Macau, Hong Kong Experience
May 20, 2007What originally was planned as a travel to seek for opportunities in Macau turned out to be one of the ultimate vacation tours I’ve had. The intention my friend and I had in mind when we booked a ticket last February was to see for ourselves if Macau is a good place to work with if there’s any opportunities for us there. His dad is working in Macau and at the same time maintains a flat in Hong Kong as he also holds a residence card there, reason why I didn’t take a second thought for this tour, being cheapskate and all. Several weeks after Harold and I bought the tickets, the rest of his family decided to go to Macau as well. As time passed, since we booked it 3 months in advance, the excitement for job hunt in Macau waned. I didn’t realize that this plan had turned out to be a vacation for Harold and his family until we were at the airport going to Macau with his mom and 2 siblings anticipating to meet their dad - I almost wanted to back out, but hey, I was also with his grandparents when we went to Roxas, Iloilo and Boracay more than a year ago, so going with his family on vacation wasn’t something new. Sure is a great thing to have a best bud who trust you with his family!
I thought it would’ve been much exciting if I was with some few other friends, but being with my friend and his family was more than enough since they made me feel welcome and part of their family. I was at the convenience of being taken cared of by a foster family during that holiday tour. My friend's dad is well versed both in Macau and Hong Kong, reason why during our visit, he made sure we were able to maximize our stay and went to sought-out places in Macau and HK. It was a blast! I’ve never been to so much overwhelming places in a week’s time until this vacation.
Macau: The city was quite small but it’s a tidy urbanised place. We went to the Fisherman’s wharf and ruins of Saint Paul. The ruins of St. Paul have been burnt by fire sometime ago except the façade which have withstood the test of fire and time. The government has done a great deal by leaving it as it is and for making it a tourist destination instead of restoring it that would’ve only categorize it as plain church. Casinos and hotels are everywhere with prancing lights all over! It was a nifty tour. What’s fascinating about Macau is its blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. Every Chinese signage has Portuguese translations. The architectural design of establishments has Portuguese influences. The weather was cooler than ours considering that we went there on a summer. Harold and I had a few urban adventures too roaming some parts of the city without knowing where to go. We’ve discovered a place that sells macau specialty (food) which is nothing near the Chinese taste. During our last night, I went with my friend’s parents to the casino – crown plaza’s 6-star hotel was newly opened! Well, I lost a few HK$ bucks (HK$ are circulated in Macau and it is advised to use the currency in the city if you’re planning to visit HK as well), but it was fun! The casino is not even close to what we have here.
HongKong (Big Buddha): Taking a ferry boat from Macau to HK will only take you around an hour travel time and will roughly cost HK$150 one-way. The terminals in both cities were much cleaner than our very own NAIA, and it’s not even an airport! Upon arrival in HK, we went directly to the MTR – a subway rail system conveniently linking the city (Kowloon, Hongkong island and the new territory) to other transportation systems and stations –airport, KCR (another railway system), bus stands, and of course the ferry station where we arrived. The subway is a convenient and efficient way to go around the city – however, complicated it might seem as a first timer. The MTR took us to the Sky Rail station (Sky Rail costs around HK$50 one-way) a cable car mode of transpo that have taken us to the Big Buddha. I think Big Buddha is a destination for the Chinese pilgrims. According to harold’s dad some Chinese walk along a pathway on the way to Big Buddha which we could see from above that trails the cable car line. And it was a whopping 30minute ride passing several mountains! Pinching Harold to take his attention to something down below, he suddenly exclaimed, ‘O, bat nanlalamig ka?!’ Although acting coolly, my hands weren’t cooperating to show my fear of height with sweat and cold.
Have to go for now. Up ahead: Disney, Ocean Park, Peak Tower, Symphony of lights experience.
*This isn't in relation to the travel, but last night I was able to finish reading the entire book in one sitting of mitch albom's for one more day and I had made a lot of realizations from the book. hmmm
Previous Comments
nice cam! 
is that you in striped blue/white shirt? that pic is much younger than your MBL pic which is unrecognizable at all, except that it looks aged. 
@wits: yep, i wanna visit the place again as well. i think there’s still a lot of must-see to discover in HK. will post other pics soon…
@c5: haha most people actually find me older than my age. yep that’s me in blue strips polo shirt. it’s probably my habits - smoke, stress, anxiety plus the balding head that added 8 years to my age. ouch! reality bites. i dont know why it’s receding at this age and having been able to commune in the middle east last year further escalated it.
you sure had a lot of fun there even if it just turned into a vacation from what the supposedly job hunt!
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Hi, I got interested in your Budda trip. I was wondering if my kids (7 and 3 yr olds) will appreciate or get frightened the skyrail trip.
Posted by irmee at June 7, 2009, 1:05 amhi irmee! sorry i seldom visit my blog for the past year. anyway, going to the tian tan buddha is really good. i think it’s one of the best places i visited in HK. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian_Tan_Buddha
anyway, if your kids enjoy rides, probably they will like it. you can test if they could endure the 30minute skyrail ride when you go to ocean park. the cable car there is a bit shorter in ocean park. and if they can survive it there, then probably they will love the skyrail. i for one was really nervous. im not the type who is scared of extreme rides, but with this one, i had sweaty palms. skyrail is really long, you’ll have to traverse several mountains before you reach the park. but if you want to go to the park without taking the skyrail, there are buses going to the place. you probably take the skyrail going there, and then take a bus on your back.
but skyrail really is something to enjoy. once you’ll get used to it, one way or another you have to enjoy it coz 30mins is really long being nervous, you will love the scenery.
Posted by larrybored at June 11, 2009, 12:07 amonce you’ll get used to it, one way or another you have to enjoy it coz 30mins is really long being nervous, you will love the scenery.
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The cable car there is a bit shorter in ocean park. and if they can survive it there, then probably they will love the sky rail. i for one was really nervous. i m not the type who is scared of extreme rides
But with this one, i had sweaty palms. sky rail is really long, you’ll have to traverse….
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Posted by suen at July 19, 2010, 7:43 pm
great pictures larry! the next time i vist HK, i’ll go to the big buddha as well.
looking forward to your blog on disney and ocean park.
Posted by wits at May 22, 2007, 10:24 am