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Local Guide to Singapore from the Local Behind The Hunt Singapore Guide. Esquina, Singapore. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Local Guide to Singapore from the Local Behind The Hunt Singapore Guide

This local guide to Singapore is from a long-term Singapore expat Bernie Baskin, publisher and co-author with Singaporean native, Jalean Wong, of The Hunt Singapore Guidebook. Bernie’s Singapore tips cover everything from the best Singapore neighbourhoods to explore to a must-try Singapore breakfast spot for an authentic local Singapore breakfast.

If we’re going to use a guidebook when we travel, our preference will always be to wait until we arrive at our destination and head to the nearest good bookshop or museum gift store and buy a themed, quirky little guidebook written by locals or expats such as Singapore resident Bernie Baskin and Singapore native Jalean Wong’s The Hunt Singapore Guidebook. 

As regular readers know, we used to write guidebooks for many years. We worked for all the big publishers: Lonely Planet, Footprint, Dorling Kindersley, Rough Guides, Thomas Cook, etc. We had over 70 commissions in total, from first edition guidebooks to walking tours and destination videos. For Lonely Planet alone we completed over 40 contracts to author, update or contribute to books or web guides, including 25  guidebooks.

We have a love-hate relationship with guidebooks as authors and readers. As authors, we love the way that working on a guidebook allows us to immerse ourselves in a places for months at a time but we hate the fact that by the time the book is on the shelves – months and sometimes up to a year later – our meticulously researched material is already out of date.

As travellers, a guidebook can provide all the information you’ll ever want on a place. There’s the background material on history, politics and culture that’s essential for understanding the society, practical info for getting there and around, and handy stuff on sights, museums and so on. Imagine how many blogs you’d have to visit to gather all that. Just one: our’s ;) 

We don’t use guidebooks for eating or drinking – and not necessarily because the recommendations are out of date, but that’s another post. Although guidebooks content is often out of date by the time travellers arrive in a place.

Instead, we tend to gather information from a variety of sources, but generally, as writers, we get it direct from the horses mouths and go to chefs or restaurateurs for restaurant recommendations, bar owners for drinking tips, designers for shopping advice, etc.

However, whenever we arrive in a place, one of the first things I’ll do is drop into a cool little bookshop or museum gift store and look for small interesting guidebooks written by locals or expats that are carefully curated and give a unique insight into a place from a very particular perspective, whether it’s a policeman’s book to street food stalls (one of my favourite guides for Bangkok), a historian’s guide on walking tours, or an architect’s take on the city’s most notable buildings.

In Venice, we used a wonderful little book called My Local Guide to Venice, with fabulous contributions on Venice by all sorts of Venetians: architects, historians, artists, academics, chefs etc – and we met the lovely publishers, Mara and Matteo. In Manhattan, we used the very practical and local Not For Tourists guide to New York City and met up with managing editor Craig Nelson for drinks.

In Singapore we used a cool little book called The Hunt Singapore guide. A nicely-designed, compact book that’s the size of my hand, so fits easily into a big pocket or handbag, The Hunt is organised by neighbourhoods – Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar, Tiong Bahru, Buikit Timah etc – and focuses on funky locally owned small businesses, like neighbourhood cafés, casual bistros, bespoke fashion stores, specialised bookshops, craft beer bars, and so on.

The selections are singular and personal so don’t expect a comprehensive guide, and they’re the sort of interesting idiosyncratic spots that on the whole you won’t find in mainstream guidebooks, because they don’t have mass appeal. You would probably only discover them by wandering around the neighbourhoods, checking out a local magazine like Time Out or picking the brains of locals.

Local Guide to Singapore from the Local Behind The Hunt Singapore Guide

Meet the 34 year-old Singapore resident Bernie Baskin, publisher and co-author with Singaporean native, Jalean Wong, of The Hunt Singapore guide.

Q. What do you most love about your work as a publisher in Singapore?

A. I love the ability to transform people’s views of a place or an idea. We do this every day with our HUNT series, which focus on the most wonderful, independently owned eating, shopping and lifestyle experiences

Q. Why should people visit Singapore?

A. This is Singapore’s golden era. Every nation has one. This is it – the food, the culture, the bustling city life. And no crime. Yeah, you read that right.

Q. 3 words to describe Singapore?

A. Tropical. Delicious. Organized

Q. 3 ways to describe the people of Singapore?

A. Beautiful. Friendly. Foodies.

Q. Top local tips for visitors to Singapore?

A. Spend an evening sipping tea and smoking shisha in Kampong Glam. Eat your way through one of the many hawker centers (see below). Explore the Duxton shophouse district for brilliant shops, food and architecture.

Q. Best neighbourhoods to explore in Singapore?

A. Chinatown, Geylang and Little India. All are amazingly different, amazingly tasty, and safe. Chinatown can be visited anytime of the day, but Geylang and Little India are much more interesting in the evening.

Q. Best boutiques or shops to browse in Singapore?

A. I suppose this is really different for everyone. My favorites are Supermama (beautifully designed everything); Books Actually (best indie bookstore in town); and Sifr Aromatics (generational perfumery with beautiful aesthetic and scents).

Q. Best galleries or museums to browse in Singapore?

A. Explore the Asian Civilizations Museum (it’s fab), but you also can’t go wrong with the smaller museums also: The Intan (Peranakan house of old); Mint Museum of Toys (one of the biggest collections you’ll ever find); and Tyler Print Institute (largest print workshop in Asia).

Q. Must-do activity in Singapore?

A. Get to the top of one of our skyscrapers and savour the views – you can see Indonesia and Malaysia! Hint: the Pinnacle at Duxton has a rooftop that’s open to the public for a small fee.

Q. A must-do hawker centre in Singapore?

A. East Coast Lagoon Hawker. Easy. It’s my favorite. It’s right on the beach and after dinner you can walk along the boardwalk to burn off the calories. My favorite dish there is the oyster omelette stall. It’s easy to find because of the long line.

Q. Must-try Singapore breakfast spot for an authentic local Singapore breakfast?

A. For an authentic Singapore breakfast, head to Chin Mee Chin (upper East Coast) and order the raisin buns with kopi. This is what old school Singapore looks like. If it’s a weekend, don’t miss out on Artichoke‘s brunch. I’m unabashedly a Chef Bjorn Shen groupie.

Q. What about a spot for lunch in Singapore?

A. I’m a fan of chicken rice for lunch – it’s a must try in Singapore. Yummy roasted goodness served on a fluffy bed of chicken fat soaked rice, topped with coriander, cucumber and soya sauce. There are a tonne of places around the island, but my favorite (shhh…) is Swee Kee (corner of New Bridge Rd and Seah Street). Make sure to try the ginger dipping sauce.

Q. A snack during the day?

A. The nearest hawker centre. There are a million around the country and each centre houses tonnes of unique snacky foods. Personally I love black carrot cake – fried radish, not the sweet baked cake.

Q. A must-try restaurant for dinner in Singapore?

A. You’re killing me – only one? I’m a fan of Blue Ginger Peranakan restaurant, which specializes in Nonya cuisine and it’s one of the most eclectic delicious and unique cuisines in Singapore. Go with a group and try many, many small dishes, but for seriously authentic Nonya order the buah keluak, a chicken stew made with the keluak nut.

Q. A favourite Singapore cafe?

A. Head to 40 Hands in Tiong Bahru for Western style coffee and a stroll around this funky pre-war neighborhood. For more local kopi, I like to head to the nearest hawker center. Every center will have a few cold drink stalls that sell coffee and tea. Try a ‘tea c peng’ or iced milk tea. Yum yum! Handy to know: ‘peng’ means iced, for when you need a cooling drink.

Q. A must-sip Singapore bar?

A. There are so many hidden bars in Singapore these days! One of my favorites is The Library (47 Keong Siak Rd). You need a password to get into this hipster speakeasy haunt, but no worries – ask next door at the café and they’ll give you the secret code.

Q. Must-buy souvenir from Singapore?

A. A jar of Kaya spread is simple and delicious on toast in the morning. If you’re in the mood for a bit of tailoring, don’t pass up a chance to sit with Kevin Seah. His bespoke suits for men are stunning. Women should visit the unbelievably talented Ong Shunmugam.

Q. An essential thing to know before visiting Singapore?

A. Singapore is a great walking city. You can pretty much walk the entire town over the course of a long weekend, exploring massively interesting neighbourhoods, and eating your way through a true foodie destination. That means you should pack a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle. It’s hot.

Q. Most important phrase to learn?

A. The official language of Singapore is English but a good local slang word is ‘kiasu’ which translates to ‘afraid to lose’ (or miss out). Most Singaporeans are kiasu. Hell, I’ve even become kiasu by living here. It’s the reason for all those long lines at the restaurants — everyone’s afraid of missing out on something great!

Q. Any other local advice?

A. Singapore is super safe, compared to many big cities in the world – there’s virtually no crime here. Obviously don’t be stupid, but also don’t hesitate to wander anywhere you like, even down dark alleys and into unfamiliar buildings and neighborhoods that may seem less than savoury on the surface. Trust me they’re safe. Singapore is a wanderer’s paradise. Just don’t wander into the street – the cars won’t stop for you!

For more tips, pick up a copy of The HUNT Singapore guide when you get to the city. It’s also available on Amazon if you want to read up on the plane.

Pictured above: one of our favourite neighbourhood spots in Singapore, Esquina. We love to plonk ourselves at the bar and while away an evening here ordering tapas and cocktails and chatting to the chefs while they work. 

Support our Cambodia Cookbook & Culinary History Book with a donation or monthly pledge on Patreon.

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About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

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About Grantourismo

Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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