As my last couple of days approach, thailand's weather is beautiful. slight humidity, beautiful sun and heat that is warm. The rainny season did not hit here as much as i thought. I can count how many times it has rainned on one hand.
Still feeling sick, i trainned this morning and felt ok. I feel because my photography took presidence on my trip that i did not get to train as much as i could, yet, i have met powerful people to add to my network. I have met producers and film makers from NY, K-1 Champions from Brazil, Fighters from boston, Krus from NY, and friendly people from austrailia, WBA boxing champions. I have made contacts here in thailand that are most likely going to get me future work. I have been approached to do fairtex's cataloge in SF. I found out the person that runs the equipment dept is chono, who is the nicest guy. I hope to work something out with him since pattaya did not pan out.
I learned that thailand is mysterious. Thailand is a 3rd world country with corruption and beauty. yet, i have not been able to experience the beautiful part of thailand.. i guess ill save that for the next trip.
I learned alot about muay thai. Some people only know it as a sport with a rich culture. I have learned that its beautiful to watch, yet its a gambler's sport. I learned that promoters, on a lower level, could care less about regulations such as weight class and experience and are in it to make money. Foreigners with only a few fights get thrown to sharks. This was teh first time in my life as a photographer, that my compassion out wieghed my camera. As a photographer you are supposed to take pictures of real life, weather its good or bad, people dying, car accidents, assasinations.. I couldnt take photographs of Jake when he had head trauma. I think it would have been diffrent if it were a stranger, but since i developed a relationship with jake i didnt have the heart to photograph him when we was in pain. I told jake that and he said he didnt mind if i took photos but the heart that i have, wouldnt let me do it.
I learned that high end promoters really show case beautiful muay thai. watching two muay thai fighters in a big arena is amazing. The energy of the people watching and how much money exchanged by the gamblers is unreal. seeing fighters in real life instead of on youtube is surreal as well. Songchai Jr, made my trip extra ordinary. I felt very well taken care of and I am truely in debt to him and his hospitality. Rajadamnnern was the highlight of my trip!
Fairtex has been an interesting stay. I have met good trainners and bad trainners. I have learned that most of the trainners are uneducated and tend to drink and smoke alot. some i speculate maybe tweaking as well. considering Fairtex is the nike of muay thai, it has its pros and cons. Though as a first timer, i would suggest going here for atleast a week and venturing out to other camps to see what they have to offer. make sure u see the beautiful parts of thailand.. because i didnt and i regret that alot.
The night life in thailand has its pros and cons. Since i am of darker skin and filipino descent, they think im thai, or half blood. I would go to 7-11 and they would speak thai to me. I went to a bar to meet up with a friend and the bartenders would speak thai to me. Taxi drivers have full on conversations with me in thai and im clueless. so... pale skin white boys have the life out here. thai girl love them kids. Johnny walker is the drink of choice out here.. and im tried of fuckign johnny walker red label. They dont really serve mixed drinks.. good luck trying to order a vodka cranberry.
If you see a girl dressed really fresh with make up on,, its prolly a lady boy. I have learned that men start taking hormones at a very young age so by the time they hit puberty they are pretty much women. You gotta check the neck, hands and feet. nothing can change that shiet. but still there have been some lady boys i could have sworn they were women until i saw the features and i was disgusted. some lady boys look like me and my friends in dresses.. rediculous.
The music sucks here. i went to a hip hop club and it was very americanized played old school hip hop but not the good kind, i guess im spoiled by the Djs i know and the places i go. but shit. thailand is home of the slowjam. the clubs are amazing. RCA is a street with like 30 clubs very cool, but the music isnt that fresh. Bed and supper club is fucking awesome but kinda pricey in thai standards. but in america you would have to pay 1000USD for bottle poppin'
The malls are fucking insane. like 7 floors of hella shit. take a whole day to see one and there are like 4 of them connected to each other with all kinds of stuff. food is great there as well. you get coupons and then you buy food with coupons.
TRAFFIC is insane the worst shit i ever seen in my life. and the drivers dont get me started.
to make a long story short.. i need to come back to thailand.. and see the beautiful side.
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