When people say Cambodia, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the famed Angkor Wat Temple Complex in Siem Reap. What most people don’t know though, or not even bother to know, is that more than the magnificent temples and ruins that leave you awestricken, Cambodia holds a darker, sadder and, albeit the different context, an equally jaw-dropping history—the Khmer Rouge regime and the horror of the Killing Fields.
Continue reading FotoFolio: Killing Fields, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
“The sun goes down, the stars come out. And all that counts, is here and now. The universe will never be the same, I’m glad you came.” – The Wanted, I’m Glad You Came
Actually, this photo of the setting sun in the island of Guimaras in western Visayas was taken way before this song was released and I just thought it’s a nice intro. 
I am a big fan of sunsets (coz I can’t wake up early for sunrise) especially when the sea is close by. So when, in one of our official trips, me and my colleague had a chance to go for a four-hour side trip from Iloilo to Guimaras, we did not waste any time and boarded the passenger boat to the island.
Known mainly for the Guimaras mangoes (claimed to be the sweetest in the world), this small island province (actually several islands in the general bay area) also holds its own when it comes to its swimming beaches, caves and rock formations, and turtle conservation!
We barely noticed the time while sailing through its waters as Guimaras, for me, held such beauty, pure and untouched, radiating as the golden orange hues of the setting sun graces the sand, sea and sky. If ever you are in Iloilo or Guimaras or Western Visayas, a spectacular view of the setting sun is really an experience you must not dare to miss!
A few weeks before leaving for India, I went for a Manila tour as part of the In-Country Orientation of new VSO Volunteers from Canada. And of course, part of the tour is a visit to Intramuros, Manila, the old walled city.
Manila has been the Philippine capital since the time of the Spaniards, with Intramuros as its central seat of power.
So yes, though I don’t live in Manila, I dare say, “Manila, I’m coming home!”
I have been to Singapore twice: first in April 2010 for a quick 4-day Singapore and Kuala Lumpur birthday holiday and second in October 2011 as part of my 4-week backpacking South East Asia trip.
The first time we went, as we had limited time in Singapore itself, I think we only saw a glimpse of the Singapore flyer and the newly-[half] opened helix bridge. The entire Helix Bridge, which connects the Marina Bay area, officially opened in July 2010.
When we came the second time, we spent almost an entire day just walking around the streets of Singapore. And of course, when we visited the Marina Bay Sands area before heading to the Singapore Flyer for our ride, the Helix Bridge served as a pleasant, interesting and [most importantly] shaded connecting walkway.
Not only that. When you walk through the walkway, you also get a chance to have a different vantage point (opposite side of the Merlion area) to appreciate the calm Singapore River with the bustling skyline in the background.
Happy walking! Click here to read the Wikipedia entry for Singapore’s Helix Bridge.
One of the first things that greeted me upon arriving in India (via Thai Airways Flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi) is the brass plate (?) wall with these massive hands showing different poses. These, apparently and as I suspected, are Mudras for meditation.
Here is what Wikipedia has to say: A mudrā (English: /muːˈdrɑː/ (
listen); Sanskrit: मुद्रा “seal”, “mark”, or “gesture”; Tibetan. ཕྱག་རྒྱ་, chakgya) is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism andBuddhism.[1] While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.[2] A mudrā is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions and traditions of Dharma and Taoism.
I think using these must be effective as I watched a friend of mine once, in the Bodhi Meditation Garden in Bodh Gaya (the land of Buddha’s enlightenment”), using one of these poses while meditating. Her body was kind of gyrating/revolving, without her knowing it. She explained it must be the energy flow from meditation. And she said she felt great afterwards!
The Diarist Wanders 