I got to thinking about Cambodia. I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful, friendly country this summer. I truly think it’s a hidden gem that deserves a greater reputation than merely housing the world’s most beautiful, still-active temple: Angkor Wat. The Khmer people of Cambodia are accommodating, genuine, and truly happy, despite not having the wonderful luxuries we Westerners take for granted on a daily basis. Our tuk-tuk driver was diligent, eager, and so deserving of an extra tip. One thing about Cambodia: everything is in the USD, so it isn’t as cheap as Thailand or Vietnam. If you decide to visit this beautiful country, there are must-sees:

Angkor Archaeological Complex: All the temples are part of this complex. You must buy a pass. There is a one-day pass for $20, three-day pass for $40, or seven-day for $60. We chose the three-day, since we only had two days.

Angkor Wat: What a beautiful sight. Make sure to go before the sun rises, about forty-five minutes prior to sunrise. There’s nothing like it. The sun shines behind Angkor Wat to showcase a beautiful, old, and immaculate temple. Make sure to take lots of pictures. Internet photos don’t do this place justice. There’s too much beauty. You just have to see it for yourself.

Ta Prohm: This is the temple where Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed. You’ll see the tree that’s growing among the temple, rising high into the sky. It’s fascinating.

Bayon: This is the temple with the faces. That’s how I describe it. It’s not quite as impressive as Angkor Wat or Ta Prohm (but seemingly much busier), but it’s a must-see.

The smaller temples: We loved the smaller temples in the Angkor Archaeological Complex. We visited: Ta Som, Ta Nei, Prei, Preah Kahn (not so small, but less famous), and Neak Pean. Here, you can explore without the crowds. But beware of people giving “tours.” They do offer helpful temple information, but demand tips in return.

Angkor National Museum: This is a skip. We weren’t that impressed with it. It’s a high-priced museum without air-conditioning. And in the summer, there’s nothing more wonderful than air-conditioning in Cambodia. There isn’t that much to see; you’d be better off spending more time at the temples and reading about the Khmer people (fascinating people) on Wikipedia.

Cuisine Wat Damnak: MUST EAT HERE! It is AMAZING food! They offer a rotating tasting menu. I tried beef tongue here! It was fabulous.

I got to thinking about standing still. There’s nothing that makes you complete. You are empty. You are frozen. You are worthless. And then you take a step… maybe a step in the wrong direction, but a step, no less. And that’s when everything changes. Humans cannot stand still. We cannot live incomplete, useless lives. We have to be doing something. We have to be someone better than we were yesterday. If you find the one thing that makes your heart beat faster than a Concorde, keep it. Go forward with it and never look back. Don’t be sedentary and don’t wish you had something more. You will. All in time. All because you’re not standing still.

Please read this. I thoroughly enjoyed it! #3 rang true to me.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/13-worst-mistakes-people-20s-202651698.html

Happiness is kayaking in Ha Long Bay…

I got to thinking about forgetting versus forgiving. I know there’s a difference. But there’s a fine line between the two. Something happened to me recently that got me evaluating how to proceed. Should I forgive? Do I have the strength? Or should I merely forget? How can we decide the difference? Do we decide? Or do we let time do the dirty work? I don’t fully know how I’ll proceed with my dilemma, but I know that it won’t be forgotten soon. I’ve been hurt drastically and am slowly picking up the pieces. Maybe someday I’ll find it in my heart to forgive. God would want that. But what do I want?

I got to thinking about disappointment, about loss. Something terrible happened recently. I lost a friend. This was someone I thought of as a sister.

We lived far away, but always managed to pick up right from where we left off every time I went back to her home state. (She never visited me. Maybe that was a sign in itself.) We’d drink wine coolers behind trees as kids, talk about our relationships, and made up silly swim routines to perform for the family. I will truly miss this person. She was an amazing part of my life. But I’ve recently become disappointed by her. I’ll leave it vague: she promised something and denied it, without bothering to tell me first. I had to have the balls to pick up the phone and initiate confrontation. I wasn’t like a sister to her. She told me that she never saw me this way. This was like having needles stabbed into my heart. There’s nothing that can make this pain better. I’m so hurt, and I hope that it soon subsides. Losing a friend is like losing a piece of your soul. I wouldn’t wish this feeling on my worst enemy.

I got to thinking about the emotion of life. Life is downright emotional. Life is unexpected, complicated, and jarring. When do we get a break from it all? Do we ever get a break? If the Earth sold a baseball cap, I wouldn’t buy it. I’m not a fan. There’s too much disaster and hurt and sorrow to love the world. But I am a fan of the little things in life. There’s vacations, Starbucks, making your dreams come true, whatever it is that makes your heart flutter. I am a fan of that. And you should be, too. While we don’t have to love the world, we must love ourselves. We must love the little things. The world is a dangerous place. But also a place to become whomever we’ve wanted to become. So don’t buy the baseball cap. Make your own baseball cap.

I was lucky enough to make it to Europe for the first time this Spring. I fell in love with Paris. It’s the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen. I felt like I was walking onto a movie set with every step. The buildings are old and glamorous. Besides the business district (to which I did not venture, but could see from the Eiffel Tower), Paris does not have too many new buildings. And that is lovely. Who likes new, anyway? I’ve always been a fan of old world charm. Let me offer some Paris tips:

Eiffel Tower: CANNOT miss. For obvious reasons. But also because it’s truly a work of art. We decided to forgo the long elevator line and walk up to the second floor, saving a few Euros each, too. 669 steps! It was exhausting. But worth it. We could savor the views at every step. There’s a break at the first floor, complete with bathrooms! Unfortunately, you cannot walk all the way to the summit. Once at the second floor, you must wait in a line for the summit. This was a 45-minute wait. And supposedly, that wasn’t too long. We chose to enjoy the beautiful view from the second floor instead. Make the walking journey. It’s spectacular, plus shorter lines. Doesn’t everyone like a shorter line? And a discount? Use those muscles and walk up the Eiffel Tower. Below, there’s a picture of our feet, looking down at the ground from the first floor!

Palace of Versailles: I want to move into Versailles. It’s breathtaking. The old world glamour mixed with gorgeous antiques is something that everyone should see, whether you like old or not. The grounds are groomed perfectly and offer tram tours. This is an extra expense. Even though it was raining that day, we chose to walk the grounds. This way, you get to see everything. TIP: Make sure to follow the yellow signs to the left of the entrance before standing in the long line to get in. You must have a ticket at the entrance. You don’t want to stand in that line again! Get there early. Fifteen minutes, minimum, before it opens. There will be lots of tourist groups pushing and shoving, but that’s because they want to see all the beauty that Versailles offers. Push back!

The Louvre: The most iconic museum in the world. The Louvre lived up to its standards. The Mona Lisa, while not the most beautiful painting in the museum, is a must-see. It’s not as small as everyone says, though. When you’re at the Mona Lisa, turn around. The painting behind it is large and unbelievable. The colors are vivid. I’d say that was one of my favorites. Do not miss The Sphinx or Venus de Milo. But venture off. There’s so much to see. You have to see the popular things, of course, but there is much more. My favorite off-the-beaten track sight was the Napoleon III state apartments. It felt a little bit like Versailles. Old world charm and intricacies that just aren’t around anymore. Go anytime. It’s always crowded!

Champs-Élysées: A walkway of divine shopping. There’s a price point for everyone. Make sure to stop at Ladurée for the best macaron you’ll ever eat.

Arc de Triomphe: At the end of the Champs-Élysées (or the beginning, depending on where you start) is the iconic Arc de Triomphe. I don’t think it’s necessary to climb to the top, but I’d take lots of pictures of it. It’s unassuming, but beautiful. It’s the perfect way to begin/end a street. The U.S. should follow suit.

Notre Dame: Quite possibly my favorite place is Paris. It’s a beautiful chapel (no photos inside) with great details. The gargoyles are are an interesting sight! There’s nothing else like that. Pay the extra Euros here and walk up to the top! 327 steps. It’s worth it to see the gargoyles up close. It was a long and windy wait for us, but we just escaped the rain!

River Seine Dinner Cruise: We loved our dinner cruise on the River Seine. It began just before sunset and we ventured down the Seine toward the Eiffel Tower to enjoy the lights show. Spectacular! You must do a dinner cruise on the River Seine. Read reviews. Not all are created equal. 

Whatever you’re doing… drop it now and go to VIETNAM. Such a beautiful and friendly country. Can’t you tell?

I recently made my inaugural trek to Europe. It was an unbelievable experience I knew I had to share with y’all. Europe is perfect. There’s a reason that millions of tourists travel there every year. My highlights, below:

London:

I found London to be a bustling large city with great public transportation, much like New York City. My mom and I bought our Oyster cards for the week and took the tube several times a day. I highly recommend the week-long Oyster card if you’re focused on not missing anything London has to offer.

• London Eye: While the London Eye was £20 for an adult, I found the experience unforgettable. The views of the city are spectacular. Don’t miss that.
• St. Paul’s Cathedral: Make your way to the echo room! It is 200+ stairs, but completely worth it. Sit across the room from your travel buddy and whisper into the wall. You’ll hear what they have to say. Creepy, but awesome.
• Borough Market: Get the almond croissants! I tried two, from two different bakeries. Don’t miss this bustling market with some of the best food in central London.
• Houses of Parliament: FREE! You just have to go through an intense, airport-like security. We listened to the House of Commons debate each other and throw snide remarks. Amazing! The House of Lords is less exciting, but still not to miss. One Lord was so bored, he fell asleep!
• Tower of London: Get there EARLY! While £22 for an adult, this is one of the most celebrated tourist places in London. The Queen’s Crown Jewels are unlike any jewelry you’ll come across, unless you’re a Queen yourself. In that case, you should consider charging money to see your jewels! Go on the Beefeater tower. This tour is “free” with the price of a ticket and gives an insider look into the Tower. The most interesting aspect: two Princes were killed in the tower… and it’s still a mystery as to whom killed them hundreds of years ago. Conspiracy theories are the best.
• British Museum: While I wouldn’t call myself a museum person, this one is excellent. Go find the Rosetta Stone; it’s amazing.
• Westminster Abbey: Surprisingly, this was not my favorite attraction. While it was cool to see where Will and Kate got married, I found the Abbey to be a nicely decorated church with a great price (£16). The Abbey is full of tombs. I am not a tomb person. Well, who is?
• British Library: At first, I was disappointed in this place. You cannot go into the reading rooms unless you’re a research student with three forms of ID (who even has that?). But there is a small museum tucked away on the second floor that is a must-see. Here you’ll find everything from Shakespeare’s early works to Beatle’s lyrics to my favorite, screenplays and manuscripts. It is a place anyone obsessed with the literary world should visit.
• Cellarium Cafe at Westminster Abbey: Go for the Cream tea, £7, delicious and unpretentious.

Bath:

While on an Evan Evans tour, we visited the city of Bath. It is what I envisioned the English countryside to be like. The residents are friendly and helpful, and the scenery is unlike anything else. The Roman Baths are a must-see. Take the self-guided tour and see the baths where the Europeans flocked hundreds of years ago to cure themselves. And don’t forget to taste the filtered, bath water. It is warm and rather nutty, but something you just have to experience.

Stonehenge:

While some say this is just “a bunch of rocks,” I beg to differ. Stonehenge was fascinating. The history behind it, and the mystery that consumes us over what these rocks really signified, is beyond amazing. There is nothing like it in the world. Plus, there are sheep in the field next to Stonehenge. I wonder if they know they’re at such a sacred site?

Windsor Castle:

This is a definitely day trip. About an hour outside of central London, this castle explains the great history behind the Windsor family. There is an unassuming Abbey within the grounds. The day I visited, Prince William threw a charity event and all the famous British celebrities attended. Where was my invite? Maybe next time.