Cambodia - Phnom Penh

2 days in Phnom Penh.

I was quite shocked to see how busy Phnom Penh. It was way different from my expection :-)
 


Despite how the citizen's life is now, Phnom Penh is known for their dark history. From April 17, 1975 until January 7, 1979, the brutal, ultra-Communist Khmer Rouge regime  controlled the whole of Cambodia, then known as 'Democratic Kampuchea.'

The Khmer Rouge was headed by Pol Pot. During their short reign, between one and two and a half million Cambodians perished, some killed outright, others dying from disease, malnutrition, neglect and mistreatment. Some of the horrific remnants of the Khmer Rouge regime can be seen at the Choeung Ek Memorial (the ‘Killing Fields’) and the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. Though the Khmer Rouge were driven from power in 1979, they retreated to the mountains and border areas, persisting until their final defeat and dissolution in 1998. Surviving KR leaders are only now facing the court. Kaing Guek Eav, a.k.a. ‘Duch,’ director of the infamous S-21 prison was found guilty by the ECCC last year. Proceedings against other defendants are currently underway. Pol Pot died in 1998, never having faced justice.

 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

This former torture and detention center is now a museum dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge.

I could not believe the atrocities suffered by the citizens of Cambodia at the hands of their own people. It has to be seen to be believed. Two of the only seven survivors were there the day we visited - one a painter who had many paintings showing how the poeple had been treated. What a brave man to be there, at the place where he was tortured, in order to help the world understand.





The Killing Fields (Choeung Ek)

These were the execution grounds for the Khmer Rouge.

An emotionally challenging experience - the sight of clothes and bones still working their way up through the soil after so many years was sobering and was a stark reminder of what actually happened here. I found the killing tree particularly confronting and have to admit to tears trickling down my face as I listened to the gory history of this place.




Silver Pagoda and Golden Palace

The Golden Buddha studded with thousands of diamonds was incredibly. Its a wonder that this has survived given the recent history.


 


River Cruises
Short river cruises and sunset cruises along the Phnom Penh riverfront are easy to arrange and offer an interesting view of the city. A tour cruise typically takes about 1 - 2 hours and runs up the Tonle Sap River along the central riverfront area providing a picturesque view of the Royal Palace, National Museum, parks and Phnom Penh skyline, and then across the Tonle Sap and up the Mekong Rive. We enjoyed a sunset view along the cruise.




Central Market
Housed in a 1937 Art Deco building, this market is a city landmark.

Loved the architecture and the 4 avenues within the market. Visit early in the day and enjoy the markets at its relaxed best before the crowds. Felt safe throughout.



Independence Monument

This obelisk commemorates Cambodia's freedom from France in 1953.


Overall I had an enjoyable time in Cambodia. The people were so warm and welcoming. I have come to realized that brave people of Cambodia is living proof that, we can overcome any obstacles in life.

Salute them.

Cambodia - Siem Reap

During year end - 2012, when people were busy talking about how the world is going to end, I had the chance to visit  Cambodia. I spend 2 days in Siem Reap and 3 days in Phnom Penh.



In Siem Reap, I visited Bayon, Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat temples. The architecture were simply amazing , leaving me breathless. Other than that, I also visited the famous" Tonle Sap" where very large group of floating villages are based. Also not to forget the dark history site, the War Museum.

War Museum:

Civil War Museum, Siem Reap is one of the popular tourist attractions in Siem Reap. Whenever you come to Siem Reap, visit this sightseeing spot to get a better insight into the history of the region. The collection in this Civil War Museum in Siem Reap is definitely worth a look for one and all who are intrigued by the turbulent past of this place.



Tonle Sap:

The Tonlé Sap is combined lake and river system in Cambodia that is also the largest body of water in South East Asia.It is also known as the Siem Reap Floating Village which has become one of the areas more popular attractions with tourists touring the area on boats. 




Bayon:

Exactly in the heart of the Royal Palace city of Angkor Thom is the Bayon temple. The temple is best known today for the gigantic face sculptures on its thirty-seven surviving towers. Facing in four directions on each tower, the mysterious frozen faces are believed to represent Lokeshvara, a Buddhist god that expressed benevolence in all directions

Angkor Wat:

Angkor Wat was built in dedication to the Hindu god Vishnu “The Preserver” by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. For the first 300 years of the Angkor period, the temples were erected for Hindu gods. The temples and the artwork reflected the faith of the Kings that ordered the construction of these temples.

Ta Prohm:

Ta Prohm is the undisputed capital of the kingdom of the Trees'. It has been left untouched by archaeologists except for the clearing of a path for visitors and structural strengthening to stave of further deterioration.

After spending 2 memorable days in Siem Reap, we took a bus to Phnom Penh.

If I could..

I believe everyone has a wish that they want to fulfill. I have my own.
Come to think about it..what would I like to do If I am much bolder and has the chance to make my wish becomes reality?

Here are the 5 things that I want to fulfil..


1. Travel Around the World

2. Drive a Formula One car





3. Sky Diving

4. Mountain Climbing



5. Sail across the world


Dream High!!!

✿ Pulau Redang , Terengganu ✿

Redang Island, locally known as Pulau Redang is one of the largest islands off the east coast of Malaysia. It is one of nine islands, which form a marine park, and which offer snorkeling and diving opportunities. Access is from Merang or Kuala Terengganu on boats operated by the resorts.

 I had a trip with my family and friends, where we stay at Redang Pelangi Resort for 3day & 2night .  The resort privacy, tranquillity, and their friendly staff is enough to bring me back next time.  Their service is not what we called "not bad" but it's the cordial and sincere service that I'm assure you can get here. It beach is long white sand with plenty of privacy if that is what you want.  The food was good.  There was always a choice and always lots of it. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and always a supply of bread/jam/toast. 

The best part of the entire trip was the beautiful sea.The beach is long and wide with beautiful powder-white coral sand and boasts amazing sunrise and sunset views.There were two snorkeling trips a day included. The boat drivers were nice, knowledgeable and helpful. The divers were extremely skilled and they make us feel protected. The bar was in the most beautiful setting. We visited a few of the other resorts on the island and they all seemed quite soulless compared the the Pelangi. We would certainly stay here again. 

To sum up - if you are fussy or can't live without luxury then this resort isn't for you. If you are chilled out and positive then this is the place.

✿ TaMaN NeGaRa, PaHaNg ✿

I had the chance to follow my entire KLDOC team to Taman Negara, Pahang, as part of our team building event. We left on Saturday , 28 April 2012 and returned on 30 April 2012.

No holiday or vacation in the tropics is complete without visiting a tropical rainforest. And there's no grandeur than to visit the TAMAN NEGARA, reputed to be The Oldest Jungle , The Best Kept Tropical Rainforest & The Great Natural Wonders of the world. By that it means that Taman Negara's flora & fauna has evolved naturally over hundreds of millions of years without any disruption or major calamities.

Taman Negara was declared for conservation in 1938 and has become Malaysia's premier national park and the largest in the country covering over 4343 square kilometres (434,300 hectares) of primary forest, spansacross three states Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang - and is situated in the centre of the Peninsula Malaysia. Taman Negara is the most extensive protected area of pristine, lowland, evergreen rainforest in the country. Taman Negara originated from a Pahang State Legislationin the district of Jerantut.  The stated purpose of Taman Negara is "to utilise the land within the park in perpetuity, for the propagation, protection and preservation of indigeneous flora and fauna".

We have opt to stay in Mutiara Taman Negara, a 3 star resort, which offers variety range of chalets for our stay here.

During our stay here we had a lot on outdoor and classroom actitivies. Of course, the outdoor activities were mind blowing. We went for night jungle tracking, canopy walk, visited the orang asli village and ended it with the rapid shooting river cruise..

Canopy Walk

The view from the Canopy Walk

Boat ride to go across for the jungle tracking

We manage to capture the moment

Rapid Shoot

Overall, it was an joyful moment and for those who loves nature and want to get away  from the tiring city life..don't forget to visit Taman Negara Malaysia..

That's US - KLDOC

✿ TriP To BanGaloRe, InDia ✿

I was in Bangalore, India from Sept 11 until Sept 24, 2011. It was a company trip. Even though we dint have plenty of time to spend visiting this amazing country, we manage to get to some interesting places during the weekend.We put up in Chancery Hotel, which was in Bangalore. IT was a walking distance to our office. The famous shopping and tourism attraction areas in Bangalore which we manage to visit.

♥ Lalbagh Botanical Garden ♥

Lalbagh Botanical Garden is located in the heart of the city, about 4 km from the State Legislature – the Vidhana Soudha. Most parts of the garden is surrounded by different blocks of the beautiful residential layout – Jayanagar.

♥ Iskcon Temple ♥

Just like all other Iskcon temples, Bangalore Iskcon temple is also dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is situated to the west of the Chord Road, on a seven-acre hillock, known as the 'Hare Krishna Hill'.

♥ Commercial Street and Brigade Road♥

♥ UB City♥

♥ Vidhan Sudha♥

This imposing edifice built almost entirely of dressed Bangalore granite is a tribute to temple architecture. Housing the Legislative Chambers Vidhana Soudha of the state government, this 46 meter high seat of the government is Bangalore's best known landmark.

♥ Bangalore Palace♥

Bangalore Palace is situated in the Palace Gardens, at the heart of the Bangalore city of India. Here are some other interesting facts about Bangalore.

• Bangalore's population is twice that of Chicago. With an estimated population of 5.8 million, Bangalore is India's third most populous city.

• Bangalore is called "The Silicon Valley of India" because of its huge IT industry. Google, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Yahoo, Oracle Corporation, Cisco, Microsoft and Intel have major offices in Bangalore.

• The traditional language of Bangalore is Kannada. "NamaskAra, heg'idIya?" is "Hello, how are you?" in Kannada.

✿ A WeEkeNd in MeLaKa✿

On the 27 of August, myself, together with my husband and cousins took a weekend trip to Melaka. Melaka is Located on the West Coast of the Malaysian Peninsular is the state of Melaka (or as it was `formerly known as Malacca).Melaka is about 120 km south east of Kuala Lumpur and about 250 km. north-west of Singapore and is easily accessible by road via the North-South highway.

We were amazed with how carefully the Melaka government has preserved the historical sites of Melaka. We manage to visit a few places during our stay there, and we had good time for sure.

A' Famosa

After the Portuguese captured Melaka, they built a fortress to defend themselves. The fortress, called A'Famosa suffered severe destruction during the Dutch invasion. What's left today is just the entrance walls, still well preserved till today.

St. Paul's Hill

Although the climb up is rather hot and tiring, especially keeping in mind Melaka's hot climate, once you get up, it is rather pleasant. You will find that not only is it surprisingly breezy, but the views are magnificent. On top of St. Paul's Hill is the St. Paul's Church, once the prayer house of the Portuguese Catholics, then turned into burial ground for their noble dead by the Dutch. The tombstones have Latin and Portuguese inscriptions on them. St. Francis Xavier was buried here in 1553 before his body was moved to Goa in India.

Queen Victoria's Fountain

The fountain is located in fort of the Christ Church and at Stadthuys. The fountain is funded by local chineses to celebrate the Queen Victoria, England crowned as queen anniversary. The fountain is a hot spot for photo.

Hang Tuah's well

Hang Tuah's well is located in Kampung Duyong where Hang Tuah was born and spent his childhood among four of his good friends who would later become the famous warriors of Malacca Sultanate. The well is said to be the abode of his soul which takes the apparition of a white crocodile.

Jonker's Street

Jonker's Street, once the richman's street is now a living proof of Malacca's rich baba-nyonya heritage. The buildings are immaculately constructed with elaborate carvings on its pillars and walls. The street is also famous for its antique shops.

Maritime Museum

Maritime Museum is constructed after 'Flora De La Mar', the Portuguese ship that sank off the Coast of Malacca on its way to Portugal. With its hull laden with invaluable treasures seized from Malacca, the ship was doomed from existence had it not for the efforts to Malacca's heritage. At the museum, visitor can get a closer look at Malacca from the famed Malay Sultanate of the 14th century to the Portuguese era, the Dutch era and the British era. There are exhibits of foreign ships that had once called at the port of Malacca during the height of its maritime hegemony.

Portuguese Square

Portuguese Square has a mild affinity to Portugal and known to be 'Mini Lisbon' in Malacca. Located within the Portuguese Settlement, the square is the culmination of Portuguese culture in its full splendour and colours. One will also find authentic Portuguese restaurants at the square.

St. Francis Xavier's Church

St. Francis Xavier's Church was built in 1849 by a frenchman, Reverend Farve. The Gothic towered church is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, well-remembered for his missionary work spreading Catholicism to South East Asia in the 16th century.

St. John's Fort

St. John's Fort was rebuilt by the Dutch during the third quarter of the 18 th century, the fort was once a private Portuguese chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The fort has an interesting feature in that its gun embrasures face inland as during that time, attacks on Malacca came mainly from the land instead of from the sea.

 Trishaw Ride

The best way to enjoy Malacca in a slow and laid back manner. The trishaw will take you through streets and corners of Malacca that you could easily miss out if you decide to venture on your own. These trishaws are decorated with fake flowers and all sorts of things to make it so colourful. Some of them even have music for you to listen to while you are having a ride.

The Dutch Graveyard

This graveyard was first used at the last quarter of the 17 Century. Presently 5 Dutch and 33 British graves are sited within its compound. This cemetery was used in two stages that is between 1970-1682 and later between 1816-1838. The grave that attracts the attention of most visitors is the one that has a tall column on it which two army officers who were killed during the Naning War (1831-1832).

Menara Taming Sari

Menara Taming Sari (Melaka Tower) is the first and only gyro tower in Malaysia so far. It measures 110 meters in height, and revolves 360° to provide a panoramic view of Malacca town and beyond. It was commercially opened on the 18th of April of 2008. Taking a ride on it will give you a great 360º view of Melaka city.

There are many other places of historical value well worth a visit. What is mentioned above are just some of the "Not to be miss" sites. If you have more than a day's stay in Malacca, these places are worth visiting too.