Ang Bahay ni Kumareng Grace

Some said it can be done in a day.

I’m afraid I would have to disagree: It is simply not possible to tour and enjoy Macau in a day!

We were in Macau for a day and a half…and it still wasn’t enough! I felt like Speedy Gonzalez set loose in Macau.

But that does not go to say that I did not enjoy and appreciate Macau. In fact, I liked it so much that I wish to go back!

The first thing I noticed [and loved] about Macau is that is a classic example of East meets West. Imagine, the bright neon lights show Chinese characters, but most of the architecture is so European!

Despite Macau being a booming place, its architecture [and a bit of its culture, I'm guessing] has European roots, with it being a Portuguese colony in the past. This is evident in some structures showing a bit of European design, which was a relief to the eyes when all you see are glass, lights, and tall buildings!

Even their casinos and hotels show contrast in design! Compare the modern design of the Grand Lisboa [left] with the classic, European design of the hotel beside Wynn Macau [sorry, I wasn't able to get the name of the hotel]. Beautiful ano?

Aside from ogling at the architecture masterpieces in Macau, which, I have to say, there were a lot, we went around the more popular spots that Macau had to offer.

Known to be the Las Vegas of Asia, Macau boasts of many casinos! The colorful casinos and lights of Macau give life to the place during nights! The bright lights were so dazzling. And for the first time in my life, I entered and played in a casino [this is such surprise, since I've been working close to the Casino Filipino in Paranaque for 6 years]. It was such a fun experience! We were like preschool kids learning something for the first time. And surprises of surprises, I, the queen of “unluckiness” when it comes to chances, won HK$20! Yahoo!

Now, here’s something the men will love: The Macau Grand Prix Museum [entrance is free]

Different Grand Prix cars [and motorcycles] are displayed here, from some of the oldest to the newest models. There was a also an area for simulation games where you can “race” and feel how it is on the fast lane!

Something we Filipinos can be proud of: A special area dedicated to Dodjie Laurel, a Filipino racer who held a special place in the museum, and the history, of the Macau Grand Prix. He was a two-time consecutive Macau Grand Prix winner. On his third year and attempt, he used a different car from the one displayed here [which he has used the previous two years, in which he won]. Unfortunately, the car malfunctioned and Laurel died in a crash during the race.

We weren’t able to get close to the Macau tower, but we saw it nonetheless. We saw someone bunjee jumping [and I thought of Mordsith]. Next time, promise, we’ll be climbing the tower!

The oh so lovely Venetian Hotel! It was like being in Venice, really! St. Mark’s square looked so real; even the sky seemed real. For a moment, I wondered if I were back in Venice! There were real gondolas and gondoliers singing to the people! It felt like Europe in Macau! Outside, there was also a replica of the Rialto Bridge [upper right picture; compare it with the original here], which is a famous bridge along the canals of Venice!

And what would be a trip to Macau without a visit to the Ruins of St. Paul? This landmark is one of the most popular in Macau and one that depicts the history of the place.

The center of Macau: Senado Square. This is the portal to almost everywhere! There was a street here where rows and rows of food stores ["pasalubong stores!"] give free food, for tasting, to people. Pwede ka na mag-merienda at mabusog sa sobrang dami ng freebies! Promise, when you are in Macau and are hungry, just go to Senado Square and follow the street that leads to the St. Paul Ruins. At the end of your “trek”, busog ka na!

There are so many places to discover in Macau! Di talaga kasya ang one whole day! For example, for me, it would take a day just to go around Senado Square and the small “eskinitas” around it! I was so bitin going around Senado Square!

Bottom line:  Give Macau at least 2 days! But hey, that’s just me!

And yes, as some of you have suggested, the egg tarts were heavenly! Such a pity that I weren’t able to bring home some! Big mistake!

At least, there are so many reasons to go back!

*****

Here are some helpful sites for a fun and hassle-free Macau trip:

Sites and attractions

Ola Macau Guide

Where to go in Macau

Lonely Planet: Macau

Macau travel information

Accommodations

Macau hotels at Asiatravel

[Asiatravel is my favorite search engine for hotels (Hostelworld for hostels, bed and baths, and backpacker accommodations) because it provides a list of hotels along with their prices, as well as by location, so comparison is easy!]

Macau.com

Getting from Hong Kong to Macau [and vice versa]

Turbojet

Tags: Macau, Travel

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 3:40 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.