pinaywifespeaks » Travel

Manila-Siem Reap Direct Flights via Cebu Pacific Air

Lui — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:48:20 +0000

Here’s something we’ve been waiting for quite sometime already, after the two countries have signed flight deals since 2009! Direct flights from the Philippines to Cambodia is finally here! Philippine budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air will commence flights from Manila-Siem Reap and vice versa from April 19, 2012!

Visiting Angkor Wat is now much easier and much much cheaper for Pinoy folks. And what’s even better is that Cebu Pacific Air is currently holding a seat sale till January 29, 2012, so hurry and grab your really cheap fares on this seat sale. I think booking for Cambodia flights commences tomorrow, January 27th @ Cebu Pacific Air. You can also check out Cebu Pacific’s Facebook Page for promo updates.

I’ve checked the schedules and for now the airline is flying to Siem Reap on Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday. Flight times would 19:50 - 21:30 for Manila-Siem Reap and 22:30 – 02:10 for Siem Reap-Manila. That’s about 2 hrs and 40 mins of flying, (Cambodia being 1 hr behind Manila time)!

This news made my day. Lol. I’ve been wishing for this to happen since… well ever since. And now if only Cebu Pacific flies to direct to Phnom Penh too. I know, tourists are mostly after Angkor Wat in Siem Reap but still, majority of Filipino expats reside here and Phnom Penh is increasingly getting a part in the tourist trail..so Cebu Pacific, pretty please add Phnom Penh to your destinations soon..

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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.

Food Trip Friday: Pasta Mayon @ Small Talk Cafe

Lui — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:07:32 +0000

Here’s from one of my favorite resto’s in Legazpi City, Philippines – Small Talk Cafe. I missed the food there so this was one of my stops with some friends during my two-week Pinas vacation.

I had Pasta Mayon. I know it looks like your ordinary lasagna dish but believe me this one is definitely unique. Ravioli pasta stuffed with creamy pinangat (laing leaves cooked with coconut cream) and topped with oh so yummy tuna sauce. I think ‘yummy’ and delicious would be an understatement for this dish.

I also wish I had more room for more food. But I just had heavy lunch and the pasta was the only thing I could accommodate. The Laing/Pinangat Pasta and the Bicol Express Pasta and Pili Pasta, Laing Pizza looked interesting too. I guess, I just have to make sure I’m really hungry when I go there again.

Small Talk cafe has a really cozy ambiance (think vintage-retro!) and features some totally unique food. A lot of the food in their menu are a must try. If you’re ever in Legazpi City, visit this place. Located in Albay District very near Divine Word College.

And oh, thanks Yese for the pics (which makes me think what a lousy blogger I make, I always seem to forget the cam whenever I need it LOL) and Khenn, thanks for the yummy treat ). Miss you guys and see sometime soon again.

Food Trip Friday: Sibid-Sibid Legazpi

Food Trip Friday: Sibid-Sibid Legazpi

Lui — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:40:46 +0000

It’s been awhile. But hey, I’m well, alive and blogging from Phnom Penh again. I did plan to update the site while I was in the Philippines but a busy schedule and a crazy slow internet connection made me…well, lazy. I reasoned I was on vacation so I might as well be on full vacation..

I had a really great time there even if the weather was really dark, rainy and moody. I met up and caught up with a lot of friends and also had a great time trying out Legazpi’s new restos. One of the places we tried was Sibid-Sibid Legazpi. We were with my mom’s bestfriend and since my daughter is crazy about seafood, this is the place she recommended we try. So I’m deviating a bit for my Food Trip Friday entry and featuring a ‘Filipino restaurant’ instead of Khmer food.

a miniature sibi-sibid. A wooden banca used by fishermen..

Sibid-Sibid Legazpi has native and traditional Filipino theme with bamboo and wood decor all around the resto. It reminded me much of bahay kubos . Their menu consisted mainly of traditional Filipino favorites like bulalo, sisig, bicol express and more seafoods.

FISH SISIG: i’ll be having some serious cravings with this one. It’s soooo crunchy and delicious. I had to stop myself from ordering a bottle of beer when I tasted this.

SHRIMP ADOBADO: the sauce. finger lickin’ good. The kiddo went a little nuts with this. She wanted a second helping of rice coz of this.

Mains were priced around P150-P190 per order but the servings were big. Enough for 3-4 persons. And the taste, sooooo deliciously good. We couldn’t help ourselves and bef

ore the meal was halfway, we were eating with our hands hahaha.. All in all, Sibid Sibid is a great place to dine with family and friends. I find it a good value for money, sure it might cost a lot more than you’re typical fastfood fare but its all more worth it.

CALAMARES: very good. I did wish though that’s they’d have something a little more spicy and exotic for sauce. But this was great and a must try.

CAMARON: crunchy and the sauce perfect for it.

FRESH COCONUT: the perfect drink to go with it all..

After that full hearty meal, we all headed over to a local mall and went on a hunt for a gift store to have some baby shower gifts delivered. My cousin gave birth recently and since we couldn’t be with them for the shower, we opted for some gifts delivery service.

I’ll be posting more stuff about our short Bicol trip and oh, after we got back to Phnom Penh two days ago, Hi-ace dragged us for a ‘drive’ which ended up with us exploring Kep and Kampot, Cambodia. I’ll be featuring picturesque Kampot photos soon.

Food Trip Friday: Pasta Mayon @ Small Talk Cafe

A Visit to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Lui — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:48:45 +0000

This is a photo heavy post ) Hmm, I’m just too lazy to spread this over several posts. A week ago, we had long holiday because the Khmers were celebrating Pchum Ben. With a few days on our hands we decided to visit Ho Chi Minh City again. Last time we went there we didn’t do much sightseeing, we were just there to eat and shop. We picked the place since its near, just a few hours bus ride. For the PP-HCM leg of our trip we took Mekong Express. Left 8:30 am and before 1:30 pm we were already getting our passports stamped at the Vietnam border. You know you’re in Vietnam when you see this..Heh.

I pre-booked our hotel, picked out Hong Thien Loc Hotel for its proximity to buses going to Phnom Penh and also its right along Pham Ngu Lao street. Very central. The hotel was nice enough, nothing stellar but good enough and I got a really good deal online compared to if we just walked in.

And here’s pic spam of our three day trip.

I actually feel right at home in Ho Chi Minh city. I feel like I’m just in a bigger version of Phnom Penh. What with millions of motorbikes making the city roads their raceways? Well for some, the streaming hordes of motorbikes is a novelty and often scary but I must have gotten immune to it while living in Phnom Penh. I think its pretty ordinary hahaha. And I just found out I’m pretty good at crossing the road and deftly avoiding being side swept by those flying motos..

Above: Backpacker Central – De Tham Street

Tiny alleys packed with mini hotels..

Eats? One of my favorite things to do in Vietnam..We can’t get enough of Pho..

The usual tourist circuit..Hehe we decided to do what the usual tourists do..

Reunification Palace. This place obviously didn’t interest me much. This is the only photo I took of the place.

War Remnants Museum.

Lovely Notre Dame Cathedral

Below: A really old and ornate Chinese Temple

And my favorite place in all of Ho Chi Minh City. The General Post Office. I dunno but this is just gorgeous for me. I feel like I’m on time travel and I could hang out in this place for hours.

i love this ATM booths )

And oh, we also visited a lacquerwood factory..

Applying layers of paint/lacquer or whatever that is. I guess I wasn’t paying attention and busy snapping away.

Egg Shell Art

Below: Finished Products Gallery. One can buy from here. A bit pricier than those in markets but the quality is much much better.

When we came back we booked Kumho Samco bus, you know we want to try out all buses plying the PP-route, just so we know which one is really the better service. Hmmm, OW was $10, the seats were good. I reckon they are better than Sapaco Tourist. At least they don’t cram the bus with ‘goods’ the way Sapaco does. Service-wise I would still prefer Mekong Express.

That’s it folks! I do have a lot of things to say about this short trip but this post is too long already. Haha.. All in all, this was a really lazy, relaxing vacation. I hope we could do this often. Hahaha. Yeah, I’m already checking out the calendar for the next PP long holiday and where we’ll be going…

Food Trip Friday: Pho2000

Lui — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:34:03 +0000

We had a long holiday this week here in Phnom Penh. The Khmers were celebrating Pchum Ben and most people took the time off and headed elsewhere for some R & R. We were actually planning on going to Battambang, but since my sister was going home to Manila via Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, we decided we’ll all tag along and spend a few days there. What did we do? Nothing much, walked about the city, did a bit of shopping{ really, Ho Chi Minh is a bargain shoppers haven, you’ll find everything in their markets apparel, even hospital scrubs sale, bags, home decor etc} and we also ate a lot. Hubby and I, are big fans of Vietnamese Pho Bo so we decided to eat Pho every night Lol.

The first night we went to our favorite Pho place – Pho2000. Here’s some drool worthy pics..

Hubby ordered a large bowl of Pho Bo {Beef Keuy Teuw Noodles} and I was seriously shocked at how huge the bowl was. I thought at first the waiter was bringing it over for us to wash our hands on, hahahaha. And Hi-ace was embarrassed he was the only one eating a huge bowl of noodles. Lol. But he did finish it all up!

Mine was a really delicious seafood Pho. Clams, squid, fish, prawns and lots of onions. I love the spiciness of this one. Definitely going to my favorite list.

Cebu Pacific Air Seat Sale Still On!

Lui — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:10:53 +0000

Cebu Pacific Juan to Fly? Promo:

Manila to Legazpi or Naga | Cebu to Clark, Davao, Ozamiz, Pagadian or Surigao | Davao to Iloilo – P488
Manila to Tagbilaran or Roxas – P788
Manila to Ozamiz – P888

Manila to Ho Chi Minh – P1288
Manila to Brunei, Guangzhou, Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur – P1488
Manila to Osaka – 2088

Today’s gonna be the last day of the sale! So go hurry and grab yourself some cheap tickets and have a vacation. Lol! I know I should have posted it earlier, but I guess I was too preoccupied scoring deals. Heh. I just got back first week of July and now I’m trip planning again. Sigh. The expense, the expense. But I can’t help myself, I miss my family terribly and unless I could find budget rates for conferencing calling, then I’d have to fly home from time to time.

Were going home again for All Soul’s Day, and kiddo and I will be leaving on the last week of October and going back early November. And yay! I scored discount tickets from Cebu Pacific and were traveling via Ho Chi Minh on the way to Manila. I’m quite giddy with the savings I scored coz that is more than enough to pay for our RT ticket from Manila to Legazpi! Imagine, the usual no discount fare for 2 pax Saigon-Manila would be around $200++ but yesterday I booked and paid less than $128!

So yeah, I’m in a pretty good mood. Hahaha. Anyway, its weekend and I’m wondering what to do..Any suggestions?

Manila-Phnom Penh via Ho Chi Minh City

Lui — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:51:01 +0000

This would be a long, word heavy post. A rarity for me, I know. I was actually at a loss on what to post about and has been discussing which motorcycle gps would be the coolest to use with hubby and neighbors when it suddenly occurred to me, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the easy and affordable way to travel Manila-Phnom Penh and also about the overland travel between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh. So why not post about my recent trip?

Ever since we started living here in Cambodia, my usualy way when going home to Manila would either be Phnom Penh-Singapore-Manila, or Phnom Penh-Bangkok-Manila or Phnom Penh-Kuala Lumpur-Manila. I preferred this route because I usually traveled with a child. I know of some Pinoy friends who suggest going by bus to Ho Chi Minh then taking the PAL or Cebu Pacific flight to Manila. I got the chance to try the route when I traveled last May alone.

It was a really straight forward, hassle free trip. From Phnom Penh, I simply bought a Mekong Express bus ticket. I took the morning trip (8:30 am) coz I wanted to get to Saigon while its still bright, mainly coz I’m alone and scared. Lol. This is actually my favorite bus to ride when going to Ho Chi Minh. For just $12 you get a comfy seat, a bottle of chilled water and a croissant and a wet towel. They also have an English speaking guide on board who would assist you. Before you get onboard, the staff would check your passport/visa, then if you have luggage to deposit, they will be tagged properly. The trip was smooth going and without hassles. The bus has a restroom but I didn’t try using it. They will stop once for lunch very near the Bavet border, the rest-stop place is clean and has good food options. Then the guide would assist you on crossing the border. The process would take about 30 mins and you have to get your luggage and have it screened when you get to the Vietnam immigration. Before 2 pm I was already in Ho Chi Minh. Travel time is about 6 hours including immigration checks.

Got down in Pham Ngu Lao area, walked around a bit. When it was time to go to the airport I simply hailed a Vinasun {Innova} taxi, fare amounted to 140,000 Dong {about $7}. When in Ho Chi Minh, I would recommend using just Vinasun or Mai Linh taxi as taxi scams are well-known in the area. And do ~~ask~~ insist to use the meter. Then I took the Cebu Pacific flight to Manila which leaves at around 1 am.

Now that I’ve tried the route, I think this is a really economical route. You get to save one leg of flight and pay just $12 + taxi fare. Cebu Pacific fares are also cheap so I think I’ll be going by this route more often. The connecting times are also good. If you leave Phnom Penh at around 1:30 pm, you’d be in HCM at around 8pm just the right time to head over the airport and check in for Cebu Pacific flight. If you’re taking PAL, the flight sched is at 2 pm so you’d have to get yourself a hotel for an overnight stay. Which is not a problem too as hotels in HCM are really cheap.

On our trip back from Manila, I was with hubby and Chinks. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh around 1 am, we decided to spend a day there. We stayed in a hotel in Pham Ngu Lao which is ideal since its very near ticket counters of buses going to Phnom Penh. The next day we decided we’ll try out Sapaco Tourist Bus to Phnom Penh. We wanted to compare how it would fare against the Mekong Express. It’s cheaper! Tickets costs just $10 {200,000 Dong} and we got ourselves the 9 am bus. The staff courteous enough but they speak very very very little English. Thankfully, hubby could understand a bit of Vietnamese so we got by. Luggage was properly tagged and we were given a bottle of water. While the bus was clean, it was also packed to the hilt with assorted goods. I didn’t have any place for my carry on luggage and I can’t even stretch my feet since the space under the seats was all filled with goods. I have no idea why they do these, but they should also be mindful of the comfort of their passengers. Also, they have a restroom but the space in front of the restroom door was packed with stuff, then I really wonder how we’d squeeze ourselves to get inside the door.

The immigration stop was a little chaotic as you’re on your own. The bus conductor { who speaks no English} would get your passport, bring it over to the immigration and you wait for your name to be called. We got a bit lost here since the conductor didn’t say anything, thank God we had the good sense to follow the group ahead of us. Anyway, we still got to Phnom Penh at around 4 pm.

Comparing the two bus companies, I would definitely ride the Mekong Express again. But then again, I’m up for a little adventure, maybe I’ll try to ride the other bus companies plying the route, then I promise to do a review..

Mekong Express Limousine Bus

#87 Sisowath Quay Phnom Penh - +(855) (0)23-427518

#275F Pham Ngu Lao Ho Chi Minh – +(84)(8)383733917 / +(84) 935507894

email: mekongexpress@online.com.kh

Sapaco Tourist

#307 Preah Sihanouk Blvd, Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara Phnom Penh – +(855) (0)23 210300 / +(855) (0)23 210324 / +(855) 12 696688

#325 Pham Ngu Lao St. Ho Chi Minh – + (84) (8) 39203623 / + (84) (8) 39206920

email: sapacotourist@vnn.vn

website: www.sapacotourist.com/

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.

No Fluke. I Really Won!

Lui — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:02:07 +0000

A month or two ago, I was ‘web wandering’ searching for air fare promos, hotel promos and cards direct when I stumbled across something mentioning Koolred, an Asia-based travel social networking site. I guess I was caught with the cool name. I love the concept of being able to connect with people with similar interests and browsing Koolred’s shared travel stories, photos is just wonderful. It’s like being able to travel without leaving your desk. They also hold contests regularly and last time they were running the Asian Food Review Contest.

Since I love to write-blog and eat, why not join? I submitted three short food reviews. I was not really expecting to place and have forgotten about the contest until I got an email a few weeks ago. The KoolRed team said I won! Wow! I just couldn’t believe that my Khmer Food @ Trasak Paem actually won, among hundreds of entries! Lolz! I truly love this little Phnom Penh restaurant and Khmer cuisine and I guess it showed in the review. And they said I won a two night stay for two persons at a luxury hotel in Bali – Alila Manggis.

I wasn’t about to believe the prize, that I actually won, till I actually had the proof. Lol. Sorry I’m just OC like that. Anyway, last April 13, something came by mail. People from Air Asia and KoolRed are really fast. I really have the voucher. Which also includes some discounts on the hotel services!

Yay! I guess this is exciting. My first time to actually win something. {Not counting the times I joined binggo games in our town when I was a kid..} I was actually wanting to get the hotel stay in Bangkok prize but hey! I haven’t been to Bali and this would be the best excuse to go..

When will I go? I have yet to decide and plan. I have a lot to do this year, and towards the end of the year, I’ll be going to Manila and Bicol again, so maybe early next year. Before the voucher expires hahaha! To KoolRed and Alila Hotels, a big thanks.

Just Having Villa Holidays Dream

Lui — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:11:53 +0000

I’m really itching to go on a lovely, relaxing holiday. While I’m usually the type to travel the backpacker way, sometimes I also crave some luxurious, pampered travel. Perhaps this is a pipe dream, but I choose to think otherwise. Who knows? I work hard, hubby works hard so to be truthful we could make it happen…Have a dream vacation, in an awesome, remote, beautiful location and have villa holidays. That would be heavenly.

Where do I want to have this opulent holiday? My easy answer would be Europe, particularly Spain. I am a Filipino and for some reason I feel a unique affinity with all things Spanish and I want to see and travel this place. The Philippines is an old Spanish colony so some of our language, habits, cuisine share a lot of similar characteristics with the Spanish. In our region we even count in Spanish! And if those aren’t enough reasons, well another reason I wanna visit Spain is that I’m a huge Rafael Nadal fan, in fact I am a fan of the who Spanish armada {tennis players}! So who knows next year I might be searching for villas in Spain and taking off?

You know, when one travels one of the things to consider is the place to stay. And what comes easily to mind are the endless list of hotels. I know there are really luxurious, one-of-a-kind hotels all over the world, but sometimes one hankers for something different. After awhile, for me hotels tend to be too impersonal and all look rather the same. So much for a unique experience. Stay homes with locals are cool and would make a great experience if you’re after cultural exchange or more local interaction. But if you’re looking for some luxury, seclusion and a unique experience as well, then self-catering villa holidays might be something to consider.

There are luxury villa or apartment owners who just use their properties for vacation and open these little pieces of plush accommodation for rent for those who are on holiday. The advantage to this I see is the location. That’s location in imaginary all caps. Of course, wealthy villa owners have their pick of the prime properties in every locality. And a whole lot of these villas have stunning, expansive views of the place. Finding these place is not hard. If you know your way around the internet, a little bit of searching would yield sites with listing of luxury villas for let on your holiday.

Sigh. As for now, I’ll continue dreaming on..

Finding Cheap Furnishings in Phnom Penh

Lui — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 02:49:08 +0000

A lot of expats here in Phnom Penh usually stay for a few years, so its a practical choice too to buy not too expensive furnishings for their temporary Phnom Penh homes. There are actually a lot of options for you to find cheap, pretty and quality furnishings here. I’m guessing these are some things that a lot of people who are going to be living in Phnom Penh are looking for.

One, you can scour ads for garage, yard and expat sales. A lot of expats leaving for another post abroad hold yard sales to dispose of their furnishings. Bringing these stuff with them can be quite costly so majority of them just hold sales. So there’s your chance to grab some quality furnishings at really bargain prices. I myself, like watching out for these garage sales and have scored lovely home decor items like my decorative mirror and some small home appliances. Where to check out ads: Bongthom.com, classified ads on dailies, also a Yahoo group called Cambodia Parents Network posts garage sale schedules.

Two, second hand shops! Yes, there are some of that here. Some imported from Japan while there are also some who source locally. Just last week when I was looking for some floor mirror and an office chair {you know the one that can whirl around, is quite comfy, but often pricey when its new} and we came across a shop along Schola Road called ‘Used Office Furnitures’ and with lots of office furnishings which are of still tip top shape and at really low prices. I’ll be posting about this as soon as I sorted out the photos. 88 Japanese Furniture along Norodom Blvd and the warehouse along National Rd. 1 is also a place to check out.

Three, buy it new. If you are into those quaint wicker furnishings then check out Sothearos Blvd. Rattan furnishings in various shapes and forms can be found along the street near its intersection with Norodom Blvd. These items make stylish and perfect of the hot Phnom Penh weather furnishings. They are lightweight but durable and you can find a lot of items in these shops. From bookshelves, to lounge chairs, bar counters, dining sets, sofas etc. all at very affordable prices.

Four, have them custom made. You can have some nice but not too pricey furnishings customized. Just visit one of those small shops along Sothearos Blvd. Last time we actually bought a custom made vanity mirror with nice vintage like wood finish for only $20. Along the same street selling rattan furnishings are small furniture shops like these..

Hope this post has been of some help. If you have more tips, places to shop, please leave a comment.

Khmer Street Food: Nom Chearn

Lui — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:48:53 +0000

I miss posting about Khmer street food! Perhaps I’ve grown too accustomed to street food here. Living in Phnom Penh have made it just second nature for me to gobble these up and not think I just ate something unusual and worth blogging about. It was only when I was checking my site stats that I realized some people search about Cambodian street foods! And Cambodian’s do have a lot of yummy street delights.

Here’s one of my favorites Fried Cakes or Nom Chearn. I always get this when I go to Boeung Keng Kang Market. It’s also available in most wet markets. You can find side walk sellers near the entrance of markets and selling these. Its usually available in the morning and afternoon. How much? A few hundred Riels.

Nom means cake. It can also refer to biscuits, rice cakes, bread etc. They just add some words to make it specific. But one thing to take note, when the word nom is included in a phrase, they are most probably talking about something edible and with flour. This type is also made specific by adding the word ‘chearn’ ie. nom chearn with ‘chearn’ meaning fried.

Anyway, after tasting a whole lot of them, I think these two are my favorite:

Nom Cherong Chrouk – what’s in it? flour, turnips and peanuts. Crunchy on the outside yet yummy soft inside.

Nom Krouch – flour, sesame seeds and green beans inside. Love the chewiness of this!

I’ll be serving up more ‘Khmer street food‘ posts soon..

* Note that all Khmer ‘translations’ are just sound approximations..

Cambodia Snapshot: Waiting…

Lui — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 05:57:59 +0000

This photo was taken in Pursat province, Cambodia. This place is a lowland and when rainy season comes, it turns into a lake and those houses are floating. Residents get by using boats. I’m calling this ‘Waiting’ coz the man in the photo seems to be looking out, waiting…for the rains and water to come.

I initially thought they must loathe it when water comes and its all a hassle to navigate using boats, but I guess I was looking at things from my own perspective. Residents here actually look forward to the rainy season coz that means they can go fishing which is their main source of livelihood..

It’s pretty obvious I’m currently obsessing on sepia and b/w tinted photos. I actually tweaked this photo on Photohop to get that effect. Used Soft Vignette and Bad Dream plugins from Xero.

I do want to apologize I have to plaster some watermarks on my photos.

This entry is also for the Scenic Sunday Meme..

KoolRed’s Asian Food Review Contest

Lui — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:43:24 +0000

I was checking out air fares in Airasia when I noticed a link to KoolRed website. I checked it out and loved the idea. Travel lovers connecting with travel lovers? Definitely my kind of networking site. What’s icing in the cake is their Asian Food Review Contest!

Do check it out. You get a chance to win luxury hotel stays in Bali or Bangkok for 2 persons. I know some might say, ‘bleh.. it doesn’t include the total package’ but really hotel stays are the priciest expense when you travel and getting a chance to stay in a ‘luxury hotel’ is beyond wild. Specially if its free hehehe! I think I’m joining after all I’m crazy about food tripping and Asian food.

I’m off now to compose my ‘review’ and let’s cross our fingers and hope we win even the third prize.. And if you’re also a foodie why not write and get the chance to win.

And while you’re checking the contest out, why not sign up for KoolRed and join me?

Air Asia March 2011 Airfare Promos

Lui — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:23:27 +0000

Forgot to update this last time, but here goes some airfare promos from one of our favorite budget airlines. It’s almost summer so why not go for a nice beach vacation or perhaps a shopping break? Check out AirAsia’s latest promo fares.

Magnificent Malaysia - Book from 15 March 2011 – 20 March 2011 | Travel Period – 11 November 2011 – 29 February 2012. Fly from for a super low fare starting from $9.

School Break – Book from 14 March 2011 – 20 March 2011 | Travel Period - 4 May 2011 – 30 June 2011

Phnom Penh to Kuala Lumpur – $45
Phnom Penh to Bangkok – $25
+ A lot more destinations.

Don’t Think Twice, Just Pay The Lower Price – Book from 7 March 2011 – 20 March 2011 | Travel Period - 1 June 2011 – 31 August 2011

Travel Made Easy with Paypal

Lui — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:34:14 +0000

This might sound like an advertorial but I don’t mind really endorsing Paypal. I’ve been using Paypal for years already ever since I started blogging. Then I discovered how convenient it is to shop using Paypal. One main concern that Paypal covers for me is security. When I use Paypal I don’t need to reveal my credit card or bank account information so I have a nice layer of protection against identity theft and credit card fraud.

It’s convenient too. I could easily receive and send money. There are projects I outsource to other people who are not geographically near me but with Paypal I could easily pay them without even going out of the house! Also starting last year, I’ve been making Agoda hotel bookings using Paypal. I favor using Paypal coz I don’t reveal financial details, payment is pretty much straightforward and when I check in the hotel, I don’t need to show countless verification ID’s. Paypal is taken good as cash as money is immediately forwarded to them once you pay and the voucher readily emailed to you once your Paypal payment is confirmed. So less hassle.

Now Paypal just gave me one more reason to love them more! Aside from partnering with a lot of travel related merchants and offering lots of juicy deals, Paypal and Agoda now also gives out an additional 5% OFF on hotel rates if you pay with Paypal! That’s big savings for you, Agoda has really good rates and topped it off with a discount is like icing on my itchy feet already. It just makes me wanna get up and go.. NOW!

Get your Free Paypal account here – PAYPAL.

Smarter hotel bookings @ Agoda.

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

Lots of Airfare Promos March 2011: Air Asia and Cebu Pacific

Lui — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:44:06 +0000

Here’s just quick buzz for those watching out for some airfare sales. Of course, from two budget airlines Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. Both are having promos so if you have plans to travel, check out the promo dates and get yourself some savings.

CEBU PACIFIC AIR FARE PROMOS

Sa-BAI Tayo Seat Sale

Domestic Seat Sale - Sale Period: Up to Mar. 2, 2011 or until seats last | Travel Period: Apr. 1 – Jun. 30, 2011 | Cebu to Bacolod, Clark, Iloilo, Ozamiz, Tacloban or Zamboanga | Davao to Cagayan de Oro or Zamboanga – Php299

International Seat Sale – Sale Period: Up to Mar. 2, 2011 or until seats last | Travel Period: Apr. 1 – Jun. 30, 2011 | Manila to Brunei or Ho Chi Minh | Cebu to Hong Kong – Php 1499

China Seat Sale

International Seat Sale - Sale Period: Up to Mar. 2, 2011 or until seats last | Travel Period: Jun. 1 – Aug. 31, 2011 | Manila to Guangzhou, Shanghai or Beijing – Php 1999

March Mura Tayo – check fares here.

AIRASIA AIRFARE PROMOS

Massive Sale Alert – Book from 12 pm (GMT+8) March 1-6 2011 | 13 September 2011 – 29 February 2012 | Fly to Australia, Europe, India, China, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea and more countries at super low prices!

I Can’t Wait To Fly – Book from 28 February 2011 – 6 March 2011 | 1 March 2011 – 27 April 2011

Have a fun time saving! =)

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