The night before we headed for Macau, I did a quick search online and jot down some of the local attractions in Macau, according to those forums. These places include tiny outlets in Senado Square as great shopping places, Venetian Macau, A-ma Temple and Grand Canal Shoppes in Cotai Strip (then I later realized when I got there that this is INSIDE Venetian Hotel, so a bit duh).
Waking up on time in the morning was never my forte, so if I managed to wake up early and actually expressed some narcissistic traits, I think it's a fairly good thing. Hur hur.
For a Monday morning, the queue over at the check-in counter was very long. It was my second time at the Budget terminal (but this time round there's our own transport so it made the whole thing much more convenient) since I last sent Wai Yee to HongKong.
Yeah I wore long sleeve shirt just in case it would be cold on he plane, but luckily I was smart enough not to listen to mom's advice on bringing a thick jacket (will elaborate why later)! It was a smart move to wear high socks afterall since the air near the feet area was chilly.
Initially I was a bit grouchy over the fact that we had to take a budget airline for the first time, but I thought, "nah, it's okay, just give it a shot" and it did changed my perception after the flight on Tiger Airways.
Truth be told, the feeling I got from sitting in an Cathay Airline is the same as Tiger's. Tiger isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Though there was no form of entertain, the seats were fine and I managed to sleep during the short flight.
At the Budget Terminal we persuaded dad to buy us a copy of UK Cosmopolitan and I was enjoying my read. Then I was in shock. Chace Crawford from Gossip Girls is linked up with Carrie Underwood (yes, I just noticed my red circle is placed wrongly, damn it!)! Plus I found out Kirsten Bell is the narrator for Gossip Girl. Amazing, I like her!
The way we get up on and off the plane. One thing though, I hate the mini compartments above the seats. Did you know a small bottled (like Newater size) mineral water costs $3 on Tiger?! I can like, finished the bottle within two gulps can.
The moment I got off the plane, the short walk to the airport already told me one thing - the weather is fucking hot! It's not like when Singapore is not raining, it's twice the heat. It was so stuffy, I was perspiring.
I was very excited in the cab because we were going up slope and that was the biggest slope I've ever seen on an actual road. I thought I might be able to feel the thrill when we go down slope, but no
leh, nothing happened.
Sian diao!
As usual dad will always be the first one to be on the lookout for food, so we went scouting around our hotel. I skipped lunch and had a bottle of Yeo's Sugar Cane drink which I thought was not available at the beginning. So silly.
Since I was the only one who actually read a little something on Macau, I suggested to the rest of them that we can check out Senado Square (also because got shopping outlets there, heh). On the way, we saw those Portuguese-inspired buildings lined along the streets.
In the little alleys around Senado Square, there were pushcarts and stalls selling cheap clothes. Sis and I bought cheap bikinis (coz' I needed one for the Malaysia trip).
Unlike in Singapore, school uniforms are only sold in the respective schools but there, uniforms could be easily purchased at one of the departmental stores. It crossed my mind to actually purchase one. 0,0
This was an embarrassing shot because we were standing in the main road of Senado Square, many people were staring.
Some of the smaller shops could be found on the second floor and just because I like book stores, I visited one in the hope of finding my Harry Potter book.
Macau was pretty boring because not everything is exactly cheap. As dusk came dad wanted dinner so we walked around the area in circles trying to find a food outlet. We came across the playground and I thought the scene was cute.
Finally when I was super drained we found a cafe and I ordered Iced Milk Tea! Dad looks adorable here. Hur. :D
My ebi-unagi fried rice that looks nice but didn't taste that nice. I had shisamo though! ^^
Opposite our hotel was a shopping mall with all the big brands over there - Gucci, Fendi, Prada - you name it, they've got it. If I'm not mistaken, the place is called Yaohan. Of course, I didn't bother entering any of the shops. Well, just because I know I couldn't afford it.
When you're in Macau, don't tell me you don't know what is the sole reason for being there?! Psst, their minimum requirement is only 18!
There were no nice shops to look at, so we toured around the "neighbourhood" and shopped in 7 Eleven.
It's not a secret that I've liked this kind of parking ticketing system ever since young. It's just so.... unconventional.
The following day after breakfast Sis wanted to check out the price in the Gucci outlet for her desired purse, so we accompanied her. Well, dad took the opportunity to gamble. 0,0
At 12PM we were supposed to go on a half-day tour around Macau, as dad had arranged it beforehand. The meeting venue was at the jetty with so many signs we had some tough time searching for the place.
We reached there an hour earlier so we headed outside to take a look but figured the air quality is too bad and the weather to hot. This place is the Fisherman's Wharf (and I thought only Taiwan has it).
At the small coffeeshop-style 'cafe', a puny cup of awful tea costs us $2.70. On their menu they actually stated that each person is supposed to spend more than HK20 if not we're not allowed to stay within the premise. =,=
So the tour began and we were off to some boring places with a dull tour guide. I was asleep in the mini bus. The only thrill we got out of this is to pretend we were 'models'.
I always notice that whenever we're out on holiday with our mom and dad, we would be the youngest group among all the elder uncles/aunties. What happened to people ages 7-37? *drops head*
The next stop we were brought to a famous bakery shop in Macau named Choi Heong Yuen Bakery that has a long history.
There were samples but mom and I bought the Portuguese egg tarts and damn, THEY ARE HEAVENLY can. Yum yum.
I took a short stroll along the road, letting the harmful rays hurt my skin.
Because the sun was high up in the sky, there was good lighting for photography and dad wanted to stand with mommy against the library, which acted as a backdrop.
According to the forums, Venetian Macau is a very grand hotel that consisted of many shopping lots and entertainment cerntre. I was wow-ed by the false ceiling and impression of the Venetian setup.
However, other than that, Venetian just looks like another Genting Highlands, indoors.
At the entrance of the central part of Venetian, we were greeted by these performers and were encouraged to watch them act. I got a litte distracted and decided to walk around the place instead.
And it was indeed a right thing to do because the men who seemed to be operating the boats, are smokin' hot (no doubt they are not locals)!
While dad was away at the casino trying his luck, us girls just walked around aimlessly and we saw this display glass with lots of diamonds/crystals, the front of the Swarovski shop. I stared at the glass hard for a moment before directing my eyes away from the glittery glare. Heh.
As we took the escalator down, we caught a glimpse of the casino. Daddy says he preferred the casino opposite our hotel. I wonder if it's because of the setup inside, or is it because he lost money there. Hur. Most probably the latter, right? Haha.
On yet another minibus ride, I was bored and I recalled I haven't taken a picture of my first French Manicure (the wedding)... the conclusion is, I like like French. *ahem*
I also did pedicure. Plus I like the shade of shit brown on my nails under the sunlight. :)
Our next stop was the A-Ma Temple and right across the temple facing it was a 'gate'. I wonder if it was the "famous gate". But apparently according to the guide, she says that behind this wall lies
Spitland Mainland China.
I told dad it was a waste of money to sign up for the half-day tour, because even when we're at the entrance of A-ma Temple, I didn't set foot inside at all. The reason I gave was: after visiting the many temples in HongKong and China before, I really am uninterested to take a look in chinese temples anymore.
Instead, we found taking pictures of ourselves more interactive. =,= I don't think he was too pleased. :{
She insisted on wearing my sunglasses and I had to take a picture for her. Hur, nice.
We walked back to the minibus and along the way there were graffiti on the walls. The drawings were done by students to warn the public not to spit on the floor (tsk, in China, ya think?). I asked Sis to pose for me and she told me that was the highest her head could tilt back?!
I got fed up and said I would demonstrate for her to see what is called "tilting your head back futher". :P
This is something similar to the previous shots. Don't leave your snot on the floor after sneezing.
Are you like me, who enjoy sceneries like these that are take around old towns/neighbourhoods?
It was in the late afternoon when we reached the Macau Tower Convention & Entertain Centre. This was one of the best places to hang out in Macau, I daresay. Near the entrance of this tall building, is a toy shop.
We travelled 86 stories up to the viewing floor first. The view, like three other tall towers that I've been to, was pretty darn amazing.
Macau is a really small island, a few trips in the buses/car and you will realise/feel that. Everywhere you go you will seem to be able to spot a certain landmark. All you have to do when you're lost is to walk towards that direction. That aside, splendid view, huh?
We then came across a portion of the floor where the flooring is made of glass, which means it's transparent and you can see all the way to the ground floor. We're up on the 86th floor, can you imagine how small the cars were? Even though I know it is extremely safe to walk across, I couldn't get over the phychological barrier.
The shape of Macau/HK seen from above is cute.
A few stories above us, is the spot where tourists can have a shot at Sky Bungee or SkywalkX. These are the required outfits if you wanted to go for a walk 'in the sky' (walking one round around the tower). Initially when I saw the advertisment and level 1, I thought it was interesting. When you are up there and looking out, it became, "woh, no way".
There was also Sky Bungee, and I think somebody did that when we were there. The cost for each jump/walk did not come cheap. A quick calculation means each try will cost $200?
Those who were in-charge of the Sky Bungee/SkyWalkX, were young, hot males. Nice. I would love to think that I caught them staring. :P
On the way down I took note of the lift and the light spots indicating which level the lift on are uber cute. At the basement there's a Warner Bros store and I rushed inside. Why? Harry Potter is the answer. However due to time constraint, I only have 30 secs to look at the items! @$$@&%@$#$
The second last stop was the cultural museum. Dad and mom was telling Sis and I that they had came here before, a long long time ago. The illuminated board illustrates where to find what in the museum. Adorable.
Like any other local museums each tells of its own history and culture. There were only a few things that caught my eye, such as this one. I was marvelling over the fact that the ladies in the past wore such big earrings. Painful and heavy, looks like it.
A section of it featured the vintage bags, and I thought my bag could have been displayed there as well. Haha.
Girlfriends! Mahjong tiles!!!! Everytime we have a set in hand, they always start to itch. This vintage set looks cool, like the set Kimmo owns at home.
The final stop was the Ruins of St. Catheral Church, which was situated next to the central area. If you could just identify the casino building in the foreground, you've also seen it just now in the previous photos of the Macau city view.
Back to the ruins, there was a guy who kept calling out, "Free gift, free gift! Free gift from Jesus!", as you can tell from the purple bag as well, if you read Mandarin. Obviously Sis would be keen to take one, since she's now an official Christian and all.
There were many tourists around me taking photos as well so I couldn't a good shot without any of them in. So I decided to look for a unique angle, and
I think I found it. Heh.
Dad helped us took this one. After I started the whole squatting/sitting down thing then, the other (presumably) China tourists (judging by their language and outfit) followed suit. *shakes head*
What was facing the Ruins of St. Catheral Church was a long stairway that leads to the main street in Senado Square. Sis began to take a look at the many cosmetics/beauty shops.
I, on the other hand, took note of the people residing next to these tourist locations. I wondered, don't they feel invaded living here, where their daily lives being exposed to the public eye? (Yes, I could see the topless men talking inside their apartment.)
But then again, that's what I lke about travelling, being able to see how the locals live their mundane lives.
Just before we go about looking for dinner (under daddy's orders), I found this really cramp and old toy store. i jumped in delight when I managed to find Harry Potter items amongst the untidy piles of toys and thick layers of dust.
I can't remember where we had dinner, but it looked like it was a good meal nonetheless. Heh.
Mom and dad just can't get enough of the "act natural" shots
lor, seriously. Haha.
I think we had a long stroll before going back to the hotel to catch the drama serial, and we caught sight of a huge musical fountain. There was music playing, and the water sprouted and swayed in momentum with the female's voice. It was awesome, better than the one in Sentosa's, and the best part is, there was only about 10 people there including us.
Sis wanted to use the Internet to check the model number for her Gucci wallet, and to email
friends, so we went to check out the grander hotel next to ours. I like the black ceilings they had, with little blue dots standing against it as if it were blue stars.
The following day Sis and I were thrilled to pack and leave for the jetty. We're heading to HongKong, finally! The TurboJet looked really sleek in its red shiny armour.
I told dad I wanted to take a picture with the big slope highway. Heh. Anyway, this marks the end of the journey for the last of Macau trip. I prolly won't set foot in it once again, unless specifically required. :{
Now now HK, we're back.
