CS to Phnom Penh--Not a Trip Report Per Se

[Steve]

This isn't going to be the 'typical' trip report where I said I banged 100 girls in 30 days. Just my observations from a first time visitor. I was going to write a scathing report on PP but a couple of people on this site who have been have convinced me that my experiences were limited and I didn't spend enough time there to know the place intimately enough. I have a friend living there and I went to PP mainly to see him and check up on him. He's been living there for the last couple years and I haven't heard from him much. We had regular communication before but they tapered off. I came with a mutual friend of ours who was a first time visitor to Cambo and also his first time outside the U.S.

 

So my experiences may not or probably won't be the same as yours if you've never been and plan on going. So please take that under consideration.

 

This post is about some of my experiences. I didnt' travel outside of PP. I didn't go to Angkor or Sihounikville on the coast. I was only there for for a little over 3 weeks. I spent a lot of my time catching up with my friend.

 

I didni't feel safe in PP. The place may be much safer that Bangkok or Pattaya but I didn't feel like it was. Maybe it was because I was more familiar with Patatya but I didn't feel the same 'vibe' when I first went there or to BKK. After getting to know a few locals from some of the western watering holes, most of them said as much to me. Motorbike people who drove me around on a regular basis and got to know me warned me of certain areas, types of people, etc.

 

My friend indulges in the scene and we went to the places where the girls hang out. PP for those who don't know or haven't been doesn't have beer bars like LOS does. For the most part, free lance girls hang out at certain western spots like Walkabout or Martinis. They also don't seem as aggressive in getting customers as their LOS counterparts. There are private places that could compete with any place in LOS with regards to girls trying to get customers, with Sophie's being the one that stands out but by and large, LOS wins in the BG category hands down in my humble opinion.

 

Personally, I found the local men very rude. A couple waitresses were kind enough to offer to show my friend and I around to some of the local tourist spots and the comments from the tuk tuk and motorbike guys as well as some of the Khmer men on the street was nothing but rude, insulting and sometimes borderline aggressive. The girls were embarassed and confirmed the comments that the men were saying. I know Thai men and other asian men talk behind our back and may even make comments when we are around but for me, it was never as abundant or visceral as I experienced in PP.

 

I've heard it said that PP is like BKK was 20 years ago. If so, I'm glad I discovered BKK late. That statement usually is said about local prices, but I thought the prices were comparable. From my understanding the prices for P4P were not lower but about the same give or take a few dollars.

 

I met some interesting people while there. Here is one of their stories.

 

I was on my way to Walkabout, one of the local western/falang places i mentioned earlir with my friends and accross the street a guy dressed in American sports attire, with that hip hop type of look to it said 'Yo, what's up?!' His baseball cap was pulled low so I couldn't see his eyes but he appeared latino from his complexion. He had the tattoos on his forearms that is prevalent with latino gangs back in the states and I was wondering what some 'cholo' was doing in PP?! Turns out this guy is Khmer. He grew up in Long Beach and was tight with the crips there. I went over to talk to him and he acted and sounded like any black guy from the hood in LA. His speech was peppered with the N word and he was dropping N bombs as we say here like it was nothing and didn't seem like he understood that it could even be offensive. He was cultuarlly black american and acted as such. It took me a second to realize this and I got the impression if I asked him why he's using that term he'd give me the same expression some black guy in America would. It turns out this guy left Cambodia when he was 7 months old to go to the states. He ran with the Long Beach crips as well as a few other bad apples and spent time in prison. He was married back in the states with a kid. He never became a U.S. citizen and when he got one conviction too many he had to either spend 20 years in state prison with a mandatory 80% completion of sentence or be deported, which he would probably have had happened anyway after his time was served. His lawyer told him to take the deal and he's beein in Cambodia, a land he's never lived in for 2 years now. Although he speaks the language its apparant to the locals that he speaks it with an american accent and he's not considered Khmer to them. He has had numerous fights proving his toughness. Sad thing for him is he can't ever go back to the states. He can't make a living in Cambodia and finds a living doing whatever, usually selling narcotics to expats or toursits. I worried about being associated with him but he was fascinating. He offered me a lot of unsocitied advice about life and people there. His wife and kid in the states is estranged from him because they know he'll never be able to see them again. They are not Khmer but American. While I was there I didn't see him for a couple days and he reappeared and showed a scar from a recent knife fight. I was suprised he lasted as long as he has in PP. Being a gangbanger he's the type that thinks he has to show he's tough to any challengers. When I left I got an email from my friend who remained behind and he said a lot of the locals were telling me that he was dead. That he got jumped by a local gang who had knives and swords. A week ago I got word that he survived the attack in the hospital. He has gotten a few local enemies and I doubt he'll live to see 30.

 

I may have more strories to tell...not sure yet.

[cagedsoidog]

Thanks for your perspective on Phnom Penh.

 

The comparisons of earlier Bangkok and present Phnom Penh have some limitations and distinctions.

 

Cambodia was colonialized by the French and later by the Vietnamese. In there some place was the Khmer Rouge. Truly a distinction culturally.

 

Thailand did not have much of this other than time by the Japanese during WWII.

 

Thailand has had rapid developement the last quarter of the 20th century. Cambodia has had little to none. And this is probably where the comparison comes in.

 

I was in Phnom Penh last Summer. I walked mornings, days, and evenings thru the streets and never felt any apprehensions. Granted, I didn't walk all over the city.

 

I hired both a personal guide with automobile and later a motorized tuk-tuk for a tour of the city. Both treated me well. I didn't ask for anything more than a short tour nor was I offered anything else.

 

I found the city of Phnom Penh strikingly beautiful. Municipal trash pick-up seemed a problem on some streets.

 

The ride from the airport was about 15-20 minutes. Other than a few shots from an AK-47 (they do have a distinct sound), it was a quiet peaceful ride. No, no, no . . . just kidding about the AK-47. The ride was uneventful. Joking!

[Belem]

If you don't feel safe in PP today, you should have been there in the late 90s. I remember you mentioning in another post awhile ago about having a friend who lives there. Thanx for the report.

[rookie]

Apparently 'chocolate steve's' experience is not much different than some tourists may feel upon their first time to BKK, and they leave disillusioned.

Harrassing Suk touts, moto dops, meeting some low-lives, pickpockets, katoeys...etc.

 

Yes Cambo is backward. Those who have used the Net to prepare for a trip to PPenh will find all kinds of

mis-information:

never walk at night, beware of touts & robbers, tenacious moto dops, never wear sandals as the roads are terrible, many gals have HIV...etc., etc.

 

I first went to Cambo 7-years ago. I walked everywhere at night, even in the early AM hours,, alone and wearing sandals. Yes, I kept aware of my surroundings. I said no to moto dops and touts..and didn't bother conversing with any undesireables [i'm from LA and have spent time in the Khmer areas of North Long Beach]. I never had a problem during my early trips, which were then mostly for P4P adventures. For the last 4-5 years I now prefer to rent a motorcycle and explore the countryside and small villages. I've found that the Khmer are amongest the nicest and most gentle people I've ever met; quite different than many Thai's who see farangs as ATM's. Of course, this is outside PPenh, which like any larger city it is more common to encounter undesireables.

Choc Steve needs someone to guide him around and make him aware of what to do...and what & who to avoid.

[Belem]

Long Beach has the largest population of Cambodians in the US just like Thai town in LA has the largest population of Thais in the US, San Diego has the largest population of Filipinos, and San Jose has the largest population of Vietnamese in the US. I found your experience with the Khmer who lived in America interesting. I read an article a few years ago about gangbanger Khmers from Long Beach being deported to Cambodia because of commiting crimes in the US. I hope to read more of your stories.

[dddave]

Fortunatly, the US has suspended for the time being the dumping of Khmer fellons back into Cambodia. We were doing the same to Haiti and El Salvadore.

The US originally agreed to fund an NGO to help them assimulate and get jobs but as is usually the case, the actuality was nothing like the proposal; three or more NGO's held the contract in the first two years, but not surprisingly, staffing issues and managers more interested in their own compensation led to no programs at all actually being implemented. As CS said, they are scorned by the Khmers and not trusted by anybody.

 

A bunch of these deportees hang in the smaller bars just down from "HEART OF DARKNESS". They can be a very dangerous lot.

[Belem]

dddave said:A bunch of these deportees hang in the smaller bars just down from "HEART OF DARKNESS". They can be a very dangerous lot.

 

Yep. Last November, when I was in PP, I stayed at the Flamingo and had a girl from Shanghai one night. Late at night, she wanted noodle soup, and we walked down the street to a noodle soup cart near to the Heart. We shared a small table with a couple of Khmers, one of whom had that gangsta look and was talking in American street English to some other Khmer guys in the vicinity playing cards. I was the only barang there. It then occurred to me that these guys had to be some of the gangbangers from Long Beach who had been deported to Cambodia I had been reading about.

[Steve]

cagedsoidog said:

 

I was in Phnom Penh last Summer. I walked mornings, days, and evenings thru the streets and never felt any apprehensions. Granted, I didn't walk all over the city.

 

I hired both a personal guide with automobile and later a motorized tuk-tuk for a tour of the city. Both treated me well. I didn't ask for anything more than a short tour nor was I offered anything else.

 

 

glad to hear your experiences were different...and better. I took a 'tour' ride as well (russian market, old market, the royal palace, etc.) and that was uneventful. I'm told that the tourism areas are protected areas because it brings in money.

 

There is a building near the Independence monument that looks like it took a shelling in a war torn city. A friend calls it 'the building' but I'm not sure if that's what the locals call it. Anyway, I stayed within walking distance of the place and the place seemed like nothing but trouble to me. First time we saw it my friend and I said 'Oh shit, it looks like Beirut'. So we nicknamed it Beirut. Since we sometimes walk past it at night and at times during the day we decided to show a little good will and buy something from the vendors that border it. Nothing major just small things for the house and to get a closer look. We did this during the day. We were using the little Khmer we knew and pantomining to indicate things like toothpaste. Two girls were taking our orders and to the side was a smaller girl. People are laughing and enjoying the scene of two westerners in their midst and this lady comes by and she has a look on her face. I think its perhaps her daughters and she thinks we're smiling and laughing a bit too much for her liking. She instead points to the smaller girl to the side and says 'you like? you try, yes?' This girl was definitely underage, well under age, no question. I dont' even want to say how young she looked but my friend and I looked at each other and said to each other smiling so we don't arouse suspicion 'lets get the f**k out of here'. I want to say though that the bars and places that have freelancers seem to be girls over the legal minimum. However, that wasn't the first time I was offered girls much younger than 18. A couple motorbike guys offered me that service as well and I made sure they knew it was not appreciated. Maybe I look like a perv to some of them and I have met westerners there who said they rarely come accross such things. But it was something disconcerting when it happened in the open in the light of day. This building..or shell of one is an 'anything goes' type of place from what I heard. I was told the police look the other way about any criminal activity that happens in there. Not sure how true that is but it certainly looks like it. Hopefully this works: TheBuilding

[Steve]

Okay, I want to talk about some of good things I experienced. First thing I want to mention and was great for my ego was that the local women (and Im not talking the pros) liked to flirt with me.

 

I stayed about a week and a half at a guest house while I was there because my friend's place didn't have a/c or he didn't use it and for $8 a day I could have an air conditioned room at the guest house, as well as meet backpackers from all over europe ; )

 

Anyway, there was a non profit school across the street that asked for volunteers from the guest house to teach english to the poor. All ages, etc. I'm not a teacher by trade but they didn't require any experience. I started the class off by them asking me whatever they wanted about myself, family, america, whatever. My friend and I were in the class together adn they asked him the usual. Where in America are you from, do you like cambodia, etc. When it was my turn these two women asked me: are you married? are you single? What do I think of Khmer women? etc. It was a bit embassing and everyone waited to see how I answered the question and how much I would squirm. when I was getting my film developed the girl taking my order asked the same and I thought I saw a wedding ring on her and she was Khmer chinese and so I thought she was too high class to flirt with a falang. Turns out she looked over at a coworker who was smiling and had a little bit of flirtatious look on her. I have to admit it does boost the ego a bit when 'regular' girls flirt, at least you know they mean it.

 

I met a few guys there who were pretty cool. One was a big Arsenal fan and we stayed up late to watch the champions league matches at the guest house and another had a pen pal that coincidentally lived about 3 blocks from my old apartment in LA. He rode a motorbike and when I could I used his services. He rode me to the airport and we somehow balanced my luggage on his bike. Its a $5 trip but I gave him a fifty in appreciation for the advice and friendship he showed.

[Steve]

This isn't PP related but wanted to add that one of the things I love about traveling is meeting new and interesting people. I had a 5 hour layover in Taipei and met up with 3 interesting people and the 5 hours went quickly from talking to them the whole time.

 

(all names changed).

 

Bill was a prison chaplain in the state of california and a 65 yo. black american guy, retired, married to a thai school teacher. He's been married about 2 years and is trying to finalize her visa to the U.S. He met her online and one of his 'deal breakers' was that the woman had to be christian or at least give it a try (okay, no flames!! haha) anyway, he narrowed down his search and one of the 3 finalists was not but was willing to visit a church. She promised she would and he said she said it had a profound effect and she 'accepted Jesus into her heart' and converted that weekend. Okay you cynics be quiet out there!! It could happen ; )

Anyway, we were joined by Jim, a self processed whoremonger and former drug abuser and former guest of the state of california (he was in prison for you who didn't catch on). The funny thing was hearing both of them talking about the prison system and people they both knew. He was in San Quentin. This guy was a white guy of Irish descent (irish american about 4th generation) and I asked him how he survied in a state prison dominated by the mexican and black gangs. Did he have to join the Aryan nation and he said no, he was non violent, first offender so he more or less was in the calmer cell blocks. He had a book on budhism and said he was trying to find some sort of spirtuality and asked about this 'Christiany thing'. The chaplain gave his spiel and I added some informational things (being the son of a deacon came in handy). Anyway he said his sister was a complete saint. She fed the homeless volunteered, was mother theresa but was an atheist and she was his moral compass. She was the only good he saw in the world as a child from a broken home and asked the chaplain if she was going to hell anyway and he said 'well, you have to have Jesus' and Jim jumps up and says 'dude, deal breaker! if she's going to hell, no f**king way i'm believing that shit!' I fell out laughing.

The third guy was a Pakistani in the long garb they wear. He had the best sense of humor. Has been in the U.S. for 20 years. He would slide in jokes in the midst of all the conversations. About an hour before the flight he excused himself to go to the rest room and came back in western clothes. And we asked why he changed and he said 'Are you nuts buddy? I'm not going to the states looking like I'm hiding more than my dick under that thing! Since 911 its not been fun to be pakistani in America and at american airports." We laughed our heads off. He had a point.

 

We all exchanged emails and such and I am so upset with myself. I lost all the emails I gathered on my trip when I cleaned out my car and threw them out by accident because they were on scraps on papers and near some trash.