U2 in Magnificent Morocco

This video is actually one of the reasons why Morocco is on my bucket list.

Here, one can only marvel as Morocco is unveiled, quite literally, as billowing white sheets are stripped away and the city wakes up to a brand new morning, a brand new day.

And the lyrics. The lyrics rhapsodize about a love that lifts you up, and brings you to your knees at the same time.

Travel Movie Monday: Lost In Translation

This movie pretty much captured perfectly what it is like to be surrounded by the neon lights and glittery trappings of a foreign city -- and feel so completely detached from it all.

thomthom from fanpop.com

That is until, until you meet someone.

Photo of the Day: The Bird's Nest In Winter

Photo by Jotham Manlapaz

Can you believe it's been five years since the spectacular Beijing Olympics?

The Bird's Nest still beguiles with its exquisitely whimsical design -- and it is especially photogenic at night.

See my post on the second day of our three-day Beijing trip, when we visited the Bird's Nest.

Our Beijing Hostel: Sitting on the City Walls

When we booked our hostel back in 2011, we relied on no other site but the very trusty, very helpful TripAdvisor.com 

The top hostel that popped up on the Specialty Lodging section of the site was Sitting on the City Walls. The reviews were positively glowing -- great location, clean rooms, very helpful, English-speaking staff -- and best of all, affordable room rates. Clearly, it was the best among the cheap hotels in Beijing, perfect for budget travellers like us.

photo by maltman23 at flickr.com

So how did our own experience compare to the reviews on TripAdvisor?

Beijing Day 1: Highlights

1. The Planning Stage 

Even before, it was never China, it was always Beijing. We were going to the sprawling capital, of an even more sprawling country, and we had only three days to do it. We had in mind an ambitious itinerary -- one that would include all the must-see tourist spots, plus an activity or two that had more of a backpacker feel to it. 

But upon closer study, we found out that the Summer Palace would take an entire day all by itself, and there was also the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube to squeeze in --which to be honest, I never really considered. Then there were the either/ors. Houhai Lake or the Drum Tower? Jinghshan or Beihai Park?

Travel Photo of The Day

The Forbidden City, Beijing. February 2011.

*Watch out for our post tomorrow on the best of our first day in Beijing!

Travel Movie Monday: Stealing Beauty

I was 14 years old when this movie came out in 1996. I remember being very taken by the splendor of the sun-drenched stretches of the Tuscan countryside, and the utter abandon by which the character of Liv Tyler lived her life. 

To be honest, I don't remember the plot much. 

What I do remember: the overall seduction of Tuscany. Its lush greens and carefree afternoons and visions of a summer that never seemed to end.

24 Hours in Ho Chi Minh

We were in Ho Chi Minh, the capital of Vietnam for only 24 hours. We had flown in around midnight, and had a day to soak in this colorful city. Early the next morning we had to hop on the bus to go to neighboring Phnom, Penh Cambodia. So what follows is a catalogue of sorts, of a day well-spent in the city formerly known as Saigon.

1. Good morning, Vietnam!

Hong Han hostel, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

The Phantom of the World: 5 Cities, 1 Moving Musical

"You alone can make my song take flight.  Help me make the music of the night." 

 -- "The Music of the Night," The Phantom of the Opera

On A Side Note: Guess who replied to our tweets?

 "Say the word and I will follow you." (at least on Twitter)

 
"Could it be? Could it be Christine?"  

The Bucket List 10

Just last year, I crossed two items off my bucket list -- Climb the Great Wall of China, and see the limestone karsts of Krabi, Thailand. Both of these happened purely by grace -- they were an unearned, undeserved, and unmerited blessing from above.

What is also striking about both experiences, is that they happened when I least expected it, but just at the right season in my life. They were not on any of my timelines or to-do lists, they just happened at the best possible time.

So these that follow -- I've no schedule for them. I trust that they will be given to me, or not be given to me, for all the right reasons. After all, my God is a God of perfect timing, and perfect wisdom.

1. Experience the cherry blossoms season in Kyoto

 

Siem Reap: 5 Things You Need to Know

© Jiewwan stockfreeimages.com

1. OVERVIEW 

Siem Reap,which is located in northwestern Cambodia, means "Siam Defeated" -- in reference to long years of conflict with  neighboring Thailand.

The main reason why people visit Siem Reap is that it is the gateway to the 12th century temples of the ancient city of Angkor. And though the town started registering into travelers' radar as far back as the 1960s, it is only recently that tourism has really gone well under way.

10 Things to Do In Siem Reap

I will always remember Siem Reap, Cambodia for the wonderful tuk tuk ride through its tranquil, tree-lined avenues, where we rode past bikers, old timers, and laughing school children. Here, no building can be built higher than the Angkor Wat.  Cars or tuk tuks have to give way to the occasional monkey crossing the road. 

And you know, any place where temples are more important than buildings, and animals are the kings of the road, is my kind of place.

My friend and I did many wonderful things in and around the temples of Angkor, but several have stood out from the rest, and I highly recommend that you do not miss these.

1. Catch the sunset at Phnom Bakheng 

Sunset at Phnom Bakheng, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The one that will last.

This blog.

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