--Day Trip #02--

Buddhism has existed in Cambodia since at least the 5th century CE, with some sources placing its origin as early as the 3rd century BCE. Theravada Buddhism has been the Cambodian state religion since the 13th century CE (excepting the Khmer Rouge period), and is currently estimated to be the faith of 95% of the population.

The history of Buddhism in Cambodia spans nearly two thousand years, across a number of successive kingdoms and empires. Buddhism entered Cambodia through two different streams. The earliest forms of Buddhism, along with Hindu influences, entered the Funan kingdom with Hindu merchants. In later history, a second stream of Buddhism entered Khmer culture during the Angkor empire when Cambodia absorbed the various Buddhist traditions of the Mon kingdoms of Dvaravati and Haripunchai.

For the first thousand years of Khmer history, Cambodia was ruled by a series of Hindu kings with an occasional Buddhist king, such as Jayavarman of Funan, and Suryvarman I. A variety of Buddhist traditions co-existed peacefully throughout Cambodian lands, under the tolerant auspices of Hindu kings and the neighboring Mon-Theravada kingdoms.

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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Cambodia

--Day Trip #01--

The culture of Cambodia has had a rich and varied history dating back many centuries, and has been heavily influenced by India and China. In turn, Cambodia greatly influenced Thailand, Laos and vice versa. Throughout Cambodia's long history, a major source of inspiration was from religion. Throughout nearly two millennium, Cambodians developed a unique Khmer belief from the syncreticism of indigenous animistic beliefs and the Indian religions of Buddhism and Hinduism.

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Indian culture and civilization, including its language and arts reached mainland Southeast Asia around the 1st century A.D. Its is generally believed that seafaring merchants brought Indian customs and culture to ports along the gulf of Thailand and the Pacific while trading with China. The first state to benefit from this was Funan. At various times, Cambodia culture also absorbed elements from Thai, Lao, Chinese, and Javanese cultures.

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The majority of Cambodians (nearly 90%) are of Khmer heritage, and an even greater proportion speak Khmer the official language of Cambodia. Other languages spoken include French, Chinese, Vietnamese and English (which has become increasingly common).

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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Cambodia

--HellBoy II--The Golden Army(2008)--

In this continuation to the adventure of the demon superhero, an evil elf breaks an ancient pact between humans and creatures, as he declares war against humanity. He is on a mission to release The Golden Army, a deadly group of fighting machines that can destroy the human race. As Hell on Earth is ready to erupt, Hellboy and his crew set out to defeat the evil prince before The Golden Army can destroy humanity's existence.
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Cast
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Ron Perlman -- Hellboy
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Selma Blair -- Liz Sherman
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~http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411477/

--My Supper--

Fried Spiders

Fried Crickets

A fried spider is a regional delicacy in Cambodia. In the Cambodian town of Skuon, locals eat fried spiders as an everyday snack. Spiders are also available elsewhere in Cambodia — in Phnom Penh for instance — but Skuon, a market town on the highway 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the capital, is the centre of their popularity.

The spiders are bred in holes in the ground in villages north of Skuon, or foraged for in nearby forestland, and fried in oil. It is not clear how this practice started, but some have suggested that the population might have started eating spiders out of desperation during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when food was in short supply.

The spiders are a species of tarantula called "a-ping" in Khmer, and are about the size of a human palm. The snacks cost about 300 riel each in 2002, or about US$ 0.08. One travel book identifies them as Haplopelma albostriatum, also known as the Thai zebra tarantula, and notes that the same species' common name has been the "edible spider" for more than a hundred years.

The popularity of the dish is, however, a recent phenomenon, starting perhaps as late as the 1990s. The same book details a recipe: the spiders are tossed in a mixture of MSG, sugar, and salt; crushed garlic is fried in oil until fragrant, then the spiders are added and fried alongside the garlic until "the legs are almost completely stiff, by which time the contents of the abdomen are not so runny."

The taste has been described as bland, "rather like a cross between chicken and cod", with a contrast in texture from a crispy exterior to a soft centre. The legs contain little flesh, while the head and body have "a delicate white meat inside". There are certainly those who might not enjoy the abdomen, however, as it contains a brown paste consisting of organs, possibly eggs, and excrement. Some call it a delicacy while others recommend not eating it.

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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_spider

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~http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Insects_as_food

--金邊--

金邊是一座古都。１４３１年，暹罗入侵高棉，由于不堪忍受侵犯，高棉国王蓬里阿·亚特于１４３４年将首都从吴哥迁往金边。定都金边后，他修筑了王宫，建了６座佛寺，加高了塔子山，填平了洼地，开挖了运河，使金边城初具规模。１４９７年，由于王室闹分裂，当时的国王又迁出金边。１８６７年，诺罗敦国王再次迁都金边。

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塔子山是金边的最高点，登上山巅可俯瞰首都风貌。塔子山上建有塔寺，入口处有两个七头蛇石雕，还有怪鸟、狮子、佛像等的雕像。

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金边以王宫和波列莫罗科特佛塔为中心。东边的皇城包括王宫、皇家博物馆、皇家花园和国家博物馆等建筑。

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王宫是一组金色屋顶、黄墙环绕的建筑，包括曾查雅殿、金殿、银殿、舞乐殿、宝物殿等大小宫殿２０多座，回廊上是仿吴哥寺的浮雕。曾查雅殿雕梁画栋，琉璃瓦顶，同左侧金光闪烁的波列莫罗科特佛塔交相呼应，景色壮观。金殿内有宝物殿，专门陈列珍宝。

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在王宫的所有建筑中，银宫最为华丽，地面用４７００多块镂花银砖铺就。大殿内供奉着高约６０厘米，由整块翡翠雕成的佛像，晶莹剔透，是柬埔寨的瑰宝，所以又将银宫称为绿玉寺。银宫内还有用纯金铸成的大小两尊佛像。

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金边的西部为新区，有现代化的建筑、宽阔的林荫大道和众多的公园、草坪等，公园内花草繁茂，空气清新，是人们休憩的好去处。

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~http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002-10/24/content_606951.htm

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~http://www.douban.com/review/1089974/

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~http://www.wiki.cn/wiki/柬埔寨

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--Barclays Premier League Manager of The Month Oct (2008/2009)--

Name: Rafael Benítez

DOB: 16/04/1960

Place of birth: Madrid

MARITAL STATUS : Married, two daughters

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The month saw Liverpool pick up maximum Barclays Premier League points and end Chelsea's 86-match unbeaten home league record.

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Liverpool began the month by overturning a two-goal half time deficit away at Manchester City to record a last-gasp victory. Trailing again going into the last ten minutes of their home match with Wigan Athletic, goals from Albert Riera and Dirk Kuyt saw them edge the encounter 3-2.

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Liverpool's title chances were handed a boost with victory at Stamford Bridge, as Xabi Alonso's first-half effort proved enough to claim all three points and leave Chelsea tasting their first Barclays Premier League home defeat in over four years. The Reds ended the month with another win as a late Steven Gerrard penalty proved enough to see off the challenge of Portsmouth at Anfield.

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The award is Rafael Benitez's fourth, his last coming in January 2007. Only six managers have won the prize on more occasions, including Sir Alex Ferguson with 21 and Arsene Wenger's 10. Benitez is the only Spaniard to have won the prize.

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The decision was made by the Barclays Awards Panel, which includes representatives from football's governing bodies, the media and fans.

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~http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1454898,00.html

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~http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/

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~http://myliverpoolfc.org/benitez-factfile.htm

--Ancient 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered in Egypt--

CAIRO, Nov 11, 2008 (AFP) - - A 4,300-year-old pyramid has been discovered at the Saqqara necropolis outside Cairo, Egypt's culture minister said on Tuesday.

Faruq Hosni made the announcement at a press conference in Saqqara, an ancient burial ground which dates back to 2,700 BC and is dominated by the massive bulk of King Zoser's step pyramid, the first ever built.

Husni said the pyramid, five metres (16 foot) tall, is believed to have been 15 metres tall when it was first built for Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti who founded the 6th Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom.

The pyramid's base was discovered "20 metres below the sands and a doorway for the burial place was also discovered," Hosni said, adding that it seems thieves had looted the pyramid.

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~http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081111/tts-egypt-archaeology-saqqara-c1b2fc3.html