Last minute preparations is what I am good at.  This is a self-proclaimed assessment of myself on my trip to Kuala Lumpur along with good friends.  The choice of the hotel was not a random one as other friends already booked theirs months before the scheduled trip.  But for our group (four), we did it on the week of scheduled trip.  But the catch is - we made a good deal getting room rates exactly the same as what our friends had months before.

This is the Hotel Prescott Inn of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia situated at No. 23 Lorong Medan Tuanku Satu Off Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50300.

We arrived late at night and the reception area was quite a busy one.  Indeed, a good indication of a good business and reputable service provided to varied tourists and businessmen having their transient stay in the city.

Binondo, Manila, Philippines

Statistically, the Chinese holds the highest percentage of the world's population.  Their influence and culture has affected and transcend every continent in the world.  Back in my hometown, Tacloban City, I have a lot of friends who are of chinese descent and you'll admire them for their brilliance in the field of mathematics and of course, the hardwork and innovative skills that they possess.  Our downtown area is also dominated by businesses run by families of Chinese lineage.  In the Philippines, we cannot deny the fact that most of our successful entrepreneurs and businessmen are of Chinese blood.  It is from this realization that I am predicting that Mandarin would be a must-learn language in the near future.

with Siam Niramit dancers

 

Once inside the bar, I was personally amazed of the skills they possess though settlement of the bill is a different matter.  The serving staff offered drinks, but me and my friend refused.  After a few minutes, the bill was presented and indeed, it was inflated.  We protested with the said bill but to no avail, as there were even threats of physical harm if the bill remains unpaid. I could not understand a single word as my friend hurdles with the bouncer and the manager in Thai language and after a few minutes, they succumbed to our complaint.  My friend told me that they requested we keep silent with other customers regarding the issued billing statements.  After a few minutes, a group of Indonesian boys sat beside our couch and to my mind, they are the next victim.  True enough, when presented the bill they raised their complaint but since no one knows how to communicate with the culprits in their own native language, they have to pay the bill under protest.  My friend also advised me that when staying at areas like this, always bring your passport or a photocopy of it to save yourself from trouble.  Raid operations is a usual scenario in this area. 

crossing the Chao Phraya river

Despite the urbanization and modern living within the city, Thai culture has been greatly preserved.  Even in malls and large commercial complex, there are various mini-temples.  A number of buddhists and monks are likewise visible.  I was able to visit the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha via the Chao Phraya river cruise.  Honestly, the Chao Phraya River is not that remarkable, there are portions where garbages float and can be likened to that of the Pasig River here in the Philippines.  However, this has been greatly promoted by their government as the most convenient way to travel to the various historical and architectural landmarks of the city, thus, left with no choice.  The cruise has been part of most tourist itineraries especially for first-timers.  

a view of the Grand Palace

portrait at the reclining buddha

thanks to them for the great experience in Bangkok, Thailand

Visiting the temples entails a long walk.  As soon as we disembarked from the Chao Phraya River cruise, a lot of  souvenir shops await for those interested in Thai historical artifacts.  Then, we walked towards the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and a few minutes walk to wander in the Grand Palace and the temples.  Under the scorching heat of the sun, we were all perspiring, but who cares I said to myself. I compromised my study/review time for this trip and so I must enjoy and make the most of it.  While in the temple premises, my friend Marisol who works in Bangkok, was coordinating with a travel agent regarding our seats for the Siam Niramit, listed in the Guinness World Records as one of the best cultural shows.  I highly recommend that you watch this show to experience Thai's arts and cultural heritage.  We were able to secure the best seat then and after wandering in the palace, we headed to the MRT subway (forgot the station name) to catch the scheduled show for the day.  Before the show started, buffet dinner was served and those who are lovers of Thai culinary would definitely enjoy this one.  The show itself was extravagant and worth the time indeed.

Backpackers street- souvenir shop

Be careful when crossing the streets.  Fast-moving motorcyles are very much visible on that day of visit, which makes me think you are not a Vietnamese if you don't own one.  Our trip to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon City) is actually a side-trip only as we are actually bound to see the Angkor Wat of Cambodia.  We stayed at District 1 also known as the Backpackers Street, and true to its name, a lot of foreigners stay in this place for a transient.  Thus, looking for accommodations is never a problem in this area.  Plus, if you want to know how it feels to be a millionaire, stay in Vietnam and see for yourself!

The Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Church, the Allez Boo burgers and the Vietnamese cuisine and its  people (with features like a mini-chinese  based on my opinion) are the things I can vividly remember in this overnight trip.  Group exercises and work-out sessions, other sports and recreational activitites were also available on its parks and open spaces even at 10 in the evening.  My travel buddies Fate and Jaja tried to join the group as well while I wander on my own.  

allez boo burgers at District 1

sunrise at the Angkor Wat

This was the longest land-trip in my life, which I said to myself during that time will be the last instance for an experience.  An airfare direct to Cambodia is one of the most expensive trips one has to incur.  However, due to our eagerness to reach the said destination, we opted for the long trip via Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) where a public bus would take you to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  It was a  long, arduous and winding road. After almost 8 hours of travel, we arrived at Siem Reap.  Upon arrival and with no hotel bookings, a Khmer who goes by the name of Mr. Bim, approached us at the bus station and offered his services as our tour guide to the Angkor Wat and recommended the Angkor Deluxe Inn as our temporary home in the country, which we gladly accepted.  We had our first dinner at Cambodia at Koulen Restaurant with a cultural presentation of the Apsara dancers as backdrop.  The Philippines has the best cultural dances. (see it for yourself if you don't believe me)

 

buffet dinner at Koulen Restaurant

Infrastructures need to be developed in the city, roads have to be asphalted as it is dusty all over.  We were able to find an internet shop near our hotel, which is a good point for us, made friends with the Khmer and my friend Fate gave them 50 pesos as souvenir which is a thousand of bucks equivalent to their currency.  All major commercial centers starts with the name "Lucky" - the Lucky Department Store, Lucky Mall and the Lucky Burgers.  They must have been believers of luck!  We were also given free bracelets by a sales lady from the Lucky Mall, as a lucky charm, as they say.

The Angkor Wat adventure then begun.  We woke up at around 6AM, late for the expected itinerary of 5AM as set by our tour guide.  However, we were still able to witness the sunrise at the world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat.  The temple Entry Pass can be bought near the gates which costs 20 US dollars for a day per person. You have to carry the said Gate Pass at major temples as the same is inspected for admission purposes.  On board a "tuk-tuk", transport from one temple to another has been easy and convenient on our part as our travel guide and driver rolled into one was there to assist us.  We were able to visit 7 temples including the Angkor Wat and Tha Phrom (the setting for the movie Tomb Raider).  The number of visitors in the temple is innumerable and it was just an ordinary day in Cambodia.  Carved faces of the king and the apsara dancers were all over the place, with elephants being used as well as a mode of transportation.  The scenery was what I expected based on our high school readings of the Asian history on Ancient civilization.  The pictures will tell how grand and amazing ancient civilization was.  The trip was definitely priceless and educational.        

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2009)

After the museum visits, we wander around the city. We had our refreshing drinks at one of the street lanes where a happy pizza is served.  Due to some negative notions about the happy pizza and as first time travellers, we did not try one.  We don't want to be detained at the Immigration Office. These boxes of pizza in this side of the town are served as either "Mildly Happy Pizza", "Extra Happy Pizza" and "Very Happy Pizza". The happier the pizza, the stronger dose of marijuana it has.



at a restaurant serving happy pizza: we don't need happy pizza, we're always happy!

Khmer people are indeed accommodating. After a three-hour stroll, we were able to view the Royal Palace and the Independence Park.  Noticeable are the main streets passable by fruit vendors with their carts and the parks full of foreigners and locals alike.  

at the Petronas Twin Towers