pinaywifespeaks » Places

Off To Mondulkiri Day 2: Pu-tang Village

Lui — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:45:41 +0000

This is one of my most anticipated part of our Mondulkiri trip. A visit to the Phnong hill tribes in Pu-tang Village. The Phnong Khmer ethnic minorities live on the rolling hills some distance from the city of Monorom. Their main sources of livelihood is agriculture and their ethnic homes, costumes are very interesting to see.

The views going to the village is nothing short of amazing. The photos doesn’t really do it justice. Gentle rolling hills that Mondulkiri is famous for and crisp, cool air will greet you as you drive along.

The Pu-tang Village though is decidedly a lot colder than in any parts of the province, its actually hard to go out without a thin jacket. So most people there weren’t wearing their traditional garb but were swathed in thick clothes.

It’s dry season so everywhere I looked, the hills were covered in dry grass..

The number of traditional Phnong houses were smaller compared to those who have now built ‘modern’ Khmer style houses. But still, the few present in the village are worth having a peek at. The Phnongs are also incredibly warm and welcoming and would even allow you inside their houses if you ask politely.

The kids with us prepared some clothes, books and food donation and also interacted with the villagers and I left them to it while I wandered about taking photos.

The Phnongs are passionate about their rice wine. It keeps them extra warm during really cold nights and they usually store their rice wine in these jars and drink from it using long plastic straws.

And this is the traditional Phnong ethnic house. The owner kindly invited me inside to look around but I didn’t take photos out of respect for his privacy. But let me just describe what’s inside.. It’s dome shaped (kinda reminded me of an igloo), and made of wood and other local materials. On the inner center was a place for fire to keep them warm. On both sides there were raised platforms they use to lounge around and they also have hammocks. One of these platforms were lined with jars filled with rice wine and another section housed a small cotton weave. There was also a hanging storage platform very near the roof with some huge baskets made of native materials stored.

Road Trip Up to Bokor Mountains and Thansur Bokor, Part 1

Lui — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:44:28 +0000

Finally. I got around to downloading all pics and videos from this road trip. I’m usually very enthusiastic about taking photos and vids during road trips but once the excitement of the trip simmers down, I’m really really lazy about downloading and editing photos. And this one made me extra lazy coz I couldn’t stop myself from taking photos, and I brought with me three cameras = gazillion photos. Yes, I am really an OC person.

I’m breaking down this whole thing into two parts as I have tons of photos even after I spent a lot of time deciding which one to post. This first part would be about the road trip up and some snapshots of Thansur Bokor Resort. Part two will be some snapshots of the scenes around Bokor.

For so long, we’ve been planning on going up to Bokor National Park well, ever since we got here three years ago. But in the end, this trip always took the backseat coz before this year, the roads weren’t really good, and while we do like to rough it up sometimes, we also have a kiddo to think about, so her comfort takes precedence. But when we heard that the new casino/hotel had its soft opening last March and the roads are now immaculate, we then gave it a go.

Signage - National Road 3 to Kampot

Bokor National Park is located some distance from Kampot. Main attractions would be the ruins scattered in the old French hill station built the French during the 1920′s. Its easy to guess why they picked this place, its super scenic and offers a great respite from the heat of Cambodia’s plains. Free airconditioning. Ha!

Knowing this much, I was very much excited and ready to be impressed by the scenery. I am and always will be a huge fan of nature and fantastic panorama. So we packed our bags for the trip and left Phnom Penh about 7 am. The trip going to Kampot is easy, with pretty scenes of the countryside, occasional towns like the one below..

small Cambodian town along N3

And before we knew it we were in this turn..

..turning right to Phnom Bokor Resort

From here we drove on towards Route 4 for about 8 km and the turn to Bokor National Park came up. There were a lot of workers about the turn, planing the road sides with colorful bougainvilla shrubs. I’m starting to imagine how this place would look like when these plants are big and blooming.

Road Turn to Bokor National Park

Entrance to Bokor National Park

What followed was a drive on a wide, winding road with very very pretty scenery. I did have to stop myself from asking hubby to stop the car so I could take photos. If I did that, we probably would have reached the hill top at night time. So I held back and just took snapshots from the car.

Winding roads going up to Bokor

Gorgeous Views this shot can't even begin to capture

But it was just gorgeous! You can see long, stunning stretches of the coast and the plains below that I know these pictures doesn’t really do it justice.

..more pretty views..

old bridge still intact..

Here’s a video of the road trip up:

Click here to view the embedded video.

After an hour or so of driving up, we came upon a short junction with an empty rest-stop, and a small shrine where travelers can pray for safe trip.

praying for safe trip..

Turning left, we drove on some more and before long we were looking at the hill top’s latest addition. The ginormous Thansur Bokor Resort. I’m not really sure how I feel about this huge complex built in here. On one side, I think I find it a little garish and I have the feeling it doesn’t belong among the eerie and sad ruins on the hilltop but the passive side of me thinks, oh well, its there. And drawing visitors again.

Thansur Borkor Resort

The hotel/casino is actually now operational although there were still a bit of construction and fixing going on in some parts. You can check out their website at Thansur Bokor Resort and bookings can be done there too. We opted not to stay there for the night and just go down instead to Kep, but we do plan stay there at least overnight next time we go.

Thansur Bokor Resort Reception

Thansur Bokor Resort, Bokor Cambodia

Bokor can be really chilly and foggy but it was a really welcome treat coming from the super hot and humid Phnom Penh. See the photo below of the Thansur frontage? That’s not some sort of photo effect, its just all fog.\

fog. fog. fog all around.

We drove around the area for a few hours and I’ll be posting the photos on the next part.

Food Trip Friday: Cheap Buffet at Thansur Bokor

Off To Mondulkiri Day 2: Bousra Waterfalls

Lui — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:31:32 +0000

I really ought to be shot. I forgot to update about the Mondulkiri trip last Feb when all the photos have been ready for a few weeks already. I am really starting to be soo forgetful. Being a mom/wife/student/freelance worker can sometimes do that to a person. So I’m resigned to my fates.

Thankfully, a friend of mine asked me about Bousra Waterfalls this morning and I suddenly remembered I had to post about the second day of our trip to Mondulkiri. In case you’ve missed the first part, check it out here – Mondulkiri 2012 Day 1.

~oOo~

We started the day really early coz we had to visit a couple of schools for an outreach project. I was with a group of students whose mission is to help schools in far flung areas with books, school materials etc etc. That time, they were bringing a lot of book donations as well as school supplies for the kids. The ceremony was a bit long and it was around noon time when we left for Bousra Waterfalls.

I was excited to see the falls again. The last time we went to visit this place, its was just awesome (see post here). And I was curious if there has been any changes.

And yup. There has been some changes in the last two years. The road now is nicer. Not concrete or anything but no muddy potholes in them. There were also more people coming and going. Last time we went there, we were the only ones enjoying the places. This time there were lots of families picnicking. A group of monks and several groups of barangs.

I won’t bore you much now with my inane chatter, so here’s the pics spam.

the ‘entrance’

the last tier. and this one’s fairly long and stretches down a hundred meters or so. Not exactly spectacular, but some people like looking down on this so I’m glad to see they built new railings around the sides. It was scary the last time we came when they didn’t have any fence or railings near this.

The first tier. The volume of water is obviously down if you compare it with my previous photo. I was kinda disappointed even though its still beautiful. Then I remembered, we came this time during the dry season. Lol. Silly me.

postcard pretty!

locals love to ~~swim~~ shower here..

up close..water curtains

from the top. before the big water drop.

stream where the cascade comes from..

So pretty, right? I do LOVE out of the way gems like these. If you wanna visit this place, do so now before more and more people start discovering it.

Phnom Penh’s Psah Thom Thmei: Gorgeous Art Deco Building

Lui — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:08:20 +0000

Friends and some readers ask me if there are malls here in Phnom Penh. Yes, there are malls, but not like the huge malls in neighboring countries. They usually are smallish and the goods being sold in there reminds me of those sold in 168 Mall in Manila. Bargain, and low quality items at inflated prices. I observed Khmers don’t have a huge fondness for shopping in air-conditioned malls, they usually just go there to cool down, eat or go to the supermarket. And you really can’t fault them since what’s being sold there can be found in most traditional markets at a much lower price.

signage ‘reads’ to Psar Thom Thmei meaning New Big Market

One of the most popular traditional markets here is the Central Market or Psar Thom Thmei. This place is also pretty much always on a tourist’s itinerary not just because of the goodies you can find there. You can buy gold coins and jewelry, Cambodian souvenirs, cheap clothes, electronics and the wet goods area is also a place to see. Another reason to account for its popularity and why its considered one of Phnom Penh’s landmarks is that its a really gorgeous place. Not your typical ramshackle market.

It’s made with a unique Art Deco design and was constructed during the 1930′s. It features a huge yellow dome and four arms as extension. The dome houses jewelry shops, while the four ‘arms’ houses various shops. It has recently undergone an extensive renovation and is now more beautiful than ever.

Whilst the place is huge and can be extremely hot during mid-day, its also very easy to navigate and the shops are organized well enough. The surrounding shops are also interesting to see, with most of them selling mobile phones, tablets and all sorts of gadgetry.

If you’re here in Phnom Penh and have an interest in both shopping and architecture, then this place should be on the must visit list.

Off to Mondulkiri- The First Day

Lui — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:27:10 +0000

This is a rather late posting. We made this trip mid-February and I never got around to editing the photos. Mainly coz when we got back, that’s when Phnom Penh had its almost daily power cuts, then March arrived and I was swamped with stuff to do. I found myself just browsing for custom made t-shirts instead of doing the editing. Sigh. The internet could be really distracting.

But anyhow, here’s some pics spam of our recent Mondulkiri trip. With my usual nonsense commentary. Ha! And I really should mention, I love Mondulkiri with a fierce passion. I don’t know why. I think this goes to my top 3 favorite places here in Cambodia. It’s remote, almost wild, with a totally different terrain than the rest of the country, gorgeous natural scenery and just awesome cool weather.

We were actually just tagging along with Hi-ace and his students, so the trip was like a ‘group tour’ with strict time schedules and whatnots but I didn’t mind, it turned out to be actually fun. We left real early and we made a brief stop in Kampong Cham to check out the Rubber Trees. It was not as boring as it sounds, it was actually interesting, check out my separate post on that.

I was surprised to see the roads were now in tip top condition. My butt was happy because the ride was now smoother than the last time with all the mud and potholes on the road, but the adventurous spirit in me was kinda sad. I really must have missed that first time we went to Mondulkiri in 2010. That time we all had to get down the bus, and walk coz the mud was just too sticky! But now the roads are all paved and nice, so travel time is now on average 7-8 hours from Phnom Penh.

It was also not as green as before, perhaps because this is the dry season. And its also sad to see a lot of forests are being cleared (some were obviously burned) to make way for more rubber plantation. Sigh. The lure of money.

A few kilometers before reaching Sen Monorom, the students demanded a brief stop on the road. They were obviously happy with the pine trees and the nice temperature drop. They couldn’t stop taking photos, and I also can’t stop taking photos of them taking photos. Hahaha.

Once we reached Sen Monorom, we opted to go to the Ocean of Trees aka. Sea Forest instead of checking in the hotel first. The problem though was that the climb going that way was so steep, our bus couldn’t get up. So we were ordered to get down and walk. And I’m glad I did get down and walk as I got to capture this: a monk making a lonesome climb up a hill..

As expected the Ocean of Trees was a bit brown, but it was still a wonderful sight.

Photos really can’t do justice to this place..

And I just realized this place is excellent for shooting a car ad. See the photo manages to make this bus look really awesome. Hahaha.

We stayed for about an hour there with the kids doing some team building activity. And I find this last shot just awesome.

Wordless Wednesday: Opulent

Lui — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 03:06:02 +0000

Opulent Koh Kong Resort in Koh Kong Cambodia. Located right next to Koh Kong Safari World and very near the Cambodia-Thai Had Lek Border. Aside from the usual hotel amenities, this complex also houses a casino primarily for Thai casino lovers.

Cambodia Snapshots: Rows of Flats in Kampot

Lui — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:50:05 +0000

Kampot, I think, one of my favorite places here in Cambodia. It has a very unique, quiet appeal that just holds me. Just the place I go to whenever I feel just walking around, relaxing, do some thinking and feast my eyes on nature. It’s beautiful and very very picturesque, with a romantic, old world vibe.

Just take these rows of flats near Kampot’s riverside..Pretty, right?

A Visit to Wat Vihear Sour in Prey Veng

Lui — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:55:59 +0000

Prey Veng is a Cambodian province not usually mentioned in tourist guides, and for some reason places like these appeal more to me. So when my sister-in-law suggested we go there, visit some family friends and also visit Wat Vihear Sour, a well known pagoda, I was all set to tag along. We also heard that in this pagoda, there is one temple that is home to a deity, said to be generous in granting wishes of good luck, wealth and specially fertility. I think this is one of the reasons why my in-laws wanted to make the trip. My younger brother-in-law and his wife have been trying for a baby for some years already and now they wanted to make an offering in that pagoda and ask for help to make their wish come true.

When I heard about this I was mighty curious. I’m not Buddhist but that doesn’t mean I don’t try to learn more or understand more of their beliefs. I always try to keep an open mind about these things and who knows if your wish can be granted. We’ve also been talking about having a second child, with the kiddo very eager to wear her little nurse uniform and be a ‘baby sitter’. Lol. So it wouldn’t hurt if we pray for one while we are there. And besides this reason, drives to Cambodian provinces is always delightful for me. You never know what you’ll see or encounter, aside from the lush, almost undisturbed countryside.

We left about 9 am and the drive was really pleasant. Just under 2 hrs with the roads all new and paved. To say that it was a picturesque drive would be an understatement. Most of the places around Phnom Penh are vast and unpopulated. Most are farmlands. Which makes me realize that Cambodia really has a smaller population compared to other places or perhaps majority are just concentrated on urban areas. Anyway, I’ll let the pics tell my story now…

Wat Vihear Sour has this huge ‘lake’..

This pagoda complex is huge and has several temples you can offer prayers and receive blessings. One can offer food, flowers, incense. In this pagoda you can also get some blessed water and wash your face with it for good luck.

A small temple located a few hundred meters from the big main temple is where the fertility deity is…Here you can make offerings, then a group of clergymen called a’chaa will pray with you. If you are wishing for a child, the a’chaa will bless a small lotus flower and put in the swollen belly of the deity and the girl will ‘pick’ it out of her. The couple would then wipe blessed water on their abdomen, then also drink three times. You will then be given the lotus flower to bring home and once you are home, to soak it in water and take a sip three times.

You can also ask for luck for business etc, by offering any bill and putting it inside the deity’s bag. Then after praying for a short while you can get back the bill and keep it for luck. It’s a pretty interesting ritual to see and I do feel privileged to see, experience and be a part of this. This is a part of Cambodia culture one doesn’t easily experience from your usual tourist places..

Sleepy, Picturesque Kampot City

Lui — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:25:00 +0000

We’ve been to Kampot a year or so before but it was only a passing visit. I didn’t even get to take photos and I had been forever lamenting that little incident and bugging Hi-ace about when we’ll go back there and soak up on the Kampot atmosphere. We finally made the trip three weeks ago during the Water Festival holidays. It was a rather spur of the moment trip with no real itinerary except going to Kep and Kampot and just wandering about. This is a pic heavy post, so be forewarned, it’ll take a bit of time to load up.

Kampot is a leisurely 2-3 hour drive from Phnom Penh. National Road #3 is newly re-built? and is in great shape so the drive is smooth and very very picturesque. I love unspoiled, green landscapes and I was seriously tempted to ask Hi-ace to stop driving and let me get down and take photos but I just had to restrain myself. Lol.

Here’s some gorgeous riverfront snapshots..

Kampot City didn’t disappoint. There something about the place that begs you to just relax and take a stroll. It’s quiet, very sleepy and very relaxing. The city is smallish, but with some interesting old colonial architecture. Were big fans of sleepy towns and almost untouched scenery so we loved Kampot. It’s like finding a sparkling diamond necklace in the wild.

And I could never get enough of taking photos of those pretty old colonial houses. I feel like I’ve stepped into a movie set from a different era…

But of course, there also dashes of modern in Kampot. Like this.. The Millenium Circle. I kinda find it interesting that the city has lots and lots of circles. Hahaha. I think they have the most circles in all Cambodian cities I’ve been to.

And a pretty panorama shot from the riverside during sunset..

It’s just too bad we didn’t make it to Bokor National Park as we were pressed for time. But that will definitely be on our checklist the next time we go to Kampot.

Harry Potter – The Deathly Hallows II @ Legend Cinema

Lui — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:19:04 +0000

Are you a Potter fan? I am. Totally. Madly. My Harry Potter obsession actually started not with the movies but with the books. I remember rushing to National Bookstore in Manila every time a new HP book becomes available. I have all copies in paperback and I also have all books in e-book format. Just so I could read it again and again if the fancy strikes me. Perhaps some might say that is so geeky of me, but I don’t care.

See.. Even my Win7 Theme is all Harry Potter. Hahaha!

Why do I love it so much? Because it transports me to a different world. And whenever I feel like my imagination and creativity is on dead zone, I just read one of these books, and it makes me start imagining. Although I am not as impressed with the movie compared to the books, I still fell headlong into love with the Harry Potter movies as well. Not so because of the CGI effects but more with the actors portraying each role.

My favorite character in the series is Severus Snape. Perhaps I have a penchant for weird characters but I find him incredibly well written, and with a lot of depth. Plus Alan Rickman plays him superbly. From the onset, I always thought Snape must have some connection to Harry. And that there is more to him than simply being a grouch. And the last part of the series proves that. This movie is definitely Snape’s redemption. In the book, I cried buckets when he died and when Harry was walking thorough his childhood memories. While in the movie, it was tad less dramatic, but I was still affected. Yup, that’s how invested I am on Snape’s character. I find it incredibly sad yet happy {yeah conflicting emotions there…} that the last person he sees before he dies is Harry…The last words he uttered is just sooo poignant…”You have your mother’s eyes…” Sigh.

I’m thinking of reviewing the movie Deathly Hallows I and II but I’ll be posting it on my other blog – Unfiltered Musings. I think this is something much more nicer than just blabbing on about raypak heat pump at PoolSupplyUnlimited.com, don’t you agree?

Anyway, for Potter fans Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I and II is now showing at Legend Cinemas {City Mall}. Do catch it. Part II has a 3D release and I attended the advance media screening, it was superb. Check out the screening schedules in their website. Also, Legend Cinemas has a pretty fun and interactive Facebook Fan Page so do visit and who knows you might just get some freebies from hanging out there.

Fun, Fun Fun @ Legend Cinema

Lui — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:56:23 +0000

Duh?! If my youngest brother would read this he would probably laugh his head off and ask uh? why are you writing about a cinema? He is my worst critic you know. And he would definitely say, cinemas are so common place and perhaps I’m running out of blog topics. Hmmp, as if! A cinema is a big deal. Period. For me and I think for the rest of Phnom Penh. Why? Because after three years of living here without Hollywood movies on big screen…well..you sort of miss it. And celebrate the day, a bonafide cinema opens. Complete with the frills {the popcorn!!!} and real, not pirated Hollywood movies.

I’m a movie rat. Ever since I was in high school, I love going to the movies. At the height of my movie addiction I go to watch a movie at least twice a week. I was lucky coz when I was living in Manila, our house was just across a mall with an 8 hall cinema. So I guess you can imagine my dismay when we moved here and discovered the only cinemas around were the ones showing Khmer horror movies. So that left me hounding the DVD shops in the markets for the latest movies. But the experience is not the same, and yeah, it kinda needles that I’m watching a pirated film. This is really enough for me to think that I was living under a rock.

When I heard that a cinema was opening in City Mall here in Phnom Penh, my reaction was, ‘Are you for real?!’ Then a friend said, yes, its for real. Cue for a happy dance from me. Hehehe. Legend Cinema is located at the 3rd floor {right beside the food court} of City Mall, Monireth St., Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh. A friend and I got an invite for the media screening of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and you guessed right! We were giddy with excitement, {you know not just because we’ll be seeing James Franco on big screen..although that’s a great incentive}, but we get to experience the the latest talk of the town.

And I was surely in for a pleasant surprise. Here’s what I liked:

Well lit and well appointed lobby.
Lounge seats for those waiting for their screening to start.
No long queues. {or perhaps we went during the early part of the day? and it was weekday?}
Friendly and accommodating cashiers.
Affordable snacks although the choices are a bit limited. But the caramel popcorn was yummy {it even deserves a post of its own, sigh!}
Clean screening hall.
Well groomed ushers – I actually thought I was seeing Matrix doubles when I saw their uniforms. Hahaha. But they do look nice.
Good sound proofing.
Seats were comfy.
Sound quality was superb.
And the movie was great!
And oh, they have 2D and 3D Screenings and also several types of seats you can choose from.

There are a couple of things I was disappointed with, but these are minor and I know that Legend Cinemas has been operating for just a month or so, so I think they are still ironing out the kinks and checking out what works or not. But overall, it was a great experience. One that would probably turn into an addiction for me hahaha.. To Legend Cinemas, you guys rock! Thanks for bringing Hollywood to Phnom Penh and do keep on improving.

the huge popcorn…called Fluffy. Just so you know, I didn’t eat this alone. I shared with a friend. Honest. You can ask Sreisaat.

Learn more about Legend Cinemas, visit their Facebook Page or check out their website – www.Legend-Cinemas.com. If you, dear readers, are itching to have your fill of Hollywood movies, or you just need some R&R and sometime with your family, a visit to Legend Cinemas is one activity I would really recommend.

Cambodia Snapshots: Preah Vihear Temple

Lui — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:16:36 +0000

Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn more about Preah Vihear here.

I was supposed to post this last weekend since my Cambodia Snapshots is scheduled every Saturday and Sunday. But I was out of the house and gallivanting about Phnom Penh so I missed this. It has been awhile since I posted some photos of Cambodia but I’m back in business. Lol. My files are all in a jumble coz I’m moving out of blogging from my good ole desktop {she has been sequestered by the Kiddo..:( } and now I’m blogging from my laptop and moving is as disorganized as only me can get, so I’m still trying to get my bearings.

So what’s the featured snapshot for today? The famed Preah Vihear temples. Shot courtesy of my husband who went there last year. I’m making it my goal to visit the place at least before I turn 35. Serious. The idea of that long winding climb on top of a 4×4 pick up intrigues me and of course, this beautiful and controversial temple is a must see..

Phnom Penh Sunset River Boat Cruise

Lui — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:12:42 +0000

Phnom Penh is such a laid back city. The pace of life is not crazy fast, and you can still actually enjoy walks in the parks, badminton on a side street, group calisthenics along the river side. It’s one of the things that I really love here. That you can enjoy free and simple things. I won’t be surprised when one day I might just be in my sport shoes and jumping/dancing with a group to whatever tune those boom boxes in some corner is playing. Lol.

river boats for rent…

Lately, when we don’t have have much to do we usually end up taking a lazy river boat cruise. These cruises are available at sun down about 5:00 pm and leaves every 30 minutes with the last boat at 7-8pm. We usually pay 5000 Riels {$1.25} and 2000 Riels for kiddo per ride. Expect to pay a little bit more if you’re a foreigner {about $2.} The cruise usually takes about an hour and is a wonderful spot for sunset watching. If you want your own boat you can rent one at the same place {along Sisowath Quay, beside Bopha Titanic Restaurant}. Bargain hard. Prices depends on how long you want to rent the boat. But average prices are from $20-$30 for two-three hours.

Here’s some photos from a recent boat cruise..

@the boat top deck..waiting for some more cruisers..

Royal Palace and riverfront…

fiery sunset..

floating houses..

lovely sunset..

Oh, someone mailed me asking about the photo effects on some of my photos. I usually like making my photos Black & White, Sepia or the Miniature Model Effect {tuts here and here}. My current favorite though is the Seventies look. For some reason, the lonely, old 70′s look appeals to me. You can check out Pioneer Woman for some Photoshop actions to get these effect much easier.

Save Big @ Used Office Furnitures

Lui — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:34:26 +0000

Here’s another second hand store here in Phnom Penh we chanced upon two weeks ago. We were going to the airport when we saw this. We usually pass by Schola Rd coz well, its less traffic and comes out almost near the airport already. So on the way back we checked out the store. It’s called Used Office Furniture, and they sell… tada! used office furnitures!

I was really pleased to see their items are really of very good condition. And they also take good care of them, most of them are wrapped in plastic or bubble wrap. They have office chairs, stools, ‘bar’ stools, office filing cabinets, and a lot of office desks. Most of the items are priced at below 50% of the brand new prices.

A few weeks ago, I canvassed for an office chair {the one that an turn about, adjustable etc} and I was quoted the price of $70. I saw a similar one in Used Office Furniture and its in top condition almost never used, and they are selling it for $35. I’m sure this price is still negotiable.

Used Office Furniture – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Schola Road {or St. 2004)

012 – 950-472 | 099- 693 -760

Food Trip Friday #42: Not Your Usual Pizza + More

Lui — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:00:26 +0000

I guess swimming non-stop for a few hours can make one go really hungry. This was last Saturday’s snack. I wasn’t really planning on eating a snack since we were supposed to have a shark’s fin soup dinner later on but the Kiddo wanted a hamburger and my tummy was growling too.

So we walked to resto’s lining Tola St. in Sihanoukville and settled on Happy Herbs Pizza. I wanted to try the SHV counterpart, Phnom Penhites are familiar with the Happy Herbs Pizza Phnom Penh, I’m sure. I like the pizza here, they have big servings and lots of choices. This time we tried out Happy Herbs Pizza Sihanoukville and ordered their ‘Happy Chef Pizza’ coz I didn’t want any meat or much toppings. Medium size was big, actually good enough for 3 I think, but hubby and I ate it by our lonesome. Burp!

yummy but not too heavy..

Kiddo was quite happy with her meal too. Chicken Burger and Fries + Creamy Chocolate Shake.

Beach Weekend..

Lui — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:17:18 +0000

Something spontaneous. That’s how hubby plans his trips so this is no longer a surprise. Last week he just came up with the idea of going to the beach coz Phnom Penh is too hot. So okay, we packed some swimming gear, called our usual hotel for a bungalow and set off early Saturday. We usually take Capitol Bus (near Orussey Market), RT to Sihanoukville costs just about 30,000 Riels (about $8). We left around 7:15 am, stopped one time somewhere in between for some snacks, and before 12 noon we were already settling in nicely at our hotel.

Orchidee.. Popular with expats. Good value hotel, really friendly service and just a few hundred meters from the beach and dining options, and yes they do have a lot of orchids..

a major reason why we always book with Orchidee.. the pool!

After a quick lunch, the kiddo was all excited to swim already so we just walked over to nearby Ochheuteal Beach. This beach is really popular and could get really crowded but I prefer swimming here as the water is shallow, the sand oh-so-fine and there are lots of seaside bars you can order drinks from. I plopped down on one cushioned recliner (rent it for just a dollar) with a huge shady umbrella while the kiddo and hubby frolicked in the waves.

seaside bars..

a stretch of the beach…

I was not yet even seated for 5 minutes and a couple of beach vendors began asking me to buy this and that. This used to annoy me but I learned that a firm NO they can easily understand. But I gave in to one lady asking if I wanted to clean my toe nails. I haven’t had a pedicure for ages so I said yes. So I got a little foot pedicure complete with scrub.

the pedicure lady…and she favors multi-colored nails!

the bead girl I had fun talking with..

A child sauntered near and asked me to buy some of her beads jewelry, I said no, but I can’t help but engage her in a conversation. She’s 12, goes to school in the morning, afternoon she spends her time selling accessories on the beach and also she said she practices her English with barangs and in the evenings she does her homework. I had a really interesting conversation with her and I found it admirable she speaks an almost perfect English.

After a few hours of swimming, we had to drag kiddo out of the water lol! and went back to the hotel, but I guess the few hours swimming wasn’t enough for her coz she went right into the swimming pool for another hour. Then we had a quick snack of pizza then met up with hubby’s colleagues for dinner.

We got up early the next day. Had our free breakfast buffet and headed over to where else but the beach again. This is the best time for me to swim, early morning till about 8 or 9 am. Then we moved to the pool.. Then it was time for lunch, I was too exhausted I just opted to have a tuna sandwich. Then it was time to head back to Phnom Penh. Hmmm, I wonder I feel so tired but relaxed at the same time..

too much swimming and this happens… hehe that’s the kiddo playing around.

Capitol Tours

14AEo, Street 182

beside Capitol Guesthouse

+(855) (0)23-217627

Orchidee Guesthouse

#23 Tola St Ochheuteal Beach, Sihanoukville

+(855) (0) 34 933 639 | +(855) (0)12 380 300

www.orchidee-guesthouse.com

email: orchidee@camintel.com

A Budget-Friendly Khmer Buffet

Lui — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:45:57 +0000

Been meaning to post this last week but its keeps escaping me. Had the photos taken with the other camera and lazy butt me wouldn’t budge from the seat and look for the cable to transfer the photos. So here’s the post, almost three weeks late lol!

Before New Year’s, Hi-ace, me, Chinks and his work friends went to have buffet dinner in The Spoon located in St. 122 (It’s very near Russian Blvd). I was thinking why do we need to travel so far (we live near Russian Market) and had to drive a good 20 minutes when there were so many restaurants much nearer. It turned out his friends picked The Spoon because of their buffet. All Khmer food.

The restaurant actually has two areas, downstairs with the entrance right at the main street and offers an a la carte menu with Khmer and international choices. The buffet lunch and dinner is on the second floor with the entrance on the side (with a huge signage -Buffet Corner – so you won’t get lost anyway).

The buffet area has a pretty good ambiance, upholstered roomy chairs, freezing aircon , and I like the dividers placed between each table for more privacy and there are also small private rooms for parties.

The food: Khmer and a good selection. They have about 15 viands, Fried and Plain rice, free coffee and tea, fruits for dessert. They have free water for drinking, but if you want other drinks then you have to order separately. With all that food, I was beginning to wonder if do weight loss supplements work?

All of that costs only $4 per person, that’s why I’m calling it budget friendly. There are a lot of buffets in the city at similar prices but with less choices as The Spoon. I would definitely recommend this, especially if you’re on diet hahaha coz Khmer food is more on vegetables and more vegetables. There weren’t much meat in the selections except for chicken. And even the fried rolls were made of taro and other veggies.

my plate: salad, taro rolls, fried fish and egg, cucumbers..of course, I didn’t eat just this. Shhh, I went back a couple of times, if you must know.

Next time you wanna try out Khmer food, this is one way of sampling a lot of them at a low and affordable price.

Wordless Wednesday 13: Lamp Shop

Lui — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:23:29 +0000

This photo makes me dizzy A Lamp Shop in Tuol Tompong (Russian Market), Phnom Penh Cambodia

Angkor Wat Temples – Small Tour

Lui — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:42:41 +0000

I’m calling it the small tour coz we covered only the top temples, the ‘must sees’ for any new visitor to Angkor Wat. We only had a day to do it hence the small tour choice. It was also scorching hot, so we just picked the one’s conveniently located near each other so we won’t have a hard time especially since my 7 year old daughter was with us.

Moat surrounding Angkor Wat..

The Angkor Archeological Park is located a few kilometers from Siem Reap city. The first time I went there I thought the temples were close together but I was surprised to learn that the park actually covers a huge huge area with hundreds of temples dotted everywhere. Visitors either go by hired cars, some by bikes and more popularly by tuk-tuks. We made arrangements for our tuk-tuk for the day. Costs $15 for the whole day and we could take him anywhere except Banteay Srei and other far flung temples. We did not hire any guide since Hi-ace was with us anyway, and I had a guidebook in hand.

Road to Angkor Thom

We left early. A little past 6 we were already on the way. We missed out on the sunrise since Chinks was difficult to wake up and I didn’t have the heart to drag her while she was still sleepy. We decided to do this route:

Morning: Angkor Thom Gate, The Bayon Temples, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Ta Phrom, Banteay Kdei. Afternoon: Angkor Wat and Phnom Bakheng.

Angkor Thom Gate

At around 11 am it was already scorching hot so we decided to drive back to Siem Reap. Had a leisurely lunch in Pub Street, then we went back to the hotel for a quick swim and nap. Then at around 3:30 pm we were back exploring Angkor Wat and after that we were just on time for watching the sunset in Phnom Bakheng..

Bayon Temple

I’ve been to these temples several times already, but still it never ceases to keep me awestruck! Amazing, just amazing. I guess no matter how much I try, my descriptions won’t do all this grandeur justice, so I’ll just let photos tell my story..

Terrace of the Leper King

Baphuon Temple

Terrace of the Elephants

Ta Phrom Temple

Banteay Kdei

Angkor Wat

Phnom Bakheng..

More Photos? Check out my Photo Gallery page.

Technorati Tags: Cambodia,Siem Reap Cambodia,Angkor Wat,Angkor Wat Cambodia,Bayon Temples,Cambodia places,Cambodia Travel

Wordless Wednesday 09: That Red Building in Phnom Penh..

Lui — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:53:05 +0000

The National Museum of Cambodia located in Phnom Penh. Definitely one red landmark and a must visit!

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