MY JOURNEY: MACAO (22TH~23TH OCT 2008)

22nd OCTOBER
5.30am… so sleepyyyy..
The flight is 9.35am but we got to wake up so earlyyyyyy………..
An hour to get ready, 30 min to eat breakfast, an hour to reach the airport, an hour to check-in.

Took our breakfast at McDonalds before boarding the mrt to Changi Airport.

The flight from Singapore to Macau took 3 hours.
1.30pm~We reach Macau airport, situated at the eastern end of Taipa Island. The airport was rather quiet and very few people. Probably coz many people come to Macau via Hong Kong with the turbojet. There were no maps around. Have to ask the customer service guy. He will get it from his drawer.

Macao Airport

We took the meter taxi just outside the airport, heading towards Macau Island.

Bridge from Taipa to Macao Island

3.00pm~Finally reach Sintra Hotel which is a very strategic location to the tourist spot.

Hotel Sintra Lobby.

Hotel Room

We haven’t eaten anything for lunch. It time to hunt for food. Walk for quite some time. Didn’t know what or where to eat. We spotted a small restaurant along the way and the displayed menu seems good and the price was fair.

Yum yum…. Its something special for me. Beef noodle and spicy lamian. Very tasty and the noodles are really nice. The dessert was delicious too… corn with sago and coconut milk.
I am so full.

Macau streets… houses were very near to each other. The streets were hilly and narrow. The buildings look very historical and old… like there’s a great story behind it.

We keep on walking south for about 10 minutes following the map…. and there……. a yellow church.

4.35pm~This is St. Joseph’ s Seminary and Church. The Seminary guide Priests for missionary works throughout Asia, particularly in China. There’s a sculpture of Jesus in the hall center. There’s nothing very fascinating here. Just a stairway up to the church. No breathtaking scenery here.

Sculpture of Jesus in the hall center

Keep on walking south for 20 minutes. Wow, we are going uphill. Dunno how the hell we ended up here. Not so sure this is the right road to A-ma Temple.

Going uphill

Wrong road lead us to the most spectacular view of Macau. I am glad we took the wrong road. Or else, we won’t have the chance to see Penha Church. There’s no info about this church on the map. Just the location with no description … so I thought it’s just another ordinary looking “church”.

Penha Church from afar

It’s so beautiful. I can see Macau tower from here. I can see Lisboa Casino too. And Pearl River!

5.10pm~Penha Church was built on top of Bishop Hill. Opens from 9am to 5.30am. The first chapel was built by the crew and passengers of a ship which had a narrow escape from the Dutch.

There’s a sculpture of Virgin Mary facing the border of China in the courtyard.

Now we are going downhill to A-Ma Temple. Manage to snap a photo of sunset in Macao

6.00pm~A-Ma temple is still open though the sky is getting dark.

The story goes like this…… Once upon a time…..:) There was a girl called Ma Zu. She can predict the future. Eventually she became a nun and died at the age of 28. It is believe that her spirit helped merchants and fishermen from sea dangers. Therefore, Fishermen in Fujian built the A-Ma Temple to commemorate her. End of story.

There's a big open area in front of Ama Temple with beautiful floor pattern. Lots of people spend their evening walk here...cycling...

The Museum Maritimo is also just nearby.

6.30~ We took a bus back to Av-Almeida Ribeiro Road, stopped at Largo Do Senado. The most happening place in Macau at night coz this is where people do their shopping and buying and also sight seeing.

The streets are very artistic.

Largo de Senado night view is even beautiful with the lights.

Mcdonalds in Macau

St.Paulo at night. We plan to visit again next morning.

Walking back to our hotel room..... crossing over the streets with such beautiful path. The whole city is an art itself.

The night is not over yet. We are not going to bed so early.
Went back .. took our bath and out we go again.....to the casino. Like a mini Vegas.

This onion-like head Hotel is the Grand Lisboa. A very expensive and high class hotel.
It is just next to the Lisboa Casino.

23rd OCTOBER
8.00am~ After Hotel Breakfast, we walk to Senado Square. There was an Expo introducing China tourism.

Then we walk to St.Paulo. Just 10 minutes away.

St.Paulo from afar.

66 stone steps leading up to the southern stone façade .

Wahhhh..... such a beautiful shot.

9.00am~ Walk across Mount Fortress.

Exercising with the aunties.

10.00am~Back to hotel room. We quicjly pack our stuff..... check out from the room and took a free shuttle bus to the ferry terminal. Upon reaching there, we headed for the Macau fisherman wharf first.

The construction took 5 years. buildings built in the style of different world seaports such as Cape Town, Amsterdam and Venice. Some other attractions are the of Tang Dynasty, Vulcania, Aladdin Fort, Aqua Romanis, Roman Amphitheatre with 2000 outdoor seats.