Back in Phnom Penh

I had another few nice days in PP. Generally, not much has changed here since my last report. I got Sophann to drive me around quite a lot, of course I went to Svay Pak on a daily basis, in fact on the last day I visited the place twice. The road to Svay Pak has been repaired, the journey is now a lot quicker, and without the potholes all over the road the journey is also a lot more comfortable. PP had luckily just missed being flooded. The Mekong had only needed to rise by another 50 centimetres and it would have happened. I saw myself how high the water had been, it had been, so to say, only the width of a gnat’s bullock from flooding. Just think about it, six months earlier as I had been to PP in the dry season, the water level had been about ten metres lower, it could have even been 15 metres as far as I know. If one takes these dimensions into consideration, 50 centimetres is not that much at all. I had wanted to be taken to the place where the small restaurants were alongside the river, you know, the place where I had poked the girl in one of those overheated huts with the shit-hole in the floor. We couldn’t even leave the main road to get down there, the water was already that high and we would have still had to driven for ages to reach the place. There was probably nothing left of the “restaurants” anyway. On asking Sophann what had happened to the people, he answered that they were now out on the street. The people there really don’t have it all that easy at all.

One evening I had let myself be driven down to the 154^th street (the area between the 63^rd and 158^th ). There was supposed to be something to do for my type of person, I took a look at three different places, they were supposed to be massage parlours. The chicks sit on top of brightly lit up platforms waiting for punters. Wasn’t my sort of thing, why should I visit a massage parlour in Cambodia? The Thai massage parlours are so much better. It’s said that chicks there are available for a bout of ST for a very reasonable price.

At last I have taken a look at Toul Kork, but only whilst sitting in the car. Sophann told me that it was quite dangerous around there and also very dirty, it’s near the harbour where the speedboats and ferries leave for Siem Riep etc.

BTW: A few months ago, a ferry from PP to Siem Riep (Angkor Wat) was assaulted by bandits; I think I prefer to travel by air.

The huts looked the same as those in Pum Tmei, the streets also. Sometimes one really got the impression that one wouldn’t be able to carry on any further, the potholes were terrible. I was there during the daytime, I didn’t get to see any chicks, but then again, you know what I think, Svay Pak is large enough for me.

I also tried out the “Happy Herbs Pizza”, my God, what a classic but not as you now think… It all happened as follows: I asked Sophann whether he used Ganja, shit, or dope (used all the words for the stuff I could think of), to my surprise he answered with yes, so I said Ok, we can share a pizza, I would have to start again on a small scale (hadn’t smoked the stuff for a number of years now). Sooner said than done. Off we went down to the pizza parlour, took a look at the menu and placed an order, we made a point of telling him that we only wanted it “spiced” mildly. Ordered a beer to go with it, sat outside and enjoyed it. We did in fact share the pizza.

Afterwards we made our way to Svay Pak, after a while I found it a little bit strange that I could feel no effect from the pizza and started a discussion with Sophann, about the pizza of course. Suddenly he changed his tune and said “Ganja? That’s forbidden in Cambodia!!” Since asking my question about dope consumption he had not really understood what I was on about, he could not believe that the pizza was supposed to have been covered with the stuff. He had never heard of such things, and I could hardly believe what he was saying – it’s written down in every travel guide. But then again, sometimes Sophann is a little clueless, I don’t mean that in a rotten sort of way, exactly the opposite, he is friendly, honest, and harmless; I started having my doubts about the effect that didn’t seem to want to turn up. BTW: Does anyone know whether hashish is forbidden in Cambodia, I think it is in fact, but also tolerated, even though my travel guide states that it is legal. The Cambodians are not susceptible to the stuff anyway.

Anyhow, I went to my bar in Svay Pak and waited, the effect came over me slowly, very slowly, and only made me tired and grumpy, that was that for the day, I let myself be taken to the hotel and slept for 14 hours, why the hell do I always have to try everything out… By the way, Sophann didn’t feel a thing from the stuff. It’s no wonder; one knows about these things, anyone who has never consumed the stuff has to take it 5 – 10 times before it works.

I visited the Russian market for the first time, and I must say I enjoyed it very much. There are food stalls with all sorts of Khmer and Viet-grub. The market is inside, covered mainly with some sort of covers, I think so anyway, the sun didn’t shine on ones brain, that’s the main thing. One of the main things available are the souvenirs, there is a large choice for a reasonable price. There is not just the normal tourist crap, one can get silver, wood (for example statues or lace work), everything possible and impossible that has to do with Angkor Wat. I walked around for a long time, and my bags were continually increasing until I though about the restricted amount of room in my always full suitcase. Some of the things were very good presents for when I return home.

In the mean time a lot of there Internet cafes have popped up in PP, they are also very cheap, if one wants, one can make a Telephone call for a very cheap rate, it’s better than phoning from a hotel. Something I had forgotten to say about SV: The Internet cafes there (there not really cafes but a sort of office with copying machines and faxes etc) are extremely expensive, but still cheaper than making a phone call to Europe, they wanted six US dollars a minute, I didn’t bother, that really is a rip off. As I said, it’s not like that in PP.

Somebody had recommended the
Lucky Star Hotel
14, Street 336
Tel. 855-23-880 023 / 024, Fax: 855-23-880-024

Costs 20 US dollars. The rooms aren’t that bad at all, a little better than in the Paris. The thing is, there are only single beds, a bit too cramped for me. For anyone who has no problems with this sort of thing, great. Oh yeah, breakfast was served in a small restaurant opposite, I only got a very skimpy menu and always had a plate of soup, always good for the figure at least. Some of the rooms are a bit loud; at the front of the place is a very busy street. To the one side there is a large house being built. Construction noise (is not too bad) starts at about nine in the morning. Apart from these few trivial things, I would say that the hotel is recommendable. Wedding receptions are held there quite often; maybe they needed the restaurant for this purpose. As far as I could make out the hotel seemed to be quite empty, I hardly saw any other guests, It’s not that central either which is not much of a problem if one has a driver on call. Right next to it in the evening there is a sort of red light district down on the street, only Khmer hens, the pimps hang around there as well. One is able to drive up in the car and is able to take a hen with without even getting out. Have never tried it out, as I said, only Khmer chicks. I think this place is known under the name of Keochanda.

During the course of time, I have found out the following things about my favourite hens, the Viets: They have all got one thing in common. When they get stuck into my lucky back with the clobber etc they all give a cry (honest) and their eyes light up, it doesn’t take them that long at all to start trying the stuff on either. I don’t have to urge them one little bit, maybe by just leave stuff lying around a bit now and again. They are very easy to please ) They even let themselves be photographed. Afterwards they even put things back where they belong, is quite amusing. None of them wanted me to shave them; they were a bit “limited” when it came to that. Once the excuse was used that the Mamasan didn’t like such things… Haven’t got a clue what I should think about that. Maybe things would be different during an LT, I think they would anyway. I thought that this time my beard trimmer would maybe not come to use at all Things changed suddenly a few days later… Thank God that most of the younger chicks haven’t got much hair down there. Because of this, most shaves are out of the question, or are not really that necessary. The Thais are different, they have no problem at all with having their pussies shaved, it’s even possible to do one on an ST chick from a Beer Bar.

During my last day in PP, I was naturally once again in Svay Pak, this time in detail. Actually, I had decided on a hen from the Martini for the evening. Just for once a Khmer, well, she did look very sweet. The trouble was that I could not find her, maybe she was already busy. It was already late, about ten in the evening. I decided not to waste the evening and get something preserved. I informed Sophann that I wanted to go to Svay Pak again and asked him if it would be a problem (I was thinking about his petrol costs, it is a few kilometres away), no, no problem at all. The 20 US dollars aren’t that much, some pay 25 but I prefer to give a few US dollars tip at the end of the evening.

So, of we went to Svay Pak. I had never arrived that late before; this made everything interesting in one way. First of all I stopped at the first house on entering just carry straight on. It is new and a few stories high. I had never been in it before. The hens were just having a bite to eat; I was allowed to sit with them, the usual procedure. Ordered a beer, messed about a bit then off into the house with a hen, I wanted to make things clear for an LT. There is a Papasan there. He wanted me to pay 50 US dollars! I had to laugh, I offered him 20, “take it or leave it”. He didn’t want the 20 US dollars; instead, he offered that I could stay in the house for the whole night. I didn’t really want to do that, was much too dangerous and apart from that, I like to do my planning myself. Later on Sophann told me that the man is very very dangerous, I believed him. At some time or other I definitely will stay over night in Svay Pak, just for fun. But the thing is, one is FULLY at the mercy of the place, the men who during the daytime are busy with their billiard tables and are not to be seen within the “flow of traffic” probably sleep in the houses were we leave our money during the daytime.

So, back out again and into my bar, there I met an “old acquaintance” and took her with for 20 US dollars, what else. She could remember me from my last visit to PP. She was the third hen at my going away party in Svay Pak (she was the one who talked a lot, see report). At the time she was very new to the job and shy, her name is Lon, very dainty and very sweet. How many points would you give her on a scale from one to ten? I would giver 100%, not just because she is good looking, but because she is also very loving. My number two in Cambodia this year. I fear that most would place her at number six or so… However, I like here face and mouth!

The pains of saying farewell were not too bad at all, I still had a large part of my holiday ahead of me, two weeks in Thailand. I experienced things there that should have completely knocked me off my chair, in more than one way. Report follows…