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
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.
After visiting the Kampong Ayer (water villages) and having lunch at CBTL where Zaza met me, we then went to the Royal Regalia Museum, one of the must see places in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB).
The Royal Regalia Museum houses the “treasures” of the Sultan and the Sultanate of Brunei, ranging from personal collections of photos and memorabilias to gifts from various State leaders and governments. I guess you can say that just like in old times where the visiting envoys or monarchs or sultans/datus/rahas present exquisite gifts to the host, visiting State leaders or Ambassadors also present tokens from their countries as a gesture of “friendship” between countries. The collection included birthday gifts as well as anniversary gifts for the commemoration of the Sultan’s coronation.
After visiting the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) Mosque and before heading to the Kampong Ayer (water villages), I first went around to check out the streets of Bandar.
From the massive open field to government offices, from clean streets golden posts and chic-looking shopping places, Bandar Seri Begawan, to me, screams of opulence. Continue reading Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – Walking around the streets of Bandar
Day 4: Bandar Seri Begawan walkabout and actual Kampong Ayer exploration (part 3)
Note: The delayed Part 2 is on Yayasan and surrounding areas, Part 4 is inside the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery, Part 5 will be the Royal regalia Museum and the Masjid Jame’ Asri Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Please bear with my slow writing and uploads!
After having breakfast and doing some walkabout and shopping at Yayasan (it’s raining so I had to stay indoors), I decided to go around the complex (actually get lost is a better term) and its nearby landmarks. After which, I noticed that a lot of time has already passed and so I really need to go to Kampong Ayer or else miss my chance of seeing the water villages.
I’m not really a nature tripping fanatic so though it interested me to see the proboscis monkey, I opted to just spend my time inside the water village. So, since the Ates (Pinay!) from the souvenir shop, already informed me of the things I need to remember when going to the village, I hopped on to one of the water taxis waiting near Yayasan. I asked the driver how much it would cost and he said that it’s BND1 (PhP35). I knew that the fare should only be 50Sen but I was willing to let it slide. However, a passenger about to board the same boat said, “It’s only 50Sen.” Yun na! Hahaha Continue reading Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – Getting In, Around and Out of Kampong Ayer
The Diarist Wanders 