Adventures in Singapore and Cambodia

Orchids at the Singapore Botanical Gardens

We just got back from our little 12 days holiday to Singapore and Cambodia and are we glad to be home! As always, as much as I love the experience of seeing new places and breathing a different air, I love coming home. This homecoming is especially sweet too because of Zoe. We knew traveling with a young child wouldn't be easy, but it was more challenging than expected both psychologically and physically. The getting to was especially hard. On our flight out, Zoe slept only four hours during the entire 18 hours journey. Most of the remainder hours were spent fussing or crying. It didn't help matters that I am perfectly capable of sleeping all 18 hours on a plane. Something about planes - perhaps the drone - knocks me out in general. Then, because of jet lag and various sightseeing activities, it was hard to get Zoe onto a regular schedule. On top of it all, she didn't eat much the entire time. In short, we worried about her, which marred our otherwise wonderful trip.

Luckily for us, Zoe is quite resilient. She was mostly good humored and was curious about the new surroundings. And, already, she has began to make up for her not eating much during the trip. She ate a huge quantity of sugar snap peas, a chicken sausage, pasta, and yogurt last night.

As to Dennis and I, we ate like Singaporeans (well, a lot and frequently), met some of my friends (glad to say that I think he thought all of them charming and great company and vice versa), and visited some of my favorite haunts in Singapore (Peranakan Place, Emerald Hill, Boat Quay, Botanical Gardens). We even chanced upon a little peak at my Primary School. Then, of course, most importantly, we took great pleasure in showing Zoe off to Gong-Gong and Puo-Puo, both of whom delighted in Zoe. And we celebrated with Puo-Puo her 70th birthday (the prime reason we chose to go back to Singapore).

It was quite festive and almost overwhelmingly loud and crowded at home for a few days. But that is just as I imagined a three generation Chinese household would be. It was quite wonderful to see Gong-Gong and Puo-Puo fuss over Zoe. Gong Gong personally supervised the making of fish porridge for Zoe! As expected, everyone thought Zoe too skinny and "must eat more!"

At the Botanical Gardens. I love, love, love the Singapore Botanical Gardens. I spent a lot of time there as a child (we lived across the road) and as an adult would visit it with friends on the weekends.

At the Tiong Bahru Market for an early breakfast of $1.50 a bowl Wanton Noodles, Chinese Tunip Cake ($1 for 6) and lots of Iced "Kopi." We decided to have Wanton Noodles because there was a long line at the stall selling it. It must be good if there is a line at 6:30 am in the morning for it. It took a good half hour before we sat down to eat our noodles. It was not bad. Wanton was excellent. Soup was good. Noodles so so.

Reunion with high school class mates. Excepting for Aili, I was 16 the last time I saw Junyi, Fong Chew and Garen.

Scary Looking Rain Clouds!

Breakfast at Fullerton Hotel. The food was so-so, but the view of Boat Quay and Singapore riverfront magnificent. When I was living in Singapore, I would sometimes walk home from boat quay. A somewhat longish walk, but completely pleasant and doable in the evening.

We (mom and dad, Ben, Uncle Send and Auntie Connie and Derrick) went to have a Bak Kuh Teh (Pork Ribs Soup) breakfast at this rather famous place on Rangoon Road.

With Dad

Dad was sooo happy when Zoe allowed him to carry her. We visited this particular food court three times while in Singapore. On our first visit, Dennis and I ordered four pratas, two fish ball noodles soup, fruits, ice coffee and an ice kachang for the two of us!

Dad following Zoe.

After a few days in Singapore, we took a little 4 days 3 nights side trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia to see the famed Angkor Wat. Siem Reap is a huge contrast to Singapore. Whereas Singapore is super clean and super modern, Siem Reap is - to me - like a time capsule of the old Singapore. Many of the roads were dirt roads, some of the stores look just like the stores the lined Bras Besah and North Bridge Road in the 70s. The Siem Reap river reminds me of the little canal that ran between Bukit Timah Road and Dunean road. But a lot of it is very new and ultra chic. There were wireless hotspots. A lot of the restaurants we saw would not look out of place in New York city.

Our First Tuk-Tuk Ride

Zoe really enjoyed riding in the Tuk-Tuk. She loved the wind.

Going to our first meal in Siem Reap at FCC Angkor

Very Yummy Lunch at the FCC.

Tummy filled, we head off to Angkor Wat - Here at the Entrance.

At Bayon

Of all temples we visit, Ta Prohm is probably my favorite. I love the mysteriousness of the temple and I love the trees that has become one with the temple structures.

If Dennis felt "Lord of the Rings" in New Zealand, I felt "Tomb Raider" in Angkor Wat!

Most of the temples are worn and in a state of disrepair. Walking among the ruins, I thought of the poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley:

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Of course, being Buddhists (and Hindus), the kings probably never boasted as Ozymandias did.

On the bridge leading to Angkor Thom

One of the many beautiful stone carvings we saw gracing the walls of the temples.

Outside Banteay Srei

One of the intricately carved lintels at Banteay Srei

Pre Rup in the morning sun.

A busy street in the old market area now filled with bars and restaurants. Food is generally good and cheap in Siem Reap. All the restaurants we ate at had main courses that cost $3.50 to $5.50.

Fish Amok - One Of The Delicious Traditional Cambodian Dishes We Tried. This version came from Viroth's.

Happy at Viroth's, a most lovely boutique hotel. We loved the minimalist sensibilities of the owners. And we loved the salt water pool there. I actually went in there twice!

At the Elephant's Terrace at Angkor Thom

Zoe loves it when we let her have free play time. Here, you see her fascinated with the little holes in the stone blocks.