08.01.2017 - Jordan

After our short week in the capital, Phnom Penh, we directly went to Siem Reap, in the North of the country. It’s a city with a huge quantity of tourists, mainly due to its close location to Angkor. We found there our last compatriots, Kevin and Clement, who usually travel with my brother, Alex, and Sarah his girlfriend. We rented a small house for two days to celebrate Christmas in 'family', then the other days we slept in a guesthouse for $8 a night, for two people. Pretty cheap!

Siem Reap is, how to say… disturbing. We got the feeling that it was only a place to party, colonized by and made for tourists. Bars play loud music to the point that it’s impossible to talk with friends while having a drink! All stores sell the same clothes or gadgets, however we found some very good restaurants! But anyway, if we were there, it was mainly to visit Angkor and rest for few days.

Besides, to relax, we have had a foot massage in the most touristic street: it was really good, professional and inexpensive. But being stressed of the neck, I also asked for a body massage, which turned out to be a very unfortunate experience. We may be in the most touristic street, the atmosphere changed in few seconds. I was installed in a room full of mattresses, all separated by small curtains. First of all, three women came in, started touching me all at the same time. They insist on giving a six hand massage and obviously for more money, which I refused. I also hid my wallet that are not in the most secured place. (by the way: Cambodian’s women voices, are horrible when they talk to foreigners . They’re using a very particular tone and repeating all the time 'Siiiiiiiir'). But the worst is still coming: while I'm naked under my towel, I'm starting to doubt on the seriousness of the masseuse. Everything became clear at a certain point of the massage: She's asking me if she can caress me the balls and go further. I understand that I'm actually with a sex worker. I refuse gently, but I’m definitely uncomfortable with this situation. But she insisted and told me she must feed 'her mother and her child’. I got a bit scared, and no it's no. Huge discomfort, it makes you want to run away.

When opening the curtains, I saw other couples who were getting normal massages, by people of company: I was the only one with someone from 'outside’, they duped me, thinking I was coming for a specific kind of massage. On the way out, I told it to everyone, and we laughed a lot. But the more time passes, the more it shocks me and becomes a memory to forget.

In any case, you should never get a massage alone, it might be different than what you expect!