Even though Pattaya was not a planned educational part of our trip, I felt like it was a learning experience. Sure,  we were able to relax at the beach, but we were also able to see a different side of Thailand.  In my Fodors Thailand travel book it talks about how Pattaya is a “city divvied by sand and sex” and that “commercial sex is not just a reality here: it is the lifeblood of the city.” I definitely got to witness this first hand.  I’ve never felt so uncomfortable walking around even during the day.  It’s hard for me to understand how a city as beautiful as Pattaya,  can be so ugly. And most of this is brought on by the tourists. I wish there was an easy way to get people to understand that lifestyle doesn’t have to be an option.  It was a culture shock going from Northern Thailand, where things are lived a little simpler,  and then going to Pattaya where it’s the total opposite.