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architecture

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Exploring Temples in Angkor – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia Temples

The main reason we wanted to visit Cambodia was to see the renowned Angkor Wat and many of its other temples. We definitely saw Angkor Wat, so check that off the bucket list, but there are literally thousands of temples to check out in Angkor, Siem Reap. Thankfully, many temples are in close proximity to each other and we had a wonderful and knowledgeable guide that took us around. So even when we were there for only a weekend, we still saw several other amazing structures. Here are the temples and sites we explored during our visit.

Angkor Wat

There’s no doubt that Angkor Wat is the biggest attraction, literally and figuratively, out of all the temples in Cambodia. It’s actually the largest religious monument in the world! The temple is enclosed by a wall measuring 2.2 miles long and surrounded by a moat.

Inside the wall is a long path that goes straight to the temple. Off the path, on each side are lily ponds for the famous picturesque reflection of Angkor Wat. We went early at 5 am to catch the sunrise and it was absolutely breathtaking! There were also loads of tourists also trying to take the same shot (something to expect during your visit), but after an hour the crowds mostly emptied and left us to explore the temple mostly to ourselves.

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Bayon Temple

Known simply as “The Bayon,” this temple is well-recognized for having massive carved, smiling faces on top of its towers. There are stairs within the temple that will take you to the top level and let you come face-to-face with these giant stone faces. You can also climb one of the outer towers to really get a great semi-aerial view of the temple and its surroundings.

East Mebon

This temple used to be entirely surrounded by water and could only be accessible by boat. It stands on top of an island in what was once a baray (artificial body of water) that was used for irrigation. You can find many well-preserved, fine-detailed sculptures of elephants, lions, and mythical creatures and figures. The top also provides a great vantage point to see the temple layout and a perfect view to watch the sunset.

Ta Nei

Off the beaten path, Ta Nai is a semi-ruined temple hidden in the tall trees of the jungles. Because of its isolated nature, very few tourists are seen venturing here, so it’s very peaceful and you can explore without being interrupted. The inner part of the temple has largely collapsed with some parts being supported by wood planks. Still, there are still plenty of carvings with intricate details to see and is worth the visit, especially if you want to get away from the crowds.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is distinctly recognized for its large trees and roots growing within the temple. You can see the long thick roots slowly morphing and engulfing parts of the temple over hundreds of years of growth. The temple is also famous for being the location for the film “Lana Croft: Tomb Raider,” but despite its Hollywood exposure, it still feels very hidden and secluded with the trees covering the ruins.

Angkor Thom South Gate

There are five gates that gave access to Angkor Thom (which means “The Great City”). The south gate is distinguishable from the others for having stone statues on both sides of the road leading up to the gate.

Angkor Thom East (Death) Gate

You can climb up from the side to get a closer look at the gate and walk along the wall that surrounds the city.

There are also other smaller or lesser known temples and structures all over Angkor. Many of them are in ruins but can still be explored at your own leisure.

If you need some tips for getting around, you can read our article for different methods to see the temples and check out our video below. Let us know what your favorite temples were and where else you would recommend.

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Elephant Mountain – The Best Views of Taipei 101

The best place for spectacular views of Taipei 101 and the surrounding city is on Elephant Mountain. I was able to hike the mountain right before sunset to get some beautiful photographs of the city skyline.

Supposedly, the entrance to the mountain is about a 15-20 minute walk from Taipei 101 and also easily accessible through the MRT. I don’t really know because our hotel was in another area so I had to take a cab and B line it if I wanted to arrive during golden and twilight hours. I also told my cab driver to drop me off at the main entrance of Elephant Mountain; I only realized later that I was not dropped off at the main entrance but at another entrance closer to the Taipei Medical University Hospital. While it turned out that either of these entrances is perfectly fine to use, it appeared that taking the main entrance has more available signs, clearer directions, and has more vantage points on the main path.

I was running late and it was getting dark, so I didn’t take a lot of time documenting the numerous stops and different vantage points along the way. I pretty much ran straight up to the highest peak of elephant mountain which took me about 12 minutes to get to that point. But a normal pace could probably get to the top in about 20 minutes. It’s not really a difficult hike…but there are definitely A LOT of the stairs! At least the steps are pretty short. It was pretty hot and humid and by the time I got to the top, I was completely drenched in sweat. At the top, however, there was a very nice breeze that really cooled and dried me off.

Elephant Mountain is a very popular spot for tourists and locals, so expect to see a lot of people in the evenings and on weekends. You will see many couples, college kids, elderly people and people that want to workout, as there are outdoor workout stations available. Two middle-aged women chatted with me [while guiding me to the top] saying they play badminton with each other and hike the mountain frequently for exercise.

When I got to the top, the area was filled with tourists and photographers. I was able to find a spot where I could raise my camera on my tripod without hindering other people. The views are pretty amazing and it’s a great (and free) activity for anyone.

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Din Tai Fung and Those Amazing Soup Dumplings, Taipei 101 Observatory

Taipei 101 is undoubtedly a signature tourist destination in Taiwan. It’s well-recognized for its architectural design looking like a tall bamboo stalk. Standing at 508 meters, it is far taller than any other building in Taipei and, at one point, was the tallest building the world. The first five stories of the building is basically a big mall comprised of various luxury brand stores and a food court in the basement level.

While there is plenty of shopping that could be done there, we had one main goal in mind during our visit at Taipei 101: To dine at the Din Tai Fung restaurant! Din Tai Fung is a Michelin Star restaurant that serves a full menu of Taiwanese dishes but is notably famous for its xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. While we’ve eaten at Din Tai Fung in Southern California locations, there was no doubt in my mind that the food would be far better at Taipei 101. We heard wait times could be as long as three hours but luckily we arrived around 4:30 PM on a weekday, which was just before rush hour, so we only had to wait five minutes to be seated!

One of the things I thought was mesmerizing was watching the entire process to making the famous little soup dumplings. No less than 20 employees were churning this fine-tuned-dumpling-making-machine. Each individual had a responsibility from making the dough, creating small balls of dough, rolling the dough into small circles, making the filling, enclosing the filling with the dough and putting them in the bamboo steamers for cooking. I’ll post a video to show this process.

Being that we were all starving and wanted to try as many things as possible, we ordered a bunch of items from the menu. Of course we got several orders of the xiao long bao soup dumplings. Those delicate little dumplings alone, filled with tender meat and deliciously hot broth, would’ve made the visit entirely worth it. I’m pretty sure I had at least 10 soup dumplings by myself! But we didn’t stop there and also ordered their braised beef noodle soup, hot & sour soup, shrimp wontons, green dishes, steamed dumplings and buns. The dishes were all delicious and were overall better compared to the restaurants in Southern California. The ingredients and soups tasted much more authentic and flavorful. The staff was also very nice and service was great.

The total bill for our meal was about $70 for the four of us for a pretty significant amount of food. Each dish ranges from $5-10. I’d recommend going during off hours and weekdays when possible to avoid long wait times, but it’s well worth the time and price for any visitor try out some famous Taiwanese cuisine.

After our meal, we did the next touristy thing to do which was go up top to the observatory of Taipei 101. Tickets are available for $10/person on the fifth floor and our wait time to get to the elevator was about 15 minutes (but can be longer). When you get into the elevator, you will experience the fastest elevator in the world. According the the Guinness World Records, the elevator can reach the 89th floor from ground level in 40 seconds with a max speed of 37.6 mph.

From the observatory, you can walk around the observatory for a 360° view of Taipei. The views at night are beautiful and picturesque. It’s definitely part of the Taipei experience and worth checking out.

Here is the address, phone number and hours for Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101:

B1, No. 45, Shift Rd., Taipei City (Taipei 101 Mall)

TEL: 02-8101-7799  FAX: 02-8101-7800

Sun-Thu 11:00 am – 9:30 pm

Fri, Sat 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

 

For more information, visit their websites: Din Tai Fung and Taipei 101.

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A Weekend in Siem Reap, Cambodia (Video)

Check out our video during a weekend in Siem Reap. Although we were only there for about a day and a half, we were able to see quite a number of things. With the help of our tuk tuk driver, we visited several temples including (shown in order in the video) East Mebon, Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, Ta Nei and Ta Prohm. There was also the tourist hotspot, Pub Street, where there are many restaurants, bars, juice/food stands and markets for souvenirs. And we even made a cute furry friend during breakfast!

Hope you enjoy! Comment below on what you are wanting to see in Siem Reap!

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5 Europe Trip Highlights

It’s been a few weeks since returning from my trip throughout Europe, and I’ve finally had a chance to reflect on that amazing adventure in those 25 days. It was a surreal experience and to see so many things in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, France and Iceland was mindblowing. There are a lot of things I want to talk about, but it would take too long to list everything right away.

So here are 5 highlights that I took away from my trip:

1. Iceland’s natural beauty & culinary delights

Gullfoss Falls
Gullfoss Falls

I’ve always imagined what Iceland would look like but being there in person is an experience like no other. My group was only there for three days, and it’s only made us want to be there for three weeks. From its rugged, volcanic terrain, various towering waterfalls, the Blue Lagoon natural spa, and the Northern Lights, we were mesmerized by its beauty in every way. Maybe just as amazing as its picturesque landscapes are its traditional culinary offerings. Iceland never struck me as a foodie destination, but it unexpectedly provided some of the best food I’ve ever had. We got to taste lamb of leg and lamb soup, fresh seafood, traditional Icelandic specialties and everything was delicious. We will be back in Iceland for a longer trip very soon.

2. Antoni Gaudi, the Sagrada Familia

Throughout Barcelona, we visited the works of Antoni Gaudi, a brilliant architect whose designs were ahead of his time. Some of his works we were able to visit included Parc Guell, La Pedrera, Finca Guell and the amazing Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia blew me away, as I wondered how one person planned out every detail of this structure. The exterior and interior are stunning, and I could only marvel at the detail that went into this project. The Sagrada Familia has been under construction since 1892 and is projected to finish by 2026, 100 years after Gaudi’s death. It’s an awe-inspiring structure, a must see for any visitor.

Sagrada Familia Interior
Sagrada Familia Interior

3. The Art Collection in Musée d’Orsay

Musee D'Orsay Museum
Musee D’Orsay Museum

The Louvre was great to visit and houses a great collection, but Musée d’Orsay also provides an amazing museum experience. Formerly a railway station, the museum houses a beautiful collection of various artworks, including the largest collection impressionist paintings in the world. You can see paintings by Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas and many more. I especially loved Van Gogh’s self-portrait, a very intense and emotional piece to see up close. The museum is also deceptively huge; when we first walked in, we thought the museum was only two stories tall, and we were making quick progress of the museum. Later, however, we did not see the additional elevators that led to the other sections of the museum, which includes five more stories of artworks! We stayed several hours and only went through a fraction of the museum.

Van Gogh Self-Portrait
Van Gogh Self-Portrait

4. The Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica

While the Vatican is recognized as the smallest country in the world, it contains some of the greatest architectural structures and art pieces during the Renaissance. The most prominent things we marveled at was Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel and the overwhelming St. Peter’s Basilica. We first walked into the chapel, and it was stunning to see how one man could accomplish something as grand as the ceiling art and “Last Judgment.” It took him a total of 10 years to complete his frescos in the Sistine Chapel. We eventually walked through the basilica, and I was stunned by the sheer size of the lavishly decorated interior. It’s especially beautiful when the sunlight is beaming through the windows.

St. Peter's Basilica Interior
St. Peter’s Basilica Interior

5. Getting engaged in Iceland and winning a free cruise!

I’m not a big fan of cruises, but with two senior members in our group, it was the perfect travel method to visit multiple destinations and allowing everyone to rest after a very busy day. And as an incredible bonus, we WON A FREE CRUISE they were raffling off during Bingo (yes, that is how it happened)! It either goes to the Caribbeans for seven days or we use it as credit to any cruise we want. So looks like we’ll be cruisin’ again! But the icing on the cake was proposing to my girlfriend, who said yes! Iceland was the perfect place to do it where crowds are thin to celebrate a private moment and the embrace natural beauty around us. I can’t wait to share many more exciting adventures together in the future!

Happily Engaged in Iceland!
Happily Engaged in Iceland!
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