Anchor Away, Angkor Wat

Note: I saw this saved under my Drafts, and even though it's passe, I'll publish it anyway. I prepared this entry October 31, 2007.

My apologies. ~Owen (26 March 2008)

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When I saw the finalists for the selection of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World few months back, I knew right there and then that I should make a visit to Siem reap, Cambodia. In this place we can locate the famous Angkor Wat, which is the center of the ancient city of Angkor. It didn't make it to the final seven, but even before the announcement was made, together with two of my closest colleagues (Roger and Anita), we decided to venture in a 5-day trip to visit the closest (probably cheapest and easiest) among the nominees. And it did happen this month.

Armed with our Canon cameras, we braved to wake up early in the morning despite the sleepless nights we had before we took our flight from Singapore.

This glorious sunrise was really worth the early wake up call.

Being cheapskates that we are, we only rented a tuk-tuk as our designated transport throughout the 5-day period.

Armed with detailed guide books and the plenty of research Roger did before we had the trip, we didn't hire a tour guide. The Tuk-tuk driver was enough for us as he goes to the temples so often, and he has been very well informed from the years of taxiing tourists from the town proper to the World Heritage Sites.

We spent hours and hours of studying the walls, the relics if you will, the carvings, referring from the guide books, and sometimes shooting random questions to the aplenty number of tour guides hired by the other tourists.
Have we found a match for Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile? Hmmmm.....what do you think?

Lastly, i am not surprised that Angelina Jolie adopted a Cambodian. These innocent faces really charm anybody who encounters them. Siem Reap, being a very touristy place, these kids have a very good command of the English language, and a few French lingo that comes with it. I always brought with me packs of chocolates to distribute to kids, and more often than not, you will get a reply from them, "Chocolat! merci messeur!" How lovely!

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No day but today! - from Rent