The killer hike is over�tried to find the Tung Chung fort, but did see a modern (1972) monastary. Not a big whoop. But walking around in rural areas is a change of pace, compared to the urban jungle that is interconnected by a river called the MTR. At the Tung Chung station, there�s a small mall, apartments, postoffice and a Haggen Daz!
Ice cream was a welcome treat after the killer hike.
Po Lin Monastery
You meet people in the strangest places�
A few notes. I took the MTR here to capitalize on my unlimited 3 day MTR pass. MTR from Causeway Bay to Tung Chung. One change of train and a 7 minute walk to transfer. The MTR stations are huge. Then you take the #23 basi from Tung Chung for a 40 minute long roundabout way through villages and such before you get to the temple. But that�s prologue.
I get asked to take a photo�that�s par for the course. Turns out this person is an engineer from Daly City out here on her own on holiday too! Her first time in HKG and like me, also new to the HKG wilderness. So now I�ve got someone to hang out with. Cool.
She had both a digicam and a APS camera to take a snap of moi. Also a copy of the Ya Ya Sisterhood in her purse. They were showing this on the plane ad nauseaum�geez.
Wake up
Sleep? What’s that?
Didn’t sleep well last night, but not tired either this morn. So since I’m up ANYWAY, I think checking out the Big Buddha today would be good. It’ll take a while to get there so leaving early is a good idea. Besides Wor Lau Bau for breakfast sounds really good now.
Late Arrival on da boat
Just got back from Macau.
HKG maintains a 24 hour frontier with the rest of the world compared to China which closes its border at 0000. I was told that this is for the gamers who play in Macau but need to get back home.
The Turbocat runs every 30 minutes from 2200 to 0600. Wow. That’s better than late night MUNI. And oodles of taxis waiting for the passengers that get off the boat because public transport shuts down at 0100. How convenient!
The Lisboa’s “other” attractions (besides gaming)
Ana told me that Steve Wynn of various Las Vegas resorts received a gaming license, thus breaking Stanley Ho’s monopoly on gaming here. It’s a good thing because the Lisboa casino is a dump. “Check Your Guns at the Door” and “No Spitting” is posted at the casino entrance. I would have taken pictures of these signs, except you can’t take pictures in the casino. This is not bullshit!
However, the Lisboa Hotel lobby and rooms have been renovated. It even has some art here which is nice. But when you go downstairs to the shops and canteen, there are a LOT of hookers working the floor. That area at night is known as the Racetrack.
A lot of hookers. Good looking hookers. Zhuhai’s favorite exports.
And for you hom-suppy people out there, over here, it’s a buyer’s market!
Macau for walkers
We’ve been puttering around the various districts around Macau and I’ll have to admit, I’m rethinking my original opinion of the second SAR of the PRC. It’s more than gaming. I like it. Along with the egg tarts.
Although Macau is still kind of sleepy (many of the shops in the non tourist areas close around 2000) and dangerous looking (lots of dark alleys and the triads are big here), much of the city is still narrow alleys and colonial architecture.
Shopping is scenic, but still no gore-tex to be found.
Macau has been making efforts to preserve many of the old buildings and has aspirations to join the UN’s list of world heritage sites. More power to them.
Time for shopping
After two bottles of wine and one big nice lunch, we’re going to do some shopping and walking around. Got to find some gore-tex jackets and what not for China cuz it’s cold there.
Lunch at Fernando’s
So we’ve arrived at Fernando’s, this legendary haunt on one of the outer islands of Macau. It’s a beachfront bar/restaurant serving Macanese food. That’s a mix of Chinese and Portuguese food. Sounds yummy, right? Well, it is. Mmmmmmm.
When we left the ferry pier, the roads surrounding it had still had the race course barriers up from the Macao Grand Prix from the previous weekend. It’s F3 along with a motorcycle race. That would have been cool to see.
Forgot one thing…
Crap!
You need your passport to go ANYWHERE around here. And that’s kinda cool.
I just have to remember to bring it with me. Ana sent me an SMS when I was on the MTR pulling into Wan Chai.
PASSPORT?
Yes, I forgot my passport. Geez. At least I’m only one stop out. Back to Causeway Bay…
Off to Macau!
So I finally wake up, SMS Ana and get my butt out to the Causeway Bay MTR. We’re going to Macau today, meeting at the HKG-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan, which also happens to be the terminus of the Island Line. Verrry convenient.
I finally got my go bag set up. It has the tourbook, cameras (digital & film), notebook (the paper kind), Clie and whatever I pick up on my travels. I think I have everything now.
I’m outta here!
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