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Lawless, Chaotic, Fantastic Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is the rawest, most lawless, most chaotic city I've ever been to. A Stony Safe Haven
From the boat landing, our drivers took us to a dumpy guesthouse on the Boeng Kak, a lake on the northwest side of the city. Even though the rooms were just $2 a night, Mike and I were less-than-enthused about staying in plywood boxes, so I went on a reconnaissance mission while Mike watched the bags. After looking at several "same-same-but-different" guesthouses (including one that was actually called the Same Same But Different Guesthouse), I stumbled upon the Number 9 Guesthouse, a relaxed and comfortable safe haven with rooms built on balconies over the lake. It was only later that we realized how "relaxed" the Number 9 really is. Sitting at a table, enjoying large Angkor beers, talking about our chaotic entry into the city, Mike and I were approached by a guesthouse waiter: "Would you like some marijuana with your beer?" Also, there were a suspicious number of Khmer girls pouring out of the guest's rooms each morning. "Moto? Ganja? Shooting? Girls?"
The streets in Phnom Penh are crowded with motorcycle taxi drivers who solicit travelers incessantly, always with the same approach: Moto Driver: Taxi? Cousin Mike came up with the Christian Defense, and it worked like a charm; we soon began drawing the cross over our chests as soon as drivers approached: MD: Taxi? The Christian Defense seemed to be the only thing that could convince touts that we weren't dope-smoking, gun-nut, prostitute-enthusiasts who hate to walk. A Predator's Paradise
Prostitution is rampant throughout Cambodia, and it's at an all-time high in Phnom Penh. There are notorious brothels on the north side of the Boeng Kak where sex sells for as little as $3. More upscale sex workers crowd tourist bars and clubs and offer their bodies for $10-$20. It was disarming and a little frightening to walk into a pool hall and have 50 Khmer and Vietnamese girls look my way with smoldering eyes. John, a North Carolinian who accompanied us for a night out on the town, summed it up when he said, "This place is just like the bars at home - except women here dig me." Tragically, Phnom Penh is also well-known for its underage sex workers, and is a popular destination for pedophile sex tourists. Authorities have supposedly cracked down on this crime in recent years. And woe be the predator who can't bribe his way out of a jam: they don't separate foreigners or sex offenders in Cambodian prisons. Police & Mafia: "Same-Same But Different" One day, on the way back from the shooting range, a motorcade of Land Rovers passed my moto on the highway. By way of explanation, my driver, who called himself Mr. Perfect, said: "Government official." He laughed and then added, "Gangster!"
Nightmare Tourist Attractions An Extended Stay
For me, the appeal was in the contrasts. In the mornings I'd step out of my clean $4 room have a tranquil breakfast on the lake. I'd then hop on the back of a motor scooter for a terrifying ride across the polluted city to a museum dedicated to genocide. Later, while sifting through bootleg DVDs at the Russian Market, I'd set aside a pocketful of small change to give to landmine victim amputees on the street. After another helter-skelter moto ride ("Helmet? Why would you want a helmet?"), I'd tuck into a fantastic $2 Indian meal of curry and chapatti. I'd then dodge the drug dealers ("Christian!") on the way back to the Number 9, where I'd meet up with a group of ragtag Europeans to drink beer hold mock United Nations debates. Isn't this what travel's all about? Posted on January 26, 2003 12:26 AM
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