[DIARIES] 20141224 Day 8 Macau

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Day 8 - 24 Dec 2014 (Chrismas eve!!)



It's Christmas Eve and I'm ready to celebrate it at Macau after a long night rest. After a simple breakfast at the hotel, I proceed to GongBei check point by walking through the streets of ZhuHai. On the way, I noticed this bicycle kiosk that rents bicycles via the machine. A very environmental friendly way to commute between destinations in a city.


Proceed to the GongBei checkpoint and huge crowd have gathered to make their way to Macau to either work, vacation or to get a fortune. Photos are disallowed in the immigration check point hence I did not took any of them. The queue for Chinese nationals are long, especially on a Christmas Eve. I proceed to the International visitors counter and swiftly pass through the Chinese immigration. The Macau immigration on the other hand was longer but the officers cleared the lanes quickly with their electronic check-in system.


The weather is gloomy once I stepped out of the immigration plaza. Everyone seemed to know where to go right after the exit. Majority of the Chinese went towards the left side after the exit where all the casino buses are waiting to pick up the people for free. I felt like I'm treated as one of the water fishes waiting to be sent to the casino to be "slaughtered" (just joking). I lined up at the booth for the bus to Lisboa Casino as my first stop in Macau will be the Ruins of St Paul's. When the line gets longer, the people here tend to be unruly and started to cut Q. Looks like the Chinese will behave differently when outside of China based on my experience in Hong Kong and now in Macau.


The bus stopped at the basement of the new Lisboa Casino. I took the opportunity to visit the lobby and it feels like museum with luxurious exhibits.


First to notice a huge ivory carvings made of mammoth's ivory, when compare to those I saw in Chen Clan Monastery in Guangzhou, this is a totally different league.


The description of the ivory carving of the Great Wall.


Zoomed in for the details and I was amazed on the level of detail and the amount of time and work taken to carve out this ivory Great Wall. The huge carving was actually a combination of a few mammoth tusk, combined into the whole picture of Great Wall.


Other exhibits includes jade, vase and gold sculptures, particularly this golden peacock which the tail is made of gold flakes.


The tail of the peacock is made of thin lines and flakes of gold.


After taking a pee at the luxurious toilet that I ever been to with automatic door, I walked out of Lisboa Casino towards Senado Square nearby. The weather is still gloomy and hopefully it won't rain later.


Some funny looking tricycle at the side of the road. Not too sure whether this is a special thing in Macau.


The Senado Square is just two blocks away from Lisboa Casino. The Christmas atmosphere is everywhere especially at a place with strong Catholic presence like Macau.


Building are decorated with Christmas decorations in conjunction with the celebration. I also found that Macau is more tourist friendly with clear road signs and maps available for guidance with free WiFi at hot areas despite the WiFi service can be on and off.


There are having an event at the entrance of Senado Square but I skipped to the back to try to get a picture of the square instead. The crowd is lesser than my anticipation as I expected a huge crowd for a Christmas Eve.


I follow the preloaded map in my phone for the road to Ruins of St Paul's but the road sign pretty much cover most of the route. Well, when in doubt, follow the crowd. Notice the Bee Cheng Hiang outlet at the left side of the picture? Apparently Bagua (Smoked meat slice) is the "in" thing here in Macau which I don't know why because it is not originated in Macau.


The famous GuiKei souvenir shop is everywhere in Macau especially on this particular street where there are at least 3 outlets, selling their famous almond cookies along with other local produce and also Bagua. The promoters are actively handing out samplers to the visitors and I have tried a few types of their Bagua and didn't quite like it due to the strong taste of pork and the rather mediocre BBQ and taste. I still think that Malaysian Bagua is the best (maybe some might argue Singapore).


The ruins is located at the Calcada De S. Paulo, which is also known as the 大三巴 in Chinese.


Finally I reach the Ruins of St Paul's, the must come for Macau, despite nothing much to see here other than the historical value of the ruins.

Read more about Ruins of St Paul's via a separate post below:
[PLACE] 20141224 Ruins of St. Paul's 大三巴牌坊 @ Macau


The ruins is located near the top of the hill, which requires a short climb up.


Here I m at one of the famous landmark in Macau. To me, it's just a facade of a burnt down cathedral, but to the Catholics, it has it's spiritual value attached especially to understand the design and architectural aspect of the cathedral.


Right next to the ruins is the Monte Fort, which is the peak of the hill where the Portuguese has built a fort in the ancient times for the purpose of defence, very similar to our very own A'Famosa. To reach the top of the fort requires another 10 minutes of climb up the stone stairs.


Reach almost to the top of the fort after a short climb with visible cannons around the perimeter of the fort wall.

Read more about Monte Fort via a separate post below:
[PLACE] 20141224 Monte Fort 大炮台 @ Macau


Despite being purposely built for defence purposes, the fort was never in action (thankfully?) and now has became one of the key attractions in Macau due to its historical value. The crowd here is less than the ruins down there due to the terrain where many people will just opt to skip it.


The entrance of the fort with a sundry shop at the left side and a statue of St Mary (correct me if I'm wrong) at the middle of the walkway.


The museum of Macau is located right at the middle of the fort but I will be skipping this for this time.


Arrays of deactivated cannons along the perimeter of the fort.


The unique design of the Casino Lisboa with a cannon pointing directly to it. Met a Canadian guy travelling alone here who asked me to take a picture for him.


I was watching the local news the day before at ZhuHai and there was a news about youth complaining about the property price in Macau where it has become very unaffordable due to the scarcity of the land. A run down apartment like this can easily cost more than MOP6mil and above, which is about RM3mil give and take.


The property condition here is much worse off compared to Hong Kong where many new development and still ample land at New Territory.


I was able to view almost 360° of Macau from the fort despite not having any landmark other than the casinos. The weather is gloomy with occasionally drizzles in a winter day.


Somewhere in the middle of the fort there is this dungeon entrance which is now being modified into a gallery.


The gallery showcase some ancient relics and pottery but nothing more than that.


I head back down to the ruins where I noticed a huge crowd of Indian tourists that just arrived. Little that I know that Indians will come to places like Macau, perhaps also for the fortune I guessed.


On the way downhill to look for lunch and the crowd starts to build up in this Christmas Eve.


Don't know why but durian seems to be "THE" thing here in Macau. They even have their very own mascot to promote durian ice cream.


Passed by the St Dominic's Church at the Senado Square on the way back and went in for a visit. After visiting the stone cathedral at Guangzhou, the churches and cathedral in Macau seems less sophisticated.


I turned right after leaving Senado Square to look for my lunch location which is some where nearby. Along the way I saw a shop around the corner preparing fresh almond cookies, which is one of the speciality here in Macau.


As opposed to those pre-packed ones at Senado Square, I get to see how these cookies are prepared and it's hand made! I tried a sample and it taste much better than the ones sold at the chain stores. I bought a packet from them despite not being a fan of almond, which is much cheaper than the chain stores and proceed to my lunch destination which is just next to this pastry shop.


The pastry shop and the wanton noodle shop that I'm heading to is located at R. da Felicidade, which is quite a unique street with its building architecture, which differs from the main street.


Perhaps it's not that obvious now in the picture but when the lights are on, it will be a different atmosphere.


The lunch place I'm heading is Cheong Kei Noodle House, which is famous for it's wanton noodles, especially the prawn roe noodles. I was expecting a large crowd but apparently I was wrong. There was no queue on the day of my visit but the restaurant is still packed with patrons.


There was a Malaysian family sitting at the back of the restaurant as I can recognise the ascent of Malaysian English cum Cantonese. It does feel good to listen to some familiar sounds after being abroad for almost 8 days. The Cheong Kei noodle house maintains it's traditional design of a noodle house with very tight seats.


The food are prepared in front of the restaurant, similar to those in Hong Kong. It was my first meal in Macau and the first thing I noticed is the price here. The food price here in Macau is notably more expensive than Hong Kong in average.While an average meal in Hong Kong cost about HKD30-40, an average meal here in Macau cost about MOP40-50, which is a tad more expensive, largely due to being a tourist area.


The famous prawn roe wanton noodles. The prawn roe are processed and sprinkled on top of the springy wanton noodles. The first impression was the strong flavour of the prawn roe that reminds me of Japanese mentai. Coupled with the springy noodles, creates different level of enjoyment in terms of texture and flavour. However, I would still prefer the conventional wanton noodle in Mak's Noodle despite Cheong Kei's being not half bad.

Read more in detail about Cheong Kei's Noodles via a separate post:
[FOOD] 20141224 Cheong Kei Noodles 祥记面家 @ Macau


On the way back I passed by this Yi Shun Dairy Company, which is also serving similar products with Australian Dairy Company in Hong Kong and also their direct competitor with branches opened in Hong Kong. Little that I know that Yi Shun is actually originated from Macau with it's fresh milk imported directly from ZhuHai's farm.


With a little room to spare, I only ordered a bowl of steam milk pudding just for testing and comparison. Overall I would prefer the ones in Australian Dairy Company more.


I continue to explore the north island of Macau and decided to travel by foot. There are many hilly terrains in Macau, which creates quite a unique view of building and increases the difficulty to move around.


Macau only spans about 3km horizontally, which means it only takes me 45 minutes approximately to walk from end to end. Not long after some walk I reach a junction with a signboard showing me the direction of different tourist attractions around, which is why I say that the tourist facility in Macau is superior.


There are many churches and cathedral in Macau and if I were to visit every single one of them then I think I would need to spend another day here in Macau. I met the Canadian guy again here and he came over and spoke to me on how majestic the Catholic cathedrals are. Being a Catholic himself, he seemed to enjoy the cathedrals here a lot, more than I do definitely.


One unique place around here is actually the Dom Pedro V Theatre.


A signboard outside the theatre.


I continue my journey towards west and noticed that the streets of Macau are decorated with calcada of various patterns, which is a unique Portuguese stone pavement.


Next stop is the Mandarin House. Honestly I have no idea what to expect in Macau except for the Ruins of St Pauls and casino. Recommendations online seemed to be hit and miss with no proper introduction. I decided to explore along the way and to see what I can find.


I followed the signboards and eventually ended up at the Mandarin House, which is actually a refurbished old mansion of a former literate and philosopher known as Zheng GuanYing .

Read more about the Mandarin House via a separate post:
[PLACE] 20141224 The Mandarin House 郑家大屋 @ Macau


A unique feature of the Mandarin House is actually the use of western and traditional Chinese architectural, which enables you to see the blend of the mixed cultural back in those days.


The main hall of the Mandarin House.


The passage way towards the entrance of the Mandarin House. I left the Mandarin House after a short visit. This is what I liked about unplanned trips as I get to see what I want to see along the way.


On my way towards A-Ma Temple, I spotted an apartment hanging some dried fish at the balcony. I wonder how much dust and dirt are attached to it.


The A-Ma Temple or 妈祖阁 located at the west tip of Macau peninsular, which is also known as Guanyin temple is where people worship MaZu or Guanyin who is known to protect fishermen when out to sea.


A rock painted with a ship is seen in the compound of the temple.


Faithful devotees rubbing their palms on the handle of the bronze bowl/basin while making a wish. It was said that louder the bowl resonates, the better your chances of getting your wish.


There is no free tourist bus around this area and I have to take my first public bus to my next destination at the east side of the peninsular i.e. the Fisherman's Wharf. The bus drivers here are not very friendly when I asked whether the bus will go to my destination. After I checked the route table from the cylindrical bus route map, I know which numbers that I'm looking for but not too sure which direction to board. Finally another bus driver told me to board at the opposite site of the road and finally boarded a bus after 15 minutes wait.


The bus driver drove quite recklessly along the roads but luckily I still managed to reach my destination safely. The Fisherman's Wharf is like a man-made theme park right opposite Sands Macau. I noticed something different in Macau as the drivers here give priority to the pedestrians. For example when I was going to cross the road at the zebra crossing, the car from afar already started to brake and stopped right in front of the zebra crossing to allow me to cross. He could have just pass first and allow me to cross later because the road is quite empty and he is the only car around. Something which is very much lacking in Malaysia.


The Fisherman's Wharf is a man-made theme park, modelled around European and Asian theme. With restaurants, pubs and other entertainment centre that operates 24/7.


I'm also able to view one of the connecting bridges between Macau peninsular and Macau island, the Pte. da Amizade, or the Friendship Bridge in Cantonese.


The famous and beautifully designed Rocks Hotel at the side of the fisherman's wharf near the bus terminal.


The interior and the exterior were designed according to 18th Century Victorian architecture. Very grand and classy and looks very expensive too. Well, everything in Macau is expensive anyway.


One of the free shuttle buses. This particular bus will take us directly to the Venetian. Time to hop onto the free bus again and pretend to be from mainland China.


About close to 20 minutes bus ride I'm here at the famous Venetian hotel and casino. There's a huge crowd at the terminal with staff escorting the crowd towards the main hall where the casino and shopping centres are located. A snapshot of the casino from the escalator.


The Venetian is known for it's unique interior that reassembles the skylight and as if the ceiling is moving with Venetian design buildings.


The venise gondola is also another attraction at the Venetian where tourist can have a gondola ride at a "small" fee. The pond was used as a wishing pond but some people and it's quite fun to try to locate different currencies within the pond.


Occasionally there will be performance like singing on the gondola by the gondolier.


I left Venetian after some time and walk towards Taipa. The famous Galaxy Macau Casino is visible from afar while I was reaching Taipa.


Taipa is rapidly developing over the years, thanks to all the adjacent casinos that brought up the commercial activities. I initially wanted to try the famous Dai Lei Loi Kei pork chop bun here but unfortunately when I arrived at their doorstep, they are closing early for Christmas Eve. Missed one to-do list in Macau for this trip.


One of the famous shop, which is the Gelatina Mok Yi Kei is located in Taipa. Serving ice cream and other desserts, especially durian ice cream from Malaysia, Mok Yi Kei has quickly gained popularity among the tourists.

Read more about Gelatina Mok Yi Kei via a separate post:
[FOOD] 20141224 Gelatina Mok Yi Kei 莫義記 @ Taipa, Macau


Personally I do not know what is the hype about Mok Yi Kei. Perhaps they are selling something that is originated from my very own country, hence I don't feel interested about their ice cream and having high standards on my own. I tried the durian ice cream sample that they provided, which I think is nice, but within my expectation of how durian ice cream will taste like. Maybe for locals and other tourists, it's a big deal. Hence I end up buying the sawdust pudding, which is nothing special. It taste like vanilla pudding or ice cream, and the sawdust is actually cookie crumbs.


I continue walking along the pedestrian streets at Taipa. Most of the shops here are the replica of what's famous here like durian ice cream shops and pork chop bun. Everyone seems to want to get a cut of the pie off these famous produce. Creativity is used in designing their shops instead of thinking a new product.


There are also many famous restaurants around at Taipa, such as the one in the picture above. Seng Cheong Restaurant is known for serving some famous local dishes, as well as their famous crab porridge. However, the price tag doesn't come cheap with these restaurants and is much much more expensive than Hong Kong to be honest.


The whole area become more lively as it turns dark, with many tourists starting to line up for dinner and buying souvenirs.


Another famous restaurant which many people queueing up for seats, which I also skipped.


It's time to leave to look for dinner elsewhere. The Galaxy Macau Casino has light up now. The night view of Macau is the one that is worth waiting for with their neon lights.


I took a bus from the Galaxy Macau back to the peninsular. There is no bus directly to Lisboa and I was told my closest bet would be to Wynn's Hotel. Here I'm at the Wynn's Hotel with very thick Christmas atmosphere around.


I can view the Casino Lisboa after some walk. The buildings around have lit up with various colours to attract attention.


I end up taking my dinner at the Chan Kong Kei Restaurant nearby Senado Square who serves their famous black pepper roast duck. Luckily there is no queue as I think most of the people will be spending time elsewhere at a Christmas Eve instead of having roast duck.


Self claimed first to serve black pepper duck. Let's see how great is their duck.


One thing for sure, they will assume every tourist came from China and will tend to speak mandarin to you despite I'm able to converse in mandarin. The service was quite bad but overall the order and serving process is still acceptable. I ordered the black pepper duck with noodles, which is served in soup as above.

Read more about Chan Kong Kei via a separate post below:
[FOOD] 20141224 Chan Kong Kei 陳光記飯店 @ Macau


After my not-so satisfying dinner, I head back to Senado Square to check out their Christmas celebration. The square is packed with people as opposed to the empty scene this afternoon. People started to gather with various performance staged for the celebration.


Initially I intended to take a night shop of the Ruins of St Paul's but my oh my the whole placed has been transformed into a temporary concert stage with the stone stairs used as seats. Looks like my plan for a night shot has failed miserably. Wasted my time and energy to climb all the way up from Senado Square.


I decided to take a detour and do something different. Before coming, I have searched online for the best spot to capture a nice picture of the Macau tower. I have seen some good angles and locations but they never mentioned the photo spot. I tried to work backwards from the angle of the picture and figure's out it might be somewhere on top of the hill nearby.


It was a long way up and also a risky decision as the streets were very quiet and empty. Hopefully the security here is much better than my own country. After a long climb up the hill, I concluded that the photo spot will be somewhere near The Chapel of Our Lady Penha. I was worried that the Chapel might be closed now and I would probably waste all my effort and energy to climb up. I have reached the steepest point of my climb, which really taking up all my breathe after 8 days of non stop walking.


Finally I arrived at the chapel, which is unfortunately closed, but also fortunately the photo spot is not within the chapel compound and is still opened for public. A small group of teenagers are there celebrating Christmas Eve and probably wondering why this weirdo climb all the way up and using some weird looking equipment.


This is what I meant by weird equipment. However, the Macau Tower was very dull and boring on my shooting day. I was expecting a more colour and vibrant looking tower instead of a yellow boring picture.


This is where the photo spot located at the lower tier area of the chapel.


I head back downhill after getting a satisfying shot. I noticed there was a notice board stating Wynn's Hotel will have periodic water fountain show. Hence I went back to Wynn's hotel and patiently waiting for the fountain show.


The fountain lightshow performance is free and with an interval of 15 to 30 minutes, depending on timing. The fountain showcase various colours and formation during the short 8 minutes show. This ends my day tour in Macau and I need to get back to Gongbei immigration before 11pm.


There's no bus going directly to GongBei from Wynn's and I had to take a public bus to Sands Casino as I was told there will be buses going to Gongbei from there. After the tiring long wait etc, I finally boarded the bus at the Sands that I been to earlier in the morning and managed to board a bus back to Gongbei.

I dragged my feet back to my hotel from the GongBei immigration after passing the border. Merry Christmas everyone and it's time for me to call it another day before heading home tomorrow.


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