Cycle 2

APAD 106: Khmer alphabet

Posted by The Insider on Mar 25, 2013 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cycle 2, sights, That's My World, travel, What's On in Cambodia, work | 2 comments

In my previous work as an environment advocate, I had the opportunity to visit schools in most Cambodian provinces. By doing so, I was able to practice my spoken Khmer which I studied for about a year. It wasn’t so easy but good thing we had an excellent teacher teaching Khmer for foreigners back then in the early 2000s at Institut Français Cambodge. And the more I visited local schools and talked to local people, the faster I became fluent in Khmer language.

In one of our visits, I saw these visuals pasted on a classroom wall.

apad 106 monday mellow yellows khmer vowels

The Khmer alphabet has 23 vowels. I kid you not.

These are the Khmer vowels, if I am not mistaken, and the sounds they correspond to and is illustrated by the schoolchildren. Visually, the Khmer script is almost similar to Thai and Laos.

Difficult to learn how to speak, you ask? Try reading and writing, lol.

APAD 105: Dry

Posted by The Insider on Mar 20, 2013 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia life, Cycle 2, sights, That's My World, travel, What's On in Cambodia | 3 comments

. Summer in Cambodia.

APAD 104: Another wat on a hill

Posted by The Insider on Mar 19, 2013 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cycle 2, sights, That's My World, travel, What's On in Cambodia | 1 comment

In one of our previous trips to the countryside, my husband and I passed by this newly-constructed wat (temple) located just within the same area as Wat Phnom Oudong. This temple is called Wat Leu, if I remember it correctly. It sits on top of a hill on the other side of Phnom Oudong. “Leu” means top, hence, the wat‘s name which means the upper wat.

This is the new prayer hall in magnificent gold and maroon colours. The roof is decorated in ornate Khmer classical design, the kbach, and the five-headed naga, a mythical water serpent.

Here are some pictures we took while exploring the wat. Click the picture once to open it in a new tab. Once it opens in a new tab, click the picture again, if you want a larger view.

: The entrance to Wat Leu is guarded by these two solar lions.

: Visitors are treated to a breath-taking view of rural Kandal.

: There is also some stone statues inside the premises, including that of Ganesha.

The temple although very new is a great place for taking photos. The beautiful flat countryside dotted with palm trees as far as the eyes can see. It is also very quiet and local villagers come here to seek peace and serenity if only for a few hours.

APAD 103: Oranges

Posted by The Insider on Mar 18, 2013 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia life, Cycle 2, sights, That's My World, What's On in Cambodia | 2 comments

… that aren’t exactly orange in colour but yellow. These are the popular Battambang oranges, the pride of Battambang province. They are oh-so-sweet.

I love how the spoons are used to hold them and keep them from falling off the basket. Ingenious, right? Lol.

APAD 102: Go In… or not?

Posted by The Insider on Mar 14, 2013 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cycle 2, Expat Life, sights, Signs of Times, That's My World, What's On in Cambodia | 0 comments

I’m late! I’m late! Yet again. And I missed two consecutive weeks of Signs, if I am not mistaken.

No, I’m still here in Cambodia. No, I did not fall in a manhole (or sink hole, knock on wood). I’m just feeling a bit tired and cranky these days. The summer heat is just getting to me and all I want is creep back to my bed and turn the aircon machine on.

Anyhoot, here is my entry.

Go In Hotel. How straight-forward is that? Lol.

I found this hotel sign when my husband and I got lost looking for the plastic chairs shop along Kampuchea Krom area. I had a giggle at the sign. It’s uniquely Khmer, hahaha.