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.
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
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