Warning: Beautiful Thai Ladyboys at Alcazar Cabaret

Jika anda pengguna Instagram aktif, mungkin cukup familiar dengan artis-artis Thailand yang sering masuk dalam popular photos. Terkesima dengan kecantikan mereka, sayapun follow beberapa artis asal Thailand yang populer di Instagram. Nah, salah satu dari artis yang saya follow ternyata seorang ladyboy dan ini cukup mengejutkan karena ia sama sekali tidak tampak seperti laki-laki (atau dahulunya laki-laki).  

For those who are active on Instagram, maybe quite familiar with Thailand artist that usually hit the popular photos. I also follow some of them because of the beauty. But later I found out that one of them is a ladyboy and kinda shocking to know that he didn’t look like a boy (was born as a boy).    

"Bahkan kamipun sulit membedakan ladyboy dengan perempuan sesungguhnya," ujar teman saya yang berdomisili di Thailand.

“Even it’s hard for us to spot a ladyboy from the real girl.” said a friend who lives in Thailand.

 

Karena sering dibanjiri postingan ladyboy-ladyboy cantik luar biasa dari Thailand, saya sangat penasaran ingin melihat mereka secara langsung, dan salah satu tempat terbaik untuk melihat Thai's beautiful ladyboy adalah di Cabaret Show sehingga pada saat datang ke Pattaya, Thailand, Cabaret Show merupakan menu wajib dalam kunjungan saya.

All the beautiful posts of ladyboys in Thailand got me curious to see them live. Since the only best recommended places to see Thai’s beautiful ladyboys is in the Cabaret Show, so in my visit to Pattaya, it became a must-do in my list.

Karena menginap di Hard Rock Hotel, saya memilih Alcazar Cabaret yang hanya berjarak 10 menit berjalan kaki dari hotel. Cabaret Show berlangsung setiap malam pada pukul 18.30, 20.00 dan 21.30. Karena lokasinya dekat saya dan Ferry memutuskan go show atau langsung beli tiket di lokasi dan kami beruntung karena masih tersedia kursi di bagian tengah, kami memilih kursi di bagian depan agar bisa mendapatkan foto terbaik, dan tentunya saya penasaran ingin melihat langsung cantiknya para ladyboy Thailand.

I stayed in Hard Rock Hotel and gonna see Alcazar Cabaret that only need 10 mins walk from the hotel. Cabaret Show is available every night at 18.30, 20.00, and 21.30. Ferry and I decided to go show or bought the ticket on the spot, since it is close enough with the hotel. Luckily, the middle seat was still available, so we could take the front row seat to get a good shot and see the beauty of Thailand ladyboy clearly.

Seperti pertunjukkan cabaret lainnya, kami disuguhi tarian-tarian menarik di panggung dengan tata lampu yang megah dan kostum meriah. Yang membedakan adalah semua pemain di cabaret show in adalah laki-laki, dan ladyboy tentunya.

Like another cabaret show, there were attractive dancing on stage, extravagant lighting, and glamorous costumes. What makes it different was all the performers in cabaret are boys and ladyboys for sure.

Pertunjukan kabaret di Alcazar menggabungkan banyak lagu dan tarian khas sejumlah negara secara bergantian, mulai dari khas Thailand sendiri, jazz, tarian melayu dengan lagu berbahasa Indonesia, tarian Vietnam, Persia, hingga Gangnam Style dance yang populer hingga theme song film James Bond tahun 1999, "The World is Not Enough."

Alcazar Cabaret Show combined various songs and dances from many countries and performed it in turn, started from Thailand music, jazz, Malay dance with Indonesian lyrics, Vietnam dance, Persian, even the popular Gangnam Style dance and OST of James Bond (1999) “The World Is Not Enough”.

You might wish she's the one who's gonna approach your seat

not her (or him)

Beberapa kali meski tidak sering, ladyboy performer akan turun dari panggung dan berjalan ke arah kursi penonton di bagian depan dan kita dapat melihat mereka dari jarak dekat.

For some times, the ladyboy performer would go down from stage, approach the audience in front row, and let us to see them closely.

Sebenarnya saya berharap cabaret show ini lebih dipenuhi tarian-tarian khas Thailand di luar kostum-kostum yang glamor, sementara pertunjukkan lebih merupakan gabungan tarian berbagai negara sehingga ciri khas Thailand pada pertunjukkan ini tidak begitu terasa, di luar ladyboy performer. Namun overall, this is a must watch when you're in Pattaya, atau dapat mencoba cabaret show lain yang serupa.

Actually, I did hope this cabaret show would full with Thailand particular dancing besides the glamorous costumes, while the fact it just showed the compilation of various dancing from many countries. I cannot feel the taste of Thailand except the ladyboy performer. But overall, this is a must watch when you’re in Pattaya, or you also can go see the similar cabaret show.

Usai pertunjukkan saya langsung keluar dan mengantri untuk berfoto bersama para ladyboy ini. Yang menarik, mereka berdiri di luar gedung Alcazar dan pengunjung dapat berfoto bersama namun mesti membayar 40 Baht atau sekitar 16 ribu rupiah untuk sekali foto dalam waktu hanya beberapa detik saja karena banyak sekali yang mengantri untuk berfoto.

When the show was over, I went out and joined the queue for taking pic with the ladyboy. It’s fun to see the ladyboys standing outside the Alcazar building and let the visitors take a pic with them. It cost 40 Baht for one pic in just a few seconds since there were many people waiting for their turn.

Sebagian ladyboy yang sangat cantik benar-benar laris manis dan sudah memegang segepok uang dari puluhan atau bahkan ratusan pengunjung yang ingin berfoto bersama. Sementara beberapa ladyboy lain yang dipandang kurang menarik tampak berusaha tersenyum meski tidak ada yang meminta foto bersama.

The beautiful ladyboys, who surely became the most wanted in this photo session, already got piles of money from maybe hundred of visitors. Meanwhile the other ladyboys who seemed like less beautiful try to keep smile though no one asked to take pic with them.

Beauty is pain but not being beautiful is even more painful for these ladyboy, well keep strong and keep dancing girls! (or boys?)

@marischkaprue - she's an ugly duck compare to these ladyboys but she doesn't mind :)

Photo by Ferry Rusli

NOTES:

• Alcazar Cabaret terletak di 78/14 Pattaya 2 Rd, Pattaya, Chonburi, Chonburi 20260, Thailand. Telp: +66 817811703, email: alcazar_rsv@hotmail.com
• Alcazar Cabaret is located on 78/14 Pattaya 2 Rd, Pattaya, Chonburi, Chonburi 20260, Thailand. Ph: +66 817811703, email: alcazar_rsv@hotmail.com  
• Harga tiket masuk adalah 600 Baht untuk normal seat dan 800 Baht untuk VIP, akan lebih murah jika membeli di tour-tour yang ada di sepanjang jalanan di Pattaya (umumnya kursi VIP dijual 700 Baht di tour).
• Entrance ticket is 600 Baht for normal seat and 800 Baht for VIP. You’ll get lower price if you buy in the tour agency alongside the road in Pattaya (700 Baht for VIP).  
• Pertunjukkan berlangsung setiap hari pada pukul 17.00, 18.30, 20.00 dan 21.30. 
• The show is available every day at 17.00, 18.30, 20.00, and 21.30. 

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Postcard from Tokyo Skytree

Jika ingin melihat suasana Kota Tokyo dari ketinggian, inilah tempat terbaik dengan pilihan view 360° dari ketinggian 350 meter di dek observasi. Bahkan kita dapat melangkahkan kaki di glass bottom floor dan merasakan keseruan berada di ketinggian.

If you wanna get amazed with Tokyo-view from the top, here is the right place with 360° from 350 meters high of the observation deck. Even we could step on the glass bottom floor and feel the excitement at that height.

 

Tokyo Skytree kini jadi salah satu tempat yang dipadati turis setiap harinya untuk melihat suasana Tokyo. Namun, menara dengan tinggi 634 meter ini dibangun tidak hanya untuk jadi atraksi bagi turis, namun juga menjadi menara pemancar bagi sejumlah stasiun televisi dan berbagai broadcast media lainnya di Jepang.

Nowadays, Tokyo Skytree was one of the touristy places where you could enjoy the atmosphere of Tokyo. However, the purpose of this 634 meters high tower is not only to attract foreign tourist but also as a transmitter tower for many TV station and others media broadcast in Japan.

Saya datang di sore hari sebelum sunset. Dek observasi sudah dipenuhi orang-orang yang menunggu sunset tiba. Di salah satu sisi bahkan saya dapat melihat Gunung Fuji dari kejauhan.

Though I came at noon before the sunset, the observation deck already full with the sunset-catcher. In other side of the tower, I also could see Fuji Mountain from a distance.

Saya memutari dek observasi ini sambil menunggu sunset. Melihat berbagai sisi Tokyo dari ketinggian, melihat betapa padatnya Tokyo oleh bangun-bangunan meski tetap rapi, melihat jalanan dan kanal hingga menjelang sunset.

I walked around this observation deck, while waiting for the sunset, to look Tokyo from the different sides on the top view, at the crowd of Tokyo with all those skyscrapers but still well-ordered, at the roadways and canal, at every single thing, until it’s time for sunset.

Akhirnya saya mengerti mengapa begitu banyak orang yang memadati dek observasi ini di sore hari. Saat matahari turun perlahan, gedung-gedung pencakar langit di Tokyo menjadi siluet cantik, dengan perbukitan yang mengelilingi Tokyo, serta si Fuji-San.

Then I knew what make the observation deck is full every noon.  As the sun set slowly, the skyscrapers in Tokyo turned into beautiful silhouette, with the hillside around Tokyo and also Fuji-san.

Saya mengambil gambar sambil memperhatikan matahari yang semakin turun, dan kemudian lampu-lampu bangunan mulai mewarnai langit malam. Another beautiful sight.

I took some shots while watching the sun keep going down, as lights of the building start coloring the dark night sky. What a beautiful sight!

"Do you like it?" ujar perempuan Jepang saat saya keluar dari Tokyo Skytree.

"Yes, the view from there is so beautiful," ujar saya

"I live in Japan but this is my first time going up there," ujarnya

"Never too late," saya menambahkan

Kemudian kami tersenyum

“Do you like it?” a Japanese woman asked, right after I walked out from Tokyo Skytree.

“Yes, the view from there is so beautiful,” I answered.

“I live in Japan but this is my first time going up there,” she said.

“Never too late,” I added.

Then we smiled each other  

@marischkaprue - Sky is not the limit, she believe that

NOTES:

• Tokyo Skytree berada di 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo 131-0045, Jepang. Telp +81 3-5302-3470
• Tokyo Skytree is located on 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan. Ph: +81 3-5302-3470  
•  Operating hours: 08 AM - 10 PM
•  Harga tiket bervariasi, tergantung usia dan cara pemesanan. Jika membeli dengan reservasi terlebih dahulu maka harga tiket Tokyo Skytree untuk Tembo Deck (350 m) adalah 2.060 JPY (Yen Jepang) atau sekitar Rp. 223.000,- untuk dewasa, sementara jika membeli tiket pada hari kunjungan harga tiket menjadi 2.570 JPY atau sekitar Rp. 279.000,-
• Ticket price depends on age and how to order. By reservation, the ticket of Tokyo Skytree for Tembo Deck (350 m) is 2.060 JPY (Japan Yen) or about Rp 223.000,- for adult, while by purchasing ticket on the spot, the price is 2.570 JPY or about Rp 279.000.  
• Saya datang ke Tokyo Skytree dalam rangkaian tour dengan JTB Sunrise Tour yaitu Tokyo City Tour, Asakusa & Nakamise serta Tokyo Skytree. Jika ingin menikmati pengalaman serupa dalam satu hari (dan lebih mudah karena transportasi, tiket dan lain-lain telah disediakan oleh JTB Sunrise Tour) lihat info lengkapnya di sini.
•  My visit to Tokyo Skytree was a part of tour package with JTB Sunrise Tour which consist of Tokyo City Tour, Asakusa & Nakamise, and Tokyo Skytree. If you wanna feel all the experience in one day trip (gonna be easier since the transportation, ticket, and others are provided with JTB Sunrise Tour) please check the complete info here.  

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