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Monday : sunny
Beginning to get use to these early mornings. We gave ourselves as much sleep as possible and skipped breakfast, checked out and made our way to Tsuen Wan station that's our closest station. We found out why Hong Kong runs trains every 5min this morning. In peak hour they need it. Walking through the station was like leaving the SCG after a match has been played. There we were shuffling along with our packs looking like a couple turtles. We only had to wait one train to fill up and leave before packing into the next one, we were like sardines then. It felt like a mosh pitt the way the people would surge from side to side. The train would move off and then brake and people beside me would keep me up, except there was no music playing.
It was easy getting to the Macau ferry terminal, unlike walking to get the tickets. The train station went straight there we just followed the sings up the escalators right to check in.
Even check in was quick and easy. No lines we even got seats in the waiting area. We boarded and away the turbojet. Smooth ride too, Kim and I were getting a bit peckish by this stage.
The boat trip from Hong Kong to Macau took just over an hour. The best thing was when we arrived at Macau, there were no taxi's hounding you from a lift. The casino's here run shuttle buses from the ferry, airport, and boarder. They even run shuttle buses between to each other. We went to the MGN casio, pretty flash look pretty new too. They even stored our bags. They had a great entry and courtyard. We went for a walk through and had a play on a couple machines. I really didn't know what I was doing, it's not really my thing. I probably would of had a go on a table, but I still wouldn't of known what to do. Ah well it was nice to walk around they had anything flash shopping center full of ritzy stores. We had lunch at deli. Before leaving and hitting the road.
They seemed to if spent a lot of money here all the streets pathways and shops look new, the footpaths were cobble stone. We read that Macau has superseded Vagas in spendings. I guess they don't call in the Vagas of the east. There are some crazy looking casino's to, one was completely gold colored glass, that looked like a flower opening we went in for a sticky beak It was called grand lisboa casino. Older than MGM but much busier. There was a theme park with a casino and it looked like Greece, China, Rome and had a volcano, we didn't go in but it was free!
After we left the casino area it just got strange, if you were to take all the Asian people away you would think you were in Portugal. The streets were cobble stone and narrow, they were hilly and twisty so the scooters were back in use. Even all the street names were Portuguese. The Shop writing was in portuguese and Cantonese. Even heard a few Chinese speaking Portuguese. So weird. There are little green rails to stop people straying onto the road. The street lights had changed, they looked like country town ones back home. They had euro style squares with fountains and steps in them. It was really interesting.
We walked to Mandarin house, it was and still is the largest residence in Macau, for houses that. It was built in the 1800's, it has 60 rooms, and is lined with calved timber and archways. An author lived there, and his books had influenced many emperors and has shaped a nation. It was a big place luckily there were some nice gardens and places to take a load off.
We got back out onto the street and tried to find which way to go on our map, the map was pretty lousy. Eventually we found the right streets to be on, and we got to where we wanted to be. We passed through a pedestrian only, cobbled shop street that was absolutely crammed full off people. Still was pretty cool to see. The street lead to saint Paul's church well the ruins, it was destroyed by a fire, and the only thing that remains is the front facade and foundations which are viewed through glass off a makeshift platform. It looked ghostly when we looked up a it from the bottom of the hill. You can see through the windows and see nothing but blue sky It's just one wall.
We decided to head back to MGM to collect out bags and get the free shuttle bus to the Chinese boarder. We booked our hotel not realizing that it was in China not Macau. So that's three boarder crossing on one day for us.
At MGM had a brief char to a Vietnamese fella while our bags were being brought I us. Short wait for the is the run every 20min. Hate to be a taxi in this town you can get a free ride everywhere from the casino's.
At the boarder, we just followed the masses, until we saw signs directing us.It was easy getting out of Macau. Getting in to China was just a long long wait in the lines, and of corse we had to pick the slow one. Got talking to a family that use to live on Sydney, now live in Hong Kong. They had a little boy maybe 10, he was funny. He said there are three problems with China 1) electricity 2) hygiene 3) the system. Funny kid he's right there. We got a change of shift, and started to move like the rest of the lines and straight in. We couldn't change line because we were being herded through like live stock, we had fences on both sides and people front and back.
We grabbed a taxi an took us to out hotel this town looked like another version of Macau. There seemed to be novelty buildings here to. I definitely saw big ben.
We arrived at the hotel after a short trip. And what an grand entrance they had lights, fountains, gold signs, and doors. 5 star accommodation at a fraction on the cost in Macau.
The rooms were massive too could push the bed aside and kick a footy round. We got clean up and went to the hotel pub for a drink.
They hotel had three bars and a night club, and it came with breaky and had wifi. Finally a hotel outside Vietnam that was fair.
We hit the hay about midnight after some beers and peanuts at the bar. On the move again tomorrow deeper into China.
- comments
Cathy Glad to see budda is still smiling! So Many places to see.