But the sleaze factor has gone up significantly. It was always the case that locals wandered up and down the beach peering at Europeans in bikini's, but I always assumed that was just locals from out of town unused to Western ways. But as I write this, I am sitting in the the Coolabah Hotel Restaurant having a coffee as some young Aussie girls strip down to their not overly revealing swimwear to get in the hotel pool. The waiters all start leering at them and obviously making, even though I don't speak Khmer, some, to put it politely, non PC comments. And this is one of the more expensive places here, owned and run by Aussies. Unpleasant. And the quotient of older men with young Khmer girls also seems to have gone up, the last couple of times I was here, whilst everyone knows it goes on, it was not that evident. But it's all a bit more obvious now. Apparently as Thailand gets more expensive, Cambodia looks even more attractive for sex tourists and the great exodus of the more seedy people from places like Pattaya is now headed here. Day to day and "other" expenses are relatively cheap. It's a shame as it is a fun place. The beach I am near, Serendipity Beach is crowded with sunbeds attached to the bars and restaurants and lots of people wandering by and playing in the water. Boats in and out going out to the little islands, but if the sleaze factor goes up too much, many people will be driven away. And in the hotel info, it clearly states that "prostitution is illegal in Cambodia". The next sentence advises that "all overnight guests must be registered". It says that drugs are not "condoned" by the hotel but firearms and explosives are "forbidden". Interesting use of language...
But on a more positive note, it's still a good place to wander around. The walk along the beach is now a bit easier as they have built a paved path. The first part of the beach is all Westerner's but as you go along that changes to local Cambodian's here for a day out. The restaurants change from cheap beer, cocktails and beach beds to low wooden benches covered in grubby oilcloth and tiny plastic chairs crammed together with people eating a a variety of rice, noodles and seafood at nine in the morning, the whole family is there including granny. Girls wander around selling squid on a stick that they cook over small buckets of charcoal carried over their shoulders. And they have moved with the times. No longer can you buy the pirate DVD's and CD's, now it's all direct download! Interesting, in Thailand they're still behind the times, it's still just the pirate DVD's and CD's with the photocopied cover, I didn't see anywhere offering direct downloads. If you want to buy ebooks, movies or music, you sit in a comfy chair, browse the catalogue, fill in the form, hand over your device and collect it fully loaded a couple of hours later... Not that I would dream of doing that of course... And if you are that tech backward, you have to pay an extra charge for them to burn to a DVD or CD - how times change. As I was sitting there just looking (not to buy you understand) some young Brit's came by to see if they could mend their iPhone which they had dropped in the sea. When told there was no way, they asked if they could sell it for parts! That proved an expensive swim...
But the place is busy. I booked into the Reef Resort again, at least I know what I am getting for my money. But the downside is that I am back to the all in one bathroom where the shower is not enclosed so water everywhere... I did want to stay somewhere different but they were booked. It is Full Moon (they come around so quickly...) perhaps that has something to do with it.
But I was glad to see they put on a parade for me as I arrived. A huge snake of noisy floats drove by, it seemed they were mainly local NGO's, in particular children's charities. Very colourful with lots of kids smiling and waving at people as they went by. But I couldn't help thinking with all the issues here surrounding child abuse and many of the perpertrators in the crowds watching that perhaps it wasn't that appropriate!
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