Angkor Wat
Day 6 – Siem Reap, Cambodia – Part 1 Among world-famed historical sites, Angkor Wat evokes exoticism, mystery, adventure… the temple lost to the jungle and rediscovered, symbol of an entire nation, once capital of an entire empire, and so much more! I had so many expectations, and I wasn’t disappointed. So… today, my dream…
Welcome to Cambodia
Day 5 – Siem Reap, Cambodia Today was busy, full of “hurry up and wait”. I had a plane to catch, and, afraid to get lost in the way to the airport, I basically arrived everywhere early and waited. The hostel had recommanded a certain bus shuttle service, but upon looking the schedule, I saw…
Lunch by the river
Most of my meals in Bangkok consist in browsing street stall offerings and buying here a meat skewer (10 baht), there a slice of watermelon (20 baht). But today I decided to have a sit-down lunch overlooking the river. Pad Thai and mango smoothie on the menu.
The night market
At night, a truck full of what looks like cabbages parks across the street from my window. A light is strung across the top, allowing workers to see and do their work. Two workers stand on the back, strip the cabbage from their outside leaves, and drop it in a huge basket. Other workers make…
Wat Phra Kaew (and the Grand Palace)
Day 3 – Bangkok, Thailand I was really happy when waking up this morning to see blue sky through the window. I have lamented the overcast skies these past days and the lackluster picture they engender. But you know what? Bring back the clouds. When the heat is already suffocating, adding sunshine isn’t a good…
Wat Pho
Day 2 – Bangkok, Thailand I started my day with the visit of the Wat Pho, the temple of the reclining Buddha, which is a few minutes’ walk from my hostel. I was lucky (and early?) enough to avoid the tourist throng, though I was far from alone. Thai temples are full of colour and…
Spicy? Did you say spicy?
When they offer “spicy” and “very spicy”, remember that the degrees are not the same than the ones we are used to. Look for “mild” instead, in the hope that it will tolerable! (Look, cat picture coming up!)
Overlooking the onion market
In a previous article, I wrote how nice it was to have a bunk bed overlooking the onion market (I have a window in my bunk). What I didn’t know at the time is that the market never stops… actually, it seems even more active at night, with major deliveries, hawkers, music, and lights!
The eagle has landed
When you read about “muggy heat” in a book, it is a concept associated with exotic destinations, but one doesn’t think much about it. I think that I can say now that I understand the concept. When one debarks from an air-conditioned sky train (in Bangkok, the local subway runs above, way above ground), the…
The backpack challenge
Travelling a long time usually means taking heavy luggages. Heavy luggages, however, means back aches, sore shoulders, and that moment when you realise that you will have to travel hours on a bus/boat/car with your suitcase/backpack on your knees. Having read other travellers’ accounts, I decided to follow their advice and to use a smaller…