I have found "my" new barber shop. I had a hard time finding a good place here at first; I made the mistake of trying beauty salons when really all I wanted was a barber shop. I had the same problem in Japan, and come to think of it, Japan was really horrible in this regard because if you walk into the wrong place, you might end up being there for hours (literally – my longest "stay" in a "fashionable" place was OVER 3 HOURS!). This is because they take service to a ridiculous level and serve you coffee before and maybe after your cut, plus sometimes take up to an hour for a simple hair cut (I once got so angry at the guy for taking so long and being so precise that I waited until he was done and told him to take off another 0.75 millimeters all around)! The funny thing is, a shave and a haircut is about all you can get in Japanese beauty salons.
Here in Thailand you can get a manicure, a pedicure, a massage, a facial pack, etc., etc., and so forth. Interestingly enough, however, you cannot get a handjob from an old lady like you can in Korea (or so I’ve heard).
So like I was saying, I found my new place here. Since it’s a men’s only barber shop, it’s no nonsense and offers none of the extras I mentioned above, but it’s fast. I sit down in one of the two chairs and walk out freshly shorn in fifteen minutes. Nothing new here, I found similar shops in Japan that I frequented. The difference is in the price – I was shocked when I found out. It costs me 40 baht ($1.10 US) for a shave and a haircut in Thailand.
Did they use a brand new razor?
Yep.
That account differs slightly from the Thai ‘barber shops’ I’ve been told about by U.S. sailors.
You neglected to inform your public about the wonderful experience we had at the Tenri barber when the guy who was shaving you nicked your ear and proceeded to stop the bleeding by licking his fingers and squeezing the nicked area. BTW, I’m ready for another facial like we had before the wedding. Good stuff.
Wait, wait, that wasn’t my ear, it was above my upper lip. I could smell the old guy’s spit. Of course, I wish I’d been offered coffee that time just so I could have savored the experience.
Sandmich – I don’t doubt that at all. I guess we have a dearth of good places in Sticksville. Also, there’s a long way between here and there.
Did they use a straight razor? In my experience it’s not that easy to find a place that’ll do a shave here in the US. At least I’m pretty sure you can’t get one at Supercuts. The barber shop I go to now, at least one or two of the barbers will doe straight razor shaves, but it cost’s and extra $2.50. Shave and a haircut, plus tip is $20.
Yeah, it simply would NOT occur to me to ask for a shave at Fantastic Sams (although a quick look at their services online reveals something called “Chi Transformation” which sounds equally frightening).
Yeah, we are talking about straight razors here. In Japan they generally use traditional ones and at my new place here in Thailand they are using disposable straight razors. I didn’t like the feel of the disposable against my skin (the thin blade and plastic shank flex and somehow vibrate), but it turns out that it gave me a closer shave. There’s something to be said for throwaway tech, I guess.
something about any sharp object hitting more than one person’s skin…gives me the willies. Perhaps I need to regress, chronologically. By disposable, you mean they change the blade after each shave?
Nah, the whole thing is made of pastel-colored plastic (except for the blade of course) but is shaped like a straight razor – it even folds in half. It looks like it might cost a dime to manufacture.
I think they make straight razors with disposable blades. I imagine it would be mainly for barber shops. I guess I’ll ahve to take a closer look the next time I go to the barber shop.
When I clicked on it was Comments (11). I was
thinking, Wow! With a number so high, I was
bound to find some juicy talk about the various
hand job varieties to be found around southeast
Asia. You razor-otaku maniac fucks!!
Well, I aim to please, so let me expound on the Korea reference I made in the original post: You can get a handjob at the shops that put out lit barber shop poles late at night, in Seoul at least. Or so I hear.
Also, some third parties have communicated to me privately that “full service” beauty salons are common in heavily touristed areas like Phuket/Pattaya. That makes sense. Well, except that if you were a scumbag sex tourist/horny sailor tired of playing Swab That Ass with your shipmates for months on end, why the hell would you settle for a handjob? In the land of ping pong shows and short time specials?