Macau Wasn’t Bad at All

I didn’t have much time to write about our travel last week because we’ve been doing so many things for the last couple of days after we arrived from Singapore. I didn’t even notice that my precious son was running out of milk.

Last week, while we were in Hong Kong, we decided to go to Macau just for a day. Before we embarked on this trip, we originally thought of spending three days in the much talked about region among vagabonds in the Philippines. The idea of scouring each sweatshop for rummage sale got me excited! I was also informed that designer brands are a dime a dozen in Macau so you could just imagine what I could get for $100! Until recently, in one of my regular check-ups, my OB told me matter-of-factly that there’s nothing to see in Macau– that the Fisherman’s Warf can be so hot on ordinary days and Macau itself is very hot. When I was about to leave her clinic, she warned me, “You better stay in Hong Kong.”

I left her clinic with one question: How could those airlines and travel agencies lure their customers through their cheap offerings to Macau and let them stay there for three days and two nights? Then again, I thought she’s exaggerating.

Ordinarily, my husband and I would just hop in the boat to Nowhereland and find our way around busy streets and twitchels to reach our destination. This time, since I was with relatives that would rather plan their day ahead, we got some Macau brochures that “showcase” some tourist spots in the region. After flipping through the glossy pages, we were excited to visit the place.

Macau is a 1 1/2 hours boat ride across the Pearl River Delta from the Hong Kong harbour. It requires a separate visa to go there but no need to prepare it ahead of time. The Macau immigration will issue the visa once you arrive.

It was a comfortable ride for us but reclusive individuals are advised to bring earplugs or, for the style-conscious, colored earmuffs. As soon as we carefully placed ourselves on our seats, a horde of Chinese passengers from all directions came rushing, squeezing themselves in, and bumping each other to find their seats. Once settled, a buzzing sound engulfed the whole vessel, as if from a body of bees that emigrate together to start a colony. As much as it would be interesting to know what they were talking about, we couldn’t decipher a word or two. On the other hand, I was glad for being completely lost so I was able to focus on some interesting articles in the tabloid.

When we arrived in Macau, we found ourselves enduring the scorching heat of the sun. My makeup melted on my face as soon as I glided from the bus. But who cares about glam when everyone else felt like being wrapped in heat-retaining blankets inside the bus! Despite the heat and the humidity, the positive person in me was still determined to enjoy every minute of the trip.

I was surprised to see very few people and rigs in Macau. Some stores and shops had signs that said, “CLOSED,” but most didn’t have signs at all. Uh, did I miss anything? Even the restaurants were closed.

“Too bad we went on a Sunday,” I overheard the lady said.

A Sunday! Now why on earth did we go there on a Sunday?

Lapses of memory, I presumed, but as the song goes, the show (tour, in our case) must go on.

Our tour guide, an aging but agile woman, gave us some quick info on the etymology of Macau. A long time ago, before the Portuguese settled, Macau was called Haojing or Oyster Mirror. The most notable landmark that time was the Templo de A-Ma, a 1448 temple dedicated to Matsu, who was the goddess of fishermen. When the Portuguese asked for the name of the place, the natives said, “A-Ma-Gao” which later on turned into Macau. While Macau is considered as one of the most densely populated places in the world, there were not too many people around when we were there. I also learned that Macau has an influx of immigrants from mainland China, mostly from Guandong province. The residents speak Cantonese and Portuguese while only select areas speak English.

I also learned that Macau is the first and the last European [Portuguese] colony in China so it’s not surprising to see European-inspired structures, fortresses and buildings while walking around the city. You can even mistake it as a place somewhere in Europe until you see Chinese vendors waving their hands and asking [begging] you to buy some stuff from them.

Our first stop was the “central park” of Macau where the huge Lotus Flower can be found. This is Macau’s version of a public plaza, which is surrounded by old and not-so-shibby buildings. There was nothing to see there aside from the famous landmark and neatly-trimmed grass.

Our next stop was the impressive and glorious temple of Kun Lam, which was built over 600 years ago. This is also one of the prominent landmarks in Macau and was built in the Buddhist architectural tradition of the peasant plume style. It is also a very accessible prayer sanctuary as it is located along the main street with prayer halls, shrines, courtyards and pavillons.

It was time to try some local delicacies so we checked out Pastelapia Ou Mun Lou Benka. I have no idea what that means but judging from how busy the place was, it must be about something good or delectable. If you are adventurous with food, you should check out this store. Their i-forgot-what-it’s-called tart covered with seaweeds was fye!

Our next destination was the famous Macau Sky Tower, the 10th tallest building in the world. If you’re acrophobic, you’d might just want to explore the ground floor. If you’re a daredevil, you could go up to the 50th floor and have a thrilling walk on the outer rim of the tower or even try to Bungy jump. I’m neither so I just stayed on the glass-covered 50th floor and took many photos.

We then proceeded to the A-ma Temple or the Ma Kok Miu, which can be reached by bus alone. You’ll are welcomed by the Ornamental Gate up to the temple. Even on Sundays, tourists abound the temple so be prepared to see a crowded courtyard. From the temple you could already see the mountain borders of Guandong, China.

Our lunch at Sands Casino was scrumptious– the buffet was a fusion of international cuisine. We also shared a table with some travelers from Manila and from there, we formed an instant camaraderie with them. We even bumped into each other at one of the Chinese restaurants in Kowloon.

Lastly, we went to the Ruins of St. Pauls, which is the most common postcard photo of Macau. The cathedral is dedicated to St Paul the Apostle and listed by UNESCO World Heritage Site as the Historic Center of Macau. Right now, all can be seen from the beautiful 1600’s church is the stone facade that sits on a hill. If you look closely on the carvings, you will see images of Jesuit saints in Oriental themes. You can also climb up to the top through a steel staircase provided at the rear. I also spotted a bride and a groom having their photos taken in front of the church so I also snapped away my camera for some copies.

Our trip ended at around 4PM, just in time for the last trip to Hong Kong. Macau is a good respite from the busy city life but I haven’t really seen anything in particular that roused my interest. Perhaps if we had more time to explore the city, we would have discovered the hidden treasures of the city. But for the price, the visa stamp and the experience, the tour was worth it.

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