Being back in Macau was a relief, for I didn't enjoy the kind of culture, nor the hustle bustle in cities in China. Leaving the Placa das Portas do Cerco, we walked along Av. Artur Tamagnini Barbosa, then turned right at the sign-post indicating the direction of the Church of our Lady of Fatima [花地瑪聖母堂]. To our disappointment, it was only a church inside a school which was closed for the holiday. Without staying long, we hurried on back to the yacht where we left our purchase for the day. Unloading those weights was a relief, which allowed me to carry on a more than 10 hrs walk during that day.
Our next stop was Mong Ha [望廈] Park and its fortress. Though both of us possessed our own maps, we're sharing the one of mine for the day. Without enough 'map contact', I tended to switch my attention to the sceneries. Having lost some time going the wrong way, we finally arrived at the corner of Avenida do Coronel Mesquita. Turning right and going on for some distance, we came to the Kwun Yin Temple. Facing it was a row of multi-colored historical western-style buildings. Ascending the road to the brightly colored Institute of Tourism, we headed on to the peak where the most canons were found. We're lost again trying to go downhill via the other side to Temple of Lin Fung. In the end, we're only able to reach the hill foot in the east. Rounding the NE corner, we reached the Temple with Lin Ze Xu Museum on one side. People were lighting firecrackers at the open area in between the two constructions, heaps of red were found here and there. Facing the other corner of that street, the block of nostalgic Victoria Hotel stood elegantly. We'd come across it from a distance the night before, both its day and night scene gave me the feeling of being in an old European town. Again, it took us some time to look for the bus to A Ma Temple. At last, my partner suggested to go and take it at the terminus at the Frontier. The bus stop seemed to mock at us when our bus stopped by outside the wall of the LZX Museum!
The plaza between A Ma Temple [媽閣廟] and Maritime Museum was crowded with people. It was also the only place where I'd come across the tricycle there in Macau in recent years. Going along the back lane of the green mansion, we then reached Moorish Barrack [港務局大樓] at Calcada da Barra. The Arabian-style barrack is now the Maritime Admin. Office. Further away at the crossroad, was Largo do Lilau. Another wonderful place surrounded by colorful houses on all sides. It seemed like we're in a cartoon fable of the 18th century ... looked as if a horse-drawn wagon might appeared anytime on the pebble-laden streets. Or perhaps, it might be a scenario of the first book of Narnia, when the little girl left the wardrobe into the snow-covered ground where the lone lamp post was. Maybe we should come back at night to see what happened at that lamp under the old banyan tree there ....
Following the signposts, we climbed upill for the Pencha Church [西望洋教堂]. The panoramic view from the peak was one thing that no visitor should miss. Just to name a few, it overlooked the Macau Tower, the bridges across the harbor, and both the man-made lakes at the shore. In the foreground, those eye-catching pink buildings of Santa Sancha lay close at hand. Retracing the road downhill, then took another junction to St Lawrence Church [聖老楞佐堂] which was under renovation. Stairs leading up to its facade with twin towers. A school was situated at the junction at its rear. We reached the rear entrance arch of St Joseph Seminary from the left branch. Not only was this the biggest church we'd been to that day, its interior was also the most magnificient. One wouldn't be able to tell from the light yellow wash of the plain exterior, how grand and extravagant interior could be. The wooden columns twirling up to the ceiling near the entrance, in addition to the ornated dome and the various altars were dazzling. Taking the right at the same junction, we went on to D Pedro V Theatre located at the front of St Joseph. At the opposite of this green construction was another marvellous church, the St Augustine. At the time of our visit, many Filippinos were going to have a mass there. In order not to disturb them, I had only stayed at the rear for a while. The main entrance of St Joseph Seminary was located next to a library at the farther end of the pebbled road. A large mosaic was found further downhill along the road to Largo do Senado [議事亭前地].
Rua Mercadores was one of the side streets diverting from Av Almeida Ribeiro. As in those other lanes in the vicinity, numerous shops of nostalgic styles lined its sides. Further uphill when the ruins of St Paul's could be seen through blocks of buildings, the streets became much more crowded with shops selling local snacks. A small temple for the goddess who saved the primeval world was found at the junction, it looked like part of a common block. Somewhere nearby, we had a late lunch after 4pm at a Brazilian restaurant at a dead-end lane. Its service was much better than those local ones. Passing an old school, we went uphill, passing by Na Tcha Temple, we visited the crypt behind St Paul's Ruin, piles of bones lined the sides of walls with a huge cross in between. Rounding to the ruin of the facade, then going upstairs to Mount Fortress. Yet, we didn't have enough time for the museum.
The sun was low, we hurried to Luis de Camoe's Garden [白鴿巢公園]. The Garden was not far away when St Anthony Church [聖安多尼堂] was in sight. There's a "grotto" of a famous Portuguese poet in the garden, however, it seemed more like the space between boulders to me. A new statue stood at the other end of the park, which was of Father Kim, a Korean priest. A bit downhill from the exit nearby where a local temple situated, huge boulders clustered together. Soon night fell, we hurried downhill through alleys of old buildings. Turning right, we walked along the coast area back to the marina club with our souvenirs. Leaving them behind on the boat, we left for the bus stop. Unable to locate it after some time, we had decided to give up such idea. Up Estrada do Repouso [鏡湖馬路], we turned into Rua Tomas Vieira [新勝街]. Near the hillfoot, rows of historical buidlings lined the sides of the pebbled street, including the St Lazarus Church. At last, we took a break at the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden beside its ponds, before popping around the Tap Seac area. The busy road section in front of the library had become part of a plaza. Finally, we went uphill via the same street, heading for a local's home for the night.
first draft on 2/3/07 last updated on 23/4/07
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