Call
it serendipity, I like that word anyway, and the fact that I was led to
'Serendipity Beach' in Sihanoukville, well is it a coincidence or is
it.... wait for it.... serendipity? Sure felt that way around sunset
time after a delicious stroll, stretch, swim on the mile long beach
across the street from where I'm staying . It was around 6pm, I was
taking in the sunset, absolutely gorgeous over the 10 or so dugout boats
anchored a couple of hundred yards offshore. Didn't have my camera,
but I get the feeling it happens every day, and I'll get that shot, to
be sure.
Anyhow I'm meandering northward, looking in at the
lineup of bars, restaurants, fish places that line the shore and all of a
sudden there's a PA and a couple of mics being set up. I stop and
check it out, what's this? and 2 seconds later, I notice my friend Joe,
a musician from Chiang Mai who I knew was here. And it's the Friday
open mike at this coffee place, and there's my friend Jelly, and I meet
the other musicians, and grab my guitar and do some playing, and play
some bass, drink two beers, fun. Seemed like, I don't know...
serendipity... I happened to arrive at the place on the one day of the
week, just when it was starting and there are my friends and there's the
big moon overhead. But that was only the start.
I hate to
say, wow, such and such a place is great, because it just adds to the
process where the great places get overrun and then they're not so
great. Having said that, holy crap, this is just perfect for me right
now... for a lot of reasons. IN two weeks time, Sihanoukville won't be
nearly as charming, but right now it's primo. A nice mix of locals and
westerners, chill beach, no high rises, a nice scene but far from
crowded. They grill fresh fish at a number of beachfront places, you
get a delicious plate with salad and potatoes and bread fo $3 or $4. If
you like fish, and I do, oh man, I'm gonna eat me some fish here.
And this is a place I'm gonna teach music for the next couple of weeks
(at least), it just has that feel, a bunch of westerners here with time
and the desire, and me having the info they are looking for. I'm
teaching a guy tomorrow at 11, and that story is absolutely ridiculous
(so far). The guy is a 51 year old half Danish, half American, grew up
in Denmark so he has that accent. But he hasn't lived there for 25
years, instead running businesses that used cheap foreign labor to
manufacture a clothing line. He also got into creating a chain of 5
Italian Restaurants in India. Bought and sold a bunch of businesses, 4
wives so far, a real character. But the best part of the story was a
recent 6 month gig working for the Chinese Government on a big project
in NE Cambodia. Apparently China bought a tremendously large tract of
land and he was brought in to help create a facsimile of
Euro-Disney...in the hinterlands of Cambodia. He described a scene of a
group of Chinese with a blank check to make whatever they want. They
had an 'OK Corral' set at the resort and he told a story about ordering
two stage coaches which were helicoptered in. He had to harness the 4
horse team to the stage, and the Chinese insisted that they go for a
ride.... fast.... faster, while they were getting wasted on Chinese
whiskey. And the inevitable crash and rollover since he had no idea
what he was doing.
I know it sounds like a hallucination, but
it was just one of the stories. He insists that I teach him at the
resort up the street where his 'fiancee' is the cook... and that all the
rich people there, the place is packed during the day around the pool,
well all of them are going to want me to play or teach or whatever. The
guy, Peter is very pushy, likely a little nuts, but I'm going with the
flow and I'll be there at 11am to get him better on the guitar. Hansen,
you would love talking to this guy, even though he 'hates the Danes....
I haven't lived there for 25 years, can't stand them'.
And
then I capped the day by going to the happening club on that beach strip
and dancing for an hour by myself, it was perfect. Great music, a
bunch of Spring Break type partiers, so the bartenders were busy and I
could just hang out, not have to order anything, just dance and show off
and get into the music and dance. Haven't danced once since I've been
here, I don't think, so this is a great development.
And I'm
jamming on a little upbeat tropical groove, some kind of speeded up
bossa nova with those jazz chords that I like to use. it's been awhile
since I've written in that vein, but hey, the palm trees, the beach,
good food, good scene. Sounds good to me... serendipity. Better get
some rest.
