Angkor Wat, Cambodia - Simply Breathtaking!

Angkor Wat is a symbol of Cambodia, not only the best attraction of the country but also one of the finest monuments and the largest Hindu temple complex in the world. It is located about six kilometers (four miles) north of Siem Reap.

According to Sacred Sites, Angkor Wat was built during the 12th century  with estimated construction time of 30 years by Suryavarman II to honor the Hindu God Vishnu and is a symbolical representation of Hindu cosmology.  Its five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats represent chains of mountains and the cosmic ocean.

Angkor Wat is just one of the temples inside the complex, and considered the best preserved.  According to Wikipedia, unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

Let me share some of my shots of Angkor Temple:

Left picture above you will see the wall carvings. It is located at the main entrance of the building.

Best Way to Explore Angkor Wat: 

1) Rent a tuktuk for the day. The drivers there are fluent in English, you'll save on paying a Tourist Guide too because they know a lot about the temples.

2) You can get a tour package from your hotel, mostly includes air-conditioned transportation service, meals and a supply of cold drinking water.

A word of caution: You will encounter a lot of local  kids there forcing you to buy whatever it is they are selling, very annoying yes. Just work on your patience please. But you will be suprised, these kids can speak better English than most of us! And not only English, most of them are well trained to speak any languange, try it when you visit Cambodia. I even heard someone talking fluent Italian I glanced back and whoa...a teenage Cambodian kid.. amazing!

Tips in Exploring Angkor Wat:

The Tropical sun can be quite fierce, and the temples are mostly made of stones so the effect of the heat bouncing off from the stone temples can be overwhelming, so:

1) Don't forget to bring a bottle of water, make it 2!

2) Dress properly, you will be perspiring the whole day so go for comfortable clothes.

3)Wear comfortable shoes. I will not suggest slippers or those with heels. You will be walking/climbing on steep and narrow steps plus uneven terrain  so please make sure you will last a day. Wear comfy shoes! If not, I bet  you will be complaining after just a few hours of walking.

4)  Bring a hat, your sunglasses and of course your sunscreen

5) Just bring what you need and pack light! You will be walking / climbing the whole day so please be kind to yourself and carry only what is needed.

6) Bring extra battery for your camera. The heat will drain your camera's battery faster than usual.

7) The most of all, read before you go! Know something about the palace first so you'll have an idea what to expect. And of course enjoy!

	Pin It
Tweet

An Unforgettable Trek to Kayangan Lake, Coron, Palawan

At the heart of typhoon Ferdie, while most of you stayed indoors, sipping your coffee and trying to keep warm, I was out in the rain.  Rain or shine I will enjoy Coron! On the 2nd day of my 1 week solo trip to Coron, I joined a tour group and off we go to Kayangan Lake among other places. It has been raining since the day I arrived so the usual slippery trek up the mountain was 4x more treacherous! Scary? nah.. exciting! Not easy to take photos too when it's raining so thank you to the inventor of Ziploc!

Kayangan Lake is an an ancestral domain of Tagbanua people. It is considered as the cleanest lake in Asia and one of the must-see places in Coron. Actually as of this writing, Kayangan Lake ranks  #1 must-see place in Coron, Palawan according to Tripadvisor.

Let me share some of my shots:

What to expect on the way up and down the mountain-   steep, slippery and quite dangerous because of the rain. Don't let this discourage or scare you,  just be careful and watch your steps! If you ask me, climbing Mt Tapyas is harder than this one.

Around 15 minutes climb and you will enjoy the breathtaking view of Coron. For sure you are so familiar with this place, it is one of the most well photographed view of Coron.  Alas for me, because of the rain it was quite difficult for me to take a good shot.

with JP, a backpacker I met from Bohol

Opposite the magnificent view is an opening to a small cave:

the cave

Then walk down another 5 to 10 minutes and you will be rewarded with a taste of paradise...

Kayangan Lake:

 

 

The water is deep so make sure to bring your life vest and of course your snorkeling gear.

 I shall return Kayangan Lake. Till next time.

	Pin It
Tweet

Digital Artwork for a Cause

Once you choose hope, anything's possible. ~Christopher Reeve

My best friend has cancer. We grew up together, best friends since grade school, we shared a lot of memories and she's the most jolly person that I know. Sometimes life strikes back the way we least expect, sad but we are not giving up. Life does not end there. We are choosing "hope" and we know that with God, nothing is impossible.

As a way to raise funds for her forthcoming chemo sessions, her sister started this project 911:

To help Marissa simply order a personalized digital artwork ex. Caricature, Bobbleheads, Edited Photos, Fantasy, Anime, etc. for just P100 per head.

Here are sample works:

We are hoping for your help, your P100 will go a long long way.

For any queries or orders please send a text to 0922.250.2409 or a PM  thru their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DigiARTS-by-MAN/250442518368409

Left Photo: Here is Issa seated in front of me together with our friends.
Right Photo: Issa with her girlfriend and her sister on the way to the hospital

Hoping for your help please. Thank you very much and God bless!

	Pin It
Tweet

Aqua Alta in Venice, Italy

Venice is continuously being threatened by Acqua alta (high water and floods). The worst in 22 years according to Venice's Tide Center was recorded in 2008 as flooding reached 1.5 metres (five feet) deep and the fourth highest flood level in recent history.

The picture above is my shot during my 2010 trip, this is our last leg for our Northern Italy  tour and I have these ugly blisters all over my feet. I was so excited to see Venice and expecting to explore the place to my heart content, then surprise.. surprise.. Piazza San Marco was flooded! And worst of all, it was during summer time in Italy.

Flooded Piazza San Marco -  December 1, 2008.  (photo from REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri)

As a result of regular flooding here, the future of Venice is uncertain. So for those who want to visit Venice, you should schedule your trip soon before rising tides change what we love about Venice for good.

	Pin It
Tweet

A Relaxing dip at Maquinit Hot Spring, Coron, Palawan

Coron is all about physical activities, snorkeling, scuba diving, mountain trekking and endless walk. What could be more relaxing at the end of a strenuous day than a dip in their famous hot springs to de-stress?

Maquinit Hot Spring is accessible around 20 minutes from the city center. You can hail a taxi for around P300 round trip (the driver will wait for you), or you can rent a bicycle (P350 for 3 hours), or a private vehicle ( but expect rough road).  

I rented a tricycle, and I pity the driver.. haha. I was thinking I should have just rented a bicycle!

Entrance fee is P150 with unlimited hours of stay and use of their picnic tables, restroom/dressing room are also available.  Food and drinks are not allowed inside but they have a sari-sari store for your needs.

At the entrance, this is what  you will see, and the mangroves on the right.

We went here the first day after we conquered Mt Tapyas, after that climb, this place is definitely heaven! But we arrived late around 6pm with non-stop rain so I was not able to take good photos. I promised myself I will come back before I leave Coron, so I did. Let me share some of my photos:

What's amazing with traveling is meeting new friends. This is the day I met new friends from Davao and Rizal, thanks to Ricky of  www.journey-ni-ikoy.com/ for these 2 group photos. The trip was more memorable because of you guys, thanks for the fun and hope to meet you again.. till next time!

The water is said to be around 40c temperature. It has been raining all throughout the day so we were advised to take it slowly, an inch dip at a time.. hehe. And boy that was really hot! But relaxing indeed!

So what are you waiting for? Travel now! Maquinit Hot Spring is waiting for you...

	Pin It
Tweet