a Cambodia Trip.

A little bit lag with my pictures, but I shall clear the Cambodia trip first!

Phnom Penh, or Cambodia in general is a place where everybody thinks of creative solutions with the simplest of materials to everyday’s problems.

Vanishing trades of old time Singapore can still be found in Phnom Penh, like this roadside barber.

The roads are wider and bigger than Vietnam, but the main transport is still by motorbikes. The roads are also filled with old toyota corollas that are refitted with airbags.

And like Vietnam, French influence in Cambodia’s architecture remains.

I thought this sign was a bit ironic in Cambodia where money and power talk.

Not a weird sight to see monks holding handphones in Cambodia, a country where the average factory worker earns 45USD a month.

Queuing for tickets to the Royal Palace under the scorching sun.

Part of the Royal Palace decorated with Gargoyles at the guardians of the temple.

A french house dedicated to the Cambodian King by Napoleon.

Along Sissowath Quay. The place gets filled up in the evenings with lovers and families coming out for picnics.

A very kind family by the Quay who offered me some of their food and kindly allow me to take this picture of them.

One part of the quay was decorated with the flags of all the countries in the world, in alphabetical order. Singapore’s flag was just located right in front of FCC (Foreign’s Correspondent Club) in Phnom Penh, which was our favourite hang-out.

A child soldier.

FCC is the Starbucks of Cambodia. It is a place where you go to find comfort in familiarity. Foreign journalists that covered the civil war used to fill up this place to file their stories and also to grab some drinks and comfort food.

Mekong Express. The cheap and good bus that we took to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh. Budget travel rendered us unable to take an airplane. But it was a terrific experience.

NGOs are everywhere in Cambodia, for the better or worse.

While capitalism is rapidly catching up in the country.

We had damn good food there. Mostly Khmer food with the odd Vietnamese dishes.

Teaching you how to use chopsticks… The instructions were bad…

The Old Market in Siem Reap was filled with live eels and catfishes in the most unhygienic environment that I’ve came across in my life. Mosquitoes freely feast on the produce…

 

Countless of shops selling very beautiful paintings of the temples of Angkor and also daily depictions of Cambodia life..

Cambodian children by the sidewalk of the Old Market doing their Chinese homework…

Volleyball is one of the favourite games of the local residents.

The temple of Bayon, second in popularity to Angkor Wat.

Tourists pay good money to relive the experience of the early French explorers who travelled to the temples of Angkor by elephants.

There was a guy sitting by one of the ‘windows’. I thought it was very emo…

Independent restoration projects by the French, Japanese, Germans, Indians and Koreans are ubiquitous at Angkor Wat.

A restored project by UNESCO sponsored by Japan.

This is the only angle where you can see the three stone heads at the same time. The human likeness of the Buddha face is due to the Jaya King VII dedicating the temple to his father; and had the sculptures of Buddha done to his father’s likeness. 

 

A Cambodian Picasso.

The Elephant Terrace.

This used to be a library. One of the many libraries that dotted the area leading to Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat. Under heavy restoration work…

It was a hot and steeped climb to the top shrine of Angkor Wat.

Adrian, Elroy, Zihao and Me.

The guys threw a surprise bday celebration for me at FCC Siem Reap. Everybody participated spontaneously… It felt really special to celebrate my birthday in another country.

Preah Kean. One of the less visited, but highly preserved temples. Made of pink sandstone. I think the artisans then were incredible to hammer out such lifelike bas relief.

Visited the landmine museum… It was a sobering affair.

Poker cards of landmines that teach you to recognise what type and which country they’re from.

Some of the defused landmines on display.

Cambodia is still covered with many landmines, with many more new casualties each day.

Ta Prohm is a temple hidden deep in the jungle. The place is left nearly the same as when the first French explorers discovered them.

Entrance to Ta Prohm. The place is very atmospheric… You can hear the jungles slowly reclaiming the space that is once theirs.

a pretty Cambodian girl who I believe should be in school studying rather then selling bracelets…

A soon to collapse library inside Ta Prohm.

The battle between man and nature is amazing.

On top of the highest temple in Angkor. You get the view of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and almost all the other buildings.

 

Everybody is up there trying to catch a glimpse of the sunset.

and a daring camera man who defied tourism police orders…

The clouds blocked out most of the sun, but it was very very windy up there. I love the tranquility of the atmosphere.

And I met Chun Yang up there. What a small world.

Although we didn’t get to see the full sunset, it was not a wasted trip. I finished two postcards up there! One for Jie, another one for Jianhui.

Went to the Cambodia Cultural Center. Apparently, Cambodia blame the UN for most of its ills…

Training to be Apsara dancers.

Young girls who aspire to be great Apsara dancers at the cultural centre. Not all will make the cut.

 

A segment of the Apsara dance.

A traditional Khmer wedding.

Kim, our tour guide in Siem Reap.

UK, our friendly driver. Cambodians speak quite much better English than their Vietnamese counterparts.

Fried cockroaches and grasshoppers… I was too grossed out to try any.

Beautiful skies in Phnom Penh.

The Russian Market in Phnom Penh. You can buy original Adidas or Nike Dri-Fit there for 4USD.

On the Tuk Tuk to the airport with all our luggage!

With Mr Tang, our friendly and honest Tuk Tuk driver. Adrian loves him.

Me trying to upload the pictures from all of our cameras onto my computer, while playing bridge at the same moment to kill time. Our Silkair flight was delayed by an hour and fifteen minutes.

*There are other side stories to this journey which included encounters with headless frogs and first-hand account on the lack of order in Cambodia. If you are interested, ask me!

さよなら Cambodia.

Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are the two cities of Cambodia that I just came back from. It was another trip where I tried to delve deeper into my Asian roots, to expand my horizon even further and a chance to show responsibility and put my God-given gifts to use. It was a great trip with a motley crew of pals that in Zihao, Adrian and Elroy. Saying that I enjoyed their company is an understatement. : )

I brought back with me an even higher level of appreciation and thankfulness for what I have in Singapore, and the determination not to let it go to waste. The determination of the Cambodians to live on after much of what have happened in the last few decades during the Khmer Rouge rule leaves much to be admired and replicate. In the temples of Angkor, we have a testament of the endurance and devotion of humankind to their gods, albeit a misguided one. I took back many reflections on the lessons that I learnt about myself and the world that God created which I’m living in.

Saying that, I thank God for a good and safe trip! Hopefully I have the time to post a few pictures here and there, including my 21st and Ho Chi Minh too.

Time to store away the guide books and get back to my bread and butter of being an excellent student. : )

FCC Phnom Penh

Am finally at Phnom Penh with Adrian, Elroy and Zi Hao. It was quite an uneventful trip so far. So far, the hospitality of the people in this country has been great, but mostly at a cordial level. The people do speak quite a good level of English here, so there have been no problems getting around.

Am currently typing this entry at the FCC. It is the Foreign Correspondent Club in Phnoh Penh. Many a journalist had spent their time here getting a drink and filing their stories. The place faces the Tonle Sap Lake, with a supposedly magnificent view of the sunset. But grey clouds hid the sun from view today, though we get to enjoy a most wonderful breeze after half a day of walking.

Ah! What place to muse. Tomorrow going Siem Reap by the Mekong Express bus which we booked today. Pray tomorrow will be another God Blessed Day!

And Yes! I hope to be able to post an entry and pictures on my birthday revelry soon. Thank you to all the peeps for made it such a unforgetful and thoroughly meaningful 21st for me! Especially Disong, Yiqing, Diwei, Dijie, Min Min and Huiwen who helped out in more ways that one. *hugz

A Beautifully Chaotic City.

Am back from my trip from Ho Chi Minh with Di Song. The allure and the beauty of Saigon is something that will me a lifetime to explore and understand.

When will we be back?

“I shall wrap myself up (with the blanket) like a cocoon and wake up like a new man” – Disong at his poetic best.

Loving both the lovables and unlovables.

It was written somewhere in the gospel of Matthew that “it is not the healthy who needs the doctor but the sick”. It is easy to love somebody who is lovable but not easy to love somebody who is not lovable. I wish to expend on a more intellectual entry but well, some things are still best kept simple. I’m glad I’m doing well to love both.

A great Easter day to everybody. May it be a day of reflections and renewal for all of you. =)

Total Detox.

Realising that staying in the house always results in my energy being drained faster than usual, I decided to engage in total detox. In the last two days, I cleared my area in the living room, which includes a big messy study table,  one full drawer., two chairs packed high with books and notes, made space in the holding shelf behind my table and threw out all the junk that I have collected in all my different bags. Am admanant that nothing is going to stop me from embracing a new chapter of my life in the right way, and that means a good total detox. I still have a battlefield in my room, but I believe I will prevail. Throw out unwanted stuff and thoroughly clean out every corner is a good way to start!

Sometimes I feel that the physical part of life influences the way we live. For example, when I was in Tokyo and Vietnam, I had the impetus and energy to live a “maximising life” that gave me much invaluable lessons on life and God. However, when I came back to Singapore, I felt the same, as if I had not been on this life-changing journey before. When I stepped into my house, it gave me the same vibes. I felt like the physical environment is exerting a control on me that puts me back to my own self. Yet that one month shown me what things can be, and what I can do, and what am I capable of feeling. This is when I made the breakthrough out of my physical environment and possessed that energy to change it from within.

Hence the spring-cleaning to clear out any thing that are useless and would prevent me from moving on with life. We need some new energy in the house. =)

We played tennis at Jianhui and Jianni’s condominium after the prayer meeting on Saturday. I love the feel of her house! Aunty Kathy always makes all the little efforts to make things comfortable and cosy for her two daughters. The distinctly relaxing and pleasant aroma that filled the house, the wind, the brightly lit fish tank and the soft orange hues of the living room and dining room lights creates a comfortable, lucid and sanguine disposition in me.

I love my house too. It is big, bright and airy. But I think it is too functional and the clutter that has accumulated over the years due to bad organisation are getting to me. I need to clean out spaces and create new ones. Bring it on total detox!

Let the changes start inwardly. =) Thank God that I haven’t and will not forget the lessons that I’ve learnt from the past one month. Towards a new future!

You told me who I am.

This entry was originally titled the “the Way of my Wild Wild Heart” until I realised that my heart has been tamed and guided long ago by Jesus Christ. Every epiphany is carefully planned and realised through his perfect timing. Recently, the need for personal time seems to be growing. And it is affecting me in many ways, especially in the area of serving. So please pray hard for me to be able to continue to make wise and discerning decisions.

Today’s tuanqi was very good. Somehow during tuanqi, I’ve more often than not be able to properly articulate my deepest thoughts. And I thank God for that current bit of wisdom to push the boundaries of the thoughts even deeper, and open up another new world of possibilities and growth for me.

I came back from Tokyo yesterday, and I’m missing my sister’s presence already too. The entirety of it. We can squabble and scold, but as I sit down on this chair typing away, I missed the warmth of her “Kotatsu”, her laptop and those fresh strawberries, mushrooms and orange juice that I happily drank as I typed my first entry in Japan out. We had more than our fare share of good memories… =) I love you Jie.

I loved today even though I was very busy straight from the morning with tuiton and jap class that I didn’t even have time for lunch. Caught up with a few people today, especially the church peeps. Seeing familiar faces do make me very happy. Heh… And yeah. Although I was not the first to know, and I’m still a little bit caught back his decision to leave for overseas studies, after every single detail of the happennings in my life for the last three months, I am prepared to live out my life independently and to the fullest, not to compete but only to complement with the possibilities of wonderful shared memories ahead. Gambatte my dear friend. You never disappoint.

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Now is the part about my Japan trip. Decide to condense my entries because there is too much to talk about, while some things are still more “bon appetite” when kept to myself, to quiet savour and enjoy. Nonetheless, I hope my dear friends will like the pictures and the stories that I’m posting for this entry. This entry will include only the first 6 days of my trip.

There are certain parts of this trip that I enjoyed greatly or touched me deeply. One of the part of this journey is the “road trip”. Jie rented a car and we drove out to other places.

We travelled for more than 500 kilometres in two days, and we covered natural areas that are “so not Japan”. I enjoyed the weather, the sunsets, the lining of the trees and many other simple pleasures of nature and most of all, the company of my family. The scenery is so breathtaking that it made me very emotional, and I nearly cried as I stood in awe in the depths of nature’s beauty at its purest, and the undeserved opportunities to experience it. Experiences like this bring me closest to God, as I never cease to stop marvelling at the artistic merits of His hands.

 

Even with the amazing GPRS system on board, nothing would be possible if Jie did not know how to operate it. Thank You for your hard work! *hugz. I love the way where we paused whenever we desired, so that we can take pictures and enjoy the view for what it is. What a beautiful place, yet so little people around to spoil its surroundings. It made me felt like the winner of a national lottery. =) Oh! And I thought the toilet in the middle of nowhere on the mountains was very interesting, not to mention a life-saver for Pa. Haha!

This is a still active volcano in one of the prefectures (think it is Gumma). I’m sorry I cannot fill in the actual details of names of the places because they are currently in my Mom’s computer, but I’m sure the pictures are enough. Personally, I feel that this volcano is many times more beautiful than Mount Fuji which is not overhyped in my opinion. The scenery of mountains and trees reminded me of my trip to Canada when I was in sec 2. This place felt more European than Japan. It felt great to unlock secrets like this.

What is Japan without its Onsens? They are so therapeutic. The above is a private Onsen that my family got to use f0r two hours at this small hotel called “Hanaitchi” (the best that I’ve stayed in for its facilities and service) in the mountains at a height of 1000m above sea-level.  The fireplace shown in the second picture is real and it is really warming when you sit around it. My first experience of a real fireplace. =) And in weather that went below between  zero degree Celcius to 5 degrees at night, the heat was really really a blessing. The food at Hanaitchi was great too! But I shall give food its own entry next time. Too many pictures and too many stories to tell for that.

More pictures of the beautiful scenery that we enjoyed along the mountain trails. Thanks to Jie again who did her homework with guidebook and internet. =)

I’ll like a bathtub with a gorgeous view like that. =)

The area that we were travelling in on the two day road trip was also a residential area for the trip. The rich would buy holiday homes here and come here during the summer. Most of the houses are very pretty and have Western influences in their architeture. Above is a house that I’ve caught with my camera while in the car.

Japanese house owners are very creative with their hands too! Spotted these two wooden carvings of antelopes outside one of the houses on the mountain trail. I love them. =)

At the “Owner’s Hill” hotel where we stayed in for our second night, they have an onsen that is opened to outsiders since there were only four rooms in this boutique hotel. Haha… This ticketing machine for the outsiders is very funny with its phrasing for adult and children. =)

The view from inside the onsen at Owner’s Hill is really good even though it was nowhere near the one that I’ve liken to paradise in Hokkaido. Top top view… It makes me sigh just to think of it the remotest bit.

The Japanese are ardent supporters of conservation. It can be seen by the extensive network of recycling bins around the country, even in the suburds. The bins are divided into either paper, pet bottles, glass ware and plastics or combustible and incombustible items. Reuse and Recycle!

I was very lucky to catch the views of a Sakura tree in bloom although the season is still two weeks ahead. A result of global warming perhaps… but I truly enjoyed the view! The Sakuras are so pretty… and this is only one tree. Imagine when the entire street bloomed with Sakura when the season finally arrive!

One of the touching moments during the road trip was our journey to Yokohama to visit an old university friend of Mom, Mei Chi Chi San. It was an unplanned part of our trip. Our families had a gathering, and it was really nice to see my mother walked hand in hand with an old friend of more than 30 years. Very very touched… It made me paused and wonder in amazement. In a modern world of rapidly passing relationships, such moments are really simply unable to describe… I’m really happy for Mom and Mei Chi Chi San. =)

We did not go up the Tokyo tower when we returned from our road trip. But we walked around its basement. The tower is really pretty at night!

Ok! I’ve reached the end of my entry. Am very sorry if you have spotted any piece of bad grammar but I’m typing this entry with my last ounce of strength. But hope you like this sharing.

Just in case I don’t do an entry on the food in Japan in the near future, here are two teaser pictures of a wonderfully tasty (pork and chicken) meal patty and a Japanese tofu dish.

Have a great Sunday my friends. =)

Travel Interlude.

Finally came back from a road trip… It has been a blessing. That said, I think I will miss the service on Sunday. Been thinking about God and AGPC and all the people I want to share an out of the world experience with during the lovely moments at night. Am very tired after sorting out the pictures now… So will not write much. Hope you guys have a blessed Sunday k.

Until the next post, here is a picture of something that reminded me of FJFC at a toy museum:

and also a picture that reminds me of Gab.

Let’s grow old together my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Tokyo touchdown.

Today is my first day in Tokyo after a very long transit flight. Thank God for a safe and uneventful journey! It feels great to be here! =) Definitely a place that I can get used to. Pa, Mom and me made our way here on the JR from the airport itself. Pretty proud of ourselves and especially Dad who did most of the guiding. However, Dad lost his train ticket and I had to talk to the station lady who was very nice about the whole thing and let him out without fuss. Heh. That is what makes group travelling important - helping each other out. This post will be on some of the sights I’ve seen today.

                                            

Despite the sun on our backs, the weather was very good as we perambulated the neighbourhood of my Jie’s apartment. There were peace and tranquility here although we were just minutes away from the city’s centre, largely due to the fact that it is a high class residential area – judging by the sheer numbers of imported cars I’ve seen so far. We went past a nursery, a kindergarden, convenience stores, food places and a few hairdressing shops. It was like a peek into the everyday life of the ordinary Japanese. It is definitely a life that I can get used to despite the cold.

                                          

My first hot milk tea from the army of dispensers. Brought me respite from the cold. I felt better immediately after I let the hot tea ran down my throat. =) More or less got ride of my on/off cold that is threatening to derail my trip but I’m refusing to let it to! I got my vitamins C too (Song made realised the importance of it) and my moisturisers so I am prepared!

One of the first things that I did was to go to the laudromat and take the laundry for Jie. Jie sends her clothes there for drying. It was a very old, small and dusty-looking place with very old machines.

The walls of the unmanned shop was plastered with souvenir posters and pictures of the owner’s trips from abroad many years ago. The irony is that although the haphazard placing and content of the posters and pictures seemed to be out of place, they gave that unattractive shop some form of distinctive identity, which made it more interesting and gave it that little bit of extra appeal. There was a sense of adventure about the pictures and posters. One was of him doing parachuting, another was of him with his ”western lady conquest wrapped neatly with a towel” taken by the pool side.

Japan is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. Every taxi has a GPRS system. The vehicle that we are renting tomorrow have one too. Apparently, all you have to know is the phone number of your destination, and after inputing it into the machine, will automatically map out a route for you. Smart, convenient and sensible. Amazing.

We were waiting outside Ipuro Ramen store which is one of the most famous ramen stores in Tokyo. The ramen is of Kyushu brand. It was a relatively short wait outside while we were basking in the warmth of the sun.

There were many conditments to go with the Ramen! I love the spicy beasprouts!! =) I’ve only snapped half of the conditments available in the first picture. The ramen is very flavourful, yet not overly salty at all. Perfect for me. =) They served iced chilled Oocha in flasks. Most of my colds were be banished by now.

After dinner, we decided to do a little walk to digest our food. One of the shops that caught my eye was “Little Cash” that sells realy great designs at discounted prices. Thought the shop’s name is quite cute! The second picture illustrates the situation of parking space in Japan. In Tokyo, land is scarce so people have innovating ways to save land, though a parking lot a month in this area will cost you around 500 Sing buckeroos a month. When you buy an apartment, the parking space is not included. There are many underground carparks that made use of such machines to maximise space. Haha… I think it is really more profitable to build parking lots and rent them out than to collect house rent itself!

We made it to Ebisu, the area where there were wonderful shopping centres. It was also a very pretty place. The surrounding buildings were very artistic looking, though I haven’t found out what they currently are used for yet.

There were quite a few confectionary stores around! And they all sell devilish pretty and deliciously tempting looking bread and pastries. If I’m not so full from lunch, I would have munched into them. Plenty of chances over the next few days though. =) Can’t wait to try some of them out, especially the Donuts!

Went up the Yebisu Garden tower and was greeted by this view of Tokyo on the 39th Floor. Tokyo is so amazingly densely populated! Everything seems to run in order – out of place with the jumbled buildings and criss-crossing roads grids. Thank God for clear weather! It rained only later. Or else I wouldn’t be able to see such a wonderful view. If Tokyo already looks so amazingly big and dense, how about the rest of the world?

What a competitive landscape. Full of opportunities and traps. But how can I fight a good fight without the help of my God! Amen to that. =)

Saying that, I did some blog surfing and I missed all my friends back home. For ppl whose lives are still not on track, fight hard, He is the reason WE live for. In addition, I’m glad Min is enjoying touch rugby. It feels good to see a loved one enjoying a sport that meant so much to myself, albeit the fuller version of contact, though the spirit of the game among all the versions remains the same. Amen to that too!