a night at the strip club, part deux

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Just when I was starting to think of Kathmandu as part of the developed world, I see a guy walking a monkey on a leash down the street this afternoon. The best part was, the monkey’s hands were tied behind its back, and he would take a few steps and then sit down like he was exhausted. Last week, on my way home in rush hour traffic, I saw a husband and wife on a motorbike. The woman had a live goat on her lap that was crying. Probably their dinner.

Yesterday I went for a facial—my first facial, ever, anywhere. I can’t afford the $60 or more they cost in the U.S., so I thought I’d splurge on the $12 it cost me here (including tip), which is on the expensive end because the salon is right outside of the Radisson. I have nothing to compare it to in terms of quality facials, but it was nice and relaxing, and I could tell it was done with an Asian flare when she started lightly slapping my face around. I think I’ll add that to my monthly beauty and relaxation routine, along with a massage, pedicure, and hot oil scalp massage. Besides, I’m becoming good friends with the two women who run the beauty parlor, and now that I am their “saathi” (friend), I get a discount. They are both very excited about coming to my party next weekend.

In other news, I found tofu at Bhat Bhateni today! There was a bucket of it, and each block cost 12 Rs!! I couldn’t believe it! The same size would cost you $5 or more in the U.S. So I bought 3 blocks, and Hasta is going to make me tofu and veggie stirfry tomorrow. Hurray! A break from rice! Although, I have to give him credit, he made some pretty good spring rolls today at lunch, and this morning I had a spinach and onion omelet. I might actually go a whole day without rice! Still had potatoes with lunch, but just a few.

Last night we went back to the strip clubs. We went to Show Girls again, and I was greeted with hugs and handshakes by a couple of the girls I had met the last time. We sat in the back this time so I could watch the crowd as well as the stage. One of the girls, who I’ll call Sarita, sat next to me again and tried to talk to me. With her poor English and my poor Nepali, we had trouble communicating about anything too deep. But she asked if I liked to dance, and I said yes, so she pulled me up and we started dancing in the back of the restaurant on the raised platform.

Sarita’s friend came over later, who I will call Pushpa. She spoke much better English and told me that it was her first night on the job. She is one of the “date for a night” girls. She is 18 years old and is going to college for management and so is trying to earn some extra money. When Angela came out on stage and started taking off her clothes, Pushpa told me she did not like the “sexy dance.” I gave both Pushpa and Sarita my card, hoping they will call me so that I can then ask to interview them.

The dancing last night was odd. First, there was a new male dancer who did a few numbers alone, singing to a bottle of Tuborg beer. And although we were there a little earlier than the last time (8pm instead of 9pm), the women were dancing in full dress at first—not even shorts and t-shirts, but full kurtas. We got up to leave at one point to go check out other clubs with strippers, but Angela begged us to stay, promising that she was going on soon (and the implicit promise of clothing removal).

Soon after that things got racy again. Angela came out and did her nude thing, and the new dancer, Reikah, also came out in bra and underwear. The new male dancer danced with her, constantly pulling up her bra to fondle her breasts and rubbing his hand against her crotch, and all the while she pushed his hands away and pulled down her bra again. He picked her up, twirled her around his head, laid her down on the beer soaked floor, and pretended to have sex with her. She looked very uncomfortable about the whole thing, and although it looked like she wanted to keep her distance from him, it also appeared that she knew what kind of dancing was expected of her.

Faruq’s friend had left and gone to another club, so we left early to find him. He was just across the courtyard at another place called Show Girls Underground, or something like that. We stepped down the short flight of stairs into an even smaller restaurant, half of which was filled by the stage. The place was packed with Nepali men, and we had trouble finding seats. Everyone watched me for the first few minutes until the excitement of a female foreigner died down.

The women at this club were a little older (early to mid 20s), and a little meatier. They also seemed much more confident. The first dancer we saw was very energetic, swishing her hips back and forth in time to the music with a big smile on her face. She wore only a sheer, silver, shimmery shawl with holes in it that she wrapped around her back and tied above her breasts so that it exposed the bottom of her breasts and vagina. She went back and forth between the pole in the center front of the stage and the mirrors lining the wall behind it, shaking and smiling.

After a few songs, 2 new dancers came out. Both smoked cigarettes while they danced. One had on tiny shorts and a bra, the other quickly removed all of her clothing except her black heels and a sheer black shawl that she playfully would use to cover herself up. The women in this restaurant were actually bringing in tips, unlike the women in the other establishment. Men were cheering, and occasionally one would throw a bill onto the stage or hand it to a dancer.

A male dancer then came out and danced with the women, groping them. He touched the one with the black shawl the most, trying to finger her vagina while she attempted to keep her legs pressed together. At one point he also hoisted her leg up onto a table and tried to get her to spread her legs to give the table that was giving out tips an additional view, but she protested and squirmed away.

I’m not sure how successful I will be in recruiting informants for this study. I guess the key is to just keep hanging out at these places. Already the women are showing that they like me, and maybe if I continue to show up they will trust me enough to talk. But this is definitely going to be the most challenging research I’ve attempted thus far.

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Comments

[avas]

where is it?
hey can you tell me where is that strip club called show girls? Is it in Thamel or somewhere else?

[Femme99]

i think it was in bhag bazaar.

[luc]

rediculous
It is clear that youre a homosexual. Perhaps you do not know it yet. If youre into women, than realize it and act on it. Nobody will judge you for it. However, there is no need to say youre doing research. By your writing it is quite clear that this is not the case.