Stories behind the stories. By Travel Writer, Amy McPherson
Photos by Bell Chan The ancient village of Hongcun is in Anhui province, situated at the foot of Mount Huangshan. Tranquil, serene and calm, the architecture and many carvings in the village are said to be the best examples of the Qing and Ming dynasties in China. The village became an UNESCO site in 2000, and …
While travelling around Cambodia I noticed a particular “tourism” campaign that locals were feeling strongly about: Many tourists who visit developing and third world countries somehow have this urge to want to visit an orphanage as part of their sightseeing activities. They won’t call it sightseeing, and you’ll find these people coming home boasting about …
Photos by Amy McPherson Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia had exactly 2 modern skyscraper at the time of visit. Tourists flock to the riverside to enjoy the view where the local Tonle Sap river meets the mighty Mekong, where the grand Palace watches over the waters and where cheap beers can be bought. A …
Many people have told me that they were disappointed with the food in Cambodia. To them, the food in Cambodia just wasn’t interesting, and it wasn’t special. I can’t say I agree. Yes, there were many similarities between Khmer cuisine to other Asian cuisines (such as Thai), but that’s because Khmer culture pre-dates Thai culture …
Kap, little sister to the popular Sihanoukville is popular with local holiday makers. Phnom Penh’ers come here on the weekend to soak up some sun and breathe in some sea air and intrepid travellers come here to enjoys its fresh seafood. Especially the crab. In Kampot, I’ve already had a taste of the crab this …
Closer to the coast of Cambodia,is a town made famous by its peppers. Kampot peppers have drawn celebrity chefs from around the world to come and sample its flavour, some made cooking shows along the way. Unfortunately for me, I don’t have the tongue to distinguish between Kampot pepper and the average supermarket ground peppers. …
Photos by Amy McPherson Every time I travel, I remember the people the most. In Cambodia I have met may friendly and kind souls that have welcomed me with open arms into their homes, under their homes or allowed me to use their toilets. Many have very little, but their warm smiles and offers of …
The only thing I knew of Battambang was that Maddox from the Jolie-Pitt gang came from this province, and that there is a foundation in his name for the orphans here. So I was almost expecting to see pictures of Angelina everywhere, or at least, Santa, seeing that it was Christmas day and we haven’t …
Well, I am glad the world didn’t end, as we’ve been having so much fun since the 21 Dec and have had some fantastic experiences out in the countryside of Cambodia since. Tonle Sap, the heartbeat of Cambodia as the locals call it, accommodates many communities that relies on the lake for its water and …
Photos by Amy McPherson Siem Reap, gateway to the ancient Angkor Wat, is a destination in itself. The lives of those who live there are touched by tourism in an otherwise poor town. Tourism has brought jobs that they wouldn’t normally have jobs and the city’s Build Bright University have educated many in languages and …
So it’s true. Thrones of tourists (yours truly included) descend upon this ancient Khmer Hindu temple each day. Arriving on a tuk tuk, I was immediately herded along to the entrance, past the children chorusing “buy a postcard from me” and the ladies at the street stalls shouting “cold water ‘mam?” into Cambodia’s most recognisable …
Photos by Bell Chan When in Macau, you can be forgiven for being confused. On one hand, it is like a small Portugese town, with a quaint town square and its beautiful European styled buildings and a skyline dominated by the Ruin of St Paul’s at the top of the hill; turn your back and you …
Photos by Bell Chan Singapore is a kaleidoscope of cultures past, present and the future. It is where major world religions live side by side in harmony, where the old charming colonial buildings complement the skyscrapers of the modern world. This selection of photographs by Bell is the perfect over view of such combined vibrancy of Singapore’s society. …
On my way to work this morning I was thinking about what else I can do with Footprints and Memories other than post news and stories about travel. I thought about the quote I’ve based the website on – “take only memories, leave nothing but footprints” – and really considered what it means to travellers. …
According to Traveltalk, men misses more flights than women, blaming bad traffic, late connecting flights, and getting too carried away in bars, restaurants and duty free shops. The same article also reports that while this is the case, men often ‘charm’ their way into the next flight, while the same attempts by women are less …
I uphold the belief that travel is the best education a person can get. I am not dismissing the importance of our formal educations at schools, colleges and universities, I am not saying that we don’t learn just as much from our elders and our peers. What I am saying is that there are things …
Did you know, that the word souvenir is French, and it means ‘to remember’? We all bring souvenirs home, and these are the items that provide most of the tourism dollars to many of this world’s locals who rely on our need to bring something home. Souvenirs now come in all different forms, shapes, ideas and …
There are people who are quite happy working, living life and staying put, never set foot on another city, let alone a country. They are loyal to their friends, their family and most importantly, their comfortable lifestyle of never changing routines. And then, there are people who are constantly on the go, never happy with …
After having visited Kuala Lumpur many times, we were running out of things to do. I do love Kuala Lumpur, and make sure that I try to stop over on all our westward international trips. However there is only so much eating and shopping you can do after you’ve seen the sights, and one must …
I love a good story, especially one related to places I have been to. In Asia stories about dragons are practically every where, and it’s not different in this northern part of Vietnam. The legend to Halong Bay varies. Yes, there was a dragon involved, but just how does the dragon relate to this …
