Misadventures in Macau

It was damn cold.

That was the first impression i had of Macau when i first went there last December 23 to celebrate Christmas with my loved ones. 

Maybe because itwas winter time. Of which i wasn't quite aware of (i have yet to experience real snow... that's why am saving for my trip to the Alps). 

Thus, armed with my fur jacket

 (for vanity purposes) and my pair of ever dependable yellow crocs (which have turned seemingly beige from all that walking), i braved through the cold breeze of Macau. 

Mind you that i wasn't acting when this picture was taken. 

Please note of the thick winter outfits of the people in the backgr

ound while i freeze to death. 

I know, i know. you might be looking for other juicy details so i might as well start off with the basic ones before i get to engrossed in my ranting about being frost-bitten. Lesson learned: trust the online weather forecast and dress the part. Or suffer with a bad case of cold and numb fingers and legs (based on experience).

How to get there:

As usual, i booked our flight at Cebu Pacific. I kinda figured out that i didn't really have to eat in the plane since it was

merely a two hour flight and it was scheduled right after

dinner. So with those in mind, i managed to save around 4k per head by choosing the said flight (compared to PAL's peak

 season rate which really soared sky high). Note though 

that i booked 3 months in advance so it cost me around P18k per head, round trip. Regular rates of the season costed around P24k per head. The said prices were not inclusive of the P1650 travel tax and the boarding fee of P750. Those are on a per person basis. 

Basic knowledge that you bring US dollars with you so you won't have any problems with regards to changing bills. But based on experience, upon inquiry, our very own peso will go a long way in macau. One pataca is equivalent to P .14 or USD 7. The cost of living in Macau isn't that pricey relative to Hong Kong's. But of course if you will indulge in gambling and experience luxury at its finest at the Venetian, this thought won't be applicable. 

From the airport, one can take the cab (around P500) or the bus (around 4.50 patacas)going to your hotel. We were lucky that we had our hotel arrange our transfers so it means 0 expense for me. 

Where to stay:

We opted to stay in Metropole Hotel. It was strategically located at the heart of the city, very near the Senado Square, the haven of tourists. It was also a stone's throw away from New Yohan (department store) and the various Casinos and tourist spots (I kinda noticed that everything seems walking distance from our place. Macau indeed is a small island). 

A night in a twin sharing room costs around 1080 pataca (roughly P8k something). The room was clean and had a fabulous bathroom (minus the bathtub). The said package comes with a buffet breakfast (worth 40 patacas), which include overflowing coffee (heaven for me) and a variety of chinese and western dishes. i particularly loved the chinese sausages and the porridge which tastes good with sea weeds. 

Where to Go:

The Senado Square is a haven for tourists indeed, where the best value for money shops and where everything that's uniquely Macau can be found. Think Beef Jerky (delicious beef dried beef strips which are best if spicy). Or great souvenirs. Think designer brands and great sales.  

Apart from those, you may also enjoy having your pictures taken at the beautiful set-up within the area, while admiring the quirky fashion tastes of the people around. I myself had a grand time exploring this area, where i got 4 (yup, you read it right) pairs of my favorite croc sta.cruz sandals (all original). I got the common blue and black one and two other fabulous colors which are not yet available here locally: chili and chocolate. After seeing the huge savings i can have and the cute holga cam that comes with my purchase, i decided to go for it. And i realized it was all worth it. I had one regret though: i should have bought the white pair though. I was quite hesitant at first because i might look like a nurse (no offense meant), but when i realized that it wasn't even available here after checking the local stores, a 5th pair didn't seem that bad. 

The ruins of St. Paul was quite a sight to behold. Magnificent indeed. Mind you though that you have to brave the swarm of tourists having their pictures taken at the site. The Macau tower was equally breathtaking, together with the other ancient temples around the area. Various museums also surrounded the place so incase you want to unleash the culture vulture within you, feel free to choose where. 

Of course if you want to try out the famous casinos which Macau is known for like the Grand Lisboa and the Sands casino, be ready to spend a few hundred to a thousand patacas to satisfy your gambling cravings. Otherwise, if you're more of a shopper like moi, settle for a nice souvenir picture instead and spend all your pataca on great finds. 

What to Buy:

You must definitely try the egg tarts and the beef jerky sold near the ruins. Note that these are sealed well so you can be sure that you don't get tummy aches afterwards. The egg tarts

 cost around 7 patacas each. Each is made with a deliciously thin crust with egg fillings that's not sickeningly sweet. The beff jerky costs around 49 pataca per pound. A pound is good enough for around 4 people for sharing. Cap off this wonderful gastronomic experience with a cold milk teawhich costs around 10 patacas. Or if you're still hungry, try grabbing a pork burger. It's a heavy duty porkchop in a bun sold for 15 patacas. I had one and that became my lunch. Oh and for dessert, you might want to try out the serradura: ice cream cake that melts in your mouth. It costs around 7 patacas for a slice. Enough to satisfy your sweet cravings. 

Apart from food, you might want to check out the souvenirs as well. I got fancy looking watches and ref magnets. But my favorite finds were my pair of lucky cocks. Now before you raise your eyebrows, these are wooden roosters in vibrant colors with the word portugal on them (macau used to be a portuguese colony, before it was returned to China in 2003). Other than those, being the coffee addict i was, i also tried out the coffee at Starbucks. They

 didn't serve my favorite white mocha so i opted for a latte. Not bad. What got me excited was the pair of Starbucks shot mugs with Macau and China written on them. Quite a fancy pair of souvenirs. 

I also got myself an antique bubble clock and a replica of St. Paul's ruins. Nice additions to my collection indeed.  Of course i didn't fail to get myself a Macau shirt which costed me 25 patacas. I got a red one to match my chili crocs. 

Tip: Never buy from your tour guide. Since we went on a tour, my mom, together with other tourists, fell for the guide's over priced good. The Macau watch they bought for 100 patacas, i got for 25 patacas in one of the shops in the flea market. Yup, my shopper instincts worked well for me. 

Where to shop:

As i've said, the Senado Square offers a lot of good stores with great finds for tourists. Walk around the area and you'll find branded goods sold for less (relatively cheaper compared to prices here). Try also visiting New Yohann. You might find a thing or two which you may like. Gadgets are prize find here. If you're more of the adventurous type like myself, go ride a bus then get off at Taipa, where you'll experience shopping Nirvana at the flea market. I wanted to buy a lot of stuffs there but what worried me was my bad experience at the local customs during my Hong Kong trip. 

For cat lovers, you may also want to visit the Meow space, which sells all goods dedicated to felines. The whole strip leading to various casinos are also lined up with high-end stores like CK, Cartier and the like for all your extravagant shopping needs. 

The people:

You wouldn't believe how difficult the language barrier was. Twice i was served boiling water for breakfast instead of iced drinks. I had to do immense sign language accompanied by weird sounds to get my point across.  Locals were very hyperactive, with voices several decibels louder than usual. I wanted to tell them that i couldn't understand their language but i wasn't deaf...but then again, no point in arguing. But most of them were really nice. I managed to survive all four days by just asking around and playing charades with them.

Overall Experience:

The cold weather didn't stand in the way. I had a great time in Macau, and it would have been better if i had more money to spend gambling (it wouldn't hurt to try...am just curious). And i must say: the all the hottest finds in one huge island hub: Macau.