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I was pretty much immediately bombarded by vendors--kids selling bracelets and women doing manicures and pedicures mostly. I ended up accepting a mani-pedi, since it was only five bucks, and I knew as soon as I said yes that the chick I'd been forced to pinky-swear to about those services would show up and get pissed. I mentioned her in my Quick Note entry in late December (or maybe the first of the year). Of course she did show up, and I figured I should make it up to her, so I let her thread my legs. All the ladies offering it claimed it would stop my hair from growing for three months, which of course is bullshit, but I thought the experience would be interesting, anyway. Here's a video of what she was doing:
Although my legs felt smooth when she was done, I noticed later that the hair was in fact not gone, and was the same length it had been before she started. My only theory is that the baby powder she rubbed all over my legs was thick enough that it ran flush with the ends of the hair, making it seem like it had been removed. Back at home, I searched the internets for the idea that threading is a scam, but didn't come up with anything. It seems to be a legitimate hair removal method in several places around the world. It must just be a scam by these chicks, as opposed to the entire practice.
The thing about these vendors is that instead of being deterred by someone else selling to a customer, they are actually drawn to the same person, trying to sell the same goods and services that they've clearly already bought. I guess it's more that they sense weakness and they assume it's easier to target an existing target than to try to start fresh with someone else. Thus, I had to turn away a number of chicks with beauty baskets, and several little boys trying to raise money "for school" (not sure if that's true) by selling bracelets. One method they have when you refuse is suggesting playing a game of Tic Tac Toe. If you win, you get a free bracelet, but if you lose, you have to buy one. I didn't play with the boy who tried that with me, and he got pissed and stalked off, trying to swear at me in English. He said some nonsensical string of words that sounded something like, "Damn dog stupid bitch ass." I laughed at him.
Later I went to another beachside place and got some supper. It wasn't very good.
The bar still had a Christmas tree out. I don't think you can really tell, but it's money hanging from the tree. That's how worthless their currency is. It could have been fake money, of course, but maybe not.
After supper I think I went back to the hotel to rest for a while. I assumed that there would be a major crowd and event on the beach, so I went back at like 11:30. It was pretty outrageous, actually. I wish I'd brought my camera, but I was so scared being alone in such a big crowd that I would get it snatched right out of my hands or something. There was no organized event, per se, but people had been selling roman candles all day on the beach, and the area was so packed with people setting them off that you could barely move around, or see the sky. I've never seen so many firecrackers go off at once. Occasionally, someone would set something off in the sand, but there would be no warning, so a bunch of people around me would suddenly scream and scatter to avoid getting shot with sparks.
It went on like this incessantly until well after midnight. Around 12:30 I decided it was getting too dangerous, since people kept setting off firecrackers on the ground, or accidentally dropping them on the ground, where they'd continue shooting little fireballs at our ankles.
This is from when I was eating, before the major fireforce started. Imagine this time a hundred once it got close to midnight:
My last full day in Cambodia I spent getting a two-hour Thai massage, having lunch and doing a little shopping on the beach, and generally relaxing. Here are some shots from that day:
The street behind the beach was filled with dirty lots:
When I went back to the beach to swim and eat in the evening, I happened to see my tour guide from the previous day. He was really glad to see me, and spent two or three hours with me, eating supper and having a couple beers. I think he was pretty sad when I went back to my hotel (alone). He gave me his card. But I had to get up early the next day to leave for Phnom Penh, so I couldn't stay out or up all night.
