The China Ferry Terminal is just like an airport. Ferries from various companies go to various places around the HK Island, including Mainland China. Until this trip I hadn't realised that you would need a passport and a stamp to get into and out of Macau. The peninsular (it's actually connected to mainland China) was under Portuguese rule for four and a half centuries prior to the handback in 1999.
I got a window seat on the ferry which was catamaran. As it departed Kowloon you could not see a hand in front of your face such as the sea mist, it was like a November day. So much for a window seat!
We pulled into Macau harbour roughly an hour later, once again had to go though immigration control. There were huge queues and it took about an hour to get through.
Out through the arrivals lounge there was a huge mob of touts trying to sell tours of the island. Just outside the terminal building were loads of dolly birds with placards advertising the numerous and various casino's that the island peninsula in famous for. Getting my bearings I hopped onto a bus that would take me into the centre of the city.
The city centre in very pretty. Full of mediterranean type architecture. I walked through Sendo Square, stopping off to buy myself a watch. since my TAG had stopped working, before Christmas, I had been without one and felt almost naked. Settling for a black swath i grabbed a coffee at Starbucks then continued by sight seeing tour. Both Hong Kong and Macau are very tourist friendly with signs at almost every corner pointing visitors towards the places of interest.
The small streets through the square are heaving with small shops selling tourist shit, Beef Jerky and Custard pies.
I made my way towards the ruins of the church of St Paul. The weathered facade and majestic stairway are all that remain of this church. It was designed by an italian jesuit and built by exiled Japanese Christians in the early 17th century. It is regarded as one of the greatest monuments to Christianity in Asia.
I couldn't visit Macau without seeing inside a casino. I did a couple, including the MGM. The decoration was spectacular, as were the buildings. I did go into the gambling hall of the MGM and it was just packed full. The only thing all these gamblers had in common was they just looked very glum. Maybe they were losing all their money. The Macdonalds across the road seemed to be the hangout of many of the losers, one would assume that they would be frequenting some place a little more salubrious if they had won on the tables.
It was about time to head back, walking past Fisherman's Wharf' I was reminded of Mablethorpe on a miserable day. Not nice !
Arriving back at the China Ferry terminal at 6.00pm I had a wander around the malls. I had a very strange feeling just before 9.00pm. It was almost as-though I was still on the boat. I found out hat it was when I got back to the hostel and turned on the TV. Japan had been hit by a huge earthquake, followed by a Tsunami causing massive devastation. I was glued to the TV for the rest of the evening. I got a number of messages from friends enquiring if I was OK. Hong Kong, on the west is sheltered my both Japan and Taiwan so the only affect as a small tremor an a slight increase in tide.
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Location:Macau, China
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