Thursday, September 30, 2010

Angkor what what what???


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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

From a thousand years ago, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The very famous Angkor wat. The iconic 3 maize on the building. Build by a succession of kings, the whole place is very much Hindu. Might be very much better if I had read some Cambodia history beforehand if not they are pretty much just ruins and some cravings. I had watch Tomb raider but too lazy to read about history.

The main sites have undergo restoration but the rest are pretty much in shambles. There are wooden poles here and there for support and sometimes I feel that I could be buried in rubble anytime.

Definitely worth a visit but once is enough. After visiting the main sites, the rest looks almost alike, long flight of stairs and nothing up there. Siem Reap is like just like Thailand with lots and lots of tourist. Khmer cuisine is almost the same as thai as well. Even their nightmarket sells all the stuff that you can get in thai. I like Amok, some kinda khmer curry dish. Food choices in abundance and beer for 1usd. It's a great place to spend some time.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Apsara dance which is the Khmer traditional dance. Maybe music and dances in the entire region share some similarity. Thai, Burmese, Javanese and Khmer all seems quite alike but with slight variations. Twisting their hands to the music, wearing sharp pointy crowns and dances with a vivid storyline involving a bird or a beast.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Angkor wat. Waking up at 4am to get there to watch this "on-every-single-postcard" sunrise over the Angkor wat. Just to see hundreds of people in the dark armed with their dslr and tripods aiming at the same direction.

Can one really tell the difference between a sunrise and a sunset? Just watch the sunset la.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Hahaa 這些是狗嘴嗎?

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Ta Prohm. Where Angelina Jolie was there to search for I-can't-remember-what and fight off some guardian statue. They are doing some restoration work because the whole place look like it might collapse anytime. The trees growing out of the ruins makes the place look "untouched" but it seems like it's destroying the structure as well.

If there isn't woodcutters or many other tourists around, you might feel like you have just stumbled upon some lost temple in the middle of the jungle. This place feels peaceful. In contrast, the faces at the Bayon temple makes the whole place eerie.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

The very famous Bayon temple. I don't know why but he look really creepy. 又加上綿綿的細雨,更加感覺眼前一片淒涼。

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

There are lots of carvings. Some with a sense of humor.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

And the more beautiful ones.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Do the ancient cambodians have small feet and long legs or what? I find myself spending 1/4 of my holiday climbing up flights of stairs that look exactly alike. And another 1/4 of the time climbing down.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

So is this a sunrise or a sunset?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Also from a thousand years ago. Phuket. Somewhere common and every other person been there before. Just felt that it's very much overrated or I had too high expectations for Thai beaches. Sandy shores and clear blue water and that's about it. As usual, the whole place is full of angmos, lobster red from both alcohol and sun. It's just nice but not excatly my favorite. But anyway you'll still get all the good food as long as you're in Thailand.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

It's really just a beach.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

The picture that everybody must take when they are there.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Simple but very nice. A-roy ka! Mama brand instant noodle stir fry.

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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Everybody loves sotongs! From seaman to tourists.

Playing with fire.


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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

Fire dancers skipping.


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Originally uploaded by Abducted by pirates

More snacks?