Yellow is the COLOUR!

I would like to start my article today by saying that we have a troupe of "dungus" and clowns running our country today. I haven't seen such a "messed up" bunch of  idiotic, prideful and arrogant people who are all about preserving their position in the government Cabinet rather than being concerned about the well being of the people and stand for truth & transparency in governance. To me, the present government is a farce and a real annoyance to the public in general. With so many stupid and idiotic statements and counter  statements, wastages and failed plans/schemes, I find both the government cabinet and opposition leaders to be equal clowns in this charade of "Best Cover Up Moves Ever" of the century. The rot starts from the top of the food chain and flowing down to the bottom section.  

As the bickering is on-going between these two sets of cows and morons, the general public suffers in terms of rising cost for food, petrol and general every day expenses. I cannot comprehend nor understand how increase in petrol prices and gas prices can "help" the general public! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we have ultimate morons running our economic planning and our so-called economy. Explanations given were not just haphazard but of half baked potato answers which doesn't even qualify as an answer. While the general public laments of this indirect cost increase which will ultimately affect the everyday lives of the people of this country, the government of the day is hell bent in diverting attention to support the RM 2.6 billion donation funds in the PM's account. Get real lar...... Geez, now every child in our household wants to open an account and wait for "donations" to be banked in....looks like it is going to be a profitable profession from now onwards... duit Raya, Duit Deepervalley and CNY angpows ain't gonna make it no more.....it has got to be sizeable lar!!!!!! 

Wake up lar, crocodiles, alligators , caimans and monkeys! The public is suffering with these hidden cost increases. We cannot be eating "kangkong" everyday or try to cultivate our own vegetables as every piece of land is being sold to "kawan-kawan"/ friendly developer for housing or money making enterprises! Why don't you yourself, as cabinet ministers and ministers eat kangkong everyday , yourself together with your family?   If you cannot walk the talk, then , don't open your big gab to talk of this. It is frustrating for the general public because it is pure hypocrisy and "cakap tak serupa bikin" stand. Hari-hari makan "chai seam" can "kek seam" also, you know!

By rational too, how could the fall of Malaysian ringgit helped the public? Our "not-so-genius" Tourism Minister says it is good for travel industry and people will flock our country and generate income for the locals. I want to tell the "not-so-genius" Minister that in todays' times, travelling local is more expensive for a family than going overseas. Don't lar purposely choose Japan, London, Paris or New York.... choose lar Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar or even Vietnam.  I would rather travel to countries in our SEA counterparts except Singapore as their accommodations, food and services are cheaper la, Mr. Minister! You try and bring a family of four and trying booking a normal travel together with accommodations to Langkawi for instance. You will be surprised that the cost is far so much cheaper to go to Siem Reap than to stay 3D2N in Langkawi, our own backyard tourist spot... Cheaper locally, you say? Think again lar, boss. I say, I have travelled quite extensively throughtout Malaysia and I can safely say that it is so much cheaper lar.  5D4N for Siem Reap & Phnom Penh at RM 489.00 per person- not cheap enough -kah? Over the sea trip, okay?Accommodation & flight some more, okay? How? Jeng! Jeng! Jeng!........I believe , there are other Malaysians who had spent much less than me when travelling to these places with Zero fare promotions and what not promotions, right? BTW, the rate is for travelling alone........Ah! Don't say we are not patriotik pulak........ Macam-macam ada......

Yeah, sure, you can bluff your way to the "orang kampungs" and those in the "ulu" areas but you cannot lie and try to get away with things which are not right to the urbanites as we have seen your antics of deceit and lies. People from all walks of lives are fed up with these sub-standard answers and morally corrupt statements. Whenever these leaders lose out or have no way to stand or had their foot in the mouth statements, they play the racial and religious cards to scare the general public. This is purely wrong and politically corrupt tactics. Look at who is robbing who these days!

Please, to all rational Malaysians irrespective of you being a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Punjabi, Dusun, Kadazan, Iban, Portuguese and others, let us not be cowed into such a dirty, corrupt and bias political game. We have been through this so many times and each time, this is used to pit against each other, making us all afraid of each other and make us wary of each other. Let us unite to tell these leaders that we repel this racial divide, unfair statements, unwanted religious tensions and also untrue happenings just to make us all tow in line with their biased and corrupt views. I find these "games" played by our political leaders to be deplorable, disgusting and shoddy. It is an old tactic being used again and again and again to scare us........

I would much prefer for them to tackle the issue of increasingly high food prices, fuel prices and unemployment. What is the bloody rationale of bringing in foreign workers for employment in this country? Except if you want to have more Bangladeshi baby boom or for election purposes! Other than that, I only see one party being fed by "donation" money again!  I feel our leaders also forget that most economic trading of import or export of raw materials and materials as whole are traded in US dollars! Our currency is not worth at all in international trading - make no mistake about that. It is only worthwhile in Malaysia and that too has taken a big tumble. Like I said, don't try to "sweeten" us with such sweet lies and misleading infos. Maybe you can do that to the orang kampungs who are your die hard fans but they too will die of diabetics, gangrene and heart attacks if you constantly feed them with your so-called "sweeteners" or "donations" of BRIM giving and what not! 

I believe most Malaysians are hopeful that this country will turn around someday and many of us would not run down the country the way we are doing but truth must to be told. It is the sad reality of the state of country today. You can rest behind you big fat dining table with a splash of food on it but what about the hardworking individuals, middle income, low income and poor people on the streets today? Please, don't give me the crap that we will always have poor people among us! I agree but we can always close that gap or at least make the gap smaller , right? Do something about it rather than keep robbing and raiding the country's kitty for your own selfish purposes and fancies.

Every freaking year the Auditor General's Report will highlight the "wastages" of spending from the respective government agencies. This one tell no lies. It is blatantly in the open for anyone to see and read. What has been done? What clarification was sought? Why are the prices not checked? For crying out loud, these are monies from the rakyat's pocket! People, these are your monies which you have put into the hands of these people. They, the immoral people hiding behind the cloak of so-called government of the day, had spent your money at their whims, fancies and at exorbitant prices!!! Gosh! Is there no accountability or "malu" on the part of these defalcators?  Yup, nothing was done as wastages and corrupt practises are being carried out year after year without fail and everyone is turning a blind eye on it. BTW, where are the multi-million ringgit Scorpene subs? Functional? Commissioned for duty? What? Or cannot question also like 1MDB ( One Mamat Dapat Billions ) scheme? Just one of the many questions that we should ask, people! 

BTW, for those of you who has Astro services, there is an interesting program called " Hoarders" and I believe our leaders should see that program for the more rubbish you keep in the house, the more it is going to be a health hazard and a community hazard! They should learn from that program and learn fast if I may say so! "Feel good" factor ain't enough these days, man. In fact, it has backfired and failure as the shine of diamond rings on the fingers of the fat lady ain't that easy to hide nowadays! 

Hmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnn..........BERSIH 4.0 - what are you waiting for, people? Now, where is my yellow t-shirt?............... 

David Lee Chin Meng - my friend...

Pst. Joanne, David Lee (second from right), SLing and myself. 

It is very often that one get all sorts of accolades and praises when one is lying down in the 6' X 4' plot of dirt land but this time, I wanna do something different. I want to speak good words and honour to one very special young individual whom , I believe, will make a difference in our society today. People say that good & nice people passes but once through your life and more often than not, you would recognised them immediately. I guess, I am fortunate enough to have that opportunity to meet those nice people in my life. 

That one individual that I want to honour today is David Lee Chin Meng. He is a budding houseman /doctor who is going for a new adventure in his life in Miri, Sarawak for the next two or perhaps longer years ahead. He is one of the nicest, compassionate, dedicated and caring person I've ever known. I have not seen a young individual with those qualities for such a long time, actually. I guess, I am just being honest when I say this as I have also seen some really nice people along in my life but seeing the good qualities in a young person is rare indeed. 

In a little historical background retrospect, SLing and I got to know David Lee when I served in CCC Youth team in 2013. At that time, David Lee had attended medical studies in Manipal Medical College and had volunteered to be one of the Youth Leaders in the church. Soft spoken, respectful and resourceful, David Lee had been a great youth leader with lots of cares in his heart. His passion for the Word of God and his passion to teach the young people were very evident. He went through extra lengths of hard work during the Cafe Night and I appreciate such dedication a lot. In all the work given to him, he came out tops with flying colours while his serving heart is the one that impressed me the most. He worked well with the rest of the committee members who were equally fabulous in helping the young people. There isn't an iota of pretense under his breath while honest hard work is the story of the day. The only way he avoided a conflict is always to smile through it, say his piece and walk away.  

I must admit that I did not know much about David Lee but slowly but surely as SLing and I observed him from afar and from the things he does , his good deeds did not go unnoticed. The nicest part of David Lee is that he is always humble, smiley and fair. Even when he disagrees with you on certain matters, he would reasoned it out by being curt and courteous about it and never imposing. One who is always pleasing to be called a friend, SLing and I have found David Lee to be a person of great substance and of great personality traits. 

When he spoke to us about his new charity work on FB called " Charity on the Go ", I was impressed with his dedication and passion of bringing clean water to the poor and needy in Cambodia. That, to me , is the heartbeat of David Lee - bringing the simplest form of goodness to the people and seeing him talking dedicatedly over such project is a joy to my heart knowing that the experience in Cambodia had rubbed in a good effect on him. He spoke with such clarity of this work of bringing filtered water to the Cambodians that SLing and I were really so proud of him for the work he does. He also shared the experience of cooking for underprivileged children while in Cambodia and how much fun he had while he was there. 

The one thing that made me marveled at this young man is the fact that he cares for his patients a lot. Last Saturday, after spending lunch and tea time with him, he shared with us that one of his terminally ill patient whom he had the opportunity to share his apprenticeship while in GH had passed away. He spoke kindly of the woman and the other patients he had nurtured during his stint at the Melaka GH. He then asked us to send him to Melaka GH so that he can catch up with some of the staff and patients before leaving for his new assignment in Miri. That showed a lot about a person. I see good qualities in a man like that. Any woman who is to be his partner in life would be most grateful and loved. That is a good man, women! BTW, ladies, he is still very much single and he is simply a marvelous person. Yup, applications and registrations are open! Hahahahaaaaaaaaa.........Really, David Lee is simply a man with a great heart and correct values in his life. 

Yunno, SLing and I were amazed when he spoke of his travels in India too. Boy, he sure does have a lot of stories to tell you about India and most of all, I am impressed by his survival skills in India and visiting places after places during  his travels. I am thoroughly impressed that despite his quiet ways , he was able to travel places with ease and still be safe even at the most difficult places on earth. I guess, his qualities doubled with his survival skills helped him so much in his adventures at places, his personal life and at work.

So, to David Lee Chin Meng, all the best in your new endeavors in Miri, Sarawak, be good, take good care of yourself and be blessed in everything you do, my friend. You know that anytime you are in Melaka, our house is open to you and may your life be filled with great blessings.

Go out there , David and be a blessing to the people around you. Have a great life ahead and know that two old people in Melaka ( Aunty SLing and I )  will always remember you for your kind words, encouragement and love all this while. Carpe diem, David Lee Chin Meng! 

My mussings....

I am taking a break writing about the ancient places in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to write about the experiences I felt while I was in these two places. I must say that though the ancient ruins had always been my greatest interest because I just love history and so on but my other passion is about the lifestyle and people. Like I said, I am really just a simple bloke who just enjoys watching people and what they do in their every day life. People and way of life intrigues me. I learned a lot from these real life lessons in life and that makes it an interesting subject indefinitely. 

I remembered being in the ancient ruins and seeing how different facial expressions and reactions changed like the spectrum of colors across the horizon. Not all Europeans are friendly and likewise not all Easterners are friendly either. But I know that I was the craziest Malaysian Chinese at the ancient ruins , running about like a sugar-filled adrenaline pumped kid when I visited the ruins. I was happily playing in the rain and though the rain water trickled down my almost durian-like hair making me all drenched wet right through my undies, I was unperturbed by it all. I like the rain, mind you! I guess, I was happy and there to share this happiness of mine were a couple of brave European ladies ( European men are less expressive, I guess! ) who would strike their poses for the photography lenses and scenes at the ancient ruins under the torrential rain. Yeah, my kinda friends lar....the happy-go-lucky type! I remembered sitting by myself all drenched wet and water trickling down from all directions of my body but yet, I felt so satisfied inside. I couldn't care less if I catch a cold or whatever that comes my way. It was just so nice to re-live your childhood memories, care free and buoyant feelings of the yesteryears. As I sat quietly at one corner reflecting my thoughts, I often wonder how much parents of today would chastised their children for playing in the rain and so on when they themselves were so free to do all that in those early years.  Kinda "tak aci", right? There were many European ladies who did the same like me...sitting at some of the ancient steps and dreaming away....most often than not, I could see grins and smile etched on their faces as though remembering some things from their thoughts.......I wonder....

Like I said, we have evolved to be restrictive and be on prune juice diet nowadays. Everything seemed to be like dangerous, too precious as we hung on to our dear lives that we scare half the wits of our lives with such imaginative terror! Don't do this, don't touch this, don't eat this, don't go here, don't go there........we have become so paranoid of our actions....familiar?  We have indeed evolved to become one paranoid species of parents, grandparents and elderly folks....I am of course, talking of myself lar....and some people down the street somewhere lar.....not you lor, of course....... Some how, we have forgotten how our younger days used to be and how happy we have been just running around and enjoying simpler things in life. I missed all that...believe me, I really do......

As I walked amidst the ancient ruins, I could sensed a feeling of lifted up freedom and a blast to the past. It is as though a huge burden lifted off my shoulders and I felt so good. Yeah, finally, I understood what it meant to take a good rest and a good holiday - it means doing what you like most and enjoying every moment of it even it seemed so silly to others.  Nobody to distract you or even to bug you endlessly about things of life and so on. The little pleasures you get when on holidays.....I guess... that's just my perspective on holidays....you may beg to differ with my views and that's perfectly alright, actually.

As for the people I met along the way, I must say that Cambodians are really nice people. Sure , just like everyone else, they tend to be wary of you at first but they would certainly warmed to you. They are soft spoken and do their work diligently. I remembered my tuk-tuk driver who is a humble and patient man. Even when we treated him to breakfast and told him he could asked for whatever meal he wanted, he did not take advantage of the situation but he chose a humble fried rice meal and a glass of warm water.  Even when we had lunch, he declined to eat further as he told us the earlier meal was enough. That spoke volumes to me on how I perceived him as a tuk-tuk driver. He was always smiling, patient and spoke gently. I felt that it was the best USD 20.00 ( His job starts from 4.30am till 6.30pm for the day )  I have ever spent on a human being. I know that the USD 20 would go a long way in feeding his family. Like I said, along the way, I see a lot of smiley tanned faces - men, women and children.

I remembered one incident that warmed my heart at PP Central Market. I was slurping my young coconut drink when I positively heard this European guy and his daughter asking for two coconuts. However, when the Cambodian lady put out the two coconuts to him, he said that he had ordered only one coconut. The Cambodian lady told the European man that she heard him asked for two but she quickly took back one of the coconuts and told him it is alright. As I was still thirsty and needed another drink, I told the Cambodian lady that I would take the other opened coconut. She seemed so happy and by the way, it was only USD1.00. She thanked me profusely though I thought it was just a small gesture and since I needed another drink why not indulge in another coconut drink anyway, right? So, when Daly wanted a mineral water drink and I wanted to pay for it, the Cambodian lady told me that since I had helped her by buying the opened coconut drink, the mineral water is her way of thanking me for helping her. I did not understand it until Daly explained that for Cambodians, a good deed is always repaid with a good deed and I did good so I am told. Am I good? Hmmmnnnnn.... I wouldn't know...I would like to think so! Hahahahahahaaaaaaa...............but that gesture from the Cambodian lady got me thinking....

I also enjoyed my time at Daly's place near the Mekong river in Phnom Penh. The simple meals prepared by her mom and the time spent eating together was fun. Simple living , no fuss, no looking in to this nutritional facts or that facts but simply filling the stomach is all that matters. The few pieces of fried salted pork pieces plus some fish cuts and kangkong with beef pieces made it all a simple and memorable meal. The very small house ( 15'X10' ) which included a small living hall, kitchen and bathroom was a humbling sight though the bedrooms are located on the higher floors ( 3 storeys in all ). It was really a humbling time for me. They lived in a small space and still have plenty of laughters ring around the house which was frequented by neighbour's children and relatives.  It warms my heart a lot - the close family ties, the easiness and the great family bond. 

It was in Phnom Penh too that I had my heart wrenched with sympathy and sadness as I saw a mother with her two children sleeping on the five foot way. It was a cold and chilly night in Phnom Penh. She wasn't the only one sleeping at the foot way or pavements.  My eyes could not tear away from the sight as I reminiscent how thankful I am to be where I am that I am able to put a roof under the heads of my family. Yeah, they say, some things tears into your soul and this one did, actually. My heart sank with sadness as I saw more and more families making the five foot way their temporary home for the night. I was told by my friend, Daly that there are many orphaned children at the streets and at the park in front of the Royal Palace at night. She told me that there is just too many to help and the NGOs had tried their best to house these people and did what they could. I applaud the efforts made by these NGO's to help these people but ultimately it is the Cambodians who would have to take care of their fellow Cambodians.

That night while sipping my Mojito atop a roof top cafe, I could see a group of children playing football using a very small rubber ball at the park. Kinda reminded me of the happy days playing such games at the park too with my childhood friends. The only difference is that after the game we all get to go back to our homes but to these boys, the park is their home. When all the laughter and excitement had died down, the blowing and chilly winds including the hardened and cold RC walkway, are the reality for these boys. 

The other thing that saddens me was the fact that women, children and grandmothers would beg for money at traffic lights and road junctions. As we were travelling in our tuk tuk to our next destination, we stopped at a traffic light and  I saw a dirty , shabbily dressed old grandma being given a few Cambodian Riels by a woman in a Lexus car. She had tears in her eyes and she held the money in her palms together and thanked the lady in the car. It was such a sad sight for me. This was someone's mother or some child's grandmother begging on the streets. It is cold cold reality for life down here.

I guess, travels makes you learn a lot of things and see things that you would normally not see. During the bus ride to Phnom Penh earlier, we passed through smaller kampungs and I was intrigued by their lifestyle. At the outskirts, paddy fields reign over the land while people go about doing their routine stuff. It was interesting propping one hands over your head as you see the outskirt greenery scene just unfolds in a crazy bus bunker bed rendition. Truly one experience I would not forget at all....Seeing the early morning buzz of activity in these small towns were an eye opener......people scurrying for whatever transport they could hopped on to go to town and even starting out their day for work. These are sights that one would not forget as for a person like me, my mind is like a photography camera recording these images. I wouldn't know if it was a blessing or not as my mind trapped the good, the bad and the ugly too.

I am definitely richer in experience as I continued to do my travels in life whether locally or overseas. Everyday and everything is a learning curve for me. I never shy away from the opportunity to enrich myself with experiences in life or even going through the feelings of it all. I believe that if we stop learning from life, we become arrogant, prudish and swell -headed with uncontrolled pride. Sometimes, being back to basics helped us to realise that humility, goodness and mercy does come from the reverence to the One Above..................

Prasat TaProhm ( Ancestor Brahma )

Front view of TaProhm

After having exhaustively explored Angkor Wat and The Bayon, my next destination was Prasat TaProhm. Just like the Bayon, it was built in the late 12th century and early 13th century by King Jayavarman VII in honour of his family. Ta Prohm was originally named Rajavihana. It is located approximately one kilometer east of Angkor Thom. Accordingly , Ta Prohm is photogenic, atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and jungle surrounding. 

Became part of the roots,,,I guess...

Yeah, you've guessed it, my friends, Thanks to eavesdropping among the Mat Sallehs local guides, I got all the information I needed to know about Ta Prohm and the best next best thing to do is to explore the place and take lots of photographs. Somehow, I get to save my USD dollars again. Like I said, there are just too many people out there and why waste the "sharing", right? But the information given was indeed within earshot, so, I just benefited from the information which made my visiting this place a whole lot easier.

Visiting Ta Prohm can be quite an experience for any tourist,actually. With local children and adults trying to sell their local stuff, you definitely have to be strong to resist buying anything except when you are done with your visiting. I hate to admit it but I was one of those who had to harden my heart though I would love to get as much souvenirs as possible but I just can't start or else I won't be able to get the visiting done. With help from Daly and her stern ways, Teo and I were able to get through the people and walked through the muddy red earth road towards Ta Prohm. 

Carved window......

Walking along the path, we could see a group of musicians playing some Cambodian folk tunes with traditional musical instruments. Under the tarpaulin shade and drizzling rain, they did their best. There were also children plying their souvenir trade under another tarpaulin too.  We gave it a miss too as we wanted to reach TaProhm as the drizzling rain started to grow into bigger drops from time to time.

Anyway, with luck, we arrived at Ta Prohm within the next 15 minutes or so after treading through the muddy road. The entrance was marvelous. With silk cotton trees, thitpole and smaller strangler fig trees surrounding Ta Prohm, the temple looked majestic enough. I am often reminded that this was the film location for " Lara Croft - The Tomb Raider" and it is as beautiful as it is portrayed in the movie. 

Yup, the doorway Angelina Jolie appear at "Tomb Raider"...

Just like Angkor Wat and Bayon, the ruins was as genuine and original as it was. The walls , windows and door ways were beautifully adorned with ancient carvings of great interest. The gigantic roots from the trees made the temple ruins such a  unique feature. I really love how the tree roots made the temple such a work of art. As usual, tourist from all over the world went goo gaga over the spot where Angelina Jolie appear from the door way before she fell into the hole in the movie. Local guides showed the tourists where the exact location was and there was a frenzy of photography session. All this while, as I was waiting for my turn to take my photograph at the "Hollywood " section, I took a good look at the wall carvings and pillars. They were beautifully craved and beautiful. I love every carvings there and they certainly were missed by the tourists who were just interested in their aha moment at the Hollywood section. Well, at least, I get to see and enjoy the carvings more. 

Roots that became part of the temple....

The silk cotton tree blending in with the temple....

The rest of my time was spent on just enjoying the other sights of Ta Prohm. The roots seemed so harmonious entwined with the temple walls and became part of the beauty of the place. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful mixture of nature and ancient history. What a sight indeed! Yunno, I will never be able grasp how skillful these carvers had been or how many human hands were needed to sculpture such wonderful place.  All I knew is that their hardwork had not gone unnoticed after a few centuries. Right up to today, their masterpieces are still being looked at and marvelled at by each and everyone of us over the years. That to me is an achievement of a lifetime by these wonderful sculptors and master carvers , don't you think so? 

The Bayon - Angkor Thom

The Bayon a.k.a Prasat Bayon in the heart of Angkor Thom....

After the exhilarating time at Angkor Wat, our next destination was obviously, The Bayon a.k.a Prasat Bayon. After catching our breath after a long walk back from Angkor Wat to the main entrance, our ever smiling and soft spoken tuk-tuk man asked us where would we like to go next. We answered simultaneously, " The face one!". " Ah! Bayon", the tuk-tuk driver answered. Our face lighted up and off we went. That's how we knew that our next destination was The Bayon a.k.a. Prasat Bayon.

The King's library......

The Prasat Bayon is the well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor, Cambodia. It is situated right smack in the center of Angkor Thom. Built in late 12th and early 13 century, it is the official temple of King Jayavarman VII.  ( Yeah..lor, I learned all this because I followed a group of Mat Salleh tourists and I was too cheap to give up my USD 1.00 for a  tour guide la..... ahhahahahahahahahaha..... ) 

I guess, The Bayon most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stones faces. Located on it's left and ride side are the King's huge library with very steep steps. With the morning showers and moss, I did not intend to break my neck for that matter and so, my colleague Teo and I made it to a certain height and said enough or else we might just fall down and kick the bucket! (Incidentally saying "die" word is prohibited in Cambodia as you will be forewarned that it is not good or nice to say such things!!! ) I am proud, I climbed up the King's library which would have been majestic those days. I really enjoyed the beautiful scenes here as the jutted upwards building structures made up of these stones faces gives it such an antique look and shows the ingenuity of architecture of those times. 

Nice stone face... the scuplture la.....

I just stared in awesome wonder each time I come across the stones faces which were fitted nicely piece by piece. Though over time, some form of widening gap had appeared, it doesn't take away the beauty of such pieces and the well fitted pieces of ancient history. I must have seen about 200 pieces of such stones faces and each one seemed different in construction. I am also in awe of the intricate carvings and art form on the pillar, windows and doorways. Such intricate and well thought carvings can only come from a technically good master carver with such wonderful gifts of carving work.

Love the carvings and designs....

As always, there were a lot of tourist there ranging from Korean. Japanese, Europeans and China tourist , of course ( eyes rolling!!!!) As usual, the most hated and nuisance of all are the Chinese tourist who are not only loud, unhygienic (spitting culture!!) and irritating clowns! For crying out loud, some peace and quiet should be nice as one enjoys the beautiful pieces. I guess, I get irritated with them as just when you want to enjoy some nice photography session and digesting the beautiful surrounding, they would want to take photographs and refuse to budge when you tell them you are taking photographs. It is really "siah sueh" if I may say so! Yeah, you get kinda embarrassed seeing their antics and somewhat "rough" ways! Just hope, they don't pee in the water bottle and leave them at The Bayon.....yup, not surprising I tell you, people.......

Yup...my irritating "guests" for pictures....

Anyway, I had some magical moments as when I was at one of the top tower, I could feel the nice breeze and the lush greenery view below. The grandeur of it all and the wonderful architecture made it all seemed so cohesive for this temple. Yunno, the stone faces were just fantastic and I salute the stone carvers of the ancient times and putting them together is no easy task too. Like in Angkor Wat, I was also running around like a little fat boy with candy floss in hand - a picture of happiness and innocent bliss! 

I tried to capture the essence of each stone faces and the structures so that I could enjoy them in my free time. I also noted that building The Bayon was not easy feat at all. The pillars would have to be able to stand tall and withstand the elements of nature at the surrounding area. Again, I am excited each time I see the careful carvings and beautiful rendition of stories from the Hindu epics being marked on pillars and walls. Just plain beautiful and classic.

Nice stone face carving....just like Lego block.....

Three stone faces at a strategic location....

After this, big , strong and friendly, perhaps?

I guess, the point of humour was when one of the local guide told Daly about the "lingham" stone which was supposedly to be "powerful & magical" when touched for night activities! Sort of an aphrodisiac thingy but it was just so humorous for me. We were informed that the bigger, taller and fatter stone piece ; the better! Yup, touching a small one is a no-no indeed!........ hahahahahahahaaaaaaaa. So, Teo and I both posed and touched the so called "power stone" just for fun and that brightened up the day of more continuous rain! I wouldn't know if it is a big one or a small one or a medium size one! Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........... 

Now you see me........

As intricate as the building itself, you could just sense a feeling of calmness in this place despite the various steps, doorways and steps. I guess, the builders could have been calm people too when constructing this temple, right? What I like about this place is the great harmony, serenity and just a sense of calmness. I could see that the temple was expertly put together with so much emphasis on harmonising the place itself.  Truly a great feature for The Bayon. 

Felt so at peace........ 

Angkor Wat - Second Day

My Angkor Pass......

The alarm rang at 4.00am, Cambodian time ( 5.30pm Malaysian time ) signalling a new and exciting day to my dream place, Angkor Wat. Earlier, my colleague Teo and his GF, Daly had arranged for a tuk-tuk to take us to Angkor Wat and other interesting places for the day. Yippeeeeeeeee......it is going to be an awesome day. As I got myself ready as we were to meet up at the lobby at 4.30am, I quickly showered and got dressed. Then I prayed and sought for God's protection for the day before heading downstairs to meet up my two buddies in Teo &Daly. 

Entrance of Angkor Wat....

Incidentally, it was raining cats and dogs that early morning and I told myself that it was not going to damper my spirit to visit Angkor Wat. The plan was to catch the sunrise of the day but in this pouring rain, it would be fat hopes. Anyway, we hopped onto the tuk-tuk driven by this really humble and great smiley young fella and off we went to Angkor Wat site. It was quite a ride in the early morning rain and I was told that it was good that it was raining as hot sun would have given us a hard time. As always, I was excited about the prospect of seeing the majesty of Angkor Wat.

The surrounding area of Angkor Wat....lush greenery....

The tuk tuk ride took us through the town. I could see more hotels and further developments to garner in the income for the Cambodian people. By this time in the morning at about 4.45am, there was already a huge crowd at the Ticketing Counter at the Angkor site entrance. In spite of the rain and thorough wetness, I lined up to buy the tickets and with a ticket costing USD$20.00 ( approximately RM 80.00 ) per person - this better be a great place or my heart will bleed no end......hahahhahahahahahaaa... After taking our pictures for the ticket pass to Angkor Wat and surrounding places, our tuk-tuk driver took us to Angkor Wat. It was good 15-20 minutes ride before we reached the walkway to Angkor Wat. Even in the dark hours of the morning, the outline structure of Angkor Wat was unmistakeably visible. It was a long walk to the main entrance and truly exhausting as the rain water fills your face. 

Interior...

Interior....

The rain kept pounding at the three of us but we just kept going until we reached the main entrance of Angkor Wat. As the sunlight hits the horizon, slowly but surely, the majestic  and ancient sculpture of Angkor Wat building begun to shine through. The word " WOW" escaped my mouth and I was flabbergasted for once. Speechless -I had no words for the beauty of what I have just seen. It was just how I would have imagined it. All the days of pouring and reading about Angkor Wat  paid off as I could relate to the places here. I was overwhelmed with a whole new sense of accomplishment and what a sight - the majestic and ancient Angkor Wat. 

Ornate structures...

One of the many lovely structures....

One of the lovely structures...under the pouring rain....

As we walked into the inner place of Angkor Wat, the ancient wall carvings and ceiling carvings, the stories and authenticity of ancient pictures were such beautiful sight indeed. The beautifully arranged stones and structures were a sight to behold. Definitely intriguing and definitely mysterious,man. As I sat under a small walkway to get cover from the incessant rain fall, the inner walls and walkways were awesome and impressive indeed. Maybe, to some people, it is just a blob of arranged stones but to me, the intricate design, the rich cultural history and the almost black & white nature of the structure made it all more interesting as one climb the steps up.

Front hallway walk area....

Despite the rain, I could feel the eclectic feeling of being in an ancient time. It is like time stopped for me to enjoy every bit of architecture, cravings and designs. I must confess, I could sit for hours just admiring the beautiful carvings and the intricate designs of it all. I guess, every wall and pillar tells a story of a different kind. I must admit too that to others, this is just a wall or a pillar or even a building. To me, they represented a culture of their own, They depicted the lives of the people atthat time, the adoration for the God they serve and the epic stories of Hanuman and the fight of good against evil. To me, that is a cultural lesson I could learn from or even just enjoying the simpler things of everyday life.

Just having a moment to myself....drenched wet, tired but gleefully happy.....

I remembered running up and down the cobblestone and stone staircase, posing for a shot or even getting all gushed up over some drawing, carvings or designs. Yeah, somehow, all my joint pains and what not were gone for a moment! Maybe I am a different breed of old man - one that enjoys ancient history, places, culture and buildings. Yeah, maybe I am..........

Siem Reap, Cambodia - First Day...

My buddy/colleague, Teo and me....

One of the most fulfilling moments in one's life has always been to try to achieve what is on your Bucket's List before you kick the bucket, right? Well, mine was a trip to Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Well, I lived that dream on 8th July, 2015 when I flew in to Siem Reap on the chilly Wednesday morning with my colleague , Teo C.K. I was excited and anxious like a little kid with his first candy stick. KLIA 2 seemed so big to me as there was just endless walking right up to the Gate 19 where we were to board the plane to Siem Reap. The waiting, suspense and anticipation were a torment to me as I really looked forward to this trip after 5 months of planning earlier. 

Arrived in Siem Reap with this AA plane.....

I am just thankful that I could make this trip a reality as tight work schedule and finance had always been my barrier in making this trip. I have heard so many great stories of this place while I spent each night awake trying to see how I could make this trip a reality. I saved as much as I could and coupled with my hard earned bonus cash, I finally was able to make this trip a reality. I really really worked very hard to save so that I could make this trip as with a son in college for his studies and a daughter starting out in college, finance was very tight but manageable. 

Uptill this time, our holidays had been local and largely to museums and other small fee paying places of interest. I do get embarrassed at times when friends gave me the "museum expert" tagline when those places were the only places SLing and I could go with our family without spending much. If I had a choice or resource I would love to give my family a good vacation but being together and enjoying each others company was good enough for me. But this time, it is different, I wanted to do things on my own as I believe, I had to have the opportunity to do things on my own and pursue my own dreams which I had put on hold since the arrival of marriage, children and family. I am not complaining of the these things as they are the very reason we are all living with. To me, I just wanted to fulfill my own childhood dreams and follow that dream of wanting to see places.

Nice sculpture at SR International Airport

There were plenty of people going to Siem Reap that day. A fair bit of Mat Sallehs were also travelling with us to Siem Reap that day. Anyway, I must say that before we arrived at Gate 19, there was a series of security checks and they were thorough indeed. I have to take off my belt ( luckily, pants didn't drop down!!!!! ) , wallets, watch and even shoes just for security check. really can't blame the authorities as there are a lot of screw-loose people, fanatics, terrorist and not so nice people around,huh? Of course, there were queue jumpers too who had to be put in their place as we ain't no queue jumpers! Everyone has to toe the line, man. 

Hotel main entrance.....

As I took the seat in the plane, I was really excited and relieved that there were no calls from office...hahahahahahaaaaaaaaa..... I am finally on my way to Cambodia. It was a two hours flights which was quite smooth and no air pocket turbulence. Smooth...finally, something good..... When our plane landed in Siem Reap International Airport, it was so unreal for me. I came down the walkway with a different feel as I was in a different country and I am there!!! I really pinched myself to make me awake that I am in Siem Reap, Cambodia as I snapped photos of Teo with our AA plane while he snapped photos of me with our AA plane too. I could hear the airport authority woman behind us saying, " Sir, this is an international airport. No taking photos of the planes or stop to take photographs. Please move on, sir." I guess, I totally ignored her and continued to take photos despite her pleading of no photographs  policy. I guess, I was just being an overzealous kid and I apologised for my bad behaviour. She smiled but still maintained her stern look and asked us to move on. 

Hotel front...just have a look at the electrical lines....

Imigration was a breeze and as soon as we were out the door. The hotel had sent a tuk-tuk to pick us up and sent us to the hotel. Short, smiley, small built and dark-skinned man named Cho asked us to follow him to the car park. He had parked his tuk tuk at the road opposite the airport. So, we had to walk a bit and get onto our tuk tuk. What a nice contraption of a pulling cart with a Honda/Yamaha/Vespa kapchai  m/cycle! It was fun as these aren't hell tuk tuk drivers from Hatyai but they drove slowly and cautiously so that we are safe to our destination. Along the way, he maneurvered the tuk tuk expertly through the roads and avoided the busy traffic. Along the way, I could see beautifully built hotels and I can only imagine staying in them for I know my budget and constraint, right? Well, never mind, I am more contented to be able to put my head to lay down to sleep as I was there for a visit to one of the world's best ancient city ruins.

Tuk-tuk of Siem Reap, Cambodia...

My bed....really comfortable and lovely to sleep on....

Finally, after about twenty minutes, we arrived at our hotel and when I  got my keys, I plonked on my own room and rested for a while. The bed was very comfortable and there was a replica of a face from the Bayon ruins overhangs the bed. Maybe, a gentle reminder for me to behave myself when I am there. Good morning , Siem Reap, I have arrived!~