Anyway, reminiscing on the Angkor Adventures that I just had together with my fellow colleagues and friends, it really warms my heart..
I've initiated and wanted to visit Angkor Wat which is situated in Siem Reap, the ex-capital city of Cambodia and is also 1 of the ancient man-made wonders. Upon knowing that I am planning for this trip, 3 others of my colleagues (Eric, Ice and Jerry) wanted to join me and venture together. With the blessing from Chenda, she decided to take a few days off to be the host and bring us around, awesome!
Checking in to Borei Angkor Spa and Resort
Itinery was written up, and discussion was made, browsing continuously throught the web as well as wikipedia to get some informations and knowledge to equip us for this trip, but I would say that; nothing is compared to having a local to translate, negotiate and moves along with us.
Chenda, we really appreciate it.:)
Our Amazing tour guide cum translator cum photographer
And so the long long awaited day has come.!! 13th April 2013, we met at Changi Airport and take the early Tiger flight to Phnom Penh, where we transit a bus ride direct to Siem Reap. The ride is suppose to take approximately 6 hours to reach, but however 13th is the eve of Songkhran (Khmer New Year) so we can really see many people travelling out of Phnom Penh. We manage to stay in a 5star hotel named Borei Angkor Spa and Resort at a very good price as the owner is a friend of Chenda at around 50usd per night. The hotel do have a shuttle service to pick us up from the bustop to check-in, where we arranged with the hotel tuk-tuk service for our 2nd day plan to Angkor...
Its a long journey, we showered and freshened up and headed out to Pub Street (a tourist place and also famous nightspot in Siem Reap when they have lotsa eateries, pubs, liveband and night market). We had our dinner in Cambodian Kitchen, where surprisingly the pricing is kinda reasonable and food is tasty; being considered a tourist place).
Entrance of the Famous Pub Street
Our dinner..
This has to be stirred before eat... like 'lou hei'
We were walking round the streets where the rest get themselves equipped with imitation Rayban sunglasses (mine is original) haha. I came upon a painting, a painting that caught my eyes, but I wasn't please with the way the lady is trying to sell it, very aggressive and pushy till I felt annoyed and irritated, enough said, we walked off.
This funny fellow testing out the sunglasses
Loud musics were blasting from a distance, as I hear liveband performance going on. The place is on the second storey and we decided to give it a try. Angkor beer time!! (Probably the best beer in Cambodia).
Liveband performing
Our finger food platter and all time favourite beer..!!
The night is running late, as we planned to set off at 5am local time the following day (1 hour slower than Singapore time).
0430hrs local time: Alarm sounded! Eric shared the same room with me and we lazily get up prepared and met up the rest and set off...
The morning is cold, dark and quiet... Unlike the Siem Reap streets that we saw just a few hours ago, packed in a tuk-tuk... We made our way, 8km north to the entrance of Angkor Wat where we are to purchase either a 1 day, 3 day or 1 week pass. We decided on the 3days pass at 40usd (its expensive la..!!!) Photos are taken and printed on the pass, and so there is no way we can sell to others or transfer between any person.
3 days Angkor Pass with Photo ID
Angkor is crowded, with tourist from anywhere of the world as well as locals around, snapping photos, wandering around and setting up their cameras getting ready to shoot the dawn of Angkor Wat. During the process of our photo shooting venture, we were actually touted by a few food store vendors, ethically they wasn't really good as other tourists that had rejected them was told off and commented or rather insulted for not patronising their stores. Anyway we patronised them, its not cheap and the food is not even nice. What we actually wanted afterall is just food in our stomach with some carbohydrates loading before we venture into Angkor Wat.
At the entrance of Angkor Wat
The dawn of Angkor Wat
trying out the food of the 'touter'
Jerry angry face cos the food is not nice.
Eric angry face, becos its overpriced
Magnificient! Anciently built monuments and structures, rocks piling over rocks, sculptures and statues.. Its an art, but we noticed that many statues was headless and later part to realise that they were actually intentionally chopped off during the Khmer Rouge (Genocide in 1975 April 17) and sold off to other countries as Artifacts - Sympathy.
Turning back to The walkway into Angkor Wat
At the East Entrance of Angkor Wat
Its was an endless climbing, hiking, posing and photoshooting in and out of the ruins and we do manage to get some good pictures. The whole Angkor temples adventures (just a few of them due to time constraints) ended at around 1400hrs local time, and partially is my camera batteries are flat! Canon Eos M battery only lasted around 3hrs of continuous shooting, due to its live view and touch screen function, apart from that, its really fun size and captured relatively good images.
Achieved Zen. (this picture felt kinda creepy)
Eric the superman.!! even the walking pass Angmos also laughed. hahaha
Climbing the ruins and structures just for good pictures
Woo.!! the Tomb Raider Replica. (Lala Craft)
After achieving Zen, I BELIEVE I CAN FLY....
Back to the hotel, charged the batteries and freshen up ourselves by taking a good shower and new fresh clothings, we are setting off to a nearby restaurant and street food exploration before seeing ourself at Bakheng hill for sunset. The street salad with raw small crabs looks argh disgusting, but Eric can be happily eating it! This fellow really puts anything in his mouth..
The raw crab ingredient
The food monster.!!
We were rushing for timing, to reach Bakheng Hill by 1700hrs as the place will be closed by 1730hrs. Like the name has described, its a hill, we have to climb it... Infact we were hopping and running our way up the hill! Hahaha taking funny shots and laughing and disturbing each other, however we are disappointed upon going up to the Bakheng temple as we were considered 'inadequately dressed'. Nevermind, we stayed at the foot and we still get good shots, silouhette figures, portraits and funny shoots.
Tediously climbing up Bakheng hill (Super Actors sia...)
View of Bakheng Temple
Candid Shot
I was snapped too.!! haha
Ice the cool Photographer
Smile..!!!
The Photographer and the Poser... Epic.!!
The night ended with a few drinks at the lobby lounge where we retired back to our rooms to rest....
1 nice pose before attacking the waterfall..!!
Running and posing along the way up
By the edge of the cliff
Dry up waterfall due to dry season, so we just have to entertain ourselves.
Ice bashing through the woods in search of nice sightings
Thats all we found
Its was a disappointment when we reach the peak, as it is dry season now, there is no water falling! Just small trapped streams of water residuing in ponds, we decend the hill only to come across a small mini waterfall, where kids are playing as a consolation prize, I suppose... Snap a few shots and off we go!!
This lady that is our guide cum photographer cum translator is awesome, jumping around rocks and sandy terrain with a 2kg DSLR (inclusive of lens) in one hand, sweaty, dust and sand... I think this fellow has been through National Service before... Hahaha and Ice, Eric and Jerry are munching mangoes and dont know what other food along the way up and down continuously. You guys are good la! Hahaha back to the foot of the hill, settle a quick lunch at the eateries downstairs, we continue.......
The miserable leftover waterfall
Climbing rocks again
Eric hanging upside down
Like a warrior
On the way down
A quick lunch before heading to next destination
Destination final is to Tonle Sap Lake, a place where we will see floating villages and sunset, kids (around 2-4yrs old) were seen with pythons around their neck hopping from their sampans to our boats, climbing agilely up to ask for money while offering their snakes for us to take photos. Kids here really lives a different life...
We finally embarked on an anchored big boat where we have our dinner and sunset photoshooting. It cost $33usd per pax, but its acceptable, as dinner is provided and drinks (including beer) are free flow!
Sitting on the roof of the boat
Young kids living on sampans with python over their neck
The Snake King..!!!
Kids peddling in Tubs
Jerry and The sunset
Dinner on the boat while enjoying sunset...
On our way back, our boat went aground 2-3 times, coming to a sudden jammed stop, I seen Chenda rolling backwards from the rear of the boat to the centre.. Hahaha not only this fellow can jump, hike, climb and run, she can even roll! Lolz!! I cant helped but wanna laugh out loud. On the other hand, Eric, Ice and Jerry had their heroic act by assisting the boatman to push the boat outwards with a long stick while I was happily peeing at the rear of the boat. Hahaha when Im back, the action is over!! No chance to perform.. Haha oops.
Jerry and Eric heroic act. Helping the girl to push the ran aground boat out.
We were finally back to the jetty and headed our way back to the hotel for shower and chillax at nearby pubs...
4th day in Cambodia, also our last day here in this Pearl of Asia, we travelled back to Phnom Penh where we are received by Chenda's Nissan Juke, its left hand drive here, and it felt really different but its adaptable afterall...
Nice ride
Left Hand drive
Had our last meal in (Phnom Penh Coca steamboat) before going to the airport to catch a plane back to Singapore....
Shiok shiok steamboat
Takeaways!!! To have face mask as the road is very dusty and sand flying around everywhere!!
Probably I need 2 more spare batteries for my Eos M to last the whole day shoot comfortably...
This was indeed a memorable, lotsa fun and really enjoyed trip; one of the best trip I've ever had...:)
For more interesting pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151344437616770.1073741827.634286769&type=3
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