Our third day in Macau was packed with so many activities, including touring the outlying islands of Macau and jumping off one of the world’s tallest towers! 🙂
To start our day, we had a hearty breakfast in Imperial House Dim Sum located right in the main casino floor of our hotel in Venetian Macao. We had different kinds of dim sum and even had congee.
Then we were off to our tour of Taipa and Coloane, the two outlying islands of Macau. Because of the reclamation that’s been going on to form the Cotai strip (a combination of Coloane and Taipa, and this is where the Venetian is located), the two islands are actually now connected to each other. First off, Taipa, where we visited the Four Faces Buddha.
We know of an aunt who keeps on going to Bangkok because she prays to a Four Face Buddha there and has attested to having her prayers answered several times. So we thought praying to this one in Macau will also bring us luck and fortune 🙂
We bought some candles and gold leaf from a nearby stand and decorated the elephants around it with gold leaf. At least this was how we were taught by the vendors!
Then we went to the Taipa Houses Museum, a series of small museums in an area shaded by trees, and with charming sights of the Venetian in the distance. This was the only museum we visited for the trip (MOP5.00 per adult).
The houses were actually houses of Macanese families and were later on bought and restored by the government. Today, they aim to showcase how early Portuguese settlers and Macanese families lived.
In the meantime, we took a break from all the walking. We sat down by a row of benches where we got a view of The Venetian and other buildings being constructed in the distance. We then went up a hill and saw the Our Lady of Carmel Church. They really like the color of muted yellow and white for their churches 🙂
Then we just allowed serendipity to lead us to the other sights in the Old Taipa Village area, where we saw so many charming sights along winding roads and quiet neighborhoods.
Along the way, we bought some souvenirs and stamps too. Then we took a cab to Coloane Village, with this bronze statue of Cupid in this square as our starting point for exploring Coloane. Coloane is really the countryside of Macau, with beaches and greenery.
We also saw the first Lord Stow’s Bakery, home of the famous Portuguese egg tarts 🙂
Some more sights and scenes of this charming part of Macau:
I’m really glad we included Taipa and Coloane in our itinerary. These are the areas of Macau few tourists ever see. Especially by those who go to Macau only on day trips from Hong Kong. We decided that we really want to explore Macau and did not even consider doing the reverse and taking our own day trip to Hong Kong. That is best left for another trip.For me, Taipa and Coloane give an authentic picture of Macau. On the one hand, the pace of life is very slow and sanguine—a testament to Macau’s history as a sleepy fishing village way back when, and giving a charming counterpoint to bustling Hong Kong. But then, we also saw the development of Macau, with all the construction going on in the Cotai strip. Two very different sides of Macau and we got to witness both 🙂
Congratulations! Well, I am a portuguese guy who used to live in Macau, for more then 30 years (since I was 2) and I am very happy to see you exploring the old and native Macau.
OK girl, you are very bautiful too!
Rosário
visago.trading@gmail.com
Thank you 🙂