Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum was once a happy learning place for it was called the Tuol Prey High School. When Pol Pot’s regime escalated they turned this place into a prison which is known as the Security Prison 21 (S-21), the largest detention and torture centre in the country from 1975 to 1978. More than 17,000 people were detained here before some of them were taken to the killing fields of Choeung Ek. This place serves as a testament into the crime of the Khmer Rouge. 

Pictures of each of the prisoners as well as when they were killed were meticulously kept. As barbaric as it sounds it is the truth. An average of 100 people were killed every single day and this stopped in the early 1979 when the Vietnamese army liberated Phnom Penh. 

Like the Choeung Ek Killing Fields Museum this place is profoundly depressing and I myself cannot believe that I am seeing the actual artifacts of what seemed to be the most gruesome event in the history of Cambodia. I love history a lot but seeing this makes me what to study and travel more to different places which truly has a story in it. Among the place which I have been to I might say that Phnom Penh gives the real deal of what history is. It might be saddening but they display their history for they have survived. 

Entrance fee: 

$4.00 per person 

Entrance to the Museum 

Prisoners were tied and left dead here 

Prisoners of Prison Security 21

I didn’t go up any further because it really is a very saddening place 

To prove that they killed the prisoners they would take a picture and show this to Pol Pot or the high ranking officer. 

A prison that gives us more story for it shows and depicts what really happened 

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Cambodia by Land

It was an abrupt decision to go to Siam Reap from Phnom Penh and I never regretted that decision. I love traveling (budget traveling to be exact). The first choice for us is to go to the beach but since it was too far and the schedule is too tight going to Siam Reap to see the world famous Angkor Wat is the best thing to do. A travel agency is what we needed so the best way to get a good deal is not via internet but via the actual travel agency around the area. We quickly booked the ticket to go via Van and come back via a Sleeping Bus during the Midnight. 

Our van leaves at 8:15 am so waking up early is a must. Going to/ from Siam Reap cost about $10 USD compared to an air flight ticket of $100 one way, is pretty cheap. If you have time to spare then land travel will suit you best. For me traveling via land for 6 to 7 hours is ok as long as it will save you a lot of money. A very good night sleep will be your armour during the travel since you cannot lie down and it’s quite a long one. The transport company provides you with a travel pillow, water and wet wipes. The air-conditioning unit is quite decent so you don’t have anything to worry about. 

Going back to Phnom Penh we took the sleeping bus which also cost $10 and for me it’s quite comfortable as you can lie down at ease but you must bring a sarong or shawl as a cover for the sleeping beds as you do not know if they cleaned it (just a precautionary advice). But since we are traveling at 12 mn I had very good night sleep and when we woke up we were already in Phnom Penh at 6:30 am getting ready for a swim in the hotel. :-) 

Did not catch the tomb raider kind of outfit 

Larryia Transport 

The road less travelled by 

They do provide neck pillows, water and wet wipes to keep you refreshed 

After 3.5 hours of traveling, we had a stop over in a restaurant for lunch 

Every table have trash bins for ease of cleaning. The owner of this place must have OCD.

Refreshments. Yes it’s way hotter here than Philippines 

Food for thought 

Finally at 2:30 pm we reached Siam Reap! The best way to travel and see Siam Reap is to hire a tuk tuk for the driver knows the place very well. We were lucky enough to find a very honest and friendly tuktuk driver. :-) 

Budget: 

$ 10 USD                      Van from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh 

$ 10 USD                      Bus from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap 

$  5  USD                      Tuktuk ride from Hotel to Van Pick-up point 

$  4  USD                      Lunch

Kanteen, BGC, Philippines

Craving for Filipino food without ruining your budget? Kanteen located in BGC is the place to go to. They serve good home-cooked type Filipino foods that is good for 2 to 3 people. Albeit all the hustle and juggle at work it’s good to go out of the office and succumb yourself into great food but knowing BGC most of the restaurants there are a bit steep so I was so glad when a colleague of mine introduced me to Kanteen. 

Kanteen is only a stone’s throw away from our office, a good place to eat and chill with your friends of colleagues, keep in mind that you must be early (Let’s say 11am?) for people swarm here during lunch time. For us we came in dinner time so we got the place all to ourselves. Good enough we enjoyed our dinner peacefully while devouring ourselves with Filipino foods.

Knowing me when you say Filipino food the first thing that I will order would be Sinigang as it is a comfort food for me. Sinigang, Rice and Leche Flan, these are the foods which we ordered. One order of Sinigang cost around P300 so it only cost P100 per person which we think is good enough as it were full after we ate. The taste was mediocre as it suits our budget so no qualms about that. If you have the extra cash to eat in another Filipino restaurant around BGC then I would suggest yo do so but for people in Budget this is the real place to be in. 

All are good for sharing (2 to 3 people). Availing Barkada meals which is suitable for 4 people is also a good marketing strategy 

Clean dining place 

Basically this place reminds me of a canteen but of course fancier 

That time when I still have those full bangs with Elsie poo

You cannot go wrong with Leche Flan PhP 55

Typical Filipino condiment: Fish Sauce 

Sinigang na Baboy PhP 300

colleagues: Elsie and Janet

Outside Kanteen

Will I come back again? 

Yes I will! It’s a good place to eat Filipino foods in a budget also it’s just near our office so why not go there? :-) 

Location and Contact Details: 

Kanteen

Ground Floor, Commercenter Buiding,

31st Corner 4h Avenue, Bonifacio Global City 

Taguig City, Philippines

Contact num: +63 917 8274 264

Opening hours: 

Mon- Fri                  11am to 10 pm

Sat-Sun                     Closed

Budget: 

P150 per person 

Asia Food Expo 2014, World Trade Center, Pasay, Philippines

There are a lot of food conventions in the Philippines. If you are not in this kind of business the only Expo or Convention that you are only familiar in are Expo for Beauty and Fashion, Car Shows and the new crazed awaited by a lot of Filipinos, the Travel expo. Well as part of our job we need to go to food expos to see what is out there in the market that could help us with the business and continue innovating.

Normally I would only be the one going to the Food Expo but this time I was lucky to be accompanied by my colleague Irene. We brace ourselves with endless booths of different food companies that offer their products may it be new or existing.

If you are in the food business you will surely appreciate going to this kind of events as it helps you not only with your work but also with meeting new people in the business as well.

Entrace in AFEX.  Entrance Fee: P100

Smile na smile ha!

No they are not for consumption for they are only for display. Appetizing right?

Delicious donuts from one of the stalls

In food expo machinery used in the food manufacturing business are also seen for prospective buyers

New hybrid of donuts. Who would have thought that these kind of donuts could exist? If you could not eat one whole donut this donut can be cut and shared

es there are a lot of people in the Expo 

Stalls could also sell. Well you know my weakness now. Gelato Ice cream 

Normally Food Conventions have some events or shows