MY FIRST TIME AT HWA MUI

Hwa Mui is THE coffee shop in Johor Bahru town. When I was in primary school, my late father used to take me for coffee and toast at its original premise (which is still in existence and operating) at Jalan Wong Ah Fook. However, I had never been there ever since despite its popularity, even among outsiders.

Today someone suggested visiting Hwa Mui for a change, instead of our regular eating spots in Taman Universiti. So there I was for the first time, at the new place in Taman Sutera. It is better late than never.

Since it was quite late for lunch so I settled for its "kaya" toasts and tea [traditional jam made from eggs, coconut milk and sugar]. So it is now no longer the old school "kopitiam" [a Chinese word which means "coffee shop] and there will be a lot of items on the menu for you to choose. While many Malays/Muslims are quite reluctant to dine in a Chinese-owned coffee shop. Hwa Mui is an exception here in Johor Bahru.

Thanks to Mr. Shahril for the treat so it will be my turn for our next meeting.

RAIDING THE ANCIENT TEMPLE OF TA PROHM - PART 1

There could be hundred of temples in Siem Reap but the three important ones are Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm. In order to get to the temple, visitors had to take a long walk from the entrance (and another long walk to get to the exit later). The temple seemed to be hidden somewhere in the jungle.

Unlike the Angkor Wat and Bayon Temple, Ta Phrom looked the most ancient - too ancient that trees had outgrown the building. People here seemed to be interested in tree roots so much as the sight of the uprooting trees on bricks of the buildings had become some sort of work of art.

Some parts of the temple were already destroyed by the crawling roots which reminded me of the story "Jack and the Beanstalk". We could walk through the small passages of the temples but some of them had fallen apart that we were rerouted to a safer flow of "traffic".

And the main objective here: to get to the place where Angelina Jolie was once filmed for the movie "Tomb Raider".

TO BE CONTINUED...

[MY SIEM REAP TRIP MAIN PAGE]

SPOT THE ERROR - SIEM REAP 1

Found in the lift.

BAYON TEMPLE OF ANGKOR

After Angkor Wat, we then moved on to the next destination: Bayon Temple which took about 15 minutes by tuk tuk. This was a much smaller temple but it looked much older to me even though it was built 100 years after Angkor Wat.

We did not attempt to do any climbing at this place as the steps looked steeped and narrower. There was a person who seemed ready to assist you if you are keen to still climb but be prepared to tip.

By this time, the weather was getting hotter and I was getting tired actually. Lucky enough the place was much smaller than Angkor Wat.

One of the distinct characteristics of this place was the carved images of the faces of Buddha on the walls.

There was another temple nearby but I was not sure whether that was still Bayon or its extension. We just went to have a look as near as the main entrance, took photographs and left. I was expecting to see about the same things.

And after this, we would be going to the site where Angelina Jolie once was filmed in the movie "Tomb Raider".

[MY SIEM REAP TRIP MAIN PAGE]