http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/carfour/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from carfour en-us Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:42:51 +0000 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:42:51 +0000 A few photos from my five days in Paris .... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-433386.html Je mrsquoballadais sur lrsquoavenueLe Coeur ouvert a lrsquoinconnuJrsquoavais envie de dire bonjour a nrsquoimporte qui hellipAnd this is where the similarities between me and Joe Dassin ended hellip This is essentially a song about a nightone stand he had with a girl he met on the ChampsElysees. Not exactly what I was going for here on my last day in Paris But it is where my da http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-433116.html The day started with a short ride to what I would say was the most ornate of subway stations I had ever seen that is the LouvreRivoli station. They have made it look like you are actually walking down the hall of a museum This of course takes you to the Rue de Rivoli along which the Musee du Louvre runs. I made my way down the side of the building in order to enter the inner courtyard. At http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-433115.html It is probably completely psychosomatic but the third day of travel is always when I wake up feeling worn down and this time was no exception. I was definitely feeling the effects of climbing over 1000 stairs and all of that walking on wobbly cobblestone streets hellip sore ankles and shin splints are very much a reality. But I was not going to be slowed down by a few aches and pains hellip http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-433109.html After a breakfast of coffee baguette croissant and a pain au chocolat I headed to the metro station en route to the area of Montmartre where I would spend most of the day. In order to avoid the throngs of tourists and locals that inevitably gather there I first started with SacreCoeur. This huge basilica whose construction was completed in 1914 sits atop a hill known as La Butte de Mont http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-433108.html Enjoy every minute of it hellip it is a dream come true after all. The parting words from my mother as my parents dropped me off at the train station to catch my bus to the Dorval airport. Yes that dream hellip or that promise rather. Pass the Chartered Accountants exam go to Paris. Easy as that Well I have owed myself that promise since November 28 1997 when at three pm that afternoon http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-431813.html A few photos from Siem Reap and my visit through the temples in Angkor. I have also included a couple of videos because sometimes a photo just does not do it justice http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-393715.html A few photos from Phnom Penh Cambodia http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-393261.html I have made it back safe and sound. A little worse for wear but had a good 12hour sleep except for a little fur ball incident at 3 am ... Charlotte's way of saying welcome home mommy. With one more day at home some good sleep and general laziness I should be fully coherent in the next couple of days.Of course I was excited to see all of my photos ... as always some turned out some didn't. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-393211.html I left for the HCMC airport with the same driver who had brought me into the city in the first place. As if the traffic was not enough we encountered a couple of areas with construction. I know that I keep coming back to this traffic thing but it is truly something surreal to see. I had quite a laugh when we drove by the Botanics Garden hellip oh thatrsquos where they are Good to know fo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-392647.html With only about half a day I had three things on the list of things to do before leaving HCMC. I guess that two out of three isnrsquot so badI knew I had gotten up early but didnrsquot realize that I was actually quite quick in getting ready so even the small restaurant fronting my hotel was not opened hellip oh well Irsquoll grab breakfast somewhere on the street I guess. I hopped in http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-392329.html I am falling in love with this city Loud crowded and chaotic hellip a wellknown fact and if you donrsquot believe me I have video Hot sticky and humid beyond belief hellip of course but what other way would you want it in Southeast Asia. Filled with charm charisma personality and warmth hellip absolutely And if that was not enough hellip pho on every street cornerIn making http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-392074.html I had made arrangements to have Jin the tuk tuk driver drive me to the airport. I think Jin was a little sad to see me go ... he said to me when you come back to Cambodia When do I come back I haven't even finished this trip yet and truth be told I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that I would make it to Cambodia in the first place so ... one day at a time there JinWhile waiting http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-391785.html Today was going to one of these days where I would just while away the hours. There are not that many things to see in Phnom Penh and I had pretty much seen everything that I truly had had my heart set on. The only thing missing was a trip to the market so I had made arrangements with Jin my tuk tuk driver. He let me know that the Central Market which is often an attraction due to the large d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-391512.html My day started out as any that is by going down to have some breakfast but this time on the small veranda by the reception area of the hotel. The reception desk actually also doubles as a small outdoor kitchen so you actually see your breakfast being prepared. My stomach would prove to still be sensitive a little later on in the morning but that's why God invented Imodium ... I was not going t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-391191.html So yesterday I went and shooted my mouth off and said that my stomach was doing well. Probably ten minutes after I posted that said stomach decided that it had a bit of a mind of its own. I say that it might have to do with the beating that I took during my massage and that she unnerved some kind of internal organ or disaligned some chakra of some kind. So alas I did not truly enjoy my tradit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-390841.html My day started out with a good laugh thanks to my mother. I have said before that my mother follows my comings and goings of my trips religiously through this blog and sends me messages of encouragement along the way. This morning just made me smile when I read that she had googled to find out what the deal was with this coconut shell sending me a message saying that there should be a big clay http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-390537.html First I just wanted to say that I tried to upload photos but was having issues because I did not have ActiveX Control hellip should have thought of that before leaving home. So unfortunately I will only be able to share photos once I have gotten home. I have been having great luck with the wifi at the hotel here actually which is saying a lot knowing that I am in a hotel where the lights fli http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-390197.html The day started early having set my alarm at around 530 am and with an early breakfast of chicken porridge this time around. I honestly wish that these breakfasts would catch on in Canada because what a great way to start the day And no communication breakdown with the side dish this morning ... salt and pepper with a wedge of lime.I had made arrangements again for a tuk tuk driver who would http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-389892.html Who needs to pack an alarm clock when you can lovingly get woken up by the cockledoodle doo of a rooster at a little before 5 am Yes this resort comes with its very own rooster and I would later find out that the streets around my hotel are actually overrun by them. There are also a variety of ldquocacawlikerdquo sounds early in the morning but the source has yet to be identified. And http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-389772.html