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afm171
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DAY 8 - Hockey Night in Cambodia
Everyone has a special talent – Tiger Woods can hit a golf ball, Wayne Gretzky could slap a puck, and at 7AM this morning, far too early to wake up on vacation, I discover my special talent. I am able to, sight unseen, go onto the internet, and without fail, select a hotel that has a massive construction project next to it. Hammers bang, steel bars crash, trucks roar, and I guess I’m getting up now.
My driver’s not coming until 10, so I take my laptop down to the internet shop to kill a few hours. I ask the girl there if they have Wi-Fi. She points to the PC desktop computer and says, “It have.” 
DriverGuy arrives on time and comments on how hot it is today. You know it’s going to be hot if a Cambodian says it’s hot – and it is smoking. There’s a lot of construction around Siem Reap, but it’s still small-time, I know because the first thing my tour guide points out is a new traffic light.
We get started on the Grand Tour of the ruined temples, at Bayon. I didn’t realize that Angkor Wat is just one temple among many in the area. There was once a great civilization here, and I can’t help but wondering what the hell happened to them? The work that went into building this stuff was incredible, but what strikes me is that these ruins are really ruined. Unlike the gleaming spires of Wat Pra Keo, it’s very difficult to imagine what these temples were “supposed” to look like.
At every stop, I’m hassled by kids selling trinkets as soon as I emerge from the car. I get so in the habit of just walking by them, that I also blow off the security guy (who wants to see my ticket) when going to see the temple where Angelina Jolie filmed part of Tomb Raider.
Head back to Angkor Wat for sunset. It’s the biggest, most impressive temple, but also the most annoying, as unlike the outlaying temples, it’s crawling with freaking tourists. The stone steps up to the central spire are more like a ladder, each step only a few inches wide. It’s a bit sketchy going up, but positively suicidal going down.
There is a steel guide rail to hang onto while going down on one of the 4 stairways, but busloads of Japanese tourists lined up to use it. I stand at the top of one of the unguarded stairways, looking down - a LONG way down to a skull splitting landing for one misstep – and go take my place in the long line for the handrail. I’d rather wait than die.
20 minutes later, I’m getting close to the descending point, and then a middle aged guy tries to cut into the line. He starts off making conversation with the guy behind me, and then starts weasling into the queue. I can see people looking at him, annoyed, but I can also see that they’re not going to do a damn thing about it.
QueueBert makes his move to get in line and says to the guy behind me, “Do you mind?” The guy hesitates long enough for me to look back at the old women and docile Cambodian’s that are just going to suck it up and take it. I decide to speak for the masses, and say, “I mind.”
QueueBert gives me his best puppy-dog look, half not believing that I’m willing to be such a dick – but the truth is that he’s the dick – and I don’t give a crap what he thinks. The Japs and Cambos look at me, either in astonishment that I’m taking this stand, or that I’m making a faux pas by breaking the social harmony – I’m not sure which one. I point over their heads to QueueBert and say, “The line starts over there. We all waited, you can too.”
QueueBert give me a bunch of smooth talking crap, trying to be my new friend, and I suppose I could go for it easy enough and everything would be smooth sailing. What the f*** do I care? He’s not even cutting in front of me, but, I just don’t like that motherf***er and his snide sense of entitlement. I ask him, “Where are you from, sir?”
His face brightens up, like I’m going to be his new best friend, “England, why?”
“I’m taking a poll sir, to see where the rudest people come from. England just took the lead.”
He mumbles something and shuffles a bit further back the line. I know damn well he doesn’t go to the back, but my point has been made. Not sure what it is exactly, but I’ve made it. I wonder if it was really worth it to disturb my own harmony? I'm not so sure - oh well, too late now.
The line shuffles a bit forward, and I hear QueueBert shouting, “Well, a Yank cut in front of me at the airport.”
Let it go you stupid f***, can't you see I'm trying to get my zen back. I don’t turn around, but reply, “And how did you like it?”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, now you know how popular you are around here.”
You’ve lost asshole, just keep your piehole shut, but no, the next thing out of his mouth is, “Well, at least we never bombed these people.”
Some people just don't know when to quit. “Sir, you are making a mistaken assumption, because I’m Canadian and we never bombed anyone, so unless you want to claim to be from Switzerland now, there is going to be no moral high ground for you today. You are in the wrong sir, and no amount of debating will change that.”
There are no more comments from QueueBert, but the guy behind me asks if I’m really from Canada. He’s surprised at my behavior, because he thought Canadians were always polite. I point out, “We usually are, but if someone else isn’t, then the gloves come off. What do you think all those hockey fights are about?”
We laugh about it, and take the guard rail down to safety. Sunset at Angkor Wat is a washout - greyed out by clouds, so it’s back to the hotel and then down to Pub Street again.
Cool décor at The Dead Fish, but there’s not much happening there, so I go back to The Temple Bar. I flirt with the hostess a bit, who as far as I can tell is the hottest looking girl in town, but she’s too busy for me to make much progress with.
I try some Khmer dishes and can’t say I’m impressed, then sit back to enjoy a cold beer (in the still hot evening) and watch the people going by. A young woman in a yellow t-shirt and a baseball cap joins me. Her name’s Nida, she’s 22 and works in a hotel – she’s kind of cute in a Cambodian sort of way I guess. We have a friendly conversation, though her English isn’t so hot, and we don’t have the benefit of my basic Thai.
I try to get a better look at her (she sat down before I could see her body) and try to evaluate my interest. She looks “okay.” I could do her if I had to, but walking around in the hot sun all day really drained my battery, and I’ll soon be back in the land of plenty, so why settle for “okay.”
When she says, “I want to go with you.” I politely decline.
It’s a little hard to understand her reply, but I think the gist of it is: that if I leave without her, then the people at the restaurant will look at her and think she’s a prostitute, but if she leaves with me then they will think she’s my girlfriend, so I should bring her with me. Never heard that one before, but I still decline.
Next reason is: she has no air-conditioning and she wants to sleep in a cold room, so I should take her with me. I decline.
She’s got a million reasons I should take her with me and a reply to every objection. Finally I just get up and say, “Sorry, I can’t take you with me because I need my strength - in case I’m in a hockey fight tomorrow.”
She has no answer to that one.
Pic of Angkor Wat, and the hostess at the Temple Club:
http://www.thebutterflytrap.com/cambodia2.htm
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:27 pm on May 18, 2007
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koolbreez
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Another masterpiece, but after the variety you took back to your hotel in BKK, I'm supprised.......lolol. No shame in BKK, but now you're the "I have to save my strength" man, and with some great lines from the girl.........lol. Great FR.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 12:41 am on May 19, 2007
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ringthebells
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we do need a better shot from the hostess, though.
and there is a girlie bar named "the dead fish"?? LOL
nice report.
rtb
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:38 am on May 19, 2007
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Mel Gibson
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afm171, try here http://www.goldenorangehotel.com/
The owner is a great source of all info regarding Cambodia.
There should be very little trouble finding "companionship" in SR. I wish I could remember the name of the night-club,, its only about 2 km from the "restaurant street" and I was with company fully negotiated within 30 minutes. A 7 by Thai standards and good enough for me to take her agin on following nights.
Enjoy those temples,, yes those stairs are somewhat dangerous,, did you ask why?, supposedly it's made difficult so one must be willing to make an extra effort in order to reach sanctuary.
Great field reports.
P.S Did you ask that rude arrogant Pom his name ??? Does anyone know if Sarge is on holidays?
Regards
Mel.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 5:30 pm on May 19, 2007
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afm171
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Though this was my first trip, and I didn't go many places, I'd say that Cambodia, even in the vicinity of Angkor Wat is relatively unspoiled.
There's a lot of construction in Siem Reap, but it definitely retains a "country-style" feel to it. Some of the hotels and tourist areas (Pub Street) are a little too commercial and sanitized for my taste, but overall, I liked it.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 12:02 am on May 23, 2007
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MadStockBroker
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Sounds like the place is getting ruined by too many tourists.
I guess direct flights from Bangkok and all the new hotels has done it.
I went there in 94 and you had to fly from PP. There were no top hotels and the Grand was closed. We stayed in some back packer type place. I was with my gf of the time but maanged to sneek off to a small row of shop houses wiht red lights outside. Cost of a ST was $5 and even then I think I was over charged....
But AW was great and I also remember going at sun rise which was a fantastic sight.
Still its highly worth seeing even if its gettin busy.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:03 am on May 23, 2007
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LocalYokul
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"I need my strength - in case I’m in a hockey fight tomorrow"
that's f***in' hilarious 
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:15 am on May 23, 2007
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