Trip report 11 through 20 October 2002.

Arrived from Bangkok on Thai International and was met by Bunna from the Paris Hotel. Had made reservations a few weeks before. Got my visa for $20 US here in Bangkok because the Embassy is a block from where I live so did not have any delays at the airport.

Horrible traffic coming in from airport but that was because I took the 16:30 Flight from BKK. Despite the traffic was in my 7th floor hotel room by 6:30 P.M. $20 per night for a large room with tile floor and bathroom with tub and instant hot water shower. ($15 per night for a room with twin beds) Took a quick tour of the area adjacent to the hotel and then went back and changed $10 USD into local currency so that I could by some drinks and snacks at the market up the street. Turned out to be unnecessary since they then converted my local currency back to dollars for my purchases. Rule # 1 when going to Cambodia, try and take as many one-dollar bills as you can get your hands on. They are used everywhere for everything. Fives, Tens and Twenties are also valuable. Any large denomination bill MUST be pristine. No cuts, no tears, no blemishes. Hotel Paris does not except credit cards and wants to be paid in USD. I know you non US folks out there are not going to be happy about it but the coin of the realm in Cambodia, so to speak, is the almighty dollar.

Found the Paris to be wonderful. The staff was definitely guest friendly and having the massage parlor on the third floor was an added plus. In fact after my walk, went down to the third floor and picked #10 from the fish bowl. She was a real looker. No pretense of taking massage oil or anything up to my room they just posted her number and my room number on the board. Cost was $4 per hour for a massage that was just an excuse for a $20 short time. Which I might add wasn’t bad even though, at 54, I don’t usually go for short times. Ergo you will not get any reports on K-11 although my Moto driver offered several times to take me there, so it must be up and running.

Next day walked off some of this middle aged fat with a long trek to the Central Market and down to Mao Tse Toung Blvd and back to the hotel. Got a foot massage at a place next to the New Paris Hotel and was surprised that the cost of foot massages in Cambodia are $6 which is pretty much the same price as Bangkok. The only thing that was the same price as Bangkok since everything else was cheaper.

That night took a Moto to Sharkey’s where I procured a Khmer lovely for $20 long time. For those of you that are familiar with Bangkok I would compare Sharkey's to Soi 7 Beer Garden only with a pool table and on the second floor. A fairly good variety of girls with about a fifty fifty split between Vietnamese and Cambodian. (As near as I could tell). Absolutely no problem at the hotel. Gave me my key without a comment and right into the elevator up to my room at the rear with a view of the lake (as if I was going to spend anytime looking out the window). Good selection of channels on the cable TV. All the UBC (Premium) Channels plus a couple of English movie channels from Taiwan. CNN, MSNBC, SKY News, etc. Plus they had two Vietnam channels that made the Vietnamese girls happy between sessions. They also had a porno in house movie channel at the end of the channel selections. A nice touch and free to boot.

The next day did the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng visit as well as a Moto tour around the city to get oriented. That night took the Moto to Martini’s and all I can say to describe it is in Thailand terms. Imagine Soi Seven Beer Garden, with one corner being the food court, a huge movie screen in the middle, all surrounding Nana Hotel Disco in the center. The good news is that if you didn’t like the Disco you just went out into the open area and checked out the action there. Interesting sign in front telling you that “the girls that frequent this establishment have no association whatsoever with the bar and the bar is in no way responsible for them”. Got a lovely Vietnamese girl for $20 LT from there and she was quite a looker. Splurged and took separate Motos back to the Paris.

The next day had the hotel make arrangements for me to do the river trip to Angkor Wat and unlike another trip reporter had no problem with the sun since I stayed inside in the air-conditioned cabin for the 5-hour journey. Also did not have to change boats when the river became a lake. Only thing I was glad that I had earplugs and a jacket since the assigned seat had a TV screen with Cambodian Karoke at ear piercing decibels and the A/C was absolutely freezing. Since the boat leaves at 07:00 had # 10 from the in house massage parlor since I had to be up early for the Angkor Wat trip.

Upon arrival in Siem Reap there was a Moto driver that the Paris had arranged waiting for me and we went to a $20 hotel and I had lunch before doing the Angkor Wat and the Ruins of Angkor tour. Moto driver was not a registered guide so he only cost me $10 for the day and I gave him a $2 tip for picking me up and taking me back to the boat the next day. That night I wandered around town and had a delicious Khmer meal for $4. And the best foot massage of the whole trip for $5. The return was uneventful other than the loud music and frigid A/C. The Paris also provided complimentary taxi to and from the boat dock for $48 round trip. So I did Angor Wat for less than a $100 all-inclusive.

Upon my return to the Paris vegged out most of the day and that night went to Martini’s where I tried out the Cambodian version. Once again at the negotiated price of $20 long time. Won’t even get into a discussion of the merits, pro or con, of Vietnamese versus Cambodian girls since, in my humble opinion, no ethnic distinctions can be made. They are either good #### or not, and their ethnic background makes no difference. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not. It’s all a matter of the draw. Also not one of the girls objected to my taking pictures of them, clothed of course.

In fact I was having such a good time I decided to extend my stay for two additional days and came back on Sunday instead of Friday.

Now for the bad news. As of this Friday, 18 Oct 02, Martini’s is closed. Got conflicting information on why and for how long. Moto drivers there told my Moto driver that they were going to be closed for a month because of the police. The head waitress at Sharky’s says they are going to be closed for two weeks because of the ASIAN Conference. The Vietnamese girl I got last night said they were going to be closed for 10 days for renovations. So maybe one of the other board members can clarify the issue. I do know that Sharky’s was really loaded with honeys last night (Sat the 19th of Oct).

Overall impressions of Phnom Penh were quite favorable and I will definitely be going back. It is very reminiscent of what Bangkok was like during the Vietnam War. And believe me I am old enough to remember those days. There is considerable discussion on this board on drivers and I can honestly say that I had no qualms whatsoever with the Moto drivers in Phnom Penh. Unlike Bangkok, traffic flowed and everyone did not have to be the first off of the traffic light. Not once did I feel unsafe and this is from someone who has had two motorcycle accidents in Thailand in three years. Hotel location is also a non-issue as far as I am concerned. No matter where you stay you are going to have to spend a buck on a Moto. So being on the Riverside, with the high cafe prices, did not appear to be much of an advantage, at least to me. As far as the Hong Kong Hotel is concerned it is now known as the Good Luck Hotel and construction continues on the front entrance.

I found the girls to be very friendly but once again will not compare them with the Thai bar girls since there are a lot more bar girls in Bangkok and Pattaya than in Phnom Penh so you are going to get some good and some bad. I did have one bad experience on my last night when the girl I got at Sharky’s stole my mobile phone. It was my fault since I was half packed and left it out. I kicked her out when my moderate sized member wouldn’t fit into her demure sized hole and it was on the desk next to her pocket book (the phone not my member). I did give her $10 and a lecture that there are some people in this world that would do more than just kick her out an hour after all the promises she made at the bar. And before I get any flaming it had to be her since no one from the hotel had access to my room after she left and I discovered it missing.
Hope this trip report will help some of you decide to come to Cambodia before it get’s spoiled. Next time am going to try Sihanoukville.

LSM

Shasta,

I was at Martini's November 16th and all is well.

You might like Sihanoukville it's not really a monger destination, but in my 5 days on the Cambodian Coast last month I did not see even one beggar. Didn't feel like someone had painted a big bull's-eye on my back like I do in Phonm Penh.

Sihanoukville is very beautiful and tons of stuff to do. Would make a wonderful bring your own relax place. Lot's of K-11 type red (pink) light houses and Biba's Disco (Karioke,yuck) for us non-relationship types. I'll be back.

Thanks for the tip on the in-room service at Paris Hotel. I stayed there a couple of nights and have gotten a fine massage on the third floor but never even a hint of anything more availible. So up in your own room things can be negotiated?

McDIJJ

Shasta, from my somewhat limited experience of 4 Khmer girls vs 6 Vietnamese girls, I can definitely say the Vietnamese girls put out more and this is widely held view by those that I talk to that have also gone there. Two of those Khmer girls were some of the all time worst lays of my life, one was okay and the other was good.

thanks for your report! pictures?

not only do the viet give better service, they steal a lot less.