Decided to get out of dodge for the weekend and jumped the ferry to Macau. It is about an hour ride on the jet foil and I decided to buy the first class ticket instead of economy. It was only a few dollars difference when I worked it out (well like $10) but I have found that it is worth it when traveling alone. You get a little bit extra help that makes it alot easier and less stressful when you are going it alone the first time (I will be taking economy back).

The day started off gloomy in Hong Kong and I got a late start due to watching the Australian Open Women’s Final and no other real agenda but to make it to Macau. Once on the ferry it just got colder and gloomier. I arrived at the ferry terminal and it was pretty easy to figure things out. My hotel didn’t have a bus so after getting someone at the information booth to write my address in Chinese on a post-it, I headed to the taxi stand. A short ride later and I was at the Best Western Sun Sun. Somehow I got upgraded to the executive/penthouse floor..I’ll take it. My room is cool. Small and cozy, but very nice and a very cool bathroom. Plus, there is a lounge on the floor with flat screens and wireless.

The city is modern and old; east and west. The Portuguese influence is strong and the feel of an old European town is strong in the narrow, cobble-stoned streets. Everything has a Portuguese name and when it is then translated into Chinese it gets interesting..ha-ha. I elected to stay away from the Casino row and like the feel of the area I am in. It is perfectly safe but has a slightly seedy feel which is cool. People are friendly and even if we don’t understand each other, we seem to communicate just fine.

After dumping my stuff at the hotel, I headed out with a plan to head to Largo do Senado and just take it from there. I just wanted to get the feel of things and wander. If I saw everything I outlined fine..if not I just hoped to enjoy the afternoon searching. I found the Square relatively easily but could not find the restaurant I wanted to have lunch in so I wandered until I found a spot that looked clean and I could communicate in (it isn’t necessarily all that easy once off the main drags). I really needed something hot because it is cold here. I had some soup and tea and headed back out.

The ruins of St Paul were very close and the Fort right across from that. So I wandered around a bit and elected to stay in that vicinity instead of keeping with my mapped out course. It was really cold and starting to get dark and I figured I would get lost on my way back to the hotel and I wanted time to wander, shop and just see. I had not planned for the weather right and wound up putting all the clothes I brought with me (I left my luggage back at the hotel in HK)..that was not the intention and I will NOT be taking any pictures of myself while I here..lol. I think I will look into buying a sweatshirt for tomorrow! Brrr.

Sunday - Got a relatively early start and headed down to the Southern Peninsula of Macau, along the Rua do Almirante Sergio that overlooked the Porto Interior. It was cold out and not much to see but it was interesting to just take in the area. For about 15 minutes you just pass shopfront after shopfront of run down businesses and mom & pop food stalls. At the end is the A-Ma Temple and Maritime Museum. The Temple is the oldest place of worship in Macau and also where the Portuguese originally made landfall. The temple is built into a hillside among granite boulders carved with stories, poems and pictures. It is a pretty cool place when you see the carvings and wonder who and when they were put there. Right next door is the Museum and I had about an hour to kill until the restaurant I wanted to have lunch in opened so that, the fact this it only cost $5 MOP and the temperature propelled me in. It was very well put together and had GREAT model boats and a cool scale model of Macau. I wanted to top it off with a ride around the bay in a junk boat but the thought of being out on the water in the wind was just too much. So I headed to lunch.

I picked a Portuguese place called A Lorcha since I have been eating a lot of Chinese food and this place is known for its authentic Portuguese food given the history of Macau and its status as a former colony. I hit A Lorcha right after it opened and was lucky to get a table. The place was packed and only taking reservations. The food was so good and not too expensive. After this I headed back up North towards the square I was at yesterday and the sites I didn’t get a chance to see. Instead of going back the same way I came, I decided to walk through the Barra District and check out some of the buildings mentioned in my guidebook. They really have beautiful Churches here. Given it was Sunday I decided to take a moment when I found Santo Agostinho.

Once I got back to the Square I headed in a different direction from yesterday and headed off to find the Hong Kung Temple. I thought I was following the sign but somehow got lost and just walked. Eventually I found myself at some gardens and realized it was time to start heading back to the hotel to get my stuff and head to the ferry. I saw the Cemiterio Protestante as I exited the park and decided to take a quick look. There was something about this place that really touched me. I don’t know why but there was just something about it. Maybe it was the young age of so many people buried there. Maybe it was the fact that they were so far home. I couldn’t imagine just getting on a ship from the US or UK and heading to uncharted places that may or may not exist and may or may not welcome you, where you may or may not get sick and die..all without the modern amenities we enjoy today. Anyway, it also happened to be a beautiful spot, even on this stark, cold winter day and I ended up spending more time here than I planned. It really gave some perspective of the hardship and effort these people went through to get over here. Whatever their reasons and motivations, they still made sacrifices and in turn left a mark on this city that can still be felt by visitors today, who take the time to seek it out.

I will have to leave the rest for another visit. The casinos look amazing and this place is the Las Vegas of Asia and quickly overtaking it as the gambling capital of the world. I elected to see the other-side of the city this visit, but wouldn’t mind coming back and hitting the slot machines and Baccarat tables…maybe seeing the Macau Grand Prix or taking in a race at either the horse or dog-track. There are plenty of characters in this town and it just oozes shady goings on and back alley deals. You can almost feel the “sister industries” as they are called just pulsating right under the surface as they have since the Portuguese turned this remote Chinese outpost into a thriving island town and shipping port. All in all this was another great choice for a weekend getaway and definitely a place I would recommend to other visitors to this part of the world.

Now I must get back to Hong Kong and work. I will keep you posted on my next move…until then take care of yourself and stay in touch. Brandy