coinlockerbaby

Also, check out the Dude Sweet/ Rehab is fab parties in BKK

Check out "Photo Sticker Machine". They have a cool clip on Youtube....

Yeah - but Starbutts is a straight strip club.

I also like the names "Hard Rain", "Russian Riviera" and, right at the top of Hooker Hill, the last in a chain of dodgy straight brothels called "One Last Chance"!

On my last weekend in Seoul I went around with a friend and took pictures of me pretending to walk out of each shadily-named establishment, covering my face.

Ah, good times....

As for the saunas- yeah as I mentioned I did it, and they are sleeeeazy as hell.

Be open to anything -anything! (And get ready for lots of gropey married old dudes who don't understand the meaning of "no..".)

Yeah, G was the basement place, down a long staircase.

It was on the corner of the gay street/alley and the main ghetto hip hop/strip club street. So just down the block from Why Not, roughly opposite Queen, around the corner from CLub King (the big hip hop club, I think thats the name) and about halfway from the subway station to the mosque! From the African alley, turn right and its the second left I think.

Man, writing that makes me miss Itaewon...　good times!

When I lived in Seoul I always used to go to a club called G - but I think its been re-opened now as "Re:Ball". (I know..that name...) It was awesome - cool music, pretty fashion boys posing by the airconditioner, everyone else dancing, occassionally go-go boys (and they used to sell drugs behind the bar if u had the right connections;). I saw transexual Korean pop star Harisu there once dancing topless. Hopefully, it hasnt changed too much.

I would go to Queen (across the street) first for the killer happy hour where drinks are crazy cheap then head over to Re:Ball to check it out. There was another bar just up the hill called WhyNOt which is cruisier - pretty much a pickup joint.

In the warmer months much of the fun actually happens outside the clubs, with people just hanging out and chilling on the street itself, catching up with friends - thats really cool.

There are also come surprisingly nice, plush little gay bars scattered around Itaewon (but not on the HIll itself) as well as a skanky sauna on the African street, about halfway up on the right. You gotta get wasted first, then go have yourself a sleeeeazy adventure...

Check the gay sites - utopia asia, jguyusguy etc they are gonna have much more info than Superfuture!

Curious: why wouldnt a 19 year old want to go to a club?

Everybody says that　August is the worst time to be in Paris. Parisian people all leaves on holiday, and the city shuts down.

*bump*

Im bored....

Oh wait. Me idiot. This is totally not going to work:

How about using the French passport to get in and out of Japan, and renewing the Japan passport in Tokyo. They'll ask if you have taken French nationality. Say no!

They will ask how you got into Japan with an expired passport. Its obvious you have a second passport stashed. Unless you have an address in Japan and they think you have been living in Nihon... You need to check online what the passport renewal form, in japan, is.....

And just remember the golden rule: never admit you have the French passport.

Seiji- about the passport issue

Well, i want to keep my japanese citizenship cuz i still don't know where i will live later after i graduate and to work in a japanese company etc...

A few things. My boyfriend is Japanese/German and grew up in Japan . He lived his whole life here. But he still has a German passport. He just keeps it quiet.

Another friend has three passports- Japanese/US/Dominican republic. She grew up in the US and just came to Japan to work on the JET Program (which Japanese citizens are specifically barred from). But it was still no problem.

What it means is: the law in Japan is that Japanese cant have two nationalities, BUT they have NO WAY TO CHECK UNLESS YOU TELL THEM. Its pretty easy to keep your other passport .Just never admit it.

So, if you have a Japanese passport, then use that to get in and out of Japan.

If you need to renew your Japanese passport in Paris they will obviously ask you if you have French nationality.... so problem. Of course you can lie though.

- About fingerprinting. They only fingerprint foreigners right? So they have no fingerprint reocrds of Japanese citizens. So, if you come in on a French passport and they fingerprint you, they still cant identify you as a Japanese citizen. Thats no problem.

- How about using the French passport to get in and out of Japan, and renewing the Japan passport in Tokyo. They'll ask if you have taken French nationality. Say no!

-Last thing, you dont need a Japanese passport to live and work freely in Japan. Because you are of Japanese descent you can get a "Japanese ancestor" visa like the Japanese-brazilians here have, with (I think) unlimited rights to stay and work in Japan. Or if not unlimited, its something like 10 years, and renewable. So as long as you can get that, you dont need to be a citizen and you can do whatever work you want in Japan.

Just some stuff to consider.

Interesting that Beijing is getting no love ...

I was studying there about five years ago - so I guess thats like 15 years ago in China Years - and even before the whole Olympics hype kicked in, it felt crazy. There was energy crackling in the air. I felt like I was in the middle of stuff happening, and that the city was tranforming itself around me. So I guess that part of why I liked it.I remember being surprised by the nightlife too- a really kicking techno club and dudes breakdancing in another place.

Also, the Summer palace was just amazing. And The Forbidden City was interesting, and there were some nice parks...although sure there are shittier sights too, like the godamned Ming Tombs shit...

Having said that- yeah the people are crazy rude, the food veered from fabulous to horseshit with no middle ground, its polluted as hell, and either too hot/too cold or too sandy and as a white guy wandering around in the Muslim district I Have NEVER felt more watched, or unwelcome, anywhere - I got a real "who the FUCK are you?' vibe.

I wouldnt choose it to live in it, but definitely a worthwhile visit I'd say. Whereas with Shanghai - why bother?

I probably shouldn't have even posted that in this thread. I didn't even read the title or the first post.

However, It's just my personal opinion, I can't stand the Vietnamese culture, let alone be surrounded by millions, no thanks.

So wait...have you actually been anywhere in Asia..ever...?

Or was this just a platform for anti-Vietnam tirade?

Ah, the old Singapore=too clean=too boring line....

Wondering when that would pop up...

I mean I hear ya - Singapore is not very exotic, in that sense. It reminded me a lot of Sydney, say, or Honolulu or other Asianized Western cities.

BUT it has lots to see and do, some good clubs, lots of shopping (if conservative tastes), a bangin (if illegal) gay scene, great food, a kick-ass bird park and a pretty interesting cultural mix - you have to admit. I loved hearing the subway announcements in four languages and seeing the signs in swirly Tamil script...

So what exactly does Jakarta bring to the table other than grime and rough'n'readiness ?

Im just asking because I really have no idea....What would you say are the good things about jakarta?

Uh dude, Hong Kong's climate is NOT like Melbourne's.More like Darwin. Its on the same latitude as hawaii and Calcutta.

Why so down on Vietnam? Specifically?

The culture that created this must be doing something right....

http://www.vietnamhost.com/suoitien_park/sculptures.html

I saw pictures of a "Buddhist Water park" in Ho Chi Minh (not sure if its finished or under construction ).

Theres a huge old sage's head and his beard is a waterfall that flows into a huge kiddie paddling pool.

Looks AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That alone redeems Ho Chi Minh in my books....

yeah im sorry but manila suck...

So which is worse... its a Jakarta vs manila smackdown!

As for KL being boring - yeah, its not thrilling - but I found it a little less boring than Singapore . everything is easy and manageable but ther was still a little bit more grittiness there. Plus, as I said, I liked the 21st century Islamic skyscraper vibe. But then, I was with local friends in KL and you know what they say - its the people you are with that make the place...

Yeah, its amazing that Seoul is now considered by some people (like the UN) to be the second biggest city in the world. There are a few cool things...but there should be WAAAY more. Its probably the least cosmopolitan major city I've been to, the biggest small town in the world.

What about Manila? Does Manila suck?

Yeah, penang looks niiiiiiiiiiiiice. Another one to add to my list.

Why not KL?

....Jakarta?

I havent been, but there is just no "buzz" about it at all. Whats up with that? I get the feeling it has the all the heat/crowds/traffic of Bangkok but without the great sightseeing/shopping/nightlife/food/funkiness... Im willing to be proven wrong though...

Love Tokyo.

Loved bangkok.

Thought Singapore was, surprisingly, an interesting, easy, laidback place to visit (if not an earthshattering, life-defining experience).

Liked KL even more - also very "userfriendly " - but with a little more soul and grit. and funky Islamic skyscrapers.

Spent a weekend in Taipei and thought it was quite buzzing.

Lived in Seoul...wouldnt recommend it as a tourist destination.

Thought Beijing was exciting with interesting sights and hella rude people.

Not yet been to Hong Kong.

Absolutely no interest in Shanghai.

What would your pick be?

Cities :

Bangkok (again) - cheap, exotic, rich quirky culture, heaps to do, great food, great shopping, close to islands, temples etc.

Sydney- easy (english speaking, clean,first world), beaches, beautiful scenery, vibrant city life. But expensive and far.

Rio - awesomely beautiful, exotic, beaches, music, rich quirky culture. But not that cheap and far.

My next trip (hopefully): Iran. Safer than you think, dirt dirt cheap (like, cheaper than China!), totally different exotic culture and beautiful cities like Esfahan. See it before its bombed!

I think you can always do europe when you are old- its easy and comfortable to travel there. Try somewhere cheaper and edgier when you young

Yeah...the shoes most people would buy in Rio are Havaianas...

LOVED Rio....recommend it 300%, but I have to say, the shopping is not one of its strong suits.

Enjoy the beaches, the culture, the beautiful surrounds, the music...but dont get your hopes up for buying brand name shit...

And I might be wrong, but I wasnt aware that leather was particularly big deal (given the tropical climate...) Sure you are not thinking of Argentina?

Malaysia. Tioman, or Perhentians, or Penang perhaps

Pretty sleaze/raver free