Bliss

It's here, but not maybe what you would expect. Any number of spa treatments, facials, hot stone massages, etc... are all readily available and incredibly cheap by American standards. I tried my first Khmai massage at Bliss last week. The quilt shop/ Western women-friendly spa was featured in the NYTimes here: The prices are high by Khmai standards ($20 for an hour-long essence massage, more for wraps or hot stones) but cheap compared to home. I'm willing to pay a bit more for the guarantee of no happy ending, and a female-friendly atmosphere. :)

The shopping is great in Phnom Pehn, but easier to find unique pieces than actual bargains as most shops cater to the Western expat scene. I’m part of that scene now and a little uncomfortable about it. I dodged between tuk tuk drivers on the sidewalk-less streets and into the funny little boutiques on Golden Street on Sunday morning. I found a great hand-made silk dress with a fantastic Asian-themed pattern for about a third of what I would pay in the states. It's disconcerting to have the other side of Phnom Penh nudged right up against the fancy store fronts, but any number of hand-crafted golden sandals will get me easily from one side to the other.

I'm not complaining, just being mindful of the fact that my spa treatments and pretty dresses are the equivalent of month's wages for folks who live here. Digital media, on the other hand, is so cheap, even a bleeding heart like mine can't feel bad about engaging in it. I bought ten new CDs and ten DVDs for $20. The music selection at Boom records was fantastic. I'm now in possession of some older classics (SY Daydream Nation, John Coltrane Blue Train) and as much new indie as I want (Architecture in Helsinki, Asobi Seksu, Fleet Foxes, more...) Really fantastic.