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Cambodia
TravelTuesday Picture of the Week: Royal Palace, Phnom Penh (Cambodia)

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week: Royal Palace, Phnom Penh (Cambodia)

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia began construction in 1866. It has served as the royal residence of the King of Cambodia since its completion.

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week – Boating on Tonle Sap (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

The Tonle Sap is a large combined river and lake system in Cambodia. It is also the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. On my last day in Siem Reap, I made a trip to the Tonle Sap to see the community living on it. There was everything from floating homes to floating schools and...

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week – Independence Monument at Phnom Penh

The Independence Monument is a major landmark and tourist attraction in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It was built after the country’s independence from France in 1958. It is located at the center of the city, and is thus the center of activity during national celebrations in Phnomh Penh. The monument is made...

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week: Hot Air Balloon over Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

There are many ways to explore Angkor Wat. Most do it on foot, getting there by tuk-tuk, bicycle, motorcycle, or even elephant (or maybe that’s just Bayon). But for the more adventurous (and moneyed) tourist, nothing beats an aerial view. You can take a helicopter ride (I met a helicopter pilot during a CouchSurfing meet-up...

A Tale of Three Airports (Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Kuala Lumpur: Day 10, 09-Apr-09)

After three full days in Siem Reap, it was time to head to my next destination: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After breakfast and some last-minute browsing at the markets, my tuk-tuk driver, Mr. Bill, picked me up from the hostel and brought me to Siem Reap Airport. He gave me his contact information, asking me to...

Before Sunset (Tonle Sap: Day 9, 08-Apr-09)

I had spent a good morning at Angkor Wat on my last full day in Siem Reap. After a cloudy sunrise and a wet excursion at the temple itself, I went to Angkor National Museum for a bit of historical and cultural background which, in hindsight, I probably should have done before exploring the temples...

Angkor Wet (Angkor Wat: Day 9, 08-Apr-09)

After a cloudly sunrise at Angkor Wat (which I blogged about), it was time for a quick breakfast before exploring the grounds. I joined the throngs of people leaving the premises and riding their tuk-tuks to one of the many restaurants in the area. As I was wrapping up breakfast, the rain started to fall....

The Sun Will Come Out… (Sunrise at Angkor Wat: Day 9, 08-Apr-09)

Sunrise at Angkor Wat is one of those so-called must-sees that would change your life forever. The sight of the sun rising and slowly revealing the glory of Angkor Wat is supposed to be awe-inspiring and absolutely beautiful. So, despite the fact that it meant waking up early and skipping breakfast, I told my tuk-tuk...

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week: Cambodian Kid Climbing Phimeanakas

This week's TravelTuesday Picture of the Week is taken at one of the many structures in Angkor Thom (which I recently wrote about). Phimeanakas is a tall temple within Angkor Thom, with steep, crumbling steps leading to the top. I hesitated and wondered if it was safe, and if I could handle the tricky climb....

Day 8 (07-Apr-09): Temple Raider (Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and Temples of Angkor)

My second day in Siem Reap and Angkor was spent exploring the so-called "heavy hitters" of Angkor, which included the magnificent complex of Angkor Thom, as well as the nature-ravaged ruins of Ta Prohm. These were places featured prominently in travelogues, as well as in pop culture, including shows such as The Amazing Race and...

TravelTuesday Picture of the Week: Ta Som, Angkor, Cambodia

This week’s TravelTuesday Picture of the Week is one of the many photos I didn’t select to be included in a blog post, but deserves to get the spotlight anyway. This is from my first day exploring the Temples of Angkor (see here). Ta Som isn’t one of the well-known temples, but that can be...

Day Seven (06-Apr-09): Climb Ev’ry Temple (Temples of Angkor)

I woke up on Monday morning ready to start exploring the magnificent temples of Angkor. My Lonely Planet guidebook told me that it was possible to explore the heavy-hitters in one day, but I wanted to take my time and explore some of the lesser-known (and presumably less touristy) temples. After breakfast, Mr. Bill picked...