I can say I seem unable to eat much anymore. My metabolism has waned. I think if I ate a kilo of jackfruit or rambutans or whatever tropical fruits I used to indulge in, it would cause massive and perhaps explosive diarrhea. Or at least some serious stomach blotation. Yes, I know that's not a word, but you get it. The food here, this visit at least, has been fantastic. I definitely seem to be sticking to the delicious choices available at Okay Guesthouse, Happy Guesthouse and Blue Pumpkin. All around the Riverside, not really Cambodia, but oh so close to home and oh so easy to park it here for a while.
In fact, I know I don't need it, but it's almost time for a walk - my only form of exercise these days - to pick up some mangoes at Kandal Market and a brownie at Blue Pumpkin. I have a weak spot for a good brownie. I'm only getting the mangoes to balance out the good and the bad, to make me feel like I'm still relatively healthy. Delicious hearty ripe mangoes for about a quarter. Yeah I have to peel 'em and floss my own teeth afterwards, but it's worth it. And the brownie, I could buy a half dozen mangoes for the price of that little brown brick, but well, it ain't that much to partake in a little indulgence.
You can also find cheap thrills in any of the nearby lady bars if that's your thing. Lady bars, girlie bars, hostess bars, whatever they're officially called, they are aplenty in Phnom Penh, especially near the Riverside. Nothing like Thailand, but certainly not as behind-the-scenes like in Vietnam. With names like 69 Bar, Candy Bar, Horny Bar, Dream Bar, Pussy Cat Bar, et al, there is no hiding what these bars have on offer besides the cheap booze. Well, it's not cheap by Cambodian standards, but cheap by Western standards. It's quite easy to find Anchor or Angkor draft around town for 50-75 cents a glass, but the price bulges to 1.25-1.50 in these t'lai (expensive) bars. Whoa!
I've been to a few, let's be honest. It's one reason why so many men come to Cambodia and Thailand, as much as most won't admit. But to be fair, the girls are dressed almost identically to the women in a typical sports bar in Saigon. It's up to them actually. I guess it depends on how much attention they want on any given night. It's really just a bar with nice scenery if you're just dropping in for a beer. The deal is, if you want a girl, you pay the bar fine (approximately $5-10) to take the girl out of the bar and pay her whatever you have negotiated for a short time or overnight.
Yes, I have done my homework. Making inquiries does not make me a seedy individual, but you're welcome to judge me in any way you please. I don't give a fuck. Just saying. But this is a place where degenerate folk come to die. Maybe they don't plan it that way, but if you must be careful not to let that happen. Having said that, after attending a party last night, there appear to be quite a lot of creative individuals here in Phnom Penh. A lot of expats seemingly here for various creative endeavors. Or maybe they just looked cooler than your average expat and I had higher expectations for some of them.
Anyway, I'm tired. We got home at 7am this morning. I think that's my latest night ever excluding all-nighters pulled in college. I had a red bull equivalent somewhere along the way and all of a sudden it was 5am and the club was closing. And then we found ourselves chatting with some of the cutest ladyboys I've ever encountered. Something was still amiss, but they had charm. Not enough to entice home in case you're getting the wrong idea. Actually there was no enticing necessary as they made it quite clear they would pleasure me orally and take it in the ass. So sweet, but I guess I'm just not ready for that experience.
It's all pretty wild. I could go on and on, but I won't. The people are extremely friendly here, minus the constant harassment from tuk-tuk drivers. However, I can excuse that as desperation and try my best to ignore it. There are people with no legs begging in the street, children sniffing glue by the riverside, women trying to find customers lingering by the river, tiny children selling books and countless women finding these bars as the best opportunity to make a living. At the same time, there are locals driving Lexus SUVs and Hummers amongst other expensive vehicles. The disparity of wealth is even more apparent.
Well, it's almost that time again. Nearly time to go out. Throw back some fried rice or some vegetable curry and take a tuk-tuk somewhere new. I feel like I could go to sleep, but it's out last night here. And I have nothing to do tomorrow other than catch a bus. And if you think about, the nights are way more pleasant than the hot sunny days. No applying suntan lotion, no sweating, no traffic, no tourist traps. Going out with eyes wide open and taking it all in until I'm too tired to care anymore and sleep sounds better than anything. See you next time.
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