Phyl awoke and, after a good night sleep, was fine. We walked along the river to the market to purchase a few souvenirs. The market is made up of exterior stalls and interior paths that contain hundreds more stalls. Of course we were pounced on the minute we showed the least interest in something in the stall, but this was aggressive and we enjoyed walking through the market.
G- I guess we should start considering where we're going to buy long pants for northern Vietnam and China.
G- Me too. I'm in no hurry to carry around extra clothes, but look at these pants.
P- You like those?
G- I don't like the camouflage, but I like the style.
Vendor – You want?
G- How much are they?
Vendor- $45.00.
G- (shocked) $45.00 U.S. Dollars?
P- That's just plain crazy.
Vendor- Expensive because they are real camouflage, not fake.
G- Ok. Thank you. (we walked away and to Phyl......) What the hell is real camouflage?
G- The only “real” camouflage I'm aware of is that produced by the military. Seems anything that is not an article of clothing from the military is not “real” camouflage. He's nuts!
P- I wonder what dumb ass falls for that line.
We were nearby Viva Mexicana, so we stopped in for a beer and taco.
G- I think I really want to get my tattoo here. I don't think I want to wait until China or Tibet.
P- I thought you decided against it.
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| Neng |
P- If you want an Apsara, then you have to get it here in Siem Reap where the temples are located. I was going to wait until we got to China because I wanted the Chinese symbols, but I've been thinking that the Khmer language is very beautiful, when written, so maybe I'll get the Khmer word instead. Besides, it seems that lots of people have Chinese symbols.
G- Smiley said the guy he used here is very good and we can feel safe that the needles are clean because he imports all of his supplies from America.
G- Ok, I feel good about this decision, so it must be right.
We called and scheduled an appointment, and at 5:30 pm met Neng at his shop, Tattoo Machine. I showed him several photos that I had taken in the temples and pointed out the specific detail I liked from each one. He drew a sketch and we made changes, within the confines of the size I needed, until we reached the design I wanted. As Neng and I did this, Phyl thumbed through the Khmer/English dictionary looking for what she wanted. She was still undecided as to whether or not she wanted the word for harmony, unity, or peace. Fortunately, in Khmer, the word for harmony & unity is the same, so she also settled on her design.
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| Apsara |
P- Does it hurt?
G- Yes, Gladys. The man is repetitively sticking a needle into my skin. It hurts. That's why I'm chewing my gum so vigorously.
P- Does it hurt bad?
G- Not that bad. I'm sure it won't feel different from your first one. It hurts way less than my first one.
P- It has been about 15 years since I got that one. You know I can't remember.
G- You see that big grasshopper looking thing that just jumped across the floor?
P- Yes.
After mine was complete, Phyl got on the table and he began to do hers.
P- Shit! This hurts!
G- Um, yes. Hello!
We made small talk with Neng.
G- Neng are you married.
Neng – Not yet, but I just get a.... how you say it?....woman say she will marry me.
G- Fiance.
Neng – Fiance? Ok. I just get fiance.
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| Anna |
Neng – A week.
G & P – A WEEK?!?! (We thought we had heard wrong.)
Neng – Yes, a week.
P- Neng, how are you marrying a girl you have only known a week?
Neng – (always giggling) Is ok. My parents know her parents. So it is good.
G- You seem very excited. Is she cute? Where does she work?
Neng – Cute? I don't know. I think so. Yes, cute. She is finishing university.
P- How old is she?
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| Smiley |
G- And were you both told by your parents that you had to marry each other? I didn't think arranged marriages were still common here.
Neng – No, we not have to marry. My parents talk to her parents. Then I go to meet her. We talk, she like me (smiles widely) and say she will marry me. Her parents show her other guys for her to marry but she say no to them and say YES to me. (He pumped his arms into the air triumphantly, giggled and did a little jig in his chair.)
G- Well you certainly seem excited.
Neng- Very excited.
P- When will the wedding take place?
Neng – Maybe May.
P- And will you at least DATE until then?
G- What did she think of your tattoos? (he has them up his arms)
Neng – At first she no like, but I explain them to her and about my business and now she ok.
G- I'd think you'd be a good catch. You're cute, with a fun personality and a good business.
Neng -Thank you. (giggles) All families excited for the wedding.
P- Well good luck to you Neng. I can't imagine that your marriage would have more problems than some people's who dated for years before they married.
G- Will you have kids?
Neng – Yes, but we wait some time first.
When Phyl's tattoo was finished Neng smeared a balm on them and wrapped them in a saran wrap kind of stuff. He was just finishing up when a car load of people pulled up. It was his aunt and several of his cousins. They were very interested in our tattoos and spoke and laughed animatedly about them, us, who knows. Neng said they liked them. We took several photos, bid goodbye to Neng and the gang, and took a tuk-tuk back to Rosy's to show everyone and to say goodbye.
