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When I had the opportunity to use frequent flyer miles for an overseas trip, I decided to use them to go over a different sea than usual for a trip to Asia in November 2002. Here is a report on that trip to Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
TRIP TO ASIA, NOVEMBER 2002
Amc2004-09-13 14:42:34
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skyline of Zhuhai) and I saw the park from a distance. When I walked along the street that seemed to lead to the park, this high-speed street dipped down and kept curving towards China; I couldn’t see where it was going. I was semi-seriously worrying that I would wind up in China without a visa; I gave up on going to the park, and I think I found that it was closed Tuesday.
I wanted to get out of this area of unattractive public housing-type high-rises; I studied the Portuguese street names and found a bus line that would take me to the city center. The rain had let up, and I went to the central square, Largo do Senado, and admired the tiled plaza as in Portugal, and the mix of Portuguese and Chinese influence in the architecture. I climbed up hilly streets to the Monte Fort, with a view around Macau and neighboring China, and visited the Macau Museum, which was open Tuesday (closed Mondays) although many other museums were closed. This museum had much of interest on Macanese history and everyday life. After the museum, I took the escalator down outside the ruins of the church of St. Paul, a facade standing alone making an impressive monument. I started following the walks suggested in a brochure I’d picked up at the ferry terminal, starting with a nice small street with antique shops and school kids running about. I went back to the center and had lunch at a quick-service place, possibly the only time I saw Portuguese people there. Although signage in Macau was in Portuguese, I was always addressed in English.
My walks continued through picturesque Chinese streets, and hilly streets evoking Europe. I started on the walk towards the area of the first Portuguese settlement; the walk got too long for me and sunset was approaching. When there were no taxis waiting in front of the Ritz Hotel, I had them call one. At my destination, the southwest corner of the peninsula, I aimed to have an early dinner at A Lorcha, but it was closed, so I ate at
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See photographs from:
Vietnam Gallery
,
Macau Gallery
,
Hong Kong Gallery
,
Cambodia Gallery
