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There are two sides to Macau and even though it was just a day trip, I felt I had to show both of them to my special guests.
My brother James and sister Joanna were in town and I felt their visit would not be complete without letting them experience the old and new Macau.
Besides, there is also that Portuguese element which draws me to that place. I am sure they feel the same way, too. At least I hope they do. Three Seranis finding out a bit more of their heritage, so to speak.
However my timing was awful. It was a Saturday and it was the weekend for theMacau Grand Prix. That means a bigger than usual holiday crowd and a crazier traffic situation as some roads would be closed.
Oh yes, the weather was not ideal too, so the ferry ride would not be smooth sailing. In fact, we had a taste of that the minute we stepped on board. If we had sea faring ancestors, we did not inherit their sea legs.
There was a huge crowd at the Macau Immigration and to our pleasant surprise, the clearance was smooth and fast. Just as good as their Hong Kong counterparts who got us through in less than 10 minutes and we got on board with less than a minute to spare.
“You will miss this when you return to Malaysia – the efficiency,” said my sister.
We had a taste of the old in the ferry terminal itself. There was a post office, selling stamps depicting life in Macau over the years, right from the arrival of the Jesuits to the handing over of the colony back to China.
The roar of modern life was unmistakeable the minute we stepped out of the terminal. Right across the road was a spectators stand specially erected for theMacau Grand Prix.
Our first stop was The Venetian, the hotel and casino resort. We had to walk a little further to get to their shuttle buses because of the GP. I did not mind. Saved us the trouble of queuing up for taxis. And more important, their shuttle buses are free.
Nothing depicts the modern day Macau more than its casinos. No visit would be complete without a visit to one. You are spoilt for choice here.
If you are not into gambling, then be dazzled by the impressive theme designs of these resorts, the shopping, the entertainment, and of course, the food.
There are so many casinos in Macau but I chose the Venetian because I thought my brother and sister would love to experience the mini Venice, gondolas and all, recreated within the resort. Also because the Venetian is the only casino I am familiar with. I must try to visit two or three more before my Hong Kong working stint ends.
Now for the old. Or the not so old as it has been in existence for only 22 years. What better place to visit than the birthplace of Macau’s famous Portuguese egg tarts.
It is only a short taxi ride from the Venetian to Coloane where Lord Stow’s original bakery is located. Lord Stow is not actually a royalty. He is not even from Macau.
Andrew Stow came to Macau in 1979 as an industrial pharmacist. He was given the title by the local Portuguese in the 1980s because he was the only well known Englishman in Macau then. Stow opened his bakery in this small village of Coloane in 1989 where he created his famous recipe.
His egg tart is Portuguese in style but his filling is English-inspired. How about that? Now you can get his egg tarts in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Taiwan.
After buying the egg tarts at 8 MOP each (HK$8), we adjourned to the nearby Lord Stow’s Garden Café. It is a small dining place which serves typical English food. I had hot potato with bacon, mushrooms and salad. My brother, who spent many years in England, had Thai curry chicken rice.
We took a bus to Senado plaza where you can find some old classic buildings as you make your way along the stone mosaic pedestrian pavement.
This is a Unesco World Heritage Site, recognized for the buildings here which represent the earliest and longest lasting encounter between the east and the west.
There are 25 sites listed in this Unesco Heritage place but we managed to visit only one building because we did not have enough time.
We (a devout and two lapse Catholics) are of course drawn to the St Dominic Church which was built in 1587 by three Dominican priests. Renovated at a cost of HK$11 million, it was restored to its former glory and reopened to the public in 1997.
As usual, I am held spellbound by the old charm of classic buildings and the attention given to details by these old artists and architects. I am also attracted to old churchs beause of my Catholic upbringing.
The way to the ruins of St Paul was jam packed with people. It was like a pilgrimage by pagan tourists. Ha! Ha! I couldn’t resist that.
Along the way is the site where a famous Korean drama was shot. A very romantic scene, I am told. I can’t remember the name of the series. That would explain the young ladies but what about the large numbers of Chinese mainlanders?
We could hear the sound of a lion dance performance from down the hill. A big crowd of tourists had gathered to watch them perform. What a nice sight! A meeting of cultures.
Getting to the ferry was a problem. There was no way we could get a taxi. The GP had also prevented buses from going directly to the terminal. We managed to catch a bus to a site called the forum and there switched to another bus.
The second bus ride was free.
How about that? Macau hospitality. I must return here soon.