Sunday, January 18, 2009

Starting the journey...Day 1 & 2

Finally, the day arrived! We're setting off to Cambodia! Arriving at 4+pm at Changi Airport, we all were very excited as many of us are flying there for the our very first time!

For Day 1 & Day 2, we are touring at Phnom Penh before setting off to our destination, Baray!

Arriving at Phnom Penh Airport, we were received by Auntie Esther and the tourist guide of the day, Pixel.

Day 1: We went visiting at Khmer Life shop for our 1st stop. This is the handicraft shop set-up by Auntie Esther to provide employment for the handicapped and unemployed locals. Since it's a shop (which directly tell it's a 'selling' place), most of us starting our shopping here! We visited the Central Market and Russian Market to explore the building structure characteristics and local culture. Our last activity of the day is to take the boat ride down the Mekong River in evening. We managed to catch the sight of beautiful sunset on the boat and having a fantastic buffet dinner with the cooling 'river' breeze.


Setting Off from Changi Airport with our heavy baggages
(each of the members are supposed to carry a big bag of old clothes & bags)


Group Pic at Departure Gate


The back of Project L.O.V.E shirt


See our flight time?
6:45am - Phnom Penh

The nice view at the side window on the plane

We reach Cambodia!
Before we board the bus...

Our 1st breakfast!
Meat with baguette

Visit to Khmer Life shop

Purchasing handmade handicrafts A handicapped artist craving the coconut shell keychains
This is 1000 riels (equivalent to 0.37 SGD)
Total? Petrol Station!
Lucky Burger outlet
Fantastic! Balancing a basket full of lotus flowers!
Roasted Bananas?
Central Market
Inside Central Market Weaving through the crowds
Selling mechanical parts in Russian Market
Can assemble our own motorbikes?
Going for a boat ride
Group pic on the Boat
Relax and rest well....
Sunset!
Boon Yen's Birthday!


Day 2: In the early morning, we set off to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Field to find out more about Cambodia history. The history that put their lives on threats and took many innocent lives. The 2 alumnus, Hwee Ting & Yuan Man joined us during our visit in the Museum. The last place-of-interest we went was the Royal Palace. Most of us fall in love with the awesome buildings and the serene environment! We had our last dinner at Phnom Phen with Prof Chui, Prof Edmund and friends at a steamboat shop. This steamboat dinner indeed gained most of our thumb-ups attributing to the sumptous soupbase, handmade springy beef, pork and fishballs and the nice noodles.


The pictures tell you more!

Sunrise at our hotel
Elephant strolling on the road?
Our Breakfast
Visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum


Grave for the last few that perished in the prison
Explanation from the tour guide
Every prisoner will have their picture taken before admit to prison
they are being locked up on the bed
torture grounds
another building of imprisonment
see how narrow each of the prisoners are staying in
only a small window to look-out how the prisoners are being tortured
Killing field
Stupa built to commemorate those who perished in the genocide
the skulls of the dead
the ground where the dead bodies are piled and buried
Visit to the Royal Palace
a gift from the westerns- a westernised building
Group pic at Royal Palace
Oh? Act coolz?
The girls imitiating thousand hands buddha
miniature sight of the Angkor Wat
Stupa
the nine headed snakes that the locals worship
A girl balancing a basket of crackers for sale
At Wat Phnom
Night Market
These are cakes!
Steamboat!
A whole row of us eating!
his hair resembled the noodles
Group pic at the steamboat shop!
lotus seeds! Can be eaten raw!
Cambodia Coke!


Sherri

No comments: