Views and cotton trees.
One of the big pulls of coming to Macau for us is swimming. When we used to stay in The Grand Lapa we could largely swim all year because they have a heated outdoor pool. The Sofitel keeps its pool open all year, which is great, but it's currently pretty cold and we are also both suffering from bad colds, so the temptation to get in that water was not strong.
In fact, if I am being honest, I didn't really want to come to Macau. My nonstop runny nose and constant sneezing is making me want to just go to bed and sleep it out, but Peter was all: "We haven't been for ages, we must go", so we went.
We took the bus to Sunny Bay, then boarded the B5 to the departure port and took a golden bus across the sea to Macau. There was a shuttle bus to the Sofitel sitting waiting when we got through customs there. It went via the Outer Harbour and I managed to snap a few pictures of Fisherman's Wharf and the Kuan Yin statue as we passed by.
The Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.
Fisherman's Wharf.
Fisherman's Wharf.
Kuan Yin currently undergoing some renovation.
Kuan Yin.
The Science Museum.
Waterfront park.
We haven't been for a few months, but we were welcomed back like prodigal sons. They had our usual room ready and waiting for us. Instead of bringing us the usual plate of fruit, they brought us cake to the room. I'm not sure if that's a perk of being gold or they've just noticed we never eat the fruit.
Cakes instead of fruit.
Ben and Groom had come along, too. Eddie was too busy to join us.
Afternoon tea was just as good as ever.
Afternoon tea.
Normally our arrival day would go like this: check in, afternoon tea, pool, dinner, I go explore somewhere at night, but with it being too cold to swim we changed it.
We had afternoon tea, I offered to take Peter for a walk, but he didn't want to come so I went by myself. I came back in time for us to go to dinner. Then still not feeling great, I didn't want to traipse around at night, so we both just relaxed in the room.
When I went out after afternoon tea, I didn't really have a fixed plan. There's still plenty of things to revisit here, but I only had an hour and a half. I thought I would look at Chinese New Year decorations. I didn't realise this seemed to be the day for dismantling them. Still I managed to see a few just before they went.
The road directly in front of the hotel is being dug up so I could not cross at the usual lights. Instead I had to go over the nearby pedestrian bridge. I thought since I was on that side, I might as well look at Rua da Felicidada again. The Street of Happiness where the red light district used to be. Even from our hotel as we had afternoon tea, I noticed this street was festooned with lanterns. In fact when I got there, workers were just beginning to take these down. There were panda statues everywhere. Last time I was here it was rabbits. That was the Year of the Rabbit. Now is the Year of the Dragon, so no idea why there are pandas everywhere, but there are.
Arriving at Rua da Felicidada.
Panda and lanterns line the street.
Panda with typical building.
Male panda close-up.
Female panda close-up.
Display on Rua da Felicidada.
I continued on to the Leal Senado or Senate Square. I know from experience there's always a beautiful display here and I guess there had been, but it had been dismantled and was being taken away, so there were dragon parts everywhere. Still it made an unusual photo.
Dismantled dragon on Leal Senado.
There be dragons, but not anymore.
I suddenly remembered that I had read an article about the most romantic street in Macau and I wasn't sure if I had been there or not, so I thought I would go there but not necessarily by the most direct route. Instead I headed up a steep street I had never been up before. I passed a barber's shop with some interesting artwork, notably of a bald man. Then I reached a residential block with beautiful lotus blossom paintings and hanging lanterns.
Motorcycle and art.
Lanterns and Lotus Blossoms.
Lotus Blossoms.
Lotus Blossoms.
At the top of this street I saw a sign telling me to go left and continue uphill to the Monte Fortress. The other way led to the Na Tcha Temple on the Calçada das Verdades. I decided to look at the temple first before going up the hill.
This temple was built in the early Qing Dynasty then expanded in 1898. It is one of only two temples in Macau dedicated to Prince Na Tcha. He is believed to help guard children from sickness and protect people from the plague. Although it was small, I found this temple very photogenic.
Temple entrance.
Temple.
Lanterns.
Incense burner.
Shrine.
Shrine close-up.
Shrine.
Temple doorway.
There were some interesting houses nearby, many with caged balconies and there were motorbikes everywhere.
Narrow street and bikes.
Balconies and bikes.
After looking at the temple, I walked up to the Monte Fortress. I've been here many times before, but I still went in to look at the views.
Entrance to the fortress.
Entrance to the fortress.
There are many canons positioned all the way round the fortress walls.
Canon at the fortress.
Canon at the fortress.
I noticed there were many quite a few white doves flying around.
Dove on the fortress.
Doves on the fortress.
The Museum of Macau is in the centre of the fortress. I've been in several years ago, but didn't go in on this occasion.
Museum of Macau.
Macau Museum.
I noticed there were flowering cotton trees everywhere. I love cotton trees. They are so elegant. I took lots of pictures of the views and the flowering trees.
The Grand Lisboa through the cotton trees.
Elegant cotton trees.
Views and cotton trees.
Views and cotton trees.
Views and cotton trees.
Views and cotton trees.
Our hotel in the distance through the cotton trees.
Our hotel in the distance.
Views over Macau.
Views over Macau.
It's possible to walk all the way around the fortress on a scenic pathway.
Walkway.
Walkway.
There were lots of cats wandering around the fortress, one was enjoying a big feed and keeping it all to itself.
Hungry cat.
Watchful cat.
I walked down to the ruins of Saint Paul's. There were many people there.
Looking down on the ruins of Saint Paul's.
Looking down on the ruins of Saint Paul's.
Looking down on the Ruins of Saint Paul's.
This time I decided I would also go in to the Museum of Sacred Art, which is located immediately behind the facade of the ruined church and consists of some of the church's foundations and its crypt. Inside the crypt there are sacred objects and paintings.
The ruins of Saint Paul's.
In the Museum of Sacred Art.
In the Museum of Sacred Art.
I mentioned there are two Na Tcha Temples in Macau. Well the other one is right next to the ruins of Saint Paul's. It's a very small temple and dates from 1888.
Na Tcha Temple.
After wandering around the Museum of Sacred Art and Saint Paul's, I finally went to the small street that is supposed to be the most romantic street in Macau. This street is called Travessa da Paixão, which I think translates as the Street of Passion. As it's right next to Saint Paul's I think this probably means the passion of Christ, i.e. the suffering of Christ, but people understand the word passion to relate to love and that's why this street is considered romantic. Chinese people translate it as Love Lane. Add in the fact that it has brightly coloured buildings and lots of flowers and an Instagram legend is born. There are good views back towards Saint Paul's from here.
Saint Paul's from Travessa da Paixão.
Further down this street.
Painted building on Travessa da Paixão.
I then returned back to the hotel and we headed to dinner. Peter was back to experimenting with cocktails again. This time it was cosmopolitans. Big surprise, he didn't like them.
With a cosmopolitan.
With a cosmopolitan.
This featured blog entry was written by irenevt from the blog Macau.
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