never get a smile or thank you or come back or anything. Even in the convenience stores, where you buy most things, often not a word is spoken. Once the transaction is done you just leave without a word. Out of habit I usually say thank you, but it is not acknowledged. 

I did some research and read where the Thais only show appreciation when something exceptional is done . If you really go out of your way for someone then a thank you might be in order. If you buy something at a store, you get what you want and the store clerk is just doing their job. No one is doing anything out of their way.

One person I talked to said the first time he bought a thai guy lunch he said Thank You. But, after that, anytime he bought him lunch he never said thank you. He later talked to another Thai about it and was told he had been thanked once and the other lunches were already included in the thank you. He would not get another thank you until sometime different, and exceptional, was done for him. I don't know for sure, but this is just what I have found out thus far, and it makes sense.

So, I don't find a lot of smiling in day to day transactions from the Thai people. Maybe "The Land of Smiles" refers to all of us foreigners smiling from the easy going life we found here.

One more thing about buying things in stores here . The price marked on the item is what you pay. There is never any sales tax added on anything. I hear it is already figured in the price. If the item says 75 baht, that is what you will pay at the register.
 
While I'm talking about money, let me give you an idea of how cheaply you can live here. My room on the beach costs me $7.83 a night. Today I ate some pizza bread around noon (45 cents). Then mid-adternnon I bought some grilled chicken in sauce from a street vendor ($1.45). Late in the day I bought Pad Thai for $1.00. I had some orange juice and apple juice left over from yesterday in the fridge. Total spent today, including room was $10.73. Of course, today I just hung around the beach and didn't do any tourist things other than swim and sun and explore the city.
 
There is a Wat just around the corner from my hostel. I think I will stop in and see it before leaving the area.
 
The next day I check out of my hostel and catch a baht bus into Pattaya from Jomtien Beach. I will be leaving this town today and I want to spend a little time with some of the expat friends I have met here . 

I've met several expats. They have helped me with information a lot. There is Michael, Chris, Ben, Gary, Harold, and Moss to name a few. They are from various countries. 

 Moss tells hilarious stories. He is from England and his accent just adds to the storytelling. Everything he says is so funny. He tells stories about when he was a young man and decided to go into the priesthood. Maybe I will remember to tell you some of them sometime, but they will not be the same as hearing him tell it. I go into town early to maybe see some of them and say my farewells.

Late in the day I arrive at the bus terminal. There are traditional Thai toilets in the men's rooms. These are not the toilets you squat on to use, though. I have not seen those yet. With these toilets you don't use paper, you hose yourself clean, then dip enough water from the bucket to flush.

A heavy set man in the bus waiting room (it is an outdoors waiting room) pulls off his long pants in the middle of the room and puts on his shorts. He has on boxer shorts underneath, but still......

I walk next door while waiting for my bus to get some food before the bus arrives. It will be a 12 hour ride. If I knew then what I knew later, I would not have eaten.
 
All the signs are in Thai in the station and the announcements over the intercom are all in Thai. I watch the clock closely , hoping I can figure out when my bus arrives.

 Tonight I travel on the Gold Bus.