We caught the 08:15 ferry from the Macao ferry terminal the next day. Another 5 capsules of the super nutrient and my knee was much better. I could walk better without any strain.
It took us about an hour to reach Macao and we followed Ani’s ( my niece) instructions to take a cab to Largo Senado ( Portuguese Square ). We were not able to tell the taxi driver the Cantonese equivalent and he got very cross with us. He finally dropped us off at St Paul’s ruins, the iconic symbol of Macao.
There were many tourists there posing for photographs. We walked downhill along the cobbled streets stopping to ask a policeman where Largo Senado was. His partner was able to figure out where we wanted to go and following his directions, we finally made it to Largo Senado.
It is a square with shops, a fountain, and of course people. There was a McDonald’s too!
We then hopped into another taxi which took us to Macao Tower. We purchased a package which allowed us to go up to the 61st floor where the observation deck is and to enjoy a buffet lunch at the revolving restaurant called 360 on the 58th floor.
We hit the observation deck first and the views of Macao were terrific. All the walls were of glass so you can see clearly. There were people bungy-jumping from the floor above.
They were mostly young people, more girls than boys. They had to wear a special suit and harness before they could jump off. Can you imagine yourself leaping off the 61st floor into empty air???? That takes nerves of steel and courage.
I couldn't get a clear shot of the girl who was ready to jump as there were obstacles in the way.
We had to descend from the observation deck and then proceed to another lift which would take us to the revolving restaurant 360 for our buffet lunch.
Our table had been reserved for us. The amazing spread of food was so tempting that I gave in and selected what I wanted to eat. Eat today and diet tomorrow. That’s what I believe in when traveling! However the amount of walking that we were doing would certainly burn off a lot of calories, so without feeling the least bit guilty, I tucked in happily, going for seconds as well.
There was Indian and Japanese cuisine, Asian and Western too. The desserts were scrumptious and the salads were so many that it was hard to decide which to go for. Ther were only two types of soup, one clear and one creamy. I skipped both.
After leaving the Tower, we took another taxi to the Venetian, a much-touted casino. We had to cross a landmark bridge to go to the casino.
There is still a lot of development going on in Macao. The Venetian is an imposing building with a moat. Guess it’s living up to Venice, city of canals.
The lobby is very grand and there were loads of tourists making a beeline for the casino. No photography was allowed in the casino
We wandered in and looked at the tables where different games were being played. None of them made any sense to me as I’m not into card games. I gave the slot machines a shot but came out poorer!!
Then we went to another part of the Venetian where the walkways resembled those in Venice. There was a canal with a gondola. One can actually purchase a ticket for the gondola ride and be serenaded as well.
There is also a replica of St Mark’s Square.
Then there is the food court where you can buy your lunch or dinner or snacks.
There was also a kiosk selling the famous Macao biscuits and cookies. Most of the shops in the Venetian are designer labels which are beyond the means of those who are on a shoe-string budget. The window dressing is very attractive.
The sky is an artificial one but it looks very real, with the darkening of the sky as it gets later in the evening.
It was a good day, visiting all these places in Macao. There is more to see but a day trip has its limitations. Maybe the next time……
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