jimmie50

When I was there earlier this year, most of the guys working at Rainbow Dragon (not far from Hotmale, Dream Boy, Foodland, etc.) were from Myanmar. That is more of a host bar, so the owner (Sean) does not permit the guys to go off with customers during working hours. However, arrangements can be made with them before and after work. I can say from experience that the one young man I invited to spend some time with me outside of working hours was quite well endowed and he was from Myanmar. Also, one of the therapists at Chaichana Massage located on the same soi as the Patpong night market is from Issan. His western name is Joe. Again, speaking from experience, he is very well endowed as well.

+1

Met with the real estate agent yesterday, but did not find anything to our liking. I guess I am a little too picky, or looking for something a little closer to western standards. Cam would have been fine with a couple of the places, but they just did not provide the comforts of home I am looking for. Something was always missing. Plus, there are not a lot of options out there. Choices are very limited, so if we do decide on Battambang I will need to change or adjust my mindset and be willing to settle for something rather than finding the perfect place that has everything on my list. Keep in mind that my list is not that extensive...just a few must have's. Cam's sister is in town today with husband and the two nephews. We are meeting them for dinner. Not sure how often they come to Battambang. Cam said the husband had some business to take care of. Perhaps it is related in some way to the mini-mart they own.

Well, the chickens are a thing of the past. His father used to raise them...as many as 100 at one time. I think Cam's idea about raising the goats is partially to give his father something to do to stay occupied. I don't think Cam's intent was to stay there with his parents and raise the goats himself. He also talked about turtles, but those would be in the pond on the farm where they grow rice and sesame. I think the father's older brother would be the primary caretaker of the turtles. Just one more source of income for the family is how I look at it. Cam's real desire is to become a barber and have his own shop. There are more opportunities in Siem Reap for some type of vocational training or internship than in Battambang. As for the in-law unit...not thanks. I pass on that. Cam does know about the forum. He has even met some of the members back in Bangkok...going with me when I would plan to meet them for drinks or dinner. I am 99.9% sure he would never take the time to try and translate from the English into Khmer just to discover what was being said on the forum. lol. He is a little too lazy and lacks the motivation to do that.

Battambang seems very quiet compared to Siem Reap. As I said before, it reminds me of a small, sleepy river town. Not a lot of things happening here. That isn't to say I would be unhappy here. I would actually be fine living either place. For me, the biggest advantage of Siem Reap over Battambang is the close proximity to the airport and the availability of more/better housing options. I haven't been to Phnom Penh yet, but I suppose I could also go there to the international airport. Not sure of the distance. I am still trying to get some insight from Cam as to why the sudden change of mind. It is a fishing expedition at this point. lol.

Well, we have an interesting turn of events here. This morning after we finished eating some breakfast, Cam asked me how I am feeling and what I think now that I have been in Cambodia for more than a month. He was specifically asking for my thoughts about Cambodia in general, and quite possibly a comparison to Thailand…not sure about that last part. In general, I try to be very careful about comparing things here to any other country, including Thailand and US. I am never quite sure how sensitive an issue that is, so believe it is better to err on the side of caution. After I responded to his question, he then asked what I thought of Battambang and how I was feeling about the city. Since we are talking about living here, that was a fair and reasonable question. After sharing my thoughts, turned the tables and asked him how he was feeling about it and if Battambang was still the city of choice, or would he prefer something even closer to his family. I certainly wouldn’t mind looking for a place in his home province as long as we had our own place and did not live with his family…regardless of the new house. To my surprise, he said he was having second thoughts about Battambang and perhaps we should rethink Siem Reap as our home base. He said whether we are in Battambang or Siem Reap, he had no plans to see his parents or siblings on a somewhat regular basis. We might go to visit once every six weeks or so, but he has no desire to visit daily or weekly. So, we are going to go ahead and meet with the real estate agent at 1:30pm today and check out some possible places here in Battambang. However, we might need to adjust our plans to spend a few more days in Siem Reap before I leave in November and meet with an agent there as well. My fear is that he is thinking I would be happier or it would be an easier adjustment for me if we were in Siem Reap. He hasn’t said that…but my gut is telling me that this isn’t so much about him changing his mind as it is out of concern for me. I don’t believe I have given any indication that I don’t care for Battambang…I actually like it and think I would prefer it over Siem Reap. Not quite sure where we will end up at this point. lol.

Same here...18-25 year olds.

Done. Didn't respond, blocked and deleted. Thanks, everyone...I was very suspicious, which is why I asked.

FYI...it would seem that twice a year the staff from US Embassy in Phnom Penh travels to Battambang and Siem Reap to provide consular services (passport and CRBA pick-up, notary services, passport renewals) in those cities to US citizens. They will be in Battambang on November 5 and in Siem Reap on November 6. You need to schedule an appointment in advance. If anyone is interested in such services, you should email ACSPhnomPenh@state.gov no later than 4:00 pm on Nov 3, 2026, to request an appointment. You will receive an email confirmation with your scheduled appointment time and the location. You should note that once you have received confirmation of the appointment time, they will NOT make changes to your appointment time. For consular service applicants, please provide the following information: Full name Date of birth Passport number Service Requested Applicants should plan to pay their application and notarial fees with cash in U.S. dollars only. They will not make change and are not permitted to keep any extra (must not be appointees of the red-headed baboon...they would surely pocket any extra), so you are advised to be sure and have the exact amount needed for the service you need. Passport fees can be found on the State Department website. I obtained this information by signing up for email blasts during travel via the State Department.

Quick update...just been exploring Battambang city and getting acclimated to the environment here. We took a ride on the motorbike out into the countryside two days ago...got around 20 km out and then a downpour. Got absolutely soaked. Only had those flimsy plastic rain covers available from most roadside stands and not much else for protection. I guess I have been lucky, as this is the first time since I have been here that we got caught in a rainstorm while on the motorbike. Just reinforced my thoughts about purchasing a car once I am living here full time. Think I really prefer the protection it provides on several fronts. Needless to say, we never reached our destination and ended up returning to the Airbnb. We were headed to Snoueng to visit the 11th-century temple ruin Prasat Steung along the road from Battambang to Pailin. I think the next time we attempt this I will suggest we just hire taxi or car for the trip. Meeting with a real estate agent tomorrow morning to investigate apartment options in the area. Hope we are successful in finding a place. If we can find something in a good area that we both like I am willing to go ahead and put a deposit down now to secure it. That will allow Cam to have access after I return to Denver. He might want to come and visit family or friends...or just simply need a break from his family during the construction project. I have already made it clear there are to be no guests other than family and definitely no parties. lol. Need to give a brief update regarding my health...it seems I am going to need to cut my trip short by about one week. I knew this might happen, as did Cam. We have been very open about the situation. I am going to be having heart surgery December 1. They need to do some preliminary tests and other things in preparation for the surgery that requires me to be back a little earlier than I had planned...mainly because of the Thanksgiving holiday in US. This is something that needs to be taken care of before making the move to Cambodia, and the timing works out with Cam's construction schedule because the cardiologist estimates the recovery period to be approximately three months. Cam's estimate for construction is two months...lol...my estimate is three. I think it will end up being four based upon the experience with building the new fence.

Thanks for that important bit of information. Definitely want to try this one. Looks like fun.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere on the forum that it was cheaper to purchase a round trip ticket to USA originating in Asia rather than purchasing the travel to originate in USA. Does anyone know if that is actually the case or has anyone done that before? I am trying to decide if I should purchase my ticket for the return trip to Cambodia in March 2027 here in Cambodia through a travel agent as a RT from Siem Reap to Denver and back to Siem Reap. Would appreciate to know if anyone else has done this before. THANKS!

What is that old saying...if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

First of all, let me remind everyone that, yes, I am one of those spoiled Americans who prefers private car service. lol. At Suvarnabhumi, I have always used SP Limousine & Service. This was based on recommendation from several forum members. They have a Facebook page. I have always booked online. https://www.facebook.com/splimousine/ For the trip to Pattaya, I have always used The Limo Pattaya, again based upon recommendation from other forum members. Their website is: https://www.thelimopattaya.com I have never had a problems or issues with either service. Always very professional, on time, great vehicles, safe drivers. Of course, they are going to be a bit more expensive than Grab, Bolt (if it is still available in Thailand), or taxi service.

Greetings to All! I am going to post this here since it is in reference to someone in Thailand. I received a text message this morning via What's App from someone who says we met in Bangkok asking for assistance. Here is the message which I have copied and pasted: "I'm just trying to find help from people I know. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. Due to the storm, my house was flooded, and my mother was electrocuted by a faulty electrical wire. She was rushed to the hospital this morning, but passed away this afternoon. I'm currently at the bus station to go back to my hometown for my mother's funeral. But I really have no money left. I haven't had any customers for a whole month because of the continuous rain and storms, and there are no tourists in Thailand. I'm truly sorry. If possible, please help me this time. I hope to hear from you. Thank you very much." He starts by giving me his name (Ty), says he is from Vietnam, but does not mention a specific massage shop where he works. According to his What's App account. his name is La Ngu and it is from a Vietnamese number. None if the identifying information he provided rings a bell with me, and to be honest, I do not recall ever meeting anyone that was Vietnamese. No particular reason for that. I am just naturally drawn to Cambodian, Thai, or Laotian. I did go with one from Myanmar who works at Rainbow Dragon. I know these guys often hit people up for assistance and it is possible he got my number from one of his buddies whom I have actually met. I did not reply to the message. I showed it to Cam and he immediately said it is a scam. On the outside chance it may be true, I thought I would post here. Perhaps someone is familiar with 'Ty' or 'La Ngu' who is from Vietnam, works in a massage shop, and his mother just passed away. Comments or thoughts appreciated!

Yes, I was disappointed we did not get a chance to connect on this trip. Cam's family had other ideas. lol. I honestly cannot remember now where exactly it was, but we saw some bats somewhere around Siem Reap. I was surprised, as this was in the middle of the afternoon. You could actually see some hanging high up in the trees, but there were also a good number of them flying around as well. Cam has talked about going to the Bat Cave, and also mentioned the bamboo train. I hear mixed things about the bamboo train...some people comment it wasn't worth the time, while others thought it was great. Guess I will just need to find out for myself. Not sure when we will do either of those things.

I have been diagnosed with Asthma...many years ago, actually, and the inhaler is for emergency situations. It is albuterol. The pharmacist at one of the hospitals showed me an alternative she said would work, but I need to share that medication with my doctor back in Denver to be sure it will provide the same benefit if it is needed. Fortunately, I don't have asthma attacks very often, and never had to use it on any visit to Thailand and so far not on this trip to Cambodia. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Yes, I have been lectured and even yelled at by Cam for failing to be more careful about watching for motorbikes and cars, especially when I am getting off our motorbike and begin to move...as recently as this afternoon. He will grab my arm very forcefully and pull me back. As I mentioned in a previous post, while traffic in Thailand was horrendous, I never felt unsafe and was able to navigate crossing streets okay. It is definitely far more challenging in Cambodia as they don't seem to have any care or consideration for other people in general once they get on that motorbike or behind the wheel of a car. Reminds me of the days I would like to watch demolition derbies on television when I was young...probably junior high school age. People here are very friendly and helpful, but put them in a situation where they are driving and the devil comes out. It is an absolute free-for-all. lol.

Some of the treats that I recently discovered for breakfast since arriving in Battambang now have Khmer names to go with them. lol. It took a bit of coercing from Cam and the server to be able to figure things out, but I eventually got there. I wanted to know their names so that I could order them in other places as well, or at least see if they were on the list of items available. Nom Cheung Chrouk is the one that looks similar to a muffin but is deep-fried. While it is savory, it does have some sort of glaze on it that is sweet. The English name would put some people off from trying…Pig Trotter Cake or Crispy Pork Feet Cake. However, rest assured there is no meat inside whatsoever…only chives and various types of onion…no pork. Not sure why the English name?!? According to AI/Google it is because it looks similar to a pig’s foot. My grandfather loved to eat pickled pig’s feet and always had a jar sitting on the table at lunch time. The cake doesn’t look anything like what I remember a pig’s foot to look like. Nom Kong is the one that looks like a donut but is very chewy like Japanese mochi. It is also deep-fried and then has this sweet topping that gets hard and crunchy and is sprinkled with sesame seeds. This one in particular is very dangerous for me as it is so delicious. I could eat two every morning for breakfast and would gain so much weight. I believe the hard crunchy top contains honey…not sure what else. Nom Ka Chai is the one similar in size and shape to a hockey puck…maybe not that large and is the fried chive cake. I have had something similar in Chinese Dim Sum restaurants, but never this large. While we ate them for breakfast, I think for me it would be more of an afternoon or late night snack. You will notice a pattern here…all of these are deep-friend delicacies. Nom Pot Pham Chien is the last one I have tried so far. This is a fried sweet corn cake made from freshly roasted corn either shaved or cut off the ear and combined with some type of flour and other ingredients then formed into a patty or pancake. Reminds me of something similar you find in southeast US called corn fritters. The version we had contained some green onion, carrot and I believe or at least hope it was minced shrimp and not something more sinister or disgusting. lol. One of those things I am probably better off not knowing what it actually is and just allow myself to assume it is shrimp.

Today was all about taking care of business. I opened a bank account at ACLEDA. I chose this bank because this is the bank that Cam uses. Cam is also on my account. I have a similar arrangement in Denver where my sister and youngest nephew are both on my accounts there. Just on the outside chance that something were to happen to me and I became incapacitated, I want someone to be able to access the account and handle matters if it becomes necessary. I will be able to move money from my US bank account to the Cambodian bank account as needed, but that can only be done through the US account…not in reverse…so Cam does not have access to those accounts. I anticipated that question would be coming from forum members. lol. The bank account was relatively easy to set up using my passport, the ER visa, and the current Airbnb address. I was able to show an online receipt through the Airbnb website that satisfied the residency requirement as far as the bank was concerned. You can actually open the account with $0 money, but I chose to deposit $50 USD. Went to Metfone, again chosen because Cam and his family all use this company, as it was time to re-up the next month on my cell/data plan. Inquired about an annual plan, but nothing like that is offered. Everything is month to month. However, since I have the ER visa, my rate was a little bit less, and the months I am out of the country I only need to pay $1 monthly to keep the account active. This can be done with a transfer via my phone from the ACLEDA bank account directly to Metfone. Quick and easy. Checked out two different hospitals in Battambang…Handa Medical Center and Sovann Polyclinic. Both are accustomed to dealing with international patients and have English speaking staff available. Both are private, though, as the public institutions are not recommended by expats living there. Handa and Sovann will do for routine visits and to get my prescriptions. Emergencies in a pinch. Anything other than that will require a trip to Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, or Bangkok. I already knew that. Both facilities are decent and similar to what I experienced in Bangkok. Checked with the pharmacy at both places, giving them a list of my medications and the dosage for each one. Both places were very nice and took time to check the list carefully. It seems all of my current medications will be available here with the exception of one heart medication and my inhaler for asthma. They have a different but comparable inhaler…but no alternative for the one heart medication. I will need to discuss the medications with my doctor back in Denver to see what else we might be able to use instead of the one not available at all. Overall, though, it was a very positive experience and I don’t think my medications will be too much of an issue. Once I return, I will need to decide on which medical center I prefer and make an appointment to be seen by one of the doctors who will write the prescriptions. Planning to meet with a real estate agent next week to look at some possible apartments. AC is definitely at the top of my list, followed by washer. Swimming pool would be nice, but not a requirement. Secured parking for the motorbike is at the top of Cam’s list. Not sure why…is theft an issue here? Would be nice to have an actual stove top in the kitchen instead of a single hot plate, but that is not a deal breaker. I can always buy a second hot plate if necessary. Not sure how well equipped the kitchen will be until we actually start visiting potential places. In the meantime, having a family dinner tonight at the aunt and uncle’s house. They are not as warm and fuzzy towards me as Cam’s immediate family. Cannot pinpoint any one thing…just my overall vibe. Welcoming the stranger to their home…okay…but definitely get a feeling of disapproval regarding me and Cam. I had seen photos of them before from when their daughter got married recently. They also looked very stiff and conservative in their photos. Don’t think they will be folks that we spend a lot of time with, even though they are in Battambang. His cousin’s are okay, though…around the same age as Cam and his youngest sister…25-35 range.

OK, this has absolutely nothing to do with anything of importance, really, but can anyone explain to me why they would have a left turn arrow on a traffic signal at an intersection but yet when the arrow is green, the light is also green for the oncoming traffic from the opposite direction straight ahead?!? I was so confused by this, but could not help but laugh out loud. The green arrow to turn left should be the only working light at that moment and the only traffic moving, but that was so not the case. I do realize that traffic signs and signals in general seem to be more for decoration than actual rules of the road…but that was just mind boggling to me. Do they even require driving tests here? Not sure what it takes to actually get a license. Supposedly, according to all of the guidebooks and travel websites, foreigners are not permitted to drive in Cambodia. I do not know if they have rental car agencies. Not something I pursued. However, foreigners are able to rent a motorbike even though according to the government it is forbidden. This was not so noticeable in Cam’s hometown, but in Battambang and also in Siem Reap there are many shops that have bike rentals. Think once I am actually living here full time we will consider the possibility of purchasing a car. As much of a daredevil I think he is on the motorbike when I am not there, Cam seems to be nervous and afraid of learning to drive a car. I am sure this will pass once he gets behind the wheel. lol

Well, we have finally arrived in Battambang. Trip wasn’t too bad. Three motorbikes…Cam/me, mother/father, and sister. Took around 90 minutes, although Cam says it is doable within 60 minutes. However, we stopped twice along the way. Road isn’t too bad, and fortunately it did not rain. Battambang reminds me of this quaint, sleepy small town. It makes me think about Mark Twain stories that describe life in sleepy river towns of the southern US. Depending on which travel website or guidebook you read, some list Battambang as the second largest city in Cambodia while others list it as number three. No idea what the actual population is, but it does not have a big city vibe to it. While I did not see an overwhelming number of tourists in the city of Siem Reap itself, the temples were definitely busy. In Cam’s hometown, I was definitely the token foreigner. Not a single other Caucasian within miles of the place. Battambang does not seem to attract many foreigners, either. We have seen a few, but not many. Traffic for me was not a problem in Siem Reap, and doesn’t seem to be a concern here as well. The biggest issue regarding traffic everywhere is there are simply too many vehicles and too little infrastructure. I would hope some of the two lane roads and streets will be widened to allow for better flow, but that takes time and money. I do enjoy the French colonial architecture, and there seems to be a very active art scene here with a number of galleries and museums. Have not done any of the touristy type things just yet. Already discovered a great place for breakfast near the Airbnb that has these most delicious treats that look like donuts but are chewy similar to Japanese mochi and have a sticky coating covered in sesame seeds. So yummy. Also tried their version of a chive dumpling and something similar to an empanada that contains ground pork, chives, and jicama among other things. Found a modern supermarket where I will probably do most of my grocery shopping. Cam will probably prefer the local markets, but the western part of me likes the shiny and new appearance of the more modern supermarket. Airbnb turned out to be exactly as described with the exception of the swimming pool. The photos of the pool online make it look very large, when in reality it is more like a kiddie pool…just for wading and cooling off, but no laps or diving whatsoever. It was nice to be able to sleep in an actual bed last night without mosquito netting with a working AC unit. AC is only in the bedroom, but we have two fans in the living area to keep air circulating. That must be a thing here in Cambodia. Unlike Bangkok, where the entire unit has AC, it only seems to be available in the bedrooms in Cambodia. Kitchen is small, but I have come to expect that of most Asian kitchens. I was also able to take a nice, long hot shower instead of scooping water from water storage to get myself wet and rinse, as well as a standard toilet. Funny thing about the toilet, though…the toilet is standard, but the toilet seat is from a different toilet that is more oval and elongated. lol. Cam makes fun of me for wanting to take a hot shower but keeping the AC on all night long at full blast to stay cool. I guess that is somewhat of a contradiction. It was nice to finally be reunited with some of my belongings as well. The larger bag had gone to Battambang when I first arrived…taken by a friend of Cam’s who drives a delivery truck. I was not sure what condition it would be in, but it had been safely stored and everything in order just like when I first arrived at the airport.

While someone may crash at our apartment on a rare occasion, the plan is to just get a one bedroom similar to what we have been doing on Airbnb rentals. So there will not be a lot of extra room. They are pretty much accustomed to staying with his mother's sister whenever they visit Battambang, so hopefully that will continue. I wouldn't really mind if someone stayed with us...just not the entire brood at one time. All five siblings look very similar. The three girls are very much like their mother. Even though there is a gap of some 13 or 14 years between Cam and his brother, they really could be twins. They look alike and from a profile definitely have their father's features. Face on I do see their mother, just like the sisters. While it is always a possibility that they are not all biologically related, I don't believe that is the case. His parents have been together some 40 years. Those are rather personal questions that I may be curious about, but would never ask. Same as with his sister who is the seamstress. She and her husband are separated. They have three young boys elementary age. The sister lives with the grandmother. The boys live with their father. She does occasionally have them, but not often. No idea what the story is there, even though I am curious about the situation. I know Cam will sometimes go and visit the boys at school and treat them to like pizza or ice cream, but she did not have them over Pchum Ben and, as far as I know, did not go to see them or spend time with them. Again, while I may g very curious, Cam doesn't talk about the situation so I don't ask any questions. If and when he is ready to share the story with me, I will simply listen but not offer any comments or suggestions other than to provide empathy.

He is still in there somewhere. Remember, I am on Cam's home turf now and this is about learning his culture, family traditions, and basically integrating myself into the Cambodian way of life. Definitely not the experience I expected before my arrival, but hoping things will get back to what I did expect when we head to Battambang on Tuesday or Wednesday. Yes, the parents are still going to go with us, as well as his sister who is the seamstress. She has a few clients in Battambang she needs to see. So, it will continue to be a family affair, although his parents and sister will be staying with the mother's sister and family, while Cam and I will be in an Airbnb. Anxious to see how well the description and photos match from Airbnb, and praying for a hot shower.

Cam prefer the black label of Hanuman. Also, I don't know about the blue label, but the pull tab on the black labels sometimes has the number $1 on it which can be exchanged at the store for a free can of the beer. Let me tell you...he has had quite the collection of pull tabs and gotten more than his fair share of free cans over the last 10 days. I would prefer a little less incentive. lol.