I think this sums up 2011 for us!

What a fun-filled year! I treasure every moment I get to spend with my family (including my dog)! There were lots of exercise that came about from regular weekend badminton sessions ... but Wendy's ice-cream got the better of me and I didn't lose any weight! sigh... temptation...


While I cut down on food but never seem to lose any weight... (yes, even attempted a low-carb diet at night!) my wife seems to have developed a much bigger appetite but never seem to put on any kilos... this world is so unfair!


Key highlights for the year has to be:


1. Our 2 weeks' visit to Singapore and Cambodia in November - see my earlier posts on Cambodia... what a fine destination!
2. "Look see" visit to Detroit Michigan, ok much of it has to do with the tonne of shopping we did in that place... not much else!


I think 2012 will be a significant year for Pearly and I. I would like to visit Yellowstone National Park & Disneyland in LA one more time! ok... and maybe visit Times Square for the 2012 year end count down.... and Niagara Falls... 

Another photo I took in Detroit...

Ok, I am counting down... less than 30 days to go.

Get ready... here I come!

So much to do but so little time...

RWS - am I missing something?

A recent visit to Resort World Sentosa has left me perplexed... on one hand, I was proud of the achievement of Singapore as a nation and how it was totally transformed from a developing country to a first-world nation in little over 40 years. On the other hand, this visit to Sentosa was to fondly re-live some of my childhood memories - for which I found none. 


You see - the island of Sentosa was so totally transformed that it almost seems "foreign" to me. I remembered the Fort Siloso beach... the cycling tracks, the World War II bunkers filled with sparrows and scorpions, the camping trips, the SAF bungalows that I used to holiday in. There was definitely a "rustic" beauty about the Sentosa of old which I now sadly miss.


Interestingly, I had tempura in a Japanese restaurant yesterday. Sitting next to me was a very pleasant Australian couple... we spoke of of travel experience in Japan. Then he asked me if I had grown up in Melbourne, I promptly responded that I am from Singapore. "Ah... Singapore." he said. "There is a lot of changes in that city state...." he followed, "Everytime I visit that country, I see drastic changes in the city's skyline." 


I smiled and nodded in agreement. Then, I was swiftly reminded of my experience in Sentosa... Yes, I was missing something. I have missed the country that I once remembered...

Comerica Park - Home of the Tigers

It was a "sunny" day by Detroit's standard in winter... well, at least there were some rays of sunshine in the city, so we decided to explore the real Detroit city. After taking the people mover away from Renaissance Center... approximately 6 stops later, we chance by the Comerica Park (it's the home ground of the Detroit Tiger - a US major league baseball team). There was no one around except for 3-4 tourists like ourselves outside the park... I took out the 5D and started snapping away. For a stadium that is built in the city of Detroit... this place feels very quiet (really, there was no activity). Perhaps it was because the holidays season is near and most office workers are on annual leave or because it's just the wrong time of the day... Coming from Melbourne Australia, the quietness of the Detroit during the day took a bit of getting used to, had it been Melbourne at this time of the day, the streets will be filled with office workers, tourists and street buskers.


I find it mind boggling ... the effect of Detroit's bad rep (high crime rates) on me - I only dare to take out the 5D on limited occasions when there is no one near me (when I felt safe to do so),,, so I had taken only a handful of shots. In contrast... I felt safer to walk around the streets of Siem Reap (Cambodia) with the 5D on my hand. There was really no real signs of danger on the streets of Detroit... yet I cannot find a logical explanation for feeling safer in a developing country like Cambodia compared to Detroit, USA.

Detroit - is there hope for you?

Almost everyone I've spoken to lately acknowledged that Detroit has a general negative rep - while Michigan is beautiful, few go past the high crime rates & high level of unemployment in Detroit. Over the past few months, I have been reading a great deal about Detroit ... the evolution of the American Motor Industry, the downfall that some have blamed on the automotive unions, recent arts development in the city...


I have been to some online forum (of course, not everything you read in public forum is correct) and have seen folks in the forum trying to promote the city of Detroit... giving it a good rep. However, I think its hard to change the public perception if the locals in Detroit also preach the same "doom & gloom" message. Eg. on more than one occasion when we are paying at the cashier, the cashier asked me for my zip code - I answered "We are here for holidays from overseas..." before I could finished my sentence, the usual response would be "why would you come here for holidays? nobody comes here for holidays."

Sunset in Bayon

Most people travel to Siem Reap to catch a sunrise in Angkor Wat... sure sunrise is truly spectacular in the Everest of temple, but I think there is a comparable beauty in the sunset in Bayon. With not many tourists around, there is a quiet serenity in this place.


The temple is located in the vicinity of the famous Angkor Thom... a collection of ancient Angkorian temples and ruins. It's roughly about a 15min drive from Siem Reap city centre. 

The Cambodian Painter

This photo was taken in a Cambodian night market. What caught my attention was the brilliant art work in this store. I spoke briefly with the artist in the picture & understood that he was the resident painter and everything in the shop was painted by him. It takes about a day to complete a piece and they sell for between US$30 to US$100 per piece. I asked him how was life as a painter - he smiled and said "I don't earn much"... "but... I am happy."

An Explosion of Colours

I love this picture! Night bazaar is not a foreign experience for me growing up in Asia... however, I have never once not been impressed by the explosion of colours in the night market! There is always something colourful & interesting round the corner. It's breath-taking... the colours... doesn't it makes you want to celebrate? dance?

Fish doctors - nibbling away

So this is really weird for me... really weird.

After walking around Phnom Penh the whole day, visiting the Royal Palace, Phnom Wat, FCC Phnom Penh etc... we finally end up in the Phnom Penh night market. It was a warm day ~31 degree celcius - so I was sweaty throughout and my feet was soaked in perspiration and dirt. These fishes are like combfishes - they only consume the affected and dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow, with the outdoor location of the treatment bringing beneficial effects.

The reason why I said this is weird for me is because (1) my feet were so dirty that I would definitely not share it with anyone else in a foot bath; (2) the opposite is also true... I don't think I would like to share a foot bath with people I do not know who could possibly have dirty feet!; (3) what's worse... feeding my stinky feet to the fish - plain disgusting!


Having said that... seems like others aren't really bothered, they probably even enjoyed it! It's a big world out there - who am I to judge.

Phnom Penh Night Market - mass massage!

This is such an interesting experience. From the moment I stepped into the night market, I have been swamped by the locals... "Massage sir?" I respectfully responded "No thanks...". "But it's cheap sir..." I quicken my steps to make sure my intentions are known.


Yes, the massage is really cheap... it costs no more than US$5 for an hour's foot reflexology. If you're there with a group of friends... I think the best thing to do is to buy a mug of beer & maybe some peanuts... then, just lift up your feet & then relax on the reflex and then chat away! Seems like the people in this photo are really enjoying the casual reflexology along the streets. Cool!


Me? Ahmm... I prefer massage in a "proper" massage parlour... the relaxing music, air-conditioning and a nice cup of traditional Khmer tea.