Phnom Penh: Ganesh House Massage 15 July тАЩ15

Ganesh House is located at 22z St 420, about 5 minutes tuk-tuk ride from Rambutan and A&P hotels.

Opened a few months ago, it still looks new. Pretty much the usual setup and pricing. $10 for 60 minute oil massage, and tip at least $20 if receiving special services. A sign posted on the wall of the room said, in Khmer and English: тАЬNo drugs and no sexualтАЭ. I dismissed it as being pro forma.

Have a seat in reception, sip a cup of tea, then choose a boy from behind the glass. Only about 8 guys when I was there, none I would readily class as Twink. Maybe there would have been more choices had it not rained heavily today.

Mattress on a low platform, shower stall in room, large mirror covering most of one wall, decor not too garish, furnishings in good shape. Impressive stone stairway leading to massage rooms upstairs (in contrast to the stairs at Hatha Khmer massage which are becoming a bit of a safety hazard for the older customers).

Ganesh is in a neighborhood that is clearly upper-middle class. Lots of expensive cars parked inside the gates of the villas. So, it might appeal to you if you like upscale surroundings and a recently renovated venue. Nothing else exceptional about Ganesh.

Probably more guys on tap at Hatha Khmer (including Mr BB, already quite adequately described in other Phnom Penh posts. Two nights ago, I spotted him in the lineup, wearing his usual black jacket, and I could almost feel the visions of Hondas and MacBook Pros dancing in his head, which is one reason I did not choose him as my massage therapist).

At Hero massage a few months ago, I came away with numerous bed bug bites, something you will certainly not encounter at Ganesh.

A word in praise of Rambutan Resort here in Phnom Penh: Owners (Dutch and Thai) are gay, maybe also a few of the staff are, though I am sure the owners donтАЩt want staff providing any special services. Fine with me. It is a continuing pleasure just to be amongst the guys. I much prefer it this way rather than next door at Arthur&PaulтАЩs where there is a sexual aura overlaying everything. Rambutan has a mixed clientele and I havenтАЩt seen any children during my last two visits. I have seen 20-something Khmer guys with some of the guests and they are well treated by staff.

Always great to get new information. Thanks, Bob.

One evening the tuk-tuk driver stopped in front of what appeared to be a gay spa, mistaking it for Hatha. I wonder if that was Ganesh House? It is just around the corner from Hatha.

Towards the end is my recent trip I was looking for an alternative. Mr BB's constant attempts to get me to buy him things was starting to get me down. I remembered your report on Hero so gave that a miss. Now there appears to be a viable alternative. Fantastic.

I've never heard a bad word about Rambutan. Some French guys I met at Space Bar told me they'd stayed at A&P but decided to switch to Rambutan. They found A&P too French!

There's Hatha Khmer Massage that we know well, on St 368. There's a second Hatha Khmer, but it's a spa, no massage, maybe on St 350. They have a website. Neither the second Hatha, nor Ganesh, is just around the corner from the first Hatha.

I wasn't impressed with the offerings at Ganesh last night, so tonight I went back to Hatha Khmer, avoided the hopeful gaze of Mr BB, and chose a thin dark skinned boy who speaks not a word of English, aside from his number, 33, which he wasn't wearing when I chose him. My favorite type: slim, smooth, dark, and obviously not talkative. Not a bad twink face. Small but attractively endowed. No mooks or silicone in Phnom Penh, yet. I might just go back tomorrow for another session with him.

I have thought of going back to HERO massage and taking the guy I like to my hotel, but right now I just can't talk myself into sharing my private space with someone like that.

This evening, one of the young guys who works at the hotel said, "Hi, Robert, going out?" I told him I was going to Hatha Khmer. He said, "Oh, good. Massage, boom boom". Nice to have a little encouragement. Three of the staff at the hotel have earned a place in my day dreams and I so wish they worked at Hatha Khmer. I'd relocate to Phnom Penh in a flash, free them from the servitude of the massage business, and set up a lovely household for my remaining days, just the four of us. I'd last at least a couple of weeks before being carted off to the hospital.