MACAU: A walking adventure

I turned down an opportunity to go on a sidetrip to

Zhuhai, China with a group of travel agents and was

left to my own to discover what Macau would reveal

to an impressionable tourist.

I had a very changeable itinerary in my mind. I wanted to

retrace my steps to the places I have gone to, explore

and take some pictures at my own leisurely pace. Maybe

even get to ride on one of the Chinese junks docked at

the Maritime Museum.

First on my list of priorities was to try out the city’s bus

system. Jet Cabuslay of the Macau Government Tourist

Office (MGTO), my host for the three-day trip, told me it

was very efficient and user-friendly. There are designated

bus stops located all over the city and signboards tell

passengers the number of the bus they should take to go

to a particular place. The fixed rate is MOP$2.50

(patacas), equivalent to P12.50.

I was dropped off at Barra where the A-ma Temple and

Maritime Museum were located. Unfortunately it was too

early for the Chinese junk ride and the museum was still

closed. Whisking out my map from my bag, I decided to

take to the streets and go straight to Leal Senado, the

heart of the city. I have been told that Macau is so small,

you could explore it in a day.

As I walked, I was embraced by the local color. There

were numerous shops lined along the street selling

anything from hardware to bicycles, cellphones and spare

parts, from traditional medicinal herbs to dried seafood.

Streetfood stalls offered piping hot noodles, rice buns,

and what we call in the Philippines as isaw. The air was

permeated by the smell of sandalwood, a popular scent

for incense.

I noticed that in the city everything seemed to be going

up: narrow streets, tall tenement houses, and taller office

buildings. These were only broken by pocket parks and

lush gardens found throughout the city.

I was so engrossed by my discoveries that I didn’t realize

I had been walking for about half an hour and nowhere

near Leal Senado.

In a burst of adventure (which in retrospect is really

foolish), I took to one of the side streets and went into

the neighborhood. It was uphill climbing most of the way

as the streets are carved into the mountainside.

Still not able to find Leal Senado, I decided to seek help.

It was then I saw a store window with the sign “Filipino

products sold here.” I asked a woman (who mistook me

for a Chinese local because of my looks) for directions.

With a smile she just told me to just go straight and avoid

turning into any more corners.

My little adventure went on at the Largo do Senado, the

main civic square facing the Leal Senado (Loyal Senate),

which now serves as the Municipal Council headquarters.

The square is a marriage of traditional and contemporary:

The old salmon pink, mustard yellow, and avocado green

buildings now house garment shops, restaurants,

pharmacies, cosmetic stores, etc.; the striking post office

fuses colonial aesthetics and modern- day utility; the

people dressed in the latest fashions, create splashes of

color across the black and beige mosaic road.

In terms of shopping, Macau is reputed to have the best

bargains. Some of the best buys could be found around

the Leal Senado. You could buy antiques, Chinese herbs,

souvenirs, made-to-order furniture, toiletries, shoes,

bags, Chinese silk, designer clothes, food, and appliances.

A sale that was going on at the time allowed me to buy

shirts (Giordano, Hang Ten, Baleno or Bossini) at around

P150. Other shops sold ready-to-wear clothes for as low

as P25.

Wandering around the square, I discovered two

interesting shops to buy souvenirs. One of them is a little

curio shop which sold lovely but cheap souvenirs. I

bought a small booklet covered in silk for R100. It was

folded like a screen and had 10 scented bookmarks made

of cardboard-thin wood. The bookmarks are unique

because each is hand-painted.

Another shop I found sold beautiful Chinese silk products

and embroidery. I bought jewelry cases and a scarf there.

At around lunch time it was too hot to walk around (it

gets worse with the humidity) so I decided to have

something to eat. I walked into the first restaurant I saw.

Although there was a menu with English translations, not

all of the food available was listed. So I just used the

time-old tradition of “turo-turo” – looking at the table

next to me then pointing out the food I wanted.

I had a bowl of Roast Duck Congee (rice porridge, lugao),

some tasty dumplings (which were a little too greasy for

me), and a bottle of mineral water. My bill cost R150, not

bad.

At the end of the afternoon, I realized that although I

had enjoyed my little exploration, if I knew the country

wasn’t safe, I wouldn’t be as confident walking around.

Public transport is still my best bet. However, if you do

get a chance to discover a country by yourself, might as

well give in to your adventurous streak.