4 January - Club Girls at the Noblesse

Toph’s curiosity is always awake, but he pays dearly for it some times. As we enter the ice blue coloured tunnel that leads into the club opposite our hotel, Club X, I hear the thumping fast house disco rhythm which he absolutely hates. Thanks to the teeth whitening I’ve not eaten for a day or so, so I can wear a waist skimming top and I can hold my own flat stomach around the half my age girlies and hostesses in here - they wear pink and apparently are just here to make the place more vibey, call the waiters over, pour drinks and generally increase the club profits. Well, maybe. At least this club is full of trendy locals, if you can be trendy here at all.
Sadly I’ll never be so narrow hipped as the young ones in here, but Toph seems makes nice ownership gestures as he holds me tight next to his hip. Or maybe he’s just scared of being targeted by the hostesses. Or maybe not, actually, give him a short skirt, heels and a smooth tummy and he’s in love. I shake and dance as much as possible whilst standing still and we watch the action. It’s beyond me to enter the foray of the little stage (it all looks like the Hippodrome layout wise – does that still exist?). It’s super brightly lit and there are enough security guards to guarantee not even thinking about misbehaving. There’s a cashless bar which requires you to purchase tickets at a till so there’s no mishandling of money.

The time to drink his beer/my water and off we go back to the hotel as clearly the music is too much for Toph. At our hotel bar/club – it’s called Noblesse - the vibe is totally different. There’s a band band playing first, then there’s a DJ. This is fine and regular, but there are 16 – count them - girlies and only 2 western guys, 2 eastern ones and us and another couple . I mean, maybe there is a night of the week this club is busy and 16 girls are not enough to go round. But it’s not tonight. They alternate to get up and dance and punch the air like they’re really having fun, and then....sit down again. All minus one die hard one who has copper-blond dyed hair and is on the floor throughout. The Eastern guys they’re surrounding could be Korean or Chinese or ... hard to tell. They don’t paw the girls at all, maybe that’s not allowed or at maybe they can’t make their mind up. We just watch. Toph wants to know what’s on in the VIP room and suspects that’s where it gets interesting. Especially when he decides to have a look and gets his entrance barred so he thinks his suspicions are well founded but no, the guard allows him a peek and it’s the family karaoke room! The curse of the East! Thank good it’s in a private room. We get go back to our room. Am happy to sing there.