The Sublime and the Ridiculous

Yesterday afternoon Daniella and I went out exploring Siem Reap on our own. We first went to a beautiful handcraft shop in the Children's Hospital which benefits the hospital and the disabled weavers (land mine victims again) who make the exquisite silk items in this shop (Weaves Cambodia).

Next we went by tuk tuk to a restaurant recommended by our neighbor Karen, called Marun. This place trains at-risk teenagers to work in the restaurant business (this should ring a bell with Don Lane). The food and drinks were exotic, delicious, and beautifully presented. There were red ant burgers on the menu here, but we didn't order any. Call us wimps if you dare, after all the stuff we have tasted on this trip!


Finally we went into the downtown and sought out another recommended spot, Seeing Hands Massage. We had been warned that it was a little rough in appearance, but we were startled to go down a bleak little alley into a small, ugly concrete room where we were greeted by our two blind masseuses - for this is an establishment run by the blind. The man and woman directed us to pile our bags on one of the 4 massage tables squeezed into the tiny room. Two beds were against each outside wall and two in the middle,
With about 12-15 inches between each bed. We were fully clothed, face down, and the door to the street remained wide open. They climbed up onto the table and straddled our backs and so we began.

At first it was lovely, but soon the man and woman were standing in the same narrow space between us. Obviously some hanky panky was going down. She was rubbing my neck with one hand while swatting at him with the other hand. Lots of giggles between them.

Next his cell phone rang and he went to a corner to talk. Then two more customers arrived and were us header to the other two beds next to us. First we had to get up and move all our bags down to the floor to make room for them. Then they had to rearrange the furniture to make space along the walls. Then we got back on the table to continue. The four of us were jammed together like sardines, and in a few minutes two more blind masseuses arrived to work on the other people. Eight of us in this tiny concrete room, lots of laughing from then on. It was relaxing and safe, even with the distractions

I forgot to mention the barking dog at the foot of the table, and the relaxing music coming out of a coconut near the door. All this entertainment for just $5 each. We wouldn't have missed it!


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Location:National Highway 6,,Cambodia