Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures

Posted on December 29, 2012 by wanderingcandy

The year 2012 was pretty exciting for me. I was able to finish my master’s degree, find work abroad and still get to squeeze in a bit of travel time. I had fun reminiscing on all the things that happened in my life for the past 12 months and choosing the pictures that best represent each month.

Here’s my 2012 in pictures. Enjoy!

January: Revisited Bangkok and when to the floating market.

February: Hot Air Balloon Ride at Clark.

March: Trekked to Osmena Peak with friends.

April: Beach time at Malapascua

May: After finishing my masters degree, I revisited the beautiful Angkor Wat to celebrate.

June: Visited the Sahara Desert for the first time!

July: I moved to another country and this is my temporary home while I look for an apartment.

August: I miss the beach so much. I went to Samet to unwind.

September: I went to Samui to dip my toes on the beach.

October: Visited the Plain of Jars in Laos.

November: Visited the Long Karen tribe in Chiang Mai.

December: Back to home base to celebrate Christmas with the family.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Surprise

Posted on December 26, 2012 by wanderingcandy

Camdodian Sunset

It was my first time to visit Cambodia and the tour guide on the boat suggested to watch the sunset on the floating restaurant at the floating village. I, together with the other tourists, waited for the sunset on the viewing deck while sipping beer. I was surprise at how big the sun looks on the sky. I was even more surprise when the huge sun was setting in the middle of the sky! Whoa! Talk about surprises! 🙂

Special Photo Challenge: Inspiration

Posted on November 25, 2012 by wanderingcandy

This photo was taken by my sister at the Angkor Wat.

It took a heartbreak to rediscover my love for traveling. From traveling, I rekindled my interest for photography. From photography, I was inspired to blog. My blog is where I share my travel adventures, new experiences and collection of photographs. What better way to share your traveling experience than with photographs?

I have discovered a lot of things about myself while doing photography and traveling. I become open to other cultures and it totally changed my view of life. I also became a wise spender by buying only the things I need and saving the rest of my money for future travel plans. My love for photography and traveling has inspired me to follow my dream of living and working abroad. I am currently immersed in a new culture and I am loving every single bit of it. Life is an adventure so enjoy the journey. It makes the ride worthwhile. 🙂

Weekly Photo Challenge: Green

Posted on November 18, 2012 by wanderingcandy

When I hear the word green, the first thing that comes to my mind is nature. Nature gives me a sense of peace and tranquility. It’s the reason why I love to travel and enjoy the beauty of life. Here’s my collection of ‘green’ from my adventures. Enjoy!

The Floating Village at the Tonlé Sap Lake

Posted on September 27, 2012 by wanderingcandy

People visit Siem Reap mainly to see the Angkor Wat. If you have a few hours to spare, tour guides will suggest you visit the Floating Village. It is located on the Tonlé Sap Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is a major part of Cambodia’s water system.

The port where you can ride a boat going to the Floating Village.

The boats.

After a 30 minute drive, you will reach the port area where you can pay for your ticket ($20) and board a boat (with a tour guide) going to the Floating Village. Everything floats on the village (well, that’s where they get the name :D). People use boats to move around. Well, some kids use a basin!

Floating Village: Children use the basin as an alternative to go around the village.

Floating Village: A Vietnamese mother and child trying to catch the attention of tourists.

The tour around the village takes about an hour or two and you get to observe how the people live around the area. Some residents would go near the boat with tourists and ask for a dollar. Some would bring their kids (for added drama) and some with a snake. You can have your picture taken with the snake and pay them a dollar.

Another sunset shot taken at the floating village

If you get the chance to visit the village in the afternoon, be patient and wait for the sunset because it looks beautiful

Templed Out in Angkor? Go Visit Phnom Kulen

Posted on June 4, 2012 by wanderingcandy

We visited a LOT of temples on the first 2 days of our stay in Siem Reap. On the third day, we decided to do something different and went to visit the Phnom Kulen National Park. It’s located at the Svay Leu District and a 2 hour drive from Siem Reap. If you are planning to visit the park, you must take note that you are allowed to go up until noon and only possible to go down after midday due to the narrow roads.

The first stop of our visit was the Preah Ang Thom. It’s a massive reclining Buddha carved out of a sandstone rock. You have to go through a series of stairs before you can get to the reclining Buddha.

The way leading to the reclining Buddha.

A monk at the base of the stairs leading to the reclining Buddha.

The reclining Buddha

Next we went to visit the River of a Thousand Lingas. The river bed contains a series of stone carvings with lingam-yoni designs which were carved by hermits from 11th until 12th century.

The lingam-yoni design in the River of a Thousand Lingas.

An old lady enjoying the water flowing over the sacred lingas.

Lastly, we went to the waterfalls. There are two waterfalls in the park. The first waterfalls is about 5 meters tall while the second waterfalls is about 25 meters tall. A lot of local people visit the waterfalls and have picnics especially during the weekends. One can rent a cottage by the waterfalls or eat at the restaurants while enjoying the view.

Locals cooling off at the first waterfall.

Going to the second waterfalls was challenging. You get to climb down a wooden stairs with some steps a bit rickety or it’s missing. But it’s all worth it when you are greeted with a beautiful view of the waterfalls with a jungle backdrop.

The second waterfalls at Phnom Kulen.

All smiles after seeing the second waterfalls.

I enjoyed the trip to the park very much and if you are templed out in Siem Reap, this is a good alternative. 🙂

Angkor: Temples And What Nots

Posted on May 30, 2012 by wanderingcandy

Angkor Wat is one of the places that I really want to visit. My curiosity was piqued when I heard a rumor that they will close down the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the public. I swore to myself that I will visit the place before this will happen. I was fortunate enough to visit the Angkor Wat twice. I was excited when I first set foot on Cambodia way back in 2010 and I still am excited on my second visit to the country. The place still amazes me. Below are some of the pictures I took of the Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples.