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Thursday, 20 October 2016

Voluntary Mission at Siem Reap, Cambodia DAY 3 (Part 2)



This post is a continuation from HERE.


21.7.2016



Drove back to Siem Reap city, decided to visit Wat Thmey (Killing Fields).

Kitty at Wat Thmey slept until very shiok, the only light-hearted sight here.

It was a learning trip to know more about Cambodia's history.  It's heart breaking to know how and what had leaded to this country's poverty.  But on the positive side, they are picking up.....



In 1975, Cambodia fell into darkness where Communists called the Khmer Rouge took power and renamed the country Democratic Kampuchea.  In matter of hours, entire population of Phnom Penh was ordered to leave.  Many died on the road through illness and starvation, many were killed for being educated.
It's estimated 2,000,000 were killed and this is a memorial house with some of the skulls of the unfortunate citizens.


These were the leaders of Democratic Kampuchea, devils from hell.  Some died already, but they should die earlier.....
I couldn't help to compare... While Cambodia fell into the wrong hands, during the same period of time, Singapore was lead by our Father Mr Lee Kuan Yew into prosperity.  We should be very grateful, it's something that we must always remember and not taken from granted.

Only in 1993, Cambodia was govern as we seen today.  And that's only slightly more than 20 years rebuilding the nation.  That is also why our voluntary organization Inspiring Stars came to give some love and support.

We were the only ones in the Historical Photo Museum.

It's a place with hand drawn pictures on a person's story about how he was being imprison and tortured but escaped from death during the times of Democratic Kampuchea.

After a short visit for about half an hour, my friend send me back to the hotel.  He went for work then prepared to pick up the rest of my Inspiring Stars team members, they were arriving today!

I took the opportunity to visit New Leaf Book Cafe again!  It's less than a minute to walk behind my hotel.
You may read about my previous visit to New Leaf Book Cafe HERE.



Soy Latte US3.00

Spicy Dry Noodles US5.00
Stir fried spicy noodles + slice pork + sotong rings + green veg = YUMMY

Wanted to order their mango sticky rice again but I was too full already.  That's one of the disadvantage of being alone, nobody to share food de...

New Leaf Book Cafe
Group 10, Phum Mondul 1, Svay Dungkum
306 Street 9
Krong Siem Reap
Cambodia
855 63 766 016

Diagonally opposite the cafe is this:
Nothing in particular from the outside, so last year didn't bother to walk in.  This time round I had too much time to spare, so decided to walk in and find out what's inside......

I walked around alone, I had the whole place by myself.   Nobody was around >.<
Clueless, I had zero knowledge about this place.  Later part of the day, I asked my friend about it which he didn't want to talk much about.

This place is called Wat Preah Prom Rath, built in 1915 but looked like 1995.  It's so new, clean and well-kept.
These pagodas contains remains of deceased.  Yes, you hear me right ie. our's is columbarium, their's is pagoda.  Some of it have photos fixed at the base of the pagoda which I avoid taking pics of.  Each pagoda may keep several urns for many generations.  The place was calm and peaceful.  (My sis had told me to keep this a secret as people probably gonna be very sensitive as this place is just a street away from our hotel.  I am not sure what I'll get from her if she reads this >.<)

I asked my local friend what's this all about.  He said it's an old folks tale which he couldn't remember -___-|||  Seriously, haiz............






 When I came back to Singapore, I read up online but information was limited.  All gave flowery descriptions of how beautiful this place is, blah blah blah... lame and useless until I wanna tear my own hair, urrrgg.......  Wat Preah Prom Rath thus becomes very mysterious to me.  Who can tell me more and the truth about it!!? OhMyGawd........  --__________--  With all these, I can't even find the exact address of this place, sorry for being useless T__T  Anyway, just use New Leaf Book Cafe's address ba, if anybody interested and not "ban dang" to visit.

Went back to the hotel, checked out of my standard room and moved into the largest suite available, sharing it with my kid sis and a friend.  The living room was like the size of my house's living room (4-room flat).
Neat kitchen but no cooking ware or utensils >.<

2 very spacious bedrooms.  One room with a queen bed and the other with 2 super singles.
2 washrooms, one with bath tub and vanity counter, the other one was smaller with shower which was good enough as well.

After which I roamed around Pub Street aimlessly.


Gotten too lazy after a while and popped into Blue Pumpkin.
This is a chained cafe with many outlets in Cambodia.  There were 2 at Pub Street and 1 at King's Road.

This was at Blue Pumpkin Old Market
563, Mondul 1, Svay Donkum
Tel: 063 963 574
Opening hours: 6am to 1am

Ordered Lemon Juice US2.00.....

Then nua until my team members arrived.

They loaded the bags in our living room and these were only partial.

No time was wasted, my sis, the leader quickly went to order toiletries, food and stationery so that it's all packed up and we would just pick and go the next morning.

Sis recommended this foot massage which was US5/hr. Cheaper than the one in Pub Street!  This was beside the Night Market.  It's so good that we went back again!

After the massage, we crossed the road back to Pub Street area.  Without walking any further we just walked straight in here to settle dinner with this Cambodian zi char.


Simple stir fried veg.

Tender grilled pork ribs.

Freaking sweet grilled sotong.

Tofu (very fresh with a wonderful taste of soy beans) with beansprouts and spring onions.

Steamed cockles.
Everything was great except for the grill fish (not in pic) which they wrapped with foil and grill.  So it was all white without the kind of crispy grilled skin which I preferred.  3 of us, 3 bowls of rice, 2 glasses of beer was less than S$25, happy!

Inspiring Stars voluntary work to the schools and villages started the next morning.
I have to buck up to get the posts done up quickly, had been dragging too long >.<  Thank you for reading!


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