14 years on

We are back in Hong Kong.

The TurboJet brought us over choppy waters from Macau and as we turned the corner, the city came into view.  Before the handover, this was somewhere that featured on several of our itineraries, being the stopover of choice on any trip downunder.  In those days, we’d be able to peer into the apartments of Mong Kok as the plane came into land at the old Kai Tak airport.  A couple of days ago, the final approach to the new airport was equally spectacular but with none of that nail biting thrill and adrenalin rush (?terror?!) but it was even better to see the spectacular harbour from ground level this morning.

Our spacious and very stylish room here in Kowloon overlooks the harbour too, and as I sit here typing, my eyes are drawn to the illuminated skyscrapers on the island opposite

Not a bad view to get a sense of place, is it?

This hotel is furnished in a more contemporary style than the previous one, and the foyer art is definitely in keeping.  No china dresses here, but instead a rather peculiar and eclectic set of chandeliers which I have yet to work out.

This afternoon, we took a walk along Nathan Road, which hasn’t changed much in the years since we were here.  No sooner had I mentioned the old “copy watch” sellers than someone approached us and muttered “Copy Watch?” in my hero’s ear!  He then said “Copy Handbag?” to me, but we were not at all interested in either.

We were headed for Pete’s, where Allan was going to chat about having some tailoring done and I wanted to explore the possibility of getting a favourite dress copied.  When my dressing room was built, it took some time to sort out a UV-protecting blind for the skylight and in the intervening sunny days, one shoulder of my favourite pink linen dress faded in the light.  Would they – could they – make me another?

Well, yes they could, as a matter of fact and whilst they were about it, they could make two – a purple one and a pink one.

So, leaving them to get on with it (fitting tomorrow…they don’t have much time) we returned to our hotel, admiring the New Year decoration as we went, sponsored by Liberty of London.  Returning from dinner this evening, I looked again at the “temari ball”

Hmmm.  I think it would be kindest to describe it as “freestyle”.

So good to be here, we are looking forward to spending a couple of days pottering about, revisiting old haunts and discovering new ones.  Hope you’re happy to walk with us, too?  Get the comfy shoes out ready!!

On the other side

We felt we’ve seen what there is to see in the old part of the city, so decided to venture over to Taipa this morning.  Formerly a village and rather rural area, it’s now the site of a great deal of development on reclaimed land and unsurprisingly, quite a few very large casinos.

We’d taken the recommendation offered to us by several people, to get tickets for a performance of the House of Dancing Water show. The theatre for this was also in that part of the city early this evening, so the day had more or less planned itself by the time we set out this morning.

Our first stop was the little row of pale green houses, now the Taipa Houses Museum.  Although they were interesting, they didn’t keep us very long. The first had been left as furnished in the style of the time, “as if the family had just stepped out”.  The second, above, was used for a display of costumes and traditional dress and was probably the least interesting of the three. 

The third held an exhibition of postage stamps and first day covers with some information about the artist whose designs have frequently featured on them.  We’d noticed a great deal of interest in things philatelic and it was good to see this colourful exhibition of charming watercolours so well displayed.

Outside, there was a kind of lake between where we stood and the new “Cotai Strip” casinos and hotels.  Formerly this had been the coastline, as we were able to see from photographs of the original houses.  Now it was a small park and we strolled through the trees hoping that at some point, the way around the lake would become clear.  We were headed for the terracotta block in the photograph, actually “The Venetian” hotel and casino, where we thought we might spend an interesting hour or two.

As it happened, we were more or less led by the hand there, because just on the edge of the park was a moving walkway to whisk us the half mile or so to the Cotai Strip and a few steps away from the Venetian.  We smiled as we got close enough to see the detail in these themed buildings…how strange is this?

 

Outside the hotel was chaos in the form of a bus terminus with shuttles taking people all over the place.  Long queues stretched from door to bus stop, a complex queuing system was in place and it appeared that most of the population of China was there, not only waiting for a bus but shouting to their friends to tell them about it too.

OK, slight exaggeration, maybe only half of the population of China seemed to be there at the bus stop, because it seemed as though the other half was inside.

This was an enormous place with miles and miles of corridors. Anyone who has been to Las Vegas will recognise the layout, though our guidebook claims this Venetian is three times larger than the Vegas one.  Who am I to doubt that fact?

We followed the signs to St Mark’s Square, where sure enough, the “sky” cleared and we found ourselves in a kind of fantasy.

When the gondola sailed past, that was confirmed (though we spotted the accelerator pedal under the gondolier’s foot and the little propeller underneath.  We weren’t fooled by that oar he was holding!)

We stopped for a drink in the square, pottered around the “streets” and up and down escalators and moving walkways until we had had enough of the noise, the smoky atmosphere in some areas and the general hubbub. Quite how to escape was a challenge, because the place was so huge, but we headed towards the door we’d come in and somehow managed to navigate our way out again.

There were so many of these vast walkways, lavishly decorated and spotlessly clean, but ultimately, overwhelming.  All we wanted was to sit down in some peace and quiet and gather our thoughts.

We found that place in the quiet of the Hyatt hotel lobby, though no sooner had we sat down than the pianist and his partner began to play some traditional Chinese music.  Not altogether the most relaxing or soothing of music, but hey, we had a pot of tea and a pastel de nata to be going on with!

Time to make our way to the Water show then, and better still, to meet Ellis and Mary, our friends who will travel with us for the next three weeks!  They’re staying in Hong Kong and came over to Macau today for the show.  How good it was to see them again, to catch up on their news and celebrate the reunion of the “splendid six” – Trivia team extraordinaire!

The show was every bit as good as we’d hoped, if not better.  Spectacular trapeze, diving, swimming and acrobatics both in and out of the water, we loved it.

There was clever use of water, both in the form of fountains and jets as well as the central pool appearing and disappearing as the levels changed throughout the show.  We had terrific seats with a great view of everything – we didn’t miss a single trick!

After the show, Ellis and Mary returned to Hong Kong on the Turbo Jet and we headed for the Chinese restaurant where we’d booked a table earlier in the day.  We’ll all meet up again on Tuesday, but for now, we went our separate ways and Allan, Jane and the two of us enjoyed one of the best Chinese meals we can remember – boy, were we hungry!

That will wrap Macau up for us, then, because tomorrow morning we’ll head back to the ferry terminal and make our way to Hong Kong for a few days before joining our ship on Wednesday.  We’ve loved our time here and have been so happy and comfortable in our lovely, casino-free hotel!  For now, though, all that remains for me to do is to pack my bags again.

See you in Hong Kong tomorrow.

The China Dress

The life sized artwork which stands by the lifts in the hotel foyer is a real talking point.  I love it.

Have a closer look.

The “head” – or is it an elaborate hairstyle? – is absolutely in proportion and crowns an elegant form.  I especially love the collar and shoulder shape.

From the side, it’s easier to appreciate the curves and smooth shapes which have been achieved from these very solid and unyielding fragments.

The whole thing is fitted around a metal armature, the pieces “stitched” together with metal wire or staples.

The pattern and form have been so cleverly managed using the pieces available.

Interest and texture is added with more dimensional pieces down the back.

There are small features elsewhere on the dress, too, making best use of the bases, each with a makers mark.

The hem is nicely finished with the deepest blue border, giving weight and balance to the overall figure.

If only it would fit in my suitcase.

Marvellous Macau

I knew, the minute I caught sight of such colour as we stepped out into Largo do Senado – the square in the centre of the city – that we were going to enjoy our day.

The decorations from the Lunar New Year were still hanging and the contrast between the bright reds, pinks and gold against the blue and white colonial era tiles was lovely.

A rather larger installation was there in the square, around the fountain and then around a temporary stage, too.

I tried to work out how these figures were constructed, but there’s lots to see, so had to hurry along.  I’m thinking bamboo/cane framework with thin fabric covering – very clever construction.

The Portuguese heritage is plain to see.  Black and white tiled pavements, colonial style buildings with arcades, and a little later…

Pasteis de Nata!!

We admired the fine decoration on the facade of St Dominic’s church as we passed by

and peered through the old residential buildings to the towering “Grand Lisboa” hotel and casino.  We’d seen this unmistakeable structure last night as we’d arrived, colourfully floodlit and looking rather gaudy alongside rather more tastefully decorated buildings in the same area.  Now, wherever we were, it loomed large, overpowering everything around it.

 

Another collection of tiled panels in the Portuguese style

right opposite a very Chinese feature in the same street.  This is such an interesting place!

See what I mean about “distinctive shape” of the Grand Lisboa?

Our next stop was the cathedral, rather plainer than St Dominic’s from the outside at least.

 

Inside was fairly simple too, reminding us of the churches we’d seen in Cochin.  Simple, cool decor and a haven of peace in a busy city.

Outside, things were waking up and shops were opening for business.

Though some of the closed shutters were equally interesting.

Never far away…

We were climbing up a steep street by now, heading towards the Monte Fort, beneath which a banyan tree with an interesting collection of offerings stood.

Once we reached the walled fort, we took a breather and watched the ladies work on their Tai Chi and others posing for photographs.  Though there seem to be quite a few local tourists here, there are fewer Europeans and Americans and we are very much in the minority.

Though it was quite hazy, the view from the fort was interesting and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around before making our way into the museum.

In here was a fine collection of historical artefacts and interesting displays of Maccanese everyday life in more recent times.

For some reason, this knight struck me as being rather cute

and I wondered how many pieces of china I’d need to make a dress!  (Dorothy, I haven’t forgotten and have taken some better pictures of the hotel art this morning…to follow!)

The various reconstructions of rooms and shop houses were so well done but insufficiently lit to give a good impression, I fear.  I especially liked the display of street sellers, each with a distinctive call to announce their arrival.  The small fisherman’s display was well done too, with a soundtrack of music to accompany a short narrative.  Very atmospheric and so attractive.

My main problem was that much of the display was behind glass, with lighting set in such a way that reflections made photography a challenge.  These puppets caught my eye immediately,

as did the small display of household objects.

Having climbed the steep hill and some further steps to reach the fort and the museum, we were amused to discover an escalator to take us down the other side of the hill, to the ruined St Paul’s church – another “must see” according to our guidebook. 

Just the facade still stands, reminiscent of the library at Ephesus, we thought!  It was a busy spot and popular location for photography, virtually impossible to negotiate a path through without being caught in someone’s picture, I think, and therefore equally impossible to take a photo without some stranger in there too!

Down the steps then, to browse the shops on the way back, turning around first, however, to see

where we’d just been.

Here were many bakeries, selling not only Pasteis de Nata, but also varieties of a kind of pressed meat, chopped into squares with scissors and freely handed out for sampling.  I stuck to the custard tart but my hero was brave enough to give the pressed meat a try and declared it a resounding “ok”.

Retracing our steps back through the Largo Do Senada, we thought that we’d take a look at the building which seemed to have followed us around all day, like the eyes of a portrait in a gallery; the Grand Lisboa was just along the street and according to the guidebook, was worth a visit.  The tiled wall of the Portuguese High School looked lovely in the afternoon sunshine and I stopped a moment to admire it.

What could be attracting so much interest in the lobby here in the Grand Lisboa, though?  A closer look revealed the contents of that cylindrical showcase: The largest cushion-cut diamond in the world.  OK.  It’s pretty big.  It’s a diamond.

Moving right along.

The exhibits in glass cases all over the lobby attracted similar interest, including huge jade pieces, gold dragon boats and carved tusks of immense proportions. A degree of cultural difference here, because though we were able to admire the craftmanship required to create such pieces, the actual aesthetic didn’t really appeal.

A short walk beyond the Grand Lisboa lobby was the original Lisboa Hotel and Casino, which our guidebook described as worth a visit.  Very different in style and atmosphere, this was the older, traditional place alongside the younger, flashier newcomer.  We took the guidebook’s advice and ventured into the casino itself, watching as a couple of men played Baccarat and trying to work out for ourselves what was really going on.  Who was losing?  Who was winning?  How much?  The circular casino was teeming with people – mostly men, almost all Chinese in appearance and business appeared to be going well. 

Just outside the casino itself, business of a different kind was going on, too.  Being the naive sort, it took a while and a couple of nudges from Jane before I realised that the very thin young women wearing rather a lot of makeup and extremely short skirts were not actually going very far at all, but were simply walking up and down a short stretch of this corridor.  Hmmm.  Obvious once the penny dropped, and then oddly fascinating and disconcerting at the same time.

 

Once outside the Lisboa, we could see the two contrasting structures alongside one another and appreciate what a landmark they are in the city.  At the same time, we caught sight of our own hotel, just down the road and our feet felt suddenly the worse for wear!

Stopping for a short while in Wynn’s hotel and casino to explore the contrasting atmosphere with the Lisboa (Wynn’s being altogether quieter, more elegant and more pleasant a place, though vast in scale), we strolled back along the Avenida to spend an hour or two with our feet up in the cool of our gorgeous hotel room.

We’ve had a great day and have found so much to interest us here.  The temperature is very comfortable and the pace relaxed.   Macau is so much more than the casinos, for sure!

We’re here

(and our luggage is, too!)

It’s not that we were surprised to find our luggage arrived in Macau at the same time as we did, more that we’d not have been surprised if it hadn’t…if you get my drift.  Because, checking in at Heathrow this morning and taking the advice offered by the Macau Ferry company to check bags right through, we encountered a little local difficulty.  Seems that the check in clerk had never done this before, wasn’t sure if it was possible and then, having ascertained that it was, was unsure about how to do it.  At one point her check in desk was littered with bag tags, some printed in error, some printed wrongly and some were wasted because the printer decided to fool around.  All credit to her, however, for conducting the whole process with good humour and a great deal of patience.

Imagine our surprise, a twelve hour flight later, to find a young man waiting at the door of the aircraft to take us to the ferry check in.  What service!  We handed over our four baggage receipts and they confirmed receipt of the luggage and exchanged them for four of their own.  We spent a peaceful hour waiting for our ferry to be called making great use of the free wifi!

This is such a busy operation.  not only is there a regular hydrofoil service to Macau, there are other operations to mainland China, to several destinations in Hong Kong and this is a well used corner of the airport.

All is clearly signed, though, and we had no problem knowing exactly what to do – just like catching an onward flight, really.

The pier was accessed by means of a shuttle train, again, clearly signed and very user friendly.

However, by the time we reached the gate where our hydrofoil waited, it was clear that it wasn’t going to make the 5pm departure time.  Indeed, it was almost half past before we were on our way.

Of course, our stomachs had no idea of what meal was coming next – we’d eaten dinner on the plane last night and breakfast just before we arrived at 3pm HK time.  As a result, the rather strange tray of bland food handed to us on the ferry pretty much hit to spot! (with the possible exception of the rather watery sweet bean curd which both of us tried and gave up on after a couple of spoonfuls!)

We arrived in Macau around 6.15pm, as the sun was setting.  A charming young man from our hotel was there to meet us and most importantly, so was our luggage!

It was a bit of a bunfight to collect it, but the fact that it was there at all was wonderful!  Bravo British Airways check in staff!

So here we are in our beautiful Macau hotel.  We’ve enjoyed a lively and very sociable dinner with our friends Jane and Allan, who arrived a couple of hours before us.  Though we are all tired, we’re not sleepy and I just had to take a photograph of the beautiful “dress” which stands by the lifts in the foyer.  Made of china from two different dynastic eras (sorry, I was told but have forgotten!) it’s worthy of some close-ups and more details, which I promise will follow.

For now, though, enough to say “we’re here” and “let the fun begin”!