Macau: Impromptu unplanned trip...28th January 2013

I was working one day when my colleague just strike off a conversation saying that Tiger Airways is having a kinda cheap fare going on; So I replied, where you planning to fly to then?

He said: Macau, its winter season there during the early part of the year... and it will be nice to hang around in that cool weather.

I replied: BO JIO...!!!!!!

He countered back 'aggressively', saying that he is going alone, backpacking and challenged me, ' you can go or not? if can then book flight la, you can share room with me one... I ok one...'.

You sure? I replied. He said yes.!! After getting the flight details, I book my flight to Macau that very evening.
He was shocked, you really booked already? I said YES..!!!! (Can see the 'Oh shit' expression on his chubby face). hahaha.!!! Anyway I'm going for 3D2N and him 5D4N, so he can have his freedom after I left.

Months has passed, and lotsa overtime was done; it is 28th Jan 2013 and we have decided to meet at Bukit Batok to take the last train to Changi Airport and 'ton' overnight at the airport as the flight is around 6am.

Macau we are coming..!!!! This is the first time I've been to Macau and the feeling was exceptional as it has been quite some time since I last flew. The flight is approximately 3 hours, and the plane is quite empty, so we have the luxury to push up the seats armrest and lie flat across 3 seats to sleep..!!! Great.!!

At Macau International Airport, Sun blazing but weather is cooling. 18 degs C

HL happily walking out with his backpack...

Woah, He really knows the place very well, taking free maps from airport and walking out to the cooling streets towards the different hotels shuttle bus services provided around the Airport area. Macau is a very tourist place, with tourist mostly coming over from Mainland China and Hong Kong. A vibrant city with majestic hotels like  Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Venetian Macau etc. around and have been very famous for their Casinos.

Exit Airport and turn right and walk all the way, Hotel free shuttle buses available.

The place is generally divided into 2, linked by 3 causeways. The airport is situated at Taipa (which is the more developed part of Macau, with new hotels and Casinos) and our hotel (MetroPark) is in Macau itself, across the sea (linked by causeway). 

HL at the entrance of the Casino

The Majestic Hotels..!!! Awesome weather..:)

We walked around the streets trying different food and visiting Casinos (first time going to Casino), walking and walking and walking. I've noticed that Macau ladies is quite beautiful and can be considered dessert to my eyes. *grins 

Birdnest Eggtart (damn delicious)

Pork Chop Wanton Mee

Expenses in Macau is generally not cheap, as a plate of noodles like this will cost around 30hkd, and a normal meal on the street cost about $8sgd. Most of the food are prepared and cooked with lard (Pork Oil) which also gives the reason why they are delicious and yummy. I just couldn't stop eating. Hahaha

After a few hours of walking and eating and Casino visit, we took a free hotel bus to cross over to Macau, a hotel that is near to our 'budget hotel'. Hon Long really knows his way there, never follow wrong person... 

The streets behind our hotel in Macau

Every hotel has a Casino

Generally, Macau is relatively small and was once administered by Portugal as we still sees Portuguese street names as well as Portuguese commentaries on public buses.

So after checking in, we get changed and set out to walk the street of Macau, visiting the Big Lotus Place and the fake Colosseum at Fisherman Wharfs, a place where they have discos and shopping malls.

Big Lotus

On the Pathway of the Colosseum

The Colosseum..!! (maciam maciam)

Not forgetting that the best thing to do in these cold weather is to eat.!! Eat steamboat.!! We hunted a few places and has finally decided to come to this restaurant for Steamboat, the servings is large as we happily chatted and cooked and ate and drank our way till my stomachs are maximised. Satisfaction...

Left the 3 flowerpot of Vegetable that we can't finish... Surrender...

After dinner we walk the night street, digesting and enjoying the lighted scenery, with different neon lights and busy roads which added to the vibrancy of the place... Macau is a heaven for the rich, its a playground for both men and women, having Casinos, Shopping Centres, Massage Parlours (all kinds), Discos, Stripclubs and Nightclubs as well. Its can be a place where a person sees different things and understanding foreign culture and trades, but is also a place where a person can sinks and really gets into troubles. Depending on strong a person you are.:)

Maserati everywhere

Cross junctions, typical sights in Macau

The famous Grand Lisboa

Electricity is cheap I suppose.. hahaha

We decided to strayed on the streets for supper, buying some food and just stand by the 'air conditioned' city and enjoy our food. Language spoken here are mainly Cantonese and some speaks Mandarin, I did not speak a single sentence of English for the whole 3D2N trip! Niase... Even Vietnamese working here speaks fluent cantonese and mandarin that I did not even thought the weren't local in the first place.

I Have 2 plates.!!! hahaha

Kei Mai Gai Bin Sek Yea.. Ho Yau Feeling wor.. hahaha

Chee Cheong Fun & Siew Mai

2nd Day: Took public transport back to Taipa for Breakfast.!! Feeling fresh after a good night sleep, we made our way down for another day of 'eathappy'...!! Breakfast was Crab porridge, Broccoli with Scallops and fish with chinese tea, its so 'WOAH' and tasty that I felt that I just couldn't stop eating.

Morning crowded bus

Crab porridge

The shop name

Steam fish with black bean sauce being chopped up.

After breakfast was visit to Macau Venetians, it is actually a shopping centre but is designed and built almost exactly the same as the real Venetian. Photography is not allowed in Casino and we did saw a tourist got stop by the staff and was asked to delete the photos that he had taken, but of course there are certain angles that we can still creep up a few snapshots.

The Macau Venetians

HL is suppose to take me, but he added in the lady in as well.. Good Job

He is singing..!!!

Sneak shot of Casino

Evening time we went to visit the Ruin's of St Paul facade, which is a Cathedral built in AD1602. It was also jokingly claimed that 'Ne Za' burns the cathedral down, because it was built in front of 'Ne Za' temple. hahaha. the place is at the busy night shopping street area where it couldn't be missed.

Street directions

'Dai Sam Ba Pai Fong' (Ruins of St Paul's)

Crowded and vibrant night streets

Ruins of St Paul's

3rd Day: I wanna do something different, something that I have never done before, which is to go for morning run overseas.!!

Waking up at 0730hrs, I put on my running attire with addition of windbreaker, $500hkd and a Macau map that I've gotten from the airport, Iphone armband, I set off... HL still happily snoring away, while I left the room for my mini expedition.

I've briefly went thru the map, and set down checkpoints like road junctions and street that I have to hit to navigate round and back to hotel. I ran, streets after streets, under the cool 18degs C morning sun where I stumble upon an overhead road sign (around 7km from my hotel) indicating the road ahead, I'm only able to read 1 of the 2 chinese word on the sign; haha so it was 50-50; decided not to risk, I took out my map to see, Ahead is custom borders to Guangdone province! Goodness, I need to u-turn now and slowly navigate back to hotel.. Adventurous yet feeling abit lost, I tried to find my way along the stranger street that I had never been my whole life, scouting and looking out for familiar buildings that i've seen for the past few days of travel. I saw..!! Grand Lisboa..!! Heading toward its direction, I finally reached back my hotel.!! Interesting 12km morning run.

Getting ready for cold morning run

My route around half of Macau

HL is awake.!!! My favourite time of the day again... Breakfast..!!! We went to have Sharkfin noodles, Roastmeat with Roast Goose and Vegetable with sausages. Sumptuous..!! 

Restaurant

Favorite Roast Meat with Roast Goose

Sharkfin noodles

After Breakfast, we visited the Goddess of Mercy place, a quiet place where we sat and enjoy the late morning sun in the cool weather before making my way to airport for departure back to Singapore... 

I wanna extend...!!! if is not for the meeting I need to attend the next day... Most likely I will stay for 2 more days.. hahaha

The Goddess of Mercy

F1 Race track behind me

I've enjoyed this trip a lot and really thanks to HL for bringing me around the place, making the trip so fulfiling, especially the eating part. keke

I'm definitely going back..!!

For more pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151208165326770.441636.634286769&type=3

Solo Backpacking To Phnom Penh

Once again I have made another decision to travel to a place which I've longed wanted to go but yet not adventurous to do so.. I was googling through the web and also Tiger Airways where I discovered the airfares and accommodation are very affordable; I am going to Cambodia.!

Just some background knowledge to be read up and educated myself before travelling to Phnom Penh (Capital city of The Kingdom of Cambodia), to make this trip meaningful and educational.

On 23rd of February 2013, I had my backpack once again on my back and set off for a 3 day 2 night solitude tour to a 'faraway' land named Cambodia (where not much Singaporean actually talks about as compared to its neighbouring countries for popularity). Items checked, Headphones on, Backpack, Sling Pouch and Favorite shoes on.!! Off I go..

Items Check and setting off...

When I first landed in Phnom Penh airport, I made my way to have my first meal in the foreign land..!! Which I do not actually have very good impression on, not because of the food but because of the hospitality of the staff at the restaurant. My meal cost a total of about $5usd, and I paid the lady at the cashier a $50usd where she got so frustrated and started shouting at her colleague (a guy) and throwing a few pieces of $10usd on the counter. I do not understand a single word she said but from the body language that she portrayed, I supposed that she is complaining and saying that with a $5usd meal, why should I give her a $50usd where she doesn't has small change! First impression is very important, I started to wonder, do all Cambodian behaves this way or just this crazy woman is hysterical. How am I gonna live the next 3 days if  customer service here is like this. (Fortunately, after this encounter, the remaining customer service I received is better then Singapore). *Smile 

Pho 24 (Vietnamese food actually)

Meal over and my first ever historical destination in Cambodia is The Choeung Ek Genocide Center (aka The Killing Field).

As usual, tourist always attract lots of attention from local taxis and tuk tuks and yes.!! I took a tuk tuk and tried to communicate with him to bring me to "The Killing Field" (what a place to be 'sent' to when I just arrive in a foreign land nicknamed 'The Pearl of Asia').

I will say that Phnom Penh traffic is very messy and vehicles are left hand drive, so as I was in the tuk tuk making my way to the site, I really had a few heart attacks; seeing heavy vehicles coming head on towards me as well as cars squeezing pass us as my tuktuk rides really slow... Its not cool. Roads are very sandy as flying sand particles and dust were flying everywhere with locals wearing dust mask.

TukTuk ride in a messy road

Approaching the Genocide Center, I starts to visualise and feels what has happen here just a few decades ago, and what I just about to experience and see are real sites where these massive killings has took place.

A brief description of what has happen during the Khmer Rouge period (during the Communist Years).

A visit to Cambodia's history, Where the Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot - the leader) rules over Cambodia from 17 Apr 1975 to 1979, a massive Genocide happens after which; where 3 million out of 8 million Cambodians killing Cambodians happens. The country name was changed to Democratic Kampuchea and Year was put to Zero. Anyone that was believed or suspected to be traitor were captured and interrogated. Skilled workers as well as professionals were removed. In 1979, Pro-Vietnamese communist invaded and took over. Pol Pot died in 1998, without being put on trial.

Skulls of the victims what were brutally killed

A tree where children are flung against till dead before throwing into the mass graves.

As I walked from point to point listening to a pre-recorded narration device, I feels and felt my heart sunken and starts to wonder why would someone actually wants to do all these; was it for Power? Wealth? Psycho-minded? I continue to walk, witnessing mass graves, fragments of bones and left overs of the past victims and the how they were killed. Some fragments and teeth are still left on the ground, the soil that I am walking and stepping on.

Reflections of Life rings again....

Pre-recorded Narration device

Stupor with Multi Tiers to hold the Bones remains of Victims

As I made my way out, I need to check-in to my guestroom to settle my stuffs, hiring back the same tuk tuk which waited for me, we tried to navigate our way to Sisowath Quay where my guestroom is situated. It cost me $10usd in total for this chartered ride from airport to site to guestroom.

Sinh Foo Guesthouse

During this period of stay, I've visited a few attractions of Phnom Penh; places like The Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh Night market, the street markets, shopping areas, the night life (which wasn't really happening) as well as a few local dishes at the restaurants.

The Royal Palace

Next Heartfelt place where I had so much going on in my mind and stirring feelings are Toul Sleng Museum

Chao Ponhea Yat High School - Four months after the Khmer Rouge won the Cambodia Civil War, this school was converted into a prison and interrogation center. The Khmer Rouge renamed the complex "Security Prison 21" (S-21) and construction began to adapt the prison to the inmates: the buildings were enclosed in electrified barbed wire, the classrooms converted into tiny prison and torture chambers, and all windows were covered with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escapes.

From 1975 to 1979, an estimated 17,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng (some estimates suggest a number as high as 20,000, although the real number is unknown). At any one time, the prison held between 1,000–1,500 prisoners. They were repeatedly tortured and coerced into naming family members and close associates, who were in turn arrested, tortured and killed. 

Today, the museum is open to the public, and along with the Choeung Ek Memorial (The Killing Fields), is included as a point of interest for those visiting Cambodia. Tuol Sleng also remains an important educational site as well as memorial for Cambodians.

Classrooms were converted into interrogation cells

Prisoners were left to die on the bed after being tortured badly

Buildings are Barbed wired

As I walked from buildings to buildings in the 'school' that was once used to tortured human, live humans with blood splashing and spilling everywhere, looking at the dried blood stains on the tiled floor of the interrogation cells; humans can really be cruel, numbed or 'dead heart' if their mind allows them to do so. I felt something is always at my throat constantly, it was a mixed feelings of; am I disgusted at the sight of these happenings or am I grieving over what has once happens here. I felt that I couldn't really speak much fluently when I'm here.

Contrary, life can be fragile yet strong in places like these...

Next was to the culture and livelihood of lower incomes local, living in slum areas where sanitary, utilities support is really bad (how fortunate are we as Singaporean). Locals staying in these area earn approximately $50usd to $70usd a month, living off a budget of $1-2usd a day which is about 4000-8000Riel.

Local street food here cost much cheaper at about 3000Riel a meal, but I'm not quite adventurous towards food and decided to give it a miss.

Slum living

Street markets

Living conditions

A short trip, in a foreign land that was totally different from the place I came from, experiencing and witnessing what has once happens and livelihood of others. From traffic, to culture, to food, to language..

I've decided to have some wine and a slow dinner in one of the popular and ambience restaurant named Titanic, laying back and absorbing the events that I had walked through.

Ambience of Titanic Restaurant

Bad moon rising?? haha

I've really enjoyed this trip, meaningful yet memorable... Having the feeling that I have left something behind when I'm departing. Kinda sentimental feelings or attachment I guess..

Next upcoming destination; Siem Reap (Cambodia) where Angkor Wat is located.

More pictures are at my Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151269580586770.445245.634286769&type=3