Nations that an American Man could Travel and Relocate to – Part 1

What happens when you are given a five minute notice before your company lays you off? Then they hand you a NDA, and expect you to sign it, or else they will prevent you from getting food stamps and support. What then?

What options do you have? Another stab at getting yet another American job, and America boss in an American corporate environment? Is that what your options are? As an American man, just what are your options?

There are times when you just feel a screaming need to “bug out”.

But, let me tell you something. The world is yours once you have lost everything.  That includes nations, food, culture and girls. You can go anywhere and be anyone. This is especially true for an American man who faced a vindictive ex-wife, or had an encounter with any of the many, many American alphabet regulatory organizations such as the IRS, DHS, CIA, FBI, ICE, FDA etc.

People, there is an entire world out there. It is big, and filled with all sorts of interesting and colorful people.

I urge the reader to divest themselves from the notion that the United States offers the only decent living arrangements on the globe.  There are other places.  Many others.

Some are better and some are worst.  It is up to the reader to consider all of the options that lie before them and make determinations and judgments biased upon their own individual situation, preferences, and desires.  Not (to make them biased) on fear or lack of experience…

You do not have to endure a life that is defined by others…

Introduction

The world is filled with interesting people, wonderful places, and really different ways of doing things. many of which are a pleasant surprise to Americans who have grown up thinking that the “American Way” is the only way to do things (as well as being the “best” way to do things).

There are so many nations and places to choose from.

Written by a Man

Please note that this was written by a man. It is about things that might be of interest to a man. For similar posts written by women, I would suggest the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, or Salon.

Also note that this is a blog. It contains personal opinions. If you want to read something that is unbiased and doesn’t have opinions, try CNN. LOL.

Finally, many of the things that are commonplace in other nations are either banned, censored or illegal in the United States. This post does not censor for American sensibilities. As there are people all over the world that reads it. I just can’t sanitize it for Americans. That includes…

• Buying beer on Sunday.
• Doing drugs in Holland.
• Prostitution chain-bordellos in Germany.
• Public nudity in Iceland.
• Smoking in public in China.
• Being able to eat in restaurants barefoot in Cambodia.
• Traditional gender roles in Brazil.
• The giant penis festival in Japan.
• Buying ED medicine without a prescription. (Common everywhere.)

If you are an American, and you are too sensitive to the realities outside of America, then I would suggest you leave. Exposure to freedom is not something to be taken trivially. Real freedom is not having to ask permission to do something. Real freedom is not taxed, monitored or prohibited.

Real freedom is not taxed, monitored or prohibited.

Multi-part Post

This post is part one of a multi-part post. My basic premise is that the world is a big place. Get out. Enjoy the differences. Savor them. Life is too short.

Let’s start by talking about a tiny mountain nation smack dab in the middle of Europe.

Switzerland

Ah Switzerland.  Perhaps my number one ideal destination.  However, not my number one practical destination.

Here’s an interesting article titled “Living in Switzerland ruined me for America and its lousy work culture” written  by Chantal Panozzo on February 1, 2016.  Found here.

“During my Swiss career, I was employed by various companies from 25 percent to 100 percent. When I worked 60 percent, for example, I worked three days a week. A job that is 50 percent could mean the employee works five mornings a week or, as I once did, two and a half days a week. 

The freedom to choose the amount of work that was right for me at varying points of my life was wonderful and kept me engaged and happy.”

And…

“At my former American job, I received 10 days of paid vacation per year, and each of those days came with a sizable portion of guilt if actually used. 

But in Switzerland, my husband's company gave employees six weeks of vacation a year. 

Most of the Swiss companies I worked for gave four — the legal minimum is four. Moreover, everything shut down between Christmas and New Year's, giving most employees like me another guaranteed week off.”

Wow, it sounds like a great place to work. You can work at your own pace, and attend to your family life.  If you are too stressed, you can work out an arrangements where you work part time. If you have family issues, you can adjust things accordingly. If you need more money, you can work out an aggressive work schedule. This degree of corporate flexibility is a freedom that Americans do not possess.

Winter in the Swiss mountains…

“About three years into my Swiss life, I lost my job. And I discovered that in Switzerland, being on unemployment meant you received 70 to 80 percent of your prior salary for 18 months. 

The Swiss government also paid for me to take German classes, and when I wasn't looking for jobs, I could afford to write a book.”

And…

“When I gave birth in Switzerland, I was encouraged to stay five days in the hospital. So I did. The $3,000 bill for the birth and hospital stay was paid in full by my Swiss insurance. As was the required midwife, who came to my apartment for five days after I came home from the hospital to check on both my health and my baby's. 

Had I been in the US for my delivery, the cost would have been much higher — and the quality of care arguably lower. The average price for a vaginal birth in the US is $30,000 and includes an average of less than a two-day hospital stay.”

You know, working in Switzerland might be something to consider. And, of course, maybe having a child born in Switzerland wouldn’t be a bad idea. What do you think?

France

So many places to move to. Let’s talk about France.

Many people have said to me, “Oh Diane, you’re so lucky. You live in France…” And I stop them right there. Luck had nothing to do with it. I didn’t fall out of bed one day to find my suitcase packed, money in the bank, with a first class ticket on Magic Fairy Airlines, destination: France.

No. It never works like that.

My goal was to move to France and my choices leading up to that move got me here. This didn’t just happen to me while I idly stood by. I moved to France last year to be with Tom, but the first time I moved to France in 2009, Tom wasn’t even in the picture…

-Oui in France

Did you know that it is very easy to become a citizen of France? Yes it is. Look at all the uneducated Africans who now live there. However, I am not referring to that, I am referring to the French Foreign Legion. You serve, and you become a citizen. It’s a tough option, but a reasonable one for a younger man to consider.

It’s a great option if you burned your bridges in the United States, and want to start off new and fresh with a new identification, a new name, living in a new area. You just have to EARN it. That’s all.

When I was back in high school and planning to go to the Air Force Academy to be a pilot for the Air Force, I took French classes.  I took them for three years, as that was an Air Force Academy requirement at that time.  I never really used it except for many years later when I visited Canada, Vietnam and Zambia.

Moreover, an interesting blog about living in France can be found here.

Like the other entries here, it offers some glimpse of alternative realities that aren’t even considered possible in the United States, like for instance a Wine High School…

“About this time a year ago, we had lived in France for only three weeks when an announcement on the city’s website regarding an event for that weekend caught our eye—Wine Fair! We knew that we had moved to the world’s largest grape-growing area but we didn’t realize that there was a high school devoted to the craft just a few minutes’ walk from the house. With the promise of 30 wines, 6 beers, and 2 ciders, we just had to go…for a taste, of course.

High schools in France give students the opportunity to decide if they want to pursue a university degree or prefer a more hands-on approach to a career be it industrial or laboratory science, health and social sciences, music or dance, or trades that require internships, to name a few.  

The Lycée Charlemagne, located not far from where we used to live by the castle, specializes in agriculture, so if you want to become any kind of farmer, including a wine grower, this is the place to be. 

Since Carcassonne is such a magnet for tourists, other high schools here offer specialization in hospitality and the restaurant industry. 

In contrast, we saw a TV program about Le Mans, the French city north of us that is famous for the Grand Prix road race, and is the city of choice for young people who want to learn all about automobile and motorcycle mechanics.”

A wine High School. How about that!

I well remember us complaining in High School (that was back in the mid 1970’s) that our peers in France and Europe were given wine with their school lunches. Meanwhile the Democrats in the United States were insanely active in raising the drinking age up from 16 to 21. They insisted on raising the drinking age…“For the Children”. Ugh! It was so frustrating being treated such that we were somehow stupider and immature than our peers elsewhere in the globe.

That’s Democrats for ya. Always thinking that they know what’s best… for YOU.

Iceland

Why not? Here is a nation that stays out of wars, throws bankers in prison when they try to bankrupt the nation, and is populated with (I hear) exceptionally beautiful women.  What’s not to like?

 On the subarctic island, consumer prices were on average 56 percent  higher than the rest of Europe in 2018, making Iceland the single most  expensive country, ahead of Switzerland (52 percent), Norway (48  percent) and Denmark (38 percent), according to Eurostat data.

In  order to avoid unpleasant surprises, Quint Johnson, had done "some  research," before travelling to Iceland from the United States for a  week's vacation with his family.

"But it's been a little bit of a  shock," the 22-year-old student told AFP, having discovered the chilling  rates for familiar items like a simple hamburger with fries and a beer.  

A glance at the menu at an Icelandic restaurant will tell you  that a plain cheese pizza will run you around 2,400 kronor -- almost 17  euros ($19) -- a glass of wine will be at least 10 euros and a pint of  beer costs about 7 euros.

"That's a big price jump compared to what I'm used to," Johnson said.

According  to the consumer price comparison site Numbeo, a dinner for two in an  average restaurant ends with a bill of about 85 euros, a bottle of wine  in a shop is priced at around 17 euros, and a dozen eggs cost up to five  euros. 

-France24

Not only that, but there are few countries in the world that can say they do not have any mosquitoes and Iceland is one of them!

The following are excerpts from Larissa Kyzer who lived in NYC before she moved to Iceland.  Her comments can be found here.

“Forget lying about your birthday: if you’re one of those people who likes to fudge your age, be forewarned. Your Icelandic national ID, or kennitala, begins with the day, month, and year of your birthday, and you will be expected to recite it to everyone, everywhere, for pretty much everything. Get a library card, give your kennitala. Sign up for a cell phone plan, give your kennitala. Rent a video, give your kennitala. Unlike the American social security number, it is intended to be a very public number.”

And…

“…always bring a towel! You’ll find that people go to the pools a lot--if only to chat in the hot pots (the geothermal jacuzzis that are at every pool)--and even though you can rent a towel (and a suit for that matter), you’ll save a fair amount of money in the long run if you bring your own. Plus, if you carry your swim things with you, you’ll be ready at a moment’s notice for a trip down the water slide, or a gossip session or football debate in the hot pots.”

The People

Icelanders are proud, somewhat stoic people. Look, they are a race of people that sought to make a living on a cold, barren island 1000+ years ago. Pride and stoicism were necessary personal attributes. You know a country prides itself on individuality when it doesn’t subscribe to having a McDonalds. It did once upon a time before the economic crash in 2008 but has no desire to see the chain again in spite of its economic recovery.

Icelanders are not necessarily warm and emotive people. Get to know them though and you’ll have a loyal, lifelong friend.

Icelanders are educated and informed. The culture there expects education, many Icelanders have advanced degrees. They are up on politics and they tend to be very well-traveled.  Lastly, Iceland is a very progressive political country. For example, Iceland may be the most gay-friendly country on earth.

Financial Stability

97% of Icelanders identify themselves as upper-middle class, lower-middle class, or working class. Thus, the financial equality found in this culture, allows for a more stable society to raise a kid. Additionally, higher education is essentially free, so the cost of raising a child is much cheaper in Iceland.

Weather

Iceland is a sub-Arctic country located out in the middle of the north Atlantic.  What can I say, other than the weather is cold, grey and rainy quite a lot.  You get long, cold and dark winters.

In the summer, you get long days – very long.

Basically, don’t expect good weather.  But when it comes – Oh Lord when it comes – Iceland is glorious. When the sun does come out it is simply spectacular. The blue of the northern sky is luminous and magnifies the vibrancy of the surrounding landscape by a thousand-fold.

Vacation

"In general, the pace of life was much slower than I was used to.  Icelanders work hard and they play hard, to use an old cliche.  Icelanders take long vacations, some up to 4 weeks in the summer!  

As an American, this is unheard of.  I submit to the average American, that if you had a 4 week vacation you wouldn’t (at first) know what to do with it. "

Pace of Life

"All of Iceland tends to start work at 9 and they stay till 5 or 6; City traffic follows this pattern without much deviation.  Weekends are slower affairs. Men watch soccer. 

People wake late - almost everyone.  Typical citizens would go visit friends for coffee in the afternoon. 

Coming from a country and large city where there was always a plethora of choice, Iceland was far more limited.  For example, an Icelandic visitor to the United States will be overwhelmed by the choices in US supermarkets.  She will say, ‘Why do you need 200 kinds of breakfast cereal?’"

Nudity

Again, this is a little strange for me as an American. Most of the rest of the world just isn’t as hung up on the human body as Americans are. It’s not just Germany, you know. It’s friggin’ everywhere.

Icelanders are very comfortable with their bodies, almost too comfortable if you ask most Americans. But once you are in their country, you must obey their strict public pool etiquette; no matter how uncomfortable you may feel. 

In addition to not allowing shoes in the locker room area, all men are expected to strip, and clean themselves in the public shower before heading out into the main pool area. 

I’m assuming this is also true for women in the ladies locker room, but I’ll just have to take their word for it.

Most public pools also have hot saunas, and the same behavior is expected regarding a post session wash. Icelander’s take these rules very seriously because they have natural geothermal swimming pools often heated by my mother nature. 

Due to this unrelenting desire to keep their pools and locker rooms clean, they will have no problem bluntly telling you to strip. 

Matt Eliason remembers his first time to the Laugardalur community pool in which he was scolded for not participating in the necessary public strip tease. However, the reader should relax that he has since adjusted to this uniquely “European” behavior and now show no shyness when following the public pool etiquette.

Walking out of a bar at 4am into daylight

It’s true, the geographical location of Iceland´s Nordic island situates itself in such a way that most summer days yield over 22 hours of sunlight. This presents an interesting dilemma when you are walking out of the club on a Saturday night (Sunday morning) and you take a step outside the dimly lit club into the broad daylight. 

A very interesting summary about the all-night party atmosphere, and the price of beer can be found HERE.

Lack of Big Restaurant Chains

With stores like Whole Foods, McDonald’s and Starbucks ingrained into the psyche of all Americans, being stripped of these cultural consistencies has an effect on your day-to-day life for good and for bad. What this means is that the convenience of going out at your own leisure and get a McBurger is just not going to happen.  This is both a positive and a negative.

Outside of Domino Pizza and a couple KFCs, Iceland’s economic environment encourages upscale classy restaurants, and forces out big box chains, due to the economics of importing cheap fast food. McDonald did have a brief spell in Iceland, but the business plan proved to be economical enviable.

Language

Everyone speaks English. 

While it’s always a good idea to learn a few words of the language where ever you travel everyone Brianna encountered spoke excellent English.(There was definitely a chuckle or two when she tried out her very limited Icelandic).

Chile

OK. That’s enough of the areas about and around Europe. Let’s take a spin to South America. Let’s look at Chile.

Chile? Why Chile of all places? You might ask.

Mr Simon Black has a blog and organization where he urges people to obtain second passports, citizenship, savings accounts and banks.  He urges people to be more international so that they can keep their options open when things spoil in one geographical region or another. In his blog he suggest Chile as a destination for American expats to migrate to.

Good advice this. As I can personally confirm.

While I do not agree with everything that he has to say, I do follow his suggestions on prudent preparation.  I dare say that many of the Jews living in Poland in 1938 would have not died under the Hitler military machine were they to be prudent and alert.

From Simon, an interesting article about leaving the United States and moving to Chile can be found here.

“Yesterday on the drive back to Santiago from one of our blueberry farms, I stopped to visit some friends who lived in the area.  About a year ago they bought some land in Chile’s incredibly fertile 7th region, which boasts a rare Mediterranean climate. It never gets too hot, and it never gets too cold. Plus, the rich, volcanic soil is packed with powerful nutrients. 

As long as you’re in the right spot to ensure ample water security, the place is an agricultural paradise (our agriculture company owns two large farms in the region). There are literally four other places on the planet with this combination– southern California, South Australia, the Western Cape of South Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean itself.”

And…

“Yet by comparison to those other places, land in Chile is remarkably cheap. 

Our agriculture company purchased several thousand acres in this prime region back in 2015 for about $1,700 per acre. Similar property in California, especially given how much water we have, would easily sell for 10x to 20x that price.

My friends bought several acres of land for themselves as a sort of homestead, and they’re now living in a gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains and multiple rivers with cool, crystal clear water and a steady supply of fish. They’re raising livestock and have a garden, plus I got them started with a gift of some baby trees which are already producing fruit in their first season.

It feels like lifetimes away from when they were living in New York City.”

And…

“My friends purchased the land outright (again, land is inexpensive). Then they paid about $55,000 to build their home. The house is quite nice– comfortably spacious with four bedrooms. And it’s all wired up with the latest gadgetry and home automation, with all sorts of sensors to control appliances and conduct routine tasks. 

So they now have a roof over their heads and plenty of land to do whatever they want, and they own it all outright… they don’t owe a penny on any of it.”

Continued…

“My friends had concerns. They were living in New York before and didn’t like the trends they saw in their home country. There was too much debt. Too much war. Too much money printing. Too many lies. Too much spying. Too much violence. Too much uncertainty. 

They wanted to distance themselves from conditions that made them uncomfortable. So they made a very deliberate plan and took steps that led them to where they are today– living in their own paradise. And they couldn’t be happier.

These guys aren’t hiding from the world. He’s still working in technology and she’s still producing art… exactly what they used to do.”

Unlike the United States, when you buy something like a house or a plot of land, you own it. That’s right. You do not have to pay taxes on “your” land or suffer it being seized. The smaller nation often has smaller regulations that you need be concerned about and taxes that are easily affordable.

Yes, other nations have highways, bridges and tollbooths. Often in far better shape than what is found in the United States.

Vietnam

As a boy, I would watch the news about the war in Vietnam.  It seemed so remote and so “third world”.  Which at the time, it actually was.

Fast forward to today. Vietnam is a growing country that seems to possess all the attributes that seem to interest me. It has great food, beautiful women, long clean beaches, and totally isolated from the madness that the United States has become.

Here’s what an American expat who moved to Vietnam has to say about it;

“I’ve been living in Vietnam a while now, relatively speaking. Longer than I expected, in fact. When I tell anybody new to town how long I’ve been here for, they always raise their eyebrows and give me a suspicious look, just as I used to do when I first arrived. 

I never planned to still be here (over 6 years and counting…), though I have some friends who’ve stayed much longer. The first year here felt very long indeed. I did what most single foreign men do when they arrive in Vietnam. I became a sort of ‘playboy’. I thought it was cool then, but now I’m ashamed of that behavior, although it was a difficult habit to break.”

And…

“You only need one type of wardrobe in Vietnam, there is much less crime, it is cheaper (unless you shop at Vincom Center or something), scenic, and the cities have a frantic yet laid back atmosphere that I feel is unique to Asia, if not the world (and I’ve traveled most of it).

Zooming around on a motorbike can be dangerous but I’ve seen more accidents in England than here and it gives a real sense of freedom. Ho Chi Minh City in particular has a ‘small town’ feel (even though it’s huge) which I love. 

It’s like a friendly village but with millions of people you can bump into. My friend once likened hanging out here to being in prison (but in a good way), in that “nothing ever happens, but anything can happen!” I want to.

Halong bay in Vietnam. The world is filled with many beautiful places. We need only pull ourselves away from our computers and go forth and explore the world around us.

No we do not want everything the same… a world where there is a Starbucks on every corner,or the same progressive laws that America has. We should go forth and explore the world and relish in it’s differences.

Being an expat, it’s easier to make a good life for yourself in Vietnam. I have almost too many friends, a nice apartment, a good job (I’m a ‘traveling teacher’, rather than a ‘teaching traveler’), lots of hobbies and everything feels quite easy. 

However, one thing I probably lack, and it’s a big thing, is a strong local connection. Even after all this time, I find the cultural divide quite exhausting to overcome, at least compared to other countries I’ve stayed in. I have very few Vietnamese friends and I am now living the lifestyle I used to frown upon, that of the ‘expat bubble’. Can I just blame my battle with the language for this?”

Compared to Thailand, Vietnam is different.  It is another animal altogether.

“For 95% of Westerners Thailand is probably a better choice, be it as a holiday destination or a new home. Downtown Saigon can be stressful, at times feeling like organized chaos where you're the only one who wasn't given the script. The never-ending stream of motorbikes makes something as simple as crossing the road a worry. People are less friendly, getting around can be a challenge and there's much less to see and do than Bangkok.

But where downtown Bangkok feels like just another international city with a Starbucks on every corner, movies opening the same weekend as the States and more signs in English than Thai, Saigon still feels distinctly like Asia. Vietnam fills me with a sense of adventure.”

-Stickman Bangkok

As an expat, he hits upon something, that I think all us long-duration expats feel more or less…

“To be honest, one of the only things I truly dislike about life here is some of the expats! That might appear somewhat ironic, but the neo-colonial attitude of some foreigners here angers me, especially as many of them were clearly not ‘cool’ in any way before they came out here. Now suddenly they can be seen strutting about, taking advantage of local hospitality and often looking down on a culture that they don’t even try to understand.”

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular travel destination in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. The name Hạ Long means “descending dragon”. Administratively, the bay belongs to Ha Long City, Cam Pha City, and is a part of Van Don District. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes. Ha Long Bay is a center of a larger zone which includes Bai Tu Long Bay to the northeast, and Cat Ba Island to the southwest.

Cambodia

“Many men get starry-eyed over a goal, imagining how life would be so great upon achieving it, but fail to play out the movie to its completion. Unlike Hollywood, life goes on, and you come back down to a basal level of happiness, no matter how great your achievement was. This is very common with men who want to travel to shitholes to meet good women.

Imagine you visit a rough second-tier city in Colombia or Ukraine and meet a girl who is hotter than any other girl you’ve made love to before. And then what? Are you going to move to her city permanently? 

Are you going to bring her back to the West so she can get corrupted like the women you left behind? Are you going to move her to another location where any children you have won’t have the benefit of seeing extended family? Understand that as soon as you experience the upsides from achieving a goal, the downsides come pounding at your door so that the overall cost of a goal is balanced with its benefits.”

-“And then What?” by Roosh

Cambodia has always been a place that I was interested in.  That with Laos, I have mutually considered them mysterious and stimulating.

During the 1960’s and the 1970’s, I watched the news and followed the descent into darkness as Cambodia was taken over by progressive leftists who (in the interests of “equality”) went about torturing and killing everyone. Now, few Americans know the horrible saga. All that is left is a legacy of the “killing fields”. (Yet, the leftists in Berkley, California want to duplicate this in the United States of all places.  WTF?)

The Cambodian Killing Fields (Khmer: វាលពិឃាត, Khmer pronunciation: [ʋiəl pikʰiət]) are a number of sites in Cambodia where collectively more than a million people were killed and buried by the Progressive Socialist Khmer Rouge regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the Cambodian Civil War (1970–1975).

The mass killings are widely regarded as part of a broad state-sponsored genocide (the Cambodian genocide). 

Analysis of 20,000 mass grave sites by the DC-Cam Mapping Program and Yale University indicate at least 1,386,734 victims of execution. Estimates of the total number of deaths resulting from Khmer Rouge policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.7 to 2.5 million out of a 1975 population of roughly 8 million. 

In 1979, Communist Vietnam invaded Democratic Kampuchea. They toppled the brutal progressive liberals that comprised the Khmer Rouge regime.

Now, Cambodia is reviving. I have numerous friends (mostly Chinese, with one or two from Eastern Europe) who have told me tales of how wonderful Cambodia is. It certainly sounds enticing.

Here is a nice write-up by a man about my age who lives in Thailand, and thought that it might be a good idea to visit Cambodia. He begins with his impressions of Cambodia taken in early 2001.

“Dusty roads with what can only be called contraptions on wheels. 

Criss-crossing the city on the back of a motorbike after dark and seeing almost no traffic. 

Ultra-slow, virtually unusable Internet connections. 

Friendly, smiling children yelling “Hello”. 

Arriving back at the hotel at night to find the doors had been padlocked shut from the inside and you had to rattle them to wake up a young Khmer sleeping on the other side who would unlock the door and let you in. 

These are just some memories from my one and only visit to Phnom Penh, back in 2001.

In the 10 years since I first visited the Cambodian capital it has changed markedly as I discovered on a recent trip.”

He then decides to return.

Only this time it is ten years later. The year is 2011.

“Getting around Phnom Penh is easy. Tuktuks in the guise of a motorbike pulling a carriage, motorbike riders as well as a few taxis make up the choices. You can walk and a number of the sights are in the riverfront area, just remember to look the other way when crossing the road if you're used to Thailand.

Someone seems to have told every tuktuk driver and motorcycle rider in town that foreigners don't like walking, for you simply cannot walk past one without being asked where you're going and if you'd like a ride. 

The hassles are relentless, many times worse than any vendor hassles in Thailand.”

And he talks about the food…

“Thai food might be more varied and diverse, but Cambodian food uses certain ingredients you don't commonly see in Thailand. 

Buffalo meat, for example, is found on many menus, and deep-fried tarantulas are sold alongside other creepy crawlies. 

Much of what is available in the fresh markets fell into the mystery meat category. Amongst the more unusual things we tried was beef with wild ants – and giant-sized ants they were. A good source of protein I am told!

Revisiting places from that first trip a decade earlier, when the few popular bars were scattered around the city, the long-running Sharky just didn't do it for us. Similar in format to Bangkok's Woodstock, the American-themed bar and restaurant with a reputation for tasty Tex Mex food left us unimpressed. 

Sunrise Tacos it isn't.

Phnom Penh may not compare with Bangkok for high-end dining, but there is a huge number of mid-range eateries making it something of a foodie's dream. Many riverfront restaurants are chic without being pretentious.”

And the booze…

“Phnom Penh is an alcoholic's dream with ridiculously low prices. Stick with the perfectly drinkable local Angkor draft and you'll never have a hole in your wallet. 

A handle runs around $1.00 – $2.00 in restaurants, $1.50 – $1.75 in the hostess bars and in some bars and restaurants, happy hour prices can be had for less than a dollar, 60 cents in some outlets. 

Pretty much everything, drink-wise, is considerably cheaper than Thailand. Cocktails in decent bars could be had for $3 or $4, $2 at happy hour. Beer Lao is widely available and cheap, and wine is considerably cheaper than in Thailand. And my pet hate, tax and service charges are nowhere to be seen!”

And (of course) the ladies of the “night” (but this is Asia, they work 24-7)…

“The vibe in the hostess bars is different to your typical Thailand bar. Upon entering, many of the girls scream "Hello" and once seated you'll find yourself surrounded by a half-dozen girls. 

They will be keen to chat, but unlike their Thai sisters they almost never ask for a drink. 

The lady drink hassles that mar the bar experience in Thailand are no issue in Phnom Penh. With that said, at what seemed to be an industry standard $3.00 for a lady drink – of which she gets $1.00 – it's hardly cost prohibitive. And if you do buy a lady a drink, she will never suggest you barfine her, and won't even hint about joining you at your hotel. 

Many bars have pool tables and the girls often suggest challenging you to a game of pool, and request a lady drink if they win. Don't expect to see a Cambodian winning the world pool championships any time soon!

As far as the women in the Phnom Penh bars go, the prurient might say that the biggest difference between the Thais and the Cambodians is that there's no need for silicone bags in Cambodia. They tend to be dark-skinned, curvy and can have absolutely striking eyes. And yeah, they are busty.

Personality and attitude-wise, they are rather different to the girls working bar in Thailand. The Cambodian girls are much less hardened, much less mercenary and general chit chat tends to be more relaxed. They are generally more playful than the Thais, but without any real flirting or sexual innuendo. Thai working girls these days tend to be more professional; pleasant on the outside but rock hard on the inside."

Here’s a couple in a bar in Cambodia.

Here is a typical man with a Cambodian girl in Cambodia. Most girls in Cambodia tend to be curvy with soft places where they belong. Many find them very attractive, and with dark eyes and great smiles they tend to be irresistible.

"The Cambodians might be more pleasant and the bars employ some pretty ladies, but in terms of looks at least, you don't see anything like you do in the likes of Rainbow 4 or Bacarra. 

What they may lose in the looks department they more than make up for personality-wise. There are few tattoos to be seen and while smoking is allowed in the bars in Cambodia, it is the customers who are puffing away. Very few Cambodian working girls smoke. 

Cambodian girls working in hostess bars make a point of saying that good girls don't smoke! In fact the girls in the bars don't even feel like bar-girls. Thai bar-girls with anything more than a month or two in the industry are for the most part, hard. Many of the Cambodian girls in the bars seemed quite sweet.”

And..

“What it costs for a night of these ladies' company, I don't know. Broaching the subject brought awkward looks from girls who seemed reluctant to discuss it. I was quoted $40 by ladies aghast that such should even be discussed, and they were probably more aghast when they realized I was only asking for the purpose of understanding how things work, not because I had any intention of being a naughty boy! 

Locals tell me that hostesses will happily spend the night for $20 – 30, which seems awfully cheap. Bar-fines run $10, and drop to $5 after midnight, in some bars.

There's much debate whether young South-East Asian women are “forced” to work in the bar industry. It's an argument that really doesn't hold up in Thailand where even the least educated can get factory work, which with overtime will provide a livable income. A comfortable life perhaps not, but it's honest work that one can feel good about.

Cambodia is altogether different. 

Many of the girls in the bars seemed to have very limited options. One girl, a striking looker with an uncanny resemblance to an ex-girlfriend, really tugged on my heart strings as we struggled to communicate and tell me about her life. 

The oldest of 3 children, the 24-year old long-haired beauty couldn't read or write. She had never been to school and she had almost zero employment options. Her only real options were working on a farm, for which she would make the equivalent of about $60 a month. The salary alone from bar work was that much, and she would also get $1 for every drink bought for her, as well as whatever gifts customers rewarded her with in the morning.”

While Mr. Stickman’s comments were from the perspective of a visiting (horny male) expat from Thailand, it should not be discounted.  Most expats (judging from my trivial search on the Internet) to Cambodia seem to fall into a handful of categories;

1. Backpacker / explorers. They just traipse around the world on a trivial level to collect experiences to “wow” others in an attempt to boost their already insignificant ego. I tend not to associate with them. In my mind they are not experiencing life in depth. They are collecting trivialities. To experience life, you have to do more than just have a low-budget vacation.
2. Do gooders. These are often part of NGO’s set up by others with ulterior motives. They stay for the duration of their contract and then leave. They come with preconceived notions. (Usually related to sex, politics or religion.) They then try to implement their ideals, often fail, and head home afterwards.
3. Bad Guys. Anyone who wants to exploit others for money, labor, sex or the like. You see an occasional news article about these individuals. I have encountered them… all too often. Which is why many long-duration expats do not associate with other expats often.
4. Teach English. It’s always a good stepping stone into another culture. It’s also a necessity for those of us who have lost everything.

It would seem to be a great opportunity for someone to set up a factory or an industry in the area, but you would absolutely need to partner up with a local to be successful.  Getting to know a local for just that purpose takes planning and an investment in time. Just saying, but if you are young and have the drive and the stamina to make something happen, Cambodia might be right for you.

Think of the beer. Imagine drinking it while eating some Cambodian steaks with a pretty local gal…

I arrived in China when it was in it’s growth phase, and it worked out for me.  Maybe Cambodia might be right for someone younger.

Attend University

There are some interesting takes on this “thing” about Cambodia.  Consider one enterprising student who decided to attend university in Cambodia. Why attend a university in Cambodia? Because you can and it looks interesting on your resume. Roy, an American expat, who is working his way towards a degree in political science at the University of Cambodia, tells his story;

“Attending university in Cambodia is an adventure and much more interesting than slogging through classes at a community college back home. Right now I’m finishing my second term at University of Cambodia. 

I love it here; the people are great. While there are a few students here from other ASEAN countries, I’m currently the only Westerner enrolled. Students and teachers all seem initially surprised, but quickly get used to having a barang in class. 

As a native English speaker, I get asked about pronunciations, definitions and grammar; it’s a bit like being a living dictionary. There are also opportunities where I try to explain the oddities of US politics.

The question I hear most often from my classmates is, “Why are you going to school in Cambodia and why did you decide to attend this school?” I explain that I love the country and the people. My choosing UC is based on instruction in English, the very helpful staff in registration and, if I’m going to travel halfway around the world to go to school, I want to be able to put something on my resume that makes it perfectly clear that I attended a university in Cambodia.

There are no “student visas” in Cambodia but as a student you can get a business/ordinary visa without a work permit.”

Dual Pricing

Dual pricing based on race is very common in Cambodia, from the bus companies who charge white faces more to the hospitals that have one rate for Khmers and another for foreigners. Even the government-owned airline has one fare for Cambodians and another, much higher fare for everyone else. This is frustrating on many levels, not least when it’s foreign-owned businesses that are perpetuating what is, fundamentally, a form of racism. When asked how they can justify dual pricing based on race, race-based pricing advocates scramble all over themselves to defend the practice.

Cambodian nationality is, for the most part, based on race (non-Vietnamese minority tribes are the exception). Any child of a Cambodian mother is granted Cambodian citizenship, regardless of where he or she is born. The child of non-Cambodians, though born and raised in Cambodia, is not granted Cambodian citizenship. Ethnically Vietnamese families who have lived in Cambodia for generations are, for all intents and purposes, stateless as far as the Cambodian government is concerned. So the argument that the dual-pricing system is not racist because it is based on nationality is flawed, because there is no attainable path to Cambodian citizenship for non-Cambodians (and I don’t call paying a $50,000 “facilitation fee” attainable).

Moreover, non-Cambodian Asians often benefit from the dual pricing plan, paying the local rate even when they don’t speak much Khmer and are citizens of Western countries. In practice, actual nationality seems unimportant; looking Khmer matters more. Khmer-Americans are also given the “local” price by many businesses, whether or not they have Cambodian passports.

Here is an expat’s comment on this;

“I am a simple man who has been living in Cambodia for about 7 yrs. I return to my country of employ for some months at a time as I have a small business there which needs a little personal love every now and then.

I have been to about 60 different countries and have lived for 3 months or more in about 15 of them. Some, for 1-3 years. I would say that on a humble scale I am reasonably worldly. I am definitely an adventurer.

I have experienced dual pricing in quite a few different countries. Here it can be quite strong, agreed.

The Chris with a capital C, made some good comments. Let us all think about this word racism. It’s a shocker isn’t it? Have I had better experiences in some countries than others, yes. Do I like the culture of some countries more than others, yes. Do I dislike the ego and blatant disregard for other nations well being that particular countries seem to display, yes. Do I like the smooth sound of some languages and not the guttural sounds of others, yes. Are there many examples like this, yes. Does this make me racist, maybe it does.

Does Cambodia invade other countries, like so many of the world powers, no. Does Cambodia produce a huge amount of mass marketed products that are killing humans, animals and the planet, no. Does Cambodia steal the oil of other nations, no.

I guess we all have our good and bad points.

I can hear some of you saying that Cambodia does not have the wealth or power to do such things. And yet many of our countries have the power and have completely abused it. Which is less excusable?

Expats, hmmm! That’s an interesting topic. We come here with more money than the average Khmer, can make more than the average Khmer, and have to pay more than the average Khmer… and in our own selfish way, that is apparently unfair. Seems like a fair enough tax system to me. How many of you pay full tax on your local wage? Maybe using local Khmer as an excuse for not paying full tax isn’t fair because that is as much a part of their culture as dual pricing.

All around the world I have seen people from richer, more dominating, more arrogant cultures demanding everything they can get their hands on from some poor local. We so often take all the good we can get and then quickly complain or blog about something we didn’t like. Suck it up Humans. Take the good with the bad.

Simple question… If the way of life in your own country is so good, then why are you here? To all the service men and women who are posted abroad without choice, please excuse this question.

I now have a loving Khmer wife and 2 beautiful Khmer daughters. My mother-in-law lives with us too. It is a complete family. I am very lucky.

Yes it is true that sometimes I pay more. Sometimes my wife and her friends laugh at me because I get better prices at the local shops and markets than they can. I speak quite a lot of Khmer but am not 100% fluent. I get some discounts because I have a Khmer family and sometimes my Khmer daughters get in free and I have to pay. Most importantly, I find gentle, wise respect gets me the best price, and it feels the nicest for me and others too.

3 people go to a movie. 1 loves it, 1 doesn’t really care and 1 hates it. Same movie, only the minds are different. Suffering and happiness comes from the mind. If you don’t like something try changing your mind.

I suggest that when you are troubled with the local ways that you go and enjoy an ice cold 50c beer, a $2 meal, or go for a free meditation at your local wat.”

-GreyEarth

A Narrative by Ian

Here is a pretty darn and comprehensive report by a fellow who went to Cambodia.  This is not the PC scrubbed Internet fare that is edited for millennial sensibilities and the PC rules (written or unwritten).  It is raw and fresh, just like I like my sashimi. It is titled “My Phnom Penh Trip Report or Phnom Penh for Newbies”. Written by Stick Reader Ian January 5th, 2015. Enjoy.

“I had that nervous energy you get when you do something for the first time. I'm 58. At my age I don't often get to do something new. I'm boarding a Bangkok Airways flight to Phnom Penh and I haven't been to Cambodia before. 

I've heard it's similar to Thailand of years past. I took the 2nd half of December off work so I could see my Thai partner for Xmas; I came all the way from Farangland to see her only to be told (several months ago) that she would go to the temple and thus be busy in the first week. OK, Cambodia here I come and I'll see her in the 2nd week of my vacation.

Translation; The man has been living in Thailand with a girl.  He is an expat from the West.  (Maybe from the UK or Australia. Ian is not a common American name.) His girlfriend will spend a week at a Temple, and he will go to Cambodia to see what it is like.  He will be comparing it to Thailand, initally, and to the West (slang; Farangland) ultimately.

Naturally she changed her mind sometime after I booked the Cambodia trip. I said that was no problem — I was going anyway. Then she asked if I was angry with her? No, I wasn't. My expectation in life is if you say you'll do something then you do it. She said she was busy; I said I was going to Cambodia and that's the way it would be. I think it's best to live by your principles.

Thailand girls have a reputation for being “wishy washy”.

The real attraction of Cambodia was the prospect of Snookyville (that's Sihanoukville but often referred to as Snookyville, which I will continue to use in this post because I like the name). I've heard it's like Pattaya 30 years ago.

Imagine that; a Pattaya of the early 1990’s. Everything cheap and fresh.

I'm old enough to remember that and I liked it; I wanted to experience it again and see the place for myself. But when I investigated I found it was too difficult to get there. To my surprise there was no transport from the airport to Snookyville (maybe by taxi, but not using an inexpensive means of transport) and with my itinerary it wasn't practical to get there on the same day. Ditto for the return trip. With only 5 nights in Cambodia and the need to spend 2 of them in Phnom Penh I decided Snookyville wouldn't be the focus of my trip; I'd try Phnom Penh and see how that went. Maybe I'd make a flying visit to Snookyville, but the focus would be Phnom Penh.

First lesson. Transportation access is not that easy.

I thought Cambodia would be about getting laid and not paying much for it. Without going into every detail I'm outlining some of the things I experienced. My primer for newbie visitors to Phnom Penh. My trip report.

Here is his trip report.  He expected to go to Cambodia for a lot of low priced sex. Here is what he experienced.

Arrival

I was worried about the visa on arrival process. I read about the dual currency economy. I knew I needed to bring US$ and while I don't have a problem with that I didn't think I understood how it would work. I figured this would be a cheap holiday so I budgeted $500 for the 5 days. (I budget that much for 1 day when I visit Bangkok, although I normally spend half of that on myself and give the other half to my partner. I'm Mr. Nice Guy; or maybe Mr. Dummy.)

I needed $30 for the visa on arrival. I read I should have a visa photo with me when I arrive. I read it wasn't worth getting an e-visa, that it was just as easy to get the visa on arrival. That was bad advice. The visa on arrival process was frantic and disorganized; not exactly pushing and shoving but close to it. If I had an e-visa I could have simply gone to the Immigration queue and the arrival would have so much easier. Note that for next time. On the plane I met guys with similar plans to mine; one had been to Phnom Penh a few times before, the other was a newbie like me. Neither had an e-visa. The other newbie didn't have a photo and had to organize that in the arrival hall. I lost track of him in the Arrivals hall so I don't exactly know how things worked out for him. I saw him at the baggage carousel, so I know he survived. An e-visa would have cut 15 minutes and considerable stress out of the process.

If it were me, I’d pay the money. I would use an e-visa. You get what you pay for.

The taxi ride to the city was a microcosm of the visit. I read and was told (by the experienced traveler) that I should get a voucher for the ride that would cost $12. After looking around I managed to find the booth to get the voucher. But you don't pay for the voucher, you just hold on to it or maybe show it to the taxi driver. At the end of the journey you pay the guy $12. The voucher appeared to have no purpose except to reassure me of the price.

True, I felt better knowing what the price would be and I could always push it in the face of the taxi driver if I felt I was being ripped off; but that didn’t happen. I paid the taxi driver $12 when we arrived at the hotel — he was happy and there was no argument about the price.

And that's what the holiday was like. No stress; no fuss; prices are inexpensive so pay what is asked; obviously bargain where you can but everything seemed to be pretty well organized; if you didn't argue and accepted things as they were the whole process was low stress.

I'm an experienced expat. I know when I visit other countries they're designed for their citizens not for me. It's up to me to experience their lifestyle and conditions. If I like it, that's great. If I don't, catalogue it and move on. No fuss, no furore.

Sounds like he understands the way of the world. Reader take notes.

Hotel and Getting Around

Thank you, Agoda. I selected what turned out to be a good hotel in the Riverside area that had a decent rate ($45 per night). They described themselves as a 3 star hotel which I thought was harsh; maybe not 4 stars but close to it. If you're new to Phnom Penh I recommend staying at Riverside. It's close to everything; it's easy to walk anywhere. There are lots of restaurants, pubs and bars close by. If you want to go somewhere that's too far to walk there are lots of tuktuks or motorcycle (motos) to use.

In 6 days and 5 nights in Phnom Penh I must have said "no" 500 times to offers of transport. This is perhaps a downside of my visit; I can do that for a week without getting annoyed. If I was there for a month it would be different; although if I stayed for 3 months I'm sure I'd assimilate. Personally I like to walk. I get a better feel of the place, I'm in no rush and it was "winter" when I was there so it wasn't hot or unpleasant to be outside. (Around 25 – 27C every day with no rain.)

To put this in perspective, Southern China is nine months of 30 to 33C and very humid.  (For you Americans in readership land, that is 90 to 95F and 90% humidity.) That temperature sounds absolutely wonderful.

Eating and Drinking

I have 30 years of experience visiting Thailand and think I know prices there quite well. I thought everything in Cambodia would be cheap and I was right & wrong. I was looking forward to eating on the streets and especially looking forward to eating good bread. I live in a country with poor quality bread and Thailand isn't exactly the patisserie capital of the world.

I didn't like the look of the street food as much as I thought I would so I didn't eat much of it. There was bread everywhere but served with more fillings than I like. By "fillings" I mean pressed meats and a variety of vegetables. I didn't see as much plain bread as I expected and I had no ear for the Khmer language so had trouble asking for just a plain baguette. Even though I didn't like the fillings for the bread (served similarly to Vietnam rolls) I found they were good when I tried them. The baguettes were good quality, too, but I would have preferred to eat them plain.

As I didn't eat much street food I was "forced" into restaurants. They were more expensive than I expected. In general I found the cafe and restaurant prices (in downtown PP) to be the same price as or even more expensive than food in the suburbs of Bangkok. But there was more variety in the Phnom Penh food than in Thailand; more western food options and the Cambodians use less spice. That wouldn't suit everyone but it happens to agree with me.

Drinking was another matter. I can't remember being in a place where drinks were so cheap. In downtown PP, on Riverside which is a popular tourist and probably an upscale area for locals, it was easy to find happy hour with local draft beers for $0.75. Still on happy hour — bottles of local beer for $1; Beck's beer $1.25; Hoegaarden, Heineken, Guinness, Corona all $1.50; English cider (apple, pear or strawberry) $1.50; and every little hole in the wall bar and eatery has free wifi. As a visitor I didn't need or buy a local SIM card — free wifi everywhere worked well for me. Happy hour wasn't from 5-7 PM, it was generally all day and lasted until 8 PM, 9 PM or even 10 PM in some places.

Take note Americans. Even in Cambodia the Wifi is FREE.

Beer prices are very cheap.  Hell, even in China, you can expect to pay a minimum of 30 RMB for a Hoegaarden ($5).

The drink prices were fairly consistent at pubs in that part of town. There are also hostess bars (this is why you're reading the article, right?). Surprisingly the drink prices weren't a lot different. A bottle of local beer in the bars was generally $1.00-$1.50; lady drinks were between $2.50-$3.50

Hostess Bars

My research said the Cambodian ladies (in hostess bars) are less pushy than their Thai sisters and you could talk to them without being pressured into buying them a drink.

That's true.

You could ask them to come and sit with you. You could ask them to go away. You could buy them a drink. You could choose not to buy them a drink. Nothing seemed to be a problem. Having been around Thailand for a long time I don't feel it's right to string along the girls — they have to make a living — but they certainly didn't pressure me to buy drinks.

When I bought them a drink it was me who offered and they happily accepted but I don't remember any lady asking me to buy a drink for her. If I didn't buy them a drink I'd leave a tip when I left and they were grateful. I think they get $1 for each lady drink so if I didn't buy them a drink I'd leave $2-$5 depending on how long I spent with them and everyone seemed happy. (I'm sure the bar wouldn't be thrilled but I'm not on earth to please everyone.)

Short Time… (Single shot sex, often under two hours.)

My research for the price of ladies' company was probably out of date. From going around I found the going price of ST (short time) was about $30 – $40 depending on the lady and the quality of the bar.

Long Time… (Overnight sex. Multiple shots.)

I only asked about LT (long time) with one lady who wanted $50. On night #1 I thought that was too much and declined. By night #2 I thought that was a dumb decision and went back to secure her services. She was happy to see me back and honor the previously quoted price. I suggested to her that she would have to be "enthusiastic" for that price; she said she would be and lived up to her part of the bargain. After 5 nights in Phnom Penh and being quoted $40 for ST by a few ladies I felt I was lucky to get my LT arrangement for $50; and stupid to pass it up on the first night. But, hey, that's why they call it a learning curve.

Cambodia is not Thailand.

Again my research said that hostess bars in Phnom Penh (and probably all of Cambodia) are not the same as Thailand. They don't have shows like Suzy Wong in Soi Cowboy, or Angelwitch in Nana Plaza; they don't have go-go dancers or coyotes; they don't feature skimpy outfits or near naked ladies to entertain you. You go into a bar; you choose a lady; you chat — the best you can with the language difficulties; you make a deal or you don't; you leave. As far as I could see that was about it.

That is how it works, don’t ya know…

The closest thing I found to a racy bar was a place called Cyrcee (pronounced seer-say). The description I got of this place was the ladies would give you a blow job before you could order your first drink. Well, that was an exaggeration. But it was a rocking little place if you like to be naughty.

It's a normal hostess bar — no fish bowl or wannabe massage parlor. It had lots of ladies (about 20) with good variety. They weren't shy about what they offered or how it worked.

There's a ST hotel across the road that costs $5 for the room; $10 for the bar fine and $30 for the lady.

I am no longer a young man and as such there are limits to my powers (I wish I had the energy of yesteryear); yet the girl I chose managed to convince me to take her friend as well. The honest truth is I have tried this twice before in my life and each time was a disappointment. Instead of every man's fantasy of combined action both of my experiences were sequential with one girl doing her business and the other one a bystander; then the first one left and the second one had her turn.

Again, here is the truth. What you see on porn movies is all make-believe. This is pretty much how it goes down. My experiences have always been sequential affairs involving two, three, and once four girls.

These are not my best memories so I was reluctant to try it now. I raised the concern with these two ladies and they assured me they would work in tandem so I figured "at this price, even if it isn't good, I don't have that much to lose".

Off I went with my two ladies and had a remarkably good time.

I only wish I was 20 years younger but I'll cherish this as a good memory — the first time it's worked out for me like it does in the movies. If you want to go to Cyrcee I can't give an exact address but walk along 130 St heading west towards Central Market; you'll see the sign in the side street on the left just before the market; it's hard to find during the daytime (why would you want to go during the day?) but it's easy to see at night even though the sign is small.

I just found out it's pretty easy to get Ceycee's address and a map if you Google it — let's leave it at that because the information is likely to be more current than anything I provide here.

PP Street Layout

Before going to Phnom Penh I was intimidated by the street numbering system and the advice on where to go. 136 Street; 130 Street; 148 Street; 51 Street…

When you get there it's much easier to figure out. Even numbered streets go from east-west; odd numbers go north-south. Street numbers jump in large numbers; it's not a grid like Manhattan. Because of the irregular shape of the downtown area many streets start and end in a short distance. So when you're at Riverside you'll see the streets go 118, 130, 136, 144 & 148. You'll find all the street numbers somewhere in the city but they don't necessarily extend all the way across the city. It's the same for the odd numbered streets. It's much easier to get around when you learn this.

Shopping

Believe it or not I wasn't fully occupied with my "meet & greet" of the ladies. I like a bargain as much as the next person and think shopping in Thailand is great value. Phnom Penh was better. Clothes and shoes are inexpensive. Shops on the street and stalls in the Central Market had clothes for 50% to 66% less than Bangkok. Before going to Phnom Penh I bought a pair of trousers in a Bangkok Tesco Lotus for the bargain price of $15. After a few days in Phnom Penh I thought that was positively expensive. While I didn't research this extensively it seemed the prices in the roadside shops were relatively fixed and bargaining was the norm in the market.

If you like a bargain you should visit the Central Market. They have lots of things — clothes, shoes, caps, hats, food — everything you could ask for. Many of the stalls had incredible inventory and selection of goods. The biggest challenge was choosing what to buy. And while I was happy with the prices I ran into some tourists who'd just spent a week in Siem Reap who complained the prices were double what they'd found there. So while I was happy they were turning up their noses saying everything was too expensive.

Currency and How It Works

I said earlier I was intimidated by the idea of bringing and using US$. It really wasn't a big deal. Prices for tourists are quoted in US$. You pay and get change in dollars. The approximate exchange rate is US$1 = Riel 4,000. When change is less than $1 they give you Riel. You can pay in Riel if you want; in line with the easy going nature of the people everyone accepted the rate of $1 = 4,000. The actual rate was about 4,080 but not once did anyone say "No, you need to pay me 20,400" as opposed to 20,000 when something was $5. Considering it's a relatively poor country and almost everyone you meet would value the extra Riel 400 it's surprising that no one insisted on the extra few hundred. I've been in lots of countries where they want that extra 10c but in Cambodia everyone seemed relaxed about it.

The one thing to be careful about is the quality of your US currency. I took money with me that I use in the US without a problem. But in Cambodia they're fussy. If a bill is ripped, torn, marked or too dirty they won't accept it. I had 2x $20 bills that no one would accept because one had a corner missing and the other had writing on it. No problem using them in the US but not acceptable in Cambodia. They are more forgiving of dirty $1 bills than 5s, 10s or 20s. I wouldn't recommend using 50s or 100s — they're too big for general use; it's better to stick to the smaller bills and use 20s as the highest denomination.

Gratuitous Phnom Penh Advice

Here are some tips for Phnom Penh. 51 St around 172 St has a lot of pubs, clubs and bars. The Walkabout Hotel is full of freelancers, seemingly at any time of the day or night.

A place near there on 51 St called Zeppelin Cafe is a great place to go for a drink and listening to 70s guitar-based rock music. The owner, who appeared to be a Cambodian national with a ponytail, sits at the back of the bar with 2 turntables. He has an extensive collection of vinyl records (not a CD in sight) and plays what he wants to hear. He looks like a grumpy bugger and I doubt he takes requests — but it's a great place to sit down, have a drink and listen to some music you might have forgotten about. It's not a pickup joint and it's not the kind of place you can talk much — it is, after all, 70s rock featuring loud guitars.

Just around the corner on 172 St is Pontoon, one of the most famous night places in Phnom Penh. It's a club or disco. Don’t go early. I went at 10:30 PM and it was dead. I heard later that it warms up around midnight. I was also told that it is "the" place to go in PP, has fabulous looking ladies (presumably freelancers) and lots of them. One of the challenges of advancing age is not having the staying power to roam the streets at 2 AM so I didn't get to find out; but people younger than me recommended it.

On the corner of 51 St and 172 St is a place called Le Bon Cafe — a nice place to have a coffee, snack or light meal. It features both outdoor and indoor seating. The owners (or managers) speak perfect English so there is no risk of your order being misunderstood or the wrong item coming to your table. I dropped in during both the day and night; no matter what time I was there the owner / manager or perhaps a family member was there with perfect communications.

Across at Riverside there are many cafes and pubs to choose from. The one I enjoyed most for a happy hour drink was on the corner of Sisowath Quay (the main river side road) and 110, 118 or 130 St; I didn't take note of the place's name and Google street view isn't helping me remember but the one at 110 St "looks" about right. Hint: it has this easily visible, non-illuminated Happy Hour sign at the front.

You can't go far wrong with any place around there, but this corner pub / cafe had friendly staff, nice atmosphere and good prices. It was a place you can just sit down and watch the world go by.

My hotel provided free breakfast which was quite OK. But I saw a place on Sisowath Quay called Camory Restaurant, near 110 St that offered breakfast for $3.95. They had a dozen choices for that price and I found I enjoyed it more than my hotel's free breakfast. Camory is also a hostel style guesthouse; they offer inexpensive accommodation and rooms with as many as 4 beds (presumably for a family or maybe for really good friends). If you stay there the breakfast is free.

Come on… How about the freelancers?

Going back to the ladies, another place known for freelancers is Sharky Bar on 130 St. I didn't find it interesting but I could have gone there at the wrong time — yet again. They have pool tables which seem to be popular. Note it costs Riel 1,000, all of 25c, for a game of pool. I read a ridiculous Internet post from some guy who complained he was aggressively confronted when he tried to leave without paying for 3 games of pool. He implied he was ready to fight the bouncers because he couldn't see the sign showing the price. It's amazing someone would be willing to go to hospital for a "principle" when all that's at stake is 75c. That's hard to understand.

Safety…

I walked around Phnom Penh by myself at all hours of the day and night. I was on main roads, quiet streets and dark back alleys. I didn't feel uncomfortable or threatened once. It was fine even on a quiet, dark street at night when I walked past 3-4 Cambodian men talking together and thought to myself "this might not be good". They kept on talking to each other and barely paid attention to me. I didn't feel there was any threat or safety issue in Phnom Penh.

Snookyville

I wasn't going to miss out on Snookyville. The original idea of going to Cambodia was to lose myself in multiple orgies in Snookyville. If I couldn't do that I was at least going to see it. Just like being in Pattaya 30 years ago — it was something I had to do.

What a disappointment.

Again my "research" suggested there are several parts of town. There's downtown, Victory Hill, Serendipity Beach and some other beach areas. The beach areas were described as backpacker havens. As I'm on the older side of the scale I figure that backpackers and places that cater to them really aren't my thing.

Victory Hill appears to be famous for a place called the chicken farm — a place with lots of freelancers who are supposed to cost as little as $5 a time. That didn't appeal to me either. And it seems the authorities have closed it down so even if it appeals to you it's unlikely you'll get what you want any more. So I figured it was a choice between Victory Hill and downtown. I plumped for downtown and chose an inexpensive hotel. It was a bad choice. The place was dead. There was virtually nothing around and very little entertainment.

I'd read of a place called Charlie Harper's Bar that was supposed to be a happening place. With a name like that and Charlie of Two and a Half Men being the ultimate mongerer I figured it had to be good. By nothing more than good luck it was diagonally opposite my hotel. I walked in at 7:30 PM and it was quiet. There were some expats having a drink; a few had what looked like steady girlfriends but there were no other ladies hanging around. I thought it was probably too early.

Drinks were similar prices to Phnom Penh. I noticed a sign that said "Lady Drinks $2". Not bad. I asked the woman at the bar when the ladies turn up so I could buy them a drink. She looked at me with complete surprise and said they have 4 ladies at the bar, they were all there right now and I could buy any one of them a drink. But they can't be barfined because they actually work at the bar.

What’s the point of that??

I can have a drink for myself and buy a higher priced drink for a lady who can't sit and talk to me or join me later? Who would do that? Not me.

I asked if there was anywhere around that offered female company; she accommodatingly pointed to the street corner and said "up there, go to Kangaroo bar". Consistent with my experience in Cambodia I have to say she was helpful.

It turns out Kangaroo bar is actually called Kangaroo Kitchen (even though it's a guesthouse and a bar). They did have ladies there; I couldn't figure out if they were freelancers or there was a bar fine involved. Of the 8-10 ladies I saw there was only one I found appealing. I spoke to her for a while but decided against taking things further and went back to my hotel alone.

Ah. It happens.

I also read that you shouldn't walk around by yourself at night in Snookyville. Be in a group of 3 or more people. If you're by yourself then go around by moto. I guess I could have gone by moto to Victory Hill or the beach area to have a look. 

But after exploring the underwhelming downtown area I wasn't motivated to try. It was probably my fault for not being more adventurous. Snookyville was underwhelming. Maybe I chose the wrong place to stay. Maybe Victory Hill would have been great. Maybe the beach areas were better and not targeted only at backpackers. 

I'll never know. 

I didn't enjoy my day / night there and I'm unlikely to go back. The positive things I'll say about Snookyville are that my hotel was clean, air-conditioned and cost $20 for the night. I can't complain about that. 

The bus fare to get there from Phnom Penh was all of $7 for a 5½ hour ride. Strangely the bus company wouldn't / couldn't sell me a return ticket. I figured I was being set up for a rip off on the return journey. When I bought my ticket in Snookyville to go back to Phnom Penh it cost all of $5.50 The real problem with Snookyville is the 5½ journey from Phnom Penh. 

If I went from Bangkok to Pattaya and had a disappointing experience I could always try again — it's only 1½ hours away. But 5½ hours each way means dedicating a full day by the time you get to and from the bus station. I won't do it again because I don't want to spend a full 2 days with the possibility of being disappointed. 

How Was My Budget? 

6 days and 5 nights in Cambodia. A budget of $500; 2x $20 bills I couldn't use so I effectively had $460. How did I do? I booked hotels using Agoda so paid for them on a credit card and therefore outside of the cash budget. 

I ate good but not extravagant food, sometimes on the street but mostly in cafes and restaurants. 

I'm not a big drinker but went out every night and drank more than I normally would in a year. I bought some shirts and a pair of basketball style sneakers. 

I had a road trip to Snookyville. I had one LT and several STs. Visa on arrival was $30; taxis to and from the airport cost $24; I even managed a meal at the airport Burger King before I left. And ended up with $6 change from my $460. 

I can't complain and I will go back. Subsequent trips will never be the same as the first one but I enjoyed my visit. And I realize that while I'm old and have lots of experience in Thailand I can still look forward to that nervous excitement of visiting new places because I haven't yet been to Laos, Vietnam or Burma. Oh, happy days.”

Panama

Here is an interesting article about moving to Panama.  I personally have some friends who have moved there.  They love it there.  They are not making a lot of money, but the trade-off in lifestyle more than offsets any other concern.  For me, nah, I don’t think that I would want to move there.  It is too close to the United States.  I would like to keep an ocean between myself and the kooky politics of the USA.

Simply by looking at the map, one would assume that that would possess both beautiful tropical beaches, and amazing mountains.  It just must be amazing!

To read the article go here. It is titled; “Panama is still the easiest place to obtain residency”.

“Expats here live very well. English is widely spoken, the medical services are excellent, a high standard of living is available at a reasonable cost, and the nightlife is fantastic—from top quality restaurants to more exotic adult adventures. Panama was one of the first countries in the world to establish a program specifically aimed attracting retirees.

They promised special discounts and a number of attractive benefits to anyone who could demonstrate a certain level of retirement income. The program worked, and foreigners showed up en masse. (Although many retirees are still waiting for some of those promised special discounts…)”

And…

“Over the next several years, the government established all sorts of immigration programs hoping to attract investors—from forestry to agriculture to finance. (With a whopping 52 ways to obtain residency, it’s clear the residency visa requirements in Panama are incredibly easy.)

Then in 2012, they created an even easier way to become a resident: simply letting people in. They called it the Friendly Nations Visa. And it’s just about the easiest way in the world to obtain residency in any country.

The list now includes over 40 countries, including the US, Australia, most European countries, Israel, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, and several Latin American countries. Citizens of any of these countries can obtain residency in Panama extremely easily by merely demonstrating ‘economic activity’ in the country.”

Poland

By my historical roots, I can become a citizen of Poland.  My grandparents on my father’s side emigrated from Poland to the United States.  You see, Poland has rules enabling relatives of former citizens to repatriate.

It was something that I have considered, but ultimately chose not to do.  Not because I didn’t think it was an awesome place to live, but at the time, the Obama administration was getting too cozy with the EU.  (Later, I discovered that it was his love of Brussels, rather than his care or concern for Poland.) I did not want to live in an American “backwater”.

Here is an interesting article written by an American that moved to Poland.  It is called “Why living in Poland is like living in Hollywood” and can be found here. Some excerpts;

“Polish people often imagine America as a country where everybody’s  rich or at least richer than Poles and more sophisticated – take any TV show where an average family lives in a nice, spacious house and for 16-th birthday kids get their cars. 

Now when I am back in Florida I like to take day trips with my wife and daughter. When we were driving through Clay County I told my Polish spouse that it’s pretty nice out there to which she replied :

”Oh Mark please don’t make me move here just to prove how much I love you”. 

She said that not because the place is off the beach or it’s a country side, she said that because the place is far from civilization, houses are often mobile and if you don’t have a car there is no way to go anywhere.”

And…

“Poland was a socialist country so the country has a large social system built in. There are unemployment benefits and food stamps etc and housing. But this is nothing compared to going to grandma’s in the village and eating fresh food, even if unemployed. 

It is a different reality. 

You can live in Poland for nothing and people’s expectations are different. My wife was making 500 dollars a month, lived on potatoes, and still had a few dollars to take French lessons. No gadgets or cable TV but reality is different. She did not have a gym membership but walked everywhere and was in better shape than the excesses of the west.”

Polish Food

When you think about Polish food most people think of Pierogi. Pierogi are delicious, but there is much much more.

Bigos is a “Hunter’s Stew” that has rich flavoring from the meats and cabbage that are within the dish. Many cooks their Bigos stew for two days. Many Poles will use the largest pot available (can fit a large turkey) and let it simmer for around two days. During this time the house will have a delicious aroma. The color comes out a very dark brown almost black.

Another favorite dish in Poland is Paszteciki. My relatives have all made this.  I just cannot remember a holiday when we weren’t eating these during the holidays. They are wonderful little snacks that you can just pop into your mouth as other items are cooking. Pass the Paszteciki!

Below are a few honorable mentions.

• Golabki – Cabbage roll stuffed with meat and rice with a red sauce.
• Kapuska – Made different ways depending on the season. The one I enjoy has tomatoes and grounded up giblets.
• Potato Pancakes – Very good, but have to be careful because of the starch and cholesterol.
• Apple Pancakes – I never had apple pancakes like my Mother-in-law makes them here. We are surrounded by apple orchards and have time to make a lot of different apple dishes.
• Paczki – Polish Donut. Known for the rose filling. Who knew that roses not only smell great but taste delicious as a dessert.

Polish Family Culture 101

• Shoes off when entering a home – Completely understandable. Your home is your clean sanctuary. You’ve been walking around all day in those shoes… Bathrooms… Office spaces… Dog poo? Take your shoes off and let your feet breath.
• Women’s role / Man’s role – There is a clear line in what is expected of both sides. However, where some feminist may find it offensive, many women love it! Sure no problem the woman can clear the dishes off the table and clean and put them away, and the man can go outside and pick up the dog poo, mow the lawn, and vacuum the stairs.
• Fast Meal – It is always a good idea to keep bread, cheese, or fruits and veggies on hand to whip up a fast meal for expected and unexpected guest. Along with the meal make sure you have plenty of tea and coffee to offer as well. Don’t be rude offer guest in your home refreshments.
• Tipping – Tipping is very popular in the United States. For the most part you’re expected to tip your servers, carpet cleaners, maids, etc. as a show of appreciation for the service given. In Poland and Germany it isn’t normal. The amount on your receipt is what is expected. Giving a tip is appreciated but don’t feel that it is necessary.

Germany

Germany, home of beer and fine German sausages.  It is a land with amazing forests, wonderful history, and a climate that is suitable to me.  Cars can drive without speed limits, prostitution is legal, and I could spend the rest of my life visiting all the historical world war II historical sites.

It’s a beautiful land with seasons, fine food, and a population that is attentive to their role in society.

Here is a nice article on some lessons that an American expat was exposed to as part of their new life in Germany. Some of them are amusing…

“Especially in the former East, freikörperkultur, or free body culture, is an important part of German identity.  Decades of oppression lead to a particular appreciation for the experience of freedom and nudity without a direct relationship to sexuality.

This can sometimes be difficult for Americans to buy, particularly when your coworkers casually invite you to the office’s nude sauna or suggest a naked swim in a nearby lake.  Adjusting to this culture without getting weird took some grit, finesse, and more than a few awkward encounters.”

Free body culture. Nudity with friends. I can see how it would take some time getting used to, but then again. Meh. So what?

• What to Expect at a German Sauna – Trip Savvy
• The German Spa Experience: Warning: Nudity Expected
• The Naked German Sauna: The Shy Girl’s Guide to Enjoying It
• Naked In German Saunas: A North American Woman’s Perspective
• German Sauna Etiquette: What to Expect & Do

Well, “Free Body Culture” is very, very taboo in the United States. You could easily be arrested and locked up for sexual deviance. Not only that, but you could easily be put on a Sex Offender registry because you didn’t want to wear pants and underwear. Yikes!

Americans would be arrested for things that people in other nations take for granted as normal behavior.

Germany has many charms. If you don’t mind the “free body culture”, there are many other things to like. Like for instance, the fine food, sausages and delicious beer. But it is more than that. It is…

“Moving to Germany meant an inexorable slowing of the pace of my life. 

Particularly in Saxony, there are strict rules about when stores can remain open.  Most businesses are closed in the evenings and all day on Sunday.  Additionally, Germans benefit from frequent holidays and typically at least a month of paid vacation.

This gave me some anxiety at first, particularly when I forgot to leave work early enough to get groceries or didn’t have time to go to the bank.  

Over time, however, I learned to both plan my days and to enjoy the break from chores rather than obsessing over lost time.  After a few months, I was occasionally leaving work at 3pm to go watch the football game with friends instead of trying to cram a few more hours of work.  I still got as much done as usual, but I felt much happier and less burned out.”

It sounds like a real welcome relief to me. I’ll tell you what.

There’s also another blog written by Amanda Schaefer .  She is an American expat living in Germany. Her comments can be found here.

“Be a good hausfrau. The sidewalk in front of your house is directly correlated to your social acceptance in the neighborhood. Shovel and salt it before 8am if it snows and make sure it's swept clean of minuscule dirt particles at all other times. 

And wash your windows, too.

If you are American, people know it. I don't know how they know; they just do. You can stop wearing Nikes everywhere, throw your elastic-waisted pants in the garbage, and take off your baseball cap but they will still see you coming from a mile away. Inexplicably, after several months of living here you will also be able to distinguish other Americans in a crowded place before hearing them speak.

Water is served in tiny glass bottles with their own special designer cup, typically at room temperature. Don't ask for tap water unless you want to be forever shunned. The good news is that beer is usually either the same price or cheaper than a dainty little bottle of water. This results in guiltless day drinking.

And what about holidays?

Carnival is as exciting as you imagine! It's like Mardis Gras and Halloween on steroids. There are endless parades with intricate floats, everyone wears painstakingly-crafted costumes, and all of the candy thrown from the floats is washed down with beer-- lots and lots of beer. 

There isn't a bad place to participate in the Carnival festivities. In fact, you can attend lots of different celebrations because there are so many villages and each has its own parade. Just be sure to use the right salutation: In and around Köln, it's, "Alaaf!" Almost everywhere else it's, "Helau!"”

OK. So it is traditional. Women must keep the home presentable for the neighbors. You have to be a good citizen and an acceptable resident. I am sure that that might ruffle up some pink hair on some militant American feminists out there.

Germany is interesting in other ways as well. Ways, that I am afraid will upset most sensibilities of your average American.

For instance, prostitution is legal and quite accepted in society. It is LEGAL. It is ACCEPTED. It is considered a societal need.

(Damn! Why did my dad decide to move to the USA when he could of just as easily stayed in Japan, or Germany?) So, if you are a man living in Germany, and need to have a little bit of sexual release, you just get up and go to one of the many thousands of establishments that cater to your manly needs.

Let’s talk about this for a while. After all prostitution in the United States get’s a bad rap. Of course, prostitution in the rest of the world doesn’t look anything like the sorry excuses found in the United States. It’s quite different. In Germany, it’s part of society, and everyone tends to visit them from time to time.

Visiting a Chain-Bordello, the FKK

Yes, in America we have chain fast-food restaurants like McDonalds, and KFC. We have chain restaurants like Red Lobster, and Denny’s. We have chain car-washes, car oil-changes, and chain laundry-mats. Well, Germany has chain-bordellos.

Yeah, I have a number 2 doggie-style with extra BJ, please.

This is one of those places that every guy really needs to see to believe before they die. To quote a blogger; “Having sex with prostitutes at FKK Oase in Frankfurt needs to be added to your bucket list right now.”

Many guys probably have no idea what an FKK is, so I will break that down first.

Not all FKK’s are created equal, but calling them a lavish brothel might be the best way to sum them up.  I would say that this is certainly the best way to describe it. It is like going to a Roman villa filled with all sorts of beautiful nude girls who are willing to provide you with pleasures on demand. Yikes! Nero, never had it so good! These are places where guys go to live out their fantasies and be pampered in every way possible.

I wonder why I never heard about this before?

Hum, let me check. Oh, yes. Google blocks much of this information. Why am I not surprised? Americans must be protected against foreign ideas and thoughts that might crush the progressive narrative by the ruling oligarchs. Americans must be dumbed down to meet the lowest IQ, and the shabbiest behaviors so as not to offend anyone.

You know, something exactly like this…

Harrison Bergeron
The story centers on a high school student named Harrison Bergeron whose brilliance makes him a pariah. He is recruited by a secret organization whose purpose is to operate the functions of society that cannot be handled by the unintelligent. 

While he thrives in this environment for a time and even falls in love with the girl who introduced him into the organization, he ultimately pays a personal price and comes to see the true social structure as unethical and immoral, and thus rebels, even if it means making a sacrifice. 

In this reality, it is mandated that all people be equal in all things. To this end, the social norm of this society has become egalitarianism. 

Citizens strive to be of equal wealth, intelligence, athletic prowess and social status to all around them. Through a process of selective breeding, mankind is perfecting the perfectly average human being. 

What is not accomplished through arranged marriages is made up for through technological means, the most prominent of which are only showing mind numbing shows on TV, and a headband device worn by all citizens which modulates intelligence, dialing up or down a person's IQ in order to arrive at a 'perfect' 100.

Cover your eyes now. Because I am going to describe it for you in reader-land. This knowledge might be harmful to you. It’s probably classified as dangerous “Hate Speech” by the liberals. Knowledge is power. Soak it up. It’s ok.

Take off your stupidity headsets. It’s ok. Do it now.

via GIPHY

Now let’s talk about what life is outside the artificial reality that the United States has become…

Contact and address of The FKK Oase Frankfurt

Adress:        Ober-Erlenbacher Straße 109 - 61381 Friedrichsdorf
Region:        Hesse
Country:       Germany
GPS:           50.242484, 8.675508
Phone:         +49 6007 930551
Site web:      FKK Oase

They can be called sauna clubs by some, you can get a massage, go for a swim, or have sex with any of the hundred hot women from around the world that work there. Pricing is different from place to place but generally you pay an entry fee and then pay for sex acts as you go.

As is typical in Germany, everyone walks around near naked or fully naked, including the guys. At some you can have public sex in full view of everyone else, others make you do the action in private rooms.

There are many different FKK establishments.  All with different decor and pricing arrangements. For example, let’s talk about FKK Oase in Frankfurt. The following is from a website called a guys night life. Enjoy…

“FKK Oase is located a bit out of the way. You can ask a taxi to take you there or save some euros by taking the S5 train to the Friedrichsdorf station and then getting a taxi from there.

When you arrive you pay a 69 euro entrance fee then go to the locker room to take a shower, lock up your clothes, and put on the robe. Guys wear a thin robe here, though some just walk around naked.

The girls generally are fully nude though some will wear sexy lingerie or extremely skimpy bikinis. There are multiple different areas to hang out here, one room has a stripper pole with couches.

Then there is a small movie theater that they call the kino where porn is on display. There are many couches and a couple of beds in here, don’t be surprised to see guys getting blowjobs on the couches and live sex shows on the beds.

If you want to be the one putting on the show just ask one of the girls around and she will likely be down. There is also a big backyard area with a pool and bar.

There are many pool chairs, hammocks, cabanas, and another place for people to have sex on an elevated area. There is a mirror on the ceiling of it so people underneath can look up and watch.

This is all done in a Roman theme with statues and the like. You can sit by yourself and take in the scene, move from one area to another, and pick a girl any time you want.”

Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Here’s a photo of FKK with some of the girls there, showing their butts. LOL. (PS. If you are an American under the age of 21, you need to self censure. This might burn your retinas, and cause you to behave erratically.)

“As mentioned you pay a 69 euro cover when you enter and then from there everything is done between you and the girl. The standard price is 50 euros and that gets you a bbbj (blowjob with no condom) followed by covered sex.

69 euro = $79 USD

Certain things will cost extra and they won’t come cheap. For instance most girls will ask for an additional 50 euros to cum in their mouth, most won’t do anal sex but if they do you will have to pay a premium for it.

50 euro = $57.30 USD

Many of the girls will be fine with doing things anywhere in the facilities. You can head to the kino and get blown while watching a porn and then move to a bed and be the star of the show if you like. Just make sure to confirm with the girl that she is up for that before you begin.

There is no pressure to take a girl, you have already paid the cover so if for some reason you don’t want to have sex that is fine. You also are free to have sex with as many girls as you want and can afford.

Threesomes are definitely possible, but you shouldn’t expect too much interaction between the girls. Pretty much anything can be done here for a price.”

How about that?

A bordello treated like a buffet. Outstanding! What’s not to love?

“Looks can be subjective but ya they are pretty hot. They walk around naked all day so you are not going to see many that don’t have very good bodies.

Many of the prostitutes are from Eastern Europe and the vast majority of them are white. Every once in awhile you might see an Asian, Latina, or black girl.

As far as how many you don’t really need to worry as there will always be plenty to choose from. The girls have even been known to complain that they have too much competition there.

During peak hours there might be as many as 150, and even at slow times there should be close to 50. Since they are all in good shape you will have no problems finding one that suits your needs.

The sheer number of girls working here make it one of the best FKK’s in Germany. While this isn’t an extremely cheap way to monger it is definitely an experience that any guy would love to try. As many as 150 in shape naked girls around and you can get with any of them at any time."

Now some thoughts from a newbe who went there for the first time;

“Newbie returns from FKK OASE Frankfurt

Hi All,

Finally got to Frankfurt and my first taste of an FKK recently. Got there about 08:30pm and left at 12:30am on a Friday night and this is my take on the night from a newbie perspective.

Getting there:

As I was staying in Friedrichsdorf, which I believe is the nearest town and train station. I walked down to the Train station and been as nervous as hell I got into a taxi there and as soon as I sat into it the driver turned and said FKK OASE and I was on my way (Did not even have to tell him). I

ts about a five to 10 minute drive and the club is out in the middle of the countryside so not to worry if you find yourself driven along a narrow road with no houses etc on it..

What to expect on entering:

Once inside the door there is a small reception area and the lady took my money and also put one band on my left arm to say I had paid and another on my right with key to both my lockers (Clothes and Money locker). Was offered a towel only but asked and was also given a robe. Note at reception just five feet to your left through the door it the bar area and my first glance at the girls and boy was I impressed.

The Club layout:

Using the reception as a certain point. From reception you first need to go to the locker room / changing area. Just enter into the bar area, turn right through the next doorway and on forward down the stairs and into a large modern locker room and find the locker with the key number to match change and back up the stairs, bring your money to your second locker which are in the bar area to the right of the doorway that let from reception. 

These lockers are only big enough for your wallet and the other lockers only your clothes so if you had a large bag you might be in trouble. Back at the doorway from reception to your left is a the bar on an L shape and beyond that is the main Room with a dancing poll in the centre and comfy sofas all around with some high chairs and tables. 

Enough to seat 40 and to the far right of the room you'll find the KINO again 3 rows of comfy sofas facing onto the large screen showing porn and also on a couple of occasions seen full on BJ action during the night and was offered it a couple of times myself but been shy declined. 

The bar / main room area would be the same size as a large pub in Dublin. Back to the door at the reception area and turn right though the doors for the locker area and instead of going down the stairs to your left are the rooms and to your right the Jacuzzi / sauna area which also has rooms to one side. 

This basically has a large Jacuzzi maybe holds up to 10 and some deck chairs around it and the sauna rooms to the far right side with the pro massage lady in a room in the corner to the far left. These guys is a legit massage and one of the girls tells me she is quite good. 30 euro apparently. Beyond the the sauna rooms it the entrance to the outdoor area and as it was dark did not see much of this but looks like a large pool with deck chairs all around reports of it been great in the good weather I'm sure are true.

The Girls:

Now for the most important bit. After putting my wallet away and at this stage to be honest I had been a little blown away by the quality of the girls and I had only gone to and from the locker room yet. Back up at the bar I got a free Fanta then sat down in the main room. 

As said many times before girls were all in high heels only a few with stockings. I'd estimate that there were about 50 girls in the club at 8:30 and this dwindled down to about 25 by 12:30. Seemed to be a slow night and this was confirmed by one of the girls. 

Of the 50 at least 35 were an 8 or above, another 8 I'd rate as 7 and the others I did not find attractive. High odds indeed. Almost all the girls are slim, with small B / A cup boobs and appear quite tall in the heals and 80%+ Romanian and the majority in the 18 to 25 year old bracket. Of the girls I'll pick out the 2 I found most attractive.

1: A blond that I immediately seem on entering the bar. But she left at 09:00 so did not speck to her. She has quite an incredible body, Jennifer Aniston is her prime. I just could not believe what I was seeing and had to stop and stare like an idiot just for a minute she was just that good.

2: Julie 18 Year old Romanian, This girl it so sweet and innocent and a drop dead looker to match. 170cm tall teeny body, back hair. Got her in the room for an hour and was very pleased. She talked away and as near as a GFE as your going to get. She but a smile on my face when she said without any hesitation the she was to young for a drink as she might regret what she would do like any other teenager, but I could only see the contradiction given the circumstance with a very large smile.

Oh Yes some girls will approach and will take no for an answer if you give it in a polite way and others will sit down or walk about expecting a wink or a node and the'll be over to you in a hurry. Some are sweet talking about where your from and what your doing in Frankfurt and more are full on whispering about the great BJ she'll give you in the KINO and the great fuck you'll have together. Its up to your own taste what you want really.

Newbie lessons learned:

1: When I go again and I will, I would go about 3pm, and leave at 10:30pm as to get the day and night shift together. After 10pm the crowd both girls and men dwindled abit and this took from the atmosphere I though.

2: Once you see a girl you like and want approach quickly as she will get taken or leave as happened above with the blond.

3: The space indoors in the club is not quite as large as I though from reports but it still quite big and if there was a large crowd I'm sure it would be very packed.

4: You kind of phase out the other gents that are there and anyway everyone kind of minds their own business. And just in case your wondering. All ages / sizes and mostly singe gents with a few small groups. All respectful of the situation and no loud and rowdy types.

Conclusion:

The best way of describing it would be to close your eyes and picture going to the local pub / bar / disco where the 18 to 25 year old set go and pick out all the attractive girls and have them nude in only their heels and then replace the guys with men of all ages/looks sitting about in robes / towels and that's the nearest picture your going to get without actually been there.

Will I go back YES YES YES and I plan to explore other FKK's as well.”

A listing of FKK clubs in Germany, can be found HERE.  It’s a very extensive list, my God!

While America has been all caught up with prohibition of drinking alcohol on Sundays, and display of woman’s breasts when breastfeeding, the rest of the world moved on without these silly restrictions. Men can go work, at their leisure, then come home and relax.  If the wife is too tired or busy for sex they can go out to a men’s club and get some release. Win – win.

In other nations, men are men, and women are women, and there is no such thing as anything else. I don’t care what the pseudo American intellectuals have to say about the 38 genders. They are only complaining because they were able to obtain funding via political organizations by keeping various narratives alive.

Finally, Let me end this discussion of what awaits you in Germany with this screen capture of a Twitter conversation. You see, in America the progressives are trying to make everyone equal, even though people are not equal at all. The differences are our strengths. Not our similarities.

But, you can’t explain that to the militant millennials.

George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. 

He was required by law to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains. 

Go read about this Science Fiction story (and movie) that has become the progressive dream, and is trying to be implemented today. Read HERE.

In short, we don’t want to treat everyone the same, because everyone is different. Some are smarter. Some are stronger. Some are taller. Some are hard-working. Some are lazy. Differences is what should be treasured. Not sameness.

Anyways, continuing on about Germany… Let’s talk taxes…

Germany is the economic powerhouse of Europe so for the ambitious I there's a lot of opportunity here. However taxes are high as fuck if you are comparing it to life in the US. I'm from NYC so I am used to paying high taxes but over here is another level. Sales tax of 19% is worked into prices of everything here. The only forgiving things here is that rent is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than in NYC and that's where you end up coming out ahead financially. 

-6 Years in Germany

Conclusions

We, as Americans, have a very retarded and corrupted view of the world outside the American borders. To us, it seems frightening and dark. We are constantly bombarded with “Save the Children” advertisements, and told that they need our money to support their infrastructure (isn’t that right, Barrack Obama?). The truth is something quite different.

In the movie “Forrest Gump”, there is a saying “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.” Well, that is true. But you know what? You can choose the box.

Men, I am speaking as a man, need to recognize that we are not chained to the life that we have created. When things become uncomfortable, or untenable, we can change our life. We make a plan, and then execute the plan. These are my thoughts on this matter.

Best Regards.

Take Aways

• Depending on your own individual situation, leaving America might be an option worthy of consideration.
• There are many nations to choose from. Some have higher taxes, but great food. Some have lower taxes, and pretty girls. Some have great history, art and culture, while others are just fun places to be.
• You are getting older with each hour. Spend some time thinking about your life and what you want out of it. It might include going to another area that is different from the United States.

FAQ

Q: What is the best nation to visit?
A: I do not know. It depends on the individual. Their money, interests and experiences. For me, I found that I actually found that I enjoyed the Asian nations. The United States is nothing like I grew up in. It is something completely different today.

Were I to live in the Untied States today, my life style would be a pale shadow of what it is currently.

Q: Why do you only think about men, what about women?
A: I think about women a lot. But I am not a woman. I can only relate my thoughts and experiences from my own point of view. That includes things that interest me as a man.

Truthfully, I am not interested in how a woman might think if she was in my shoes. In fact, it is impossible for a woman to be in my shoes. Woman do not have the ability to function as a node within my MAJestic role. It is physically IMPOSSIBLE for them. Call it sexist if you may. But that is the truth.

Part of growing up is throwing away our childhood fantasies and becoming an adult. You are placed within your reality, and it is up to you to make the best of it. You are either a success at it, or you fail. It’s pretty cut and dry.

Two Part Post

This post is part one of a multi-part post. My basic premise is that the world is a big place. Get out. Enjoy the differences. Savor them. Life is too short.

Posts Regarding Life and Contentment

Here are some other similar posts on this venue. If you enjoyed this post, you might like these posts as well. These posts tend to discuss growing up in America. Often, I like to compare my life in America with the society within communist China. As there are some really stark differences between the two.

More Posts about Life

I have broken apart some other posts. They can best be classified about ones actions as they contribute to happiness and life. They are a little different, in subtle ways.

Stories that Inspired Me

Here are reprints in full text of stories that inspired me, but that are nearly impossible to find in China. I place them here as sort of a personal library that I can use for inspiration. The reader is welcome to come and enjoy a read or two as well.

Articles & Links

• You can start reading the articles by going HERE.
• You can visit the Index Page HERE to explore by article subject.
• You can also ask the author some questions. You can go HERE to find out how to go about this.
• You can find out more about the author HERE.
• If you have concerns or complaints, you can go HERE.
• If you want to make a donation, you can go HERE.

Notes

1. Composed 3NOV18
2. Completed 7NOV18
3. SEO review 7NOV18.