Angkor Wat deserves a feature on its own. I used to draw it a lot during architectural classes at the university. Its magnificence captivated me long before I visited Tour d'Eiffel  Memories of Angkor Wat are kept deep in my subconscious in the company of Machu Picchu and Jordan's Petra. I remember feeling excited in the tuk-tuk that morning on our way there.  

The Pub Street greets us in the afternoon after a long slumber recuperating from a feverish ride at the night bus. I was struck with a bad case of flu and the constant dust in the air resembling that of a mini sandstorm every time a vehicle passes made it worse.  Siem Reap is lovely. I felt a lot better during our stay there.  A promise of a fresh pint ran along the alleys and streets, with tourists treating themselves to a 4pm happy hour. USD $ 1.00 per 1 hour foot massage couches lined up the streets and carts of various offerings from books to exotic food.

A Mountain Pagoda.  A Buddhist temple stands on top of a hill. Legend has it that a rich widow named Penh found three bronze statues of Buddha inside a large koki tree. She had this shrine constructed in 1373 to house and protect the statues and was then transformed into a sacred sanctuary. 

Loss of Innocents at the Memorial Site Stupa

I think this will be one of the most difficult posts I will ever write. After an internal debate whether I should or shouldn't write about the horrors of this tragedy, I have come to realize that if something shakes one's core, it is worth writing one's thoughts about it. 

I try my best to check out the coffee culture when visiting a country by paying much closer attention to local coffee shops over big chains. Despite the number of International Coffee brands, I was intrigued by the gourmet coffee shop named Brown Coffee and Bakery in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. One can be quick to assume it's another Western coffee chain, but it's originally Cambodian.  It started about 4 years ago and now they are on their 8th chain.

After a big breakfast from a diner on the road, we walked towards the direction of the Riverfront. We had 5 hours to spend before our room was ready. It was interesting to watch the city come to life on a Wednesday morning. Tuk-tuks, motorbikes and big vehicles all drove purpose-filled to their destinations. Kids ready for school, the smell of fried rice and surprisingly, barbecue. Tourists slowly filled up the gates of popular landmarks and this wasn't an exception.

I am happy to have arrived safely in Phnom Penh with my husband this morning around 6AM after a 7-hour shaky bus ride from Siem Reap.