Like most people, Thais really love their chocolate; cakes, cookies, ice cream, shakes and just about anything else you can make from chocolate, it’s always a welcome treat. But while walking down Sukhumvit road in Bangkok, I learned that chocolate is not always a reference to a desert. As I was passing a Thai lady walking in the opposite direction, the words chocolate man came from her lips. When I looked back at her she simply smiled. Of my many trips to Thailand that was the first time I had heard that term used to describe me. This was back in 2018, but since then I have heard it applied many times by Thai ladies to me and many other black western men in Thailand. Although there are plenty of Asian men with a much darker skin complexion than some of those found in the west, I never heard any of them being described as chocolate man. I also never heard the term vanilla man, so I can only assume that chocolate man is unique to black men from western countries. If you fit the criteria and plan on visiting Thailand, don’t be offended if a Thai lady openly refers to you as chocolate man: she is not only giving you a compliment, but probably a direct invitation to meet her. I believe there is a YouTube channel labeled Chocolate Man In Thailand. You can check it out for yourself.
Getting back to the more traditional use of the word chocolate, one of my favorite restaurants in Thailand is the Chocolate Factory. You can find them spread all throughout the country. The food is great, the service is equally as great, and, as the name implies, you can have your chocolate any way you want. The one I go to is located in Pattaya. There you can get your chocolate, and, at the same time, enjoy a great view of the sea.
On this day, during the Covid-19 lockdown, my friends JJ, Richard and I decided to go to Chocolate Lake; another nice place offering a wide variety of chocolate treats. Ninety-minutes north of Pattaya City, Chocolate Lake is not a lake filled with chocolate, nor is it restaurant by any means; it is more like a Barista with a very limited food menu. From its isolated location, it is obvious that no one goes there just for the chocolates. It is the view of the lake and surrounding area that makes it special. For us it was a chance to get out and enjoy the day on our motorbikes before the 9pm curfew Thailand had put in place. After spending a few hours there we headed back to Pattaya. It was nearly sundown when we returned, and since I would be confined to my room for the rest of the evening, I decided to spend a moment at the beach just watching the day come to an end.
