Well CAM-bodia! A non-valentine's day post on Valentine's Day

I thought of a fancy introduction for this post, but, no, I shall go straight to the point.

Recently, I took a trip to Cambodia with friends.

It was months in the making, thanks to my friends who made a conscious effort of thinking of me whenever Cebu Pacific announces a sale.

So, Siem Reap, Cambodia it was.

Thanks to my blogger-volunteer-friend who made all the planning.

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

Inside a dome or pyramid in one of Siem Reap's many temples

Simply beautiful

Majestic hallways

Imposing structures

Sunset

 I have to say something about the picture above and the two succeeding pictures below. The Tourism Officials of Cambodia seem to have perfected the idea of selling sunset viewing as a touristic activity. There is this temple atop a hill or a mountain where the sunset view is to die for, they say. Before thirty past five in the afternoon, tourists make their way up to get a good view of the sunset. I never thought that tourists would be very interested in sunsets. My group went early, hoping for a good view, and a good spot we had.

After taking the almost sunset picture above, I went down because I don't want to join the hundreds of people heading their way down back to the lowlands! On my way down, I took the picture below of people waiting atop the temple for that perfect sunset photo. My friends are there in front somewhere.

 On my way down, there were smaller stations where smaller groups of people convened to take their own snaps of sunset. Perhaps I wasn't the sunset-kind-of-person. I got interested however in what was in the tourists' minds that made them go all the way up to the temple on a hill for a brief moment with the day's departure.

Interestingly, our group woke up very early the next day to catch the sunrise in Angkor Wat. Hehe. The sunrise crowd drew the same amount of tourists as the sunset tour.

Wedding pose

Shopping at the Art Centre which opens only at night

Strings of hotels in Siem Reap

Shopping bags on board a Tuk-tuk

The National Museum

Airport at Siem Reap whose architecture is reflective of its culture

Happy Holidays! It's never too late

Christmas 2012 was the first time I was away from any member of my immediate family who were all in Mindanao, except for my OFW brother. I was in Manila, celebrating Noche Buena and Media Noche with my wonderful aunt's family in Paranaque. It was a choice to be away from Mindanao, and I was quite content with this choice. Don't get me wrong; I adore being with my family. For Christmas 2012, I simply wanted to experience being away from them.  The initial plan was to stay alone in my own unit for the Christmas Eve. But, nah, it wouldn't make a happy story to tell friends and colleagues when we see each other once we report to work. So, Tita Mila's it was. Nevertheless, there was a semblance of family, and for that I was thankful. Truly, Christmas is a good time to bring family closer. This brought me to think of the many Filipinos abroad who are away from their families, including my brother who is in a country that doesn't 'do' Christmas. 

The day after Christmas, brother started posting Facebook pictures of his housemates with all their Christmas fare sans the Philippine Christmas staple ham. He and his friends seemed happy. So was I.

We make our own Christmas story, wherever we are, whomever we are with. My story was that of gratitude. There are so many things to be grateful for. Twenty twelve was a blast!

The year that passed has brought me nothing but greater appreciation for life's many blessings.  I have been blessed in every possible way imaginable. I went to this:

THE Taj Mahal

I stopped being credit card dependent.

I bought a four-inch foam for my improved condo unit.

I traveled internationally and domestically.

Singapore

I made more friends.

I inspired one friend to get her own house.

I work with the most fun and inspiring people.

I was able to buy my nieces nice Chinese dresses.

I reached 10000 hits on my blog! hehe.

I reached the 29th year of my existence.

For all of these, I am grateful. Thank You, Wonderful Giver!

Overseas Post

I have no idea how Manila looks like by now; it's December, and Christmas is just around the corner. I would suppose Manila's streets had already been adorned with Christmas decors and lights to usher the festive season. The news I got of Manila from international news channels had been about the typhoon that ravaged Mindanao and Visayas and Pacquiao's loss. However, there seems to be a good news in the passing of the Reproductive Bill into law! 

I have been away from the Philippines for several weeks now. Why? I am in India, again. This time I am in the capital, New Delhi, for a training. I have been here for close to a month now, and will be going home very soon, before Christmas, in fact.

I will go home with much anticipation because I have loads of memories and stuff to share from this memorable trip. 

Arrival in India: Indira Gandhi International Airport

Familiar scenes of the Indian capital

A popular mode of transport: Autorickshaw, an Indian version of the Philippine tricycle

Philippine Embassy in New Delhi

This is a common sight in Delhi

Delhi traffic

More autorickshaws

They have an underground metro

Men holding hands

Not Taj Mahal, obviously. Taj Mahal in a future post, maybe!

Cuddly Indian school kids

One of Delhi's more famous tourist attractions: Qutub Minar

I shall be writing more during the Christmas break, or not. The next posts on India will be written in the Philippines.