Hong Kong - Macau

We met up in Hong Kong. I was already there running errands, and Samwise flew in on Friday evening. As one does, we partied all night, only ending at around 5am. Our passports were with us, and we were half-tempted to head straight over to Macau at dawn.

Luckily, exhaustion and reason took over, and we headed back for a quick rest, only leaving at around 10am.

The Hong Kong – Macau Ferry Terminal is located at the base of the Shun Tak Centre, a boxy building with red trimmings by the harbour shore. It is easy accessible either via Sheung Wan MTR station directly, or indirectly from Central/Hong Kong MTR and Midlevels Escalator via elevated walkways between the ifc and Hang Seng Bank buildings.

One word of caution: there are two ferry terminals in Macau, the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal on the main peninsula which is closer to the main sights or the Taipa Ferry Terminal on Taipa Island, a 15 minute taxi ride away, next to the airport and close to the large casinos. Ferries depart every 15 minutes, take roughly 1 hour and is HKD 151 on the Cotai Jet.

The Cotai Jet, the blue ferry with agents immediately outside the departure gate at the Ferry Terminal goes to Taipa and is jointly run by the large casinos. I have no idea where the normal ferry to the Outer Terminal has their agents.

Now, I must admit, I have an ulterior motive for going to Macau, and perhaps providence made it the first stop during my visit. We arrived at the Taipa terminal, and after a rather exasperating explanation to our cabbie on how to get to ‘Moorish Barracks’ and pointing on the map, we were dropped at the southwest tip of the island.

There isn’t a perfect map of Macau, and on arrival, I had to detach one from the ‘Whats On’ guide provided by the Macau Tourism Board. There is a pamphlet with the barest information on sights, so best would be to do your research and identify it on a map.

From the Barra Hill, we had to walk northeast towards the World Heritage Sites, and of course partially due to our rudimentary map, we got a little lost, walking parallel to the shore, and watching the locals go by their daily lives.

Warrens and Barra Hill neighbourhood

After 15 minutes of walking, I knew something was off when the map and where we were walking didn’t quite merge properly. Seeing a beautifully restored building, we instinctively walked along a side street, asked the concierge where we were. We were 1km away from the Barra Hill and the Moorish Barracks. Resigned to our fate, we walked along the street, deciding to seek out other Imperial Portuguese treasures.

The Gate

Up the hill and around the bend, something caught my eye: a beautiful gate and some ramparts. Samwise walked over to see the tourist information guide plaque while I stepped back to get a proper look. Then it dawned on me: that detour led me straight to my reason for coming by.

The steps to St Joseph's Church, & Seminary Macau

St Joseph’s Church is part of St Joseph’s Seminary, and is a beautiful baroque church, by far the finest this side of the Orient. The approach past the gate is meant to give visual impact, and that it succeeded.

I told Samwise that a certain relic is here, and we started a rather bizarre hymn walking up the steps.

“We’re off to see the femur-” me.

“The wonderful femur of…St Francis-” Samwise.

Interior, St Joseph's Church & Seminary

Solomonic columns, richly ornamented interior, beautiful copula and treasures about. The relic was housed in a side chapel, and was, to my mistake, the humerus and not the femur of St Francis Xavier, Apostle to the East. Apparently a visit here warrants an indulgence, and Samwise was complaining about back pain after an injury in Tokyo.

Relic of St Francis Xavier

Copula, St Joseph's Church & Seminary

So, my ulterior motive for coming here was to visit St Joseph’s Church and see the relic of St Francis Xavier. Lo and behold, that was my first stop, despite my plans for the Moorish Barracks as stop one.

After that, it was church after church after church, each slightly less ornamented than the previous. St Lawrence’s Church, across the road is a pretty little number, and we decided to venture down the hill towards the harbour when spotted a pretty red mansion.

Outside St Lawrence's Church

Red House

Thinking it was a tourist attraction, or a museum or hotel at the very least, the sight of guards didn’t really bother us, so we boldly entered the compound, only to have the People’s Liberation Army stopping us, hands on their holsters. Confounded, we made our way out and walked to the main frontage. We accidentally barged in to the Chief Executive of Macau SAR’s offices and residence. Oops.

Macau SAR Government House

We ventured further, taking a side street, amazed at an array of air conditioning units and ended up on a hill, looking at more Imperial treasures. The mint-guacamole coloured Dom Pedro V Theatre and St Augustine’s Church, the headquarters of the Jesuits.

Dom Pedro V Theatre

St Augustine's Church, Jesuit complex in Macau

Just off the theater and church area, our noses found wonderful egg tarts, and Samwise somehow managed to destroy the pastry display door. With pastry in hand, we walked past a cobblestone square, where legend has it, drinking or eating there will ensure you will return. No chance of drinking, when the kiosk was unmanned. We were content with that view of Europe and fine architecture in the square.

Slice of Europe in the Orient

Just off the square was the highlight of any tourist’s itinerary to Macau: the Historic Centre of Senado, or Senate, Square. I’m sure it’s a lovely place, with nice architecture and a beautiful cobblestone square. Instead, we were assaulted by throngs of people. There is half a million people living in Macau, and it felt as if all half a million were in this square at this very moment.

Senado Square

Starbucks and pharmacies, stalls and hawkers, it was sheer chaos, a capitalist enclave surrounded and thronged by citizens of a unique communist nation. Though one thing Samwise and I noticed was how the Mainland Chinese seemed to throng the pharmacies like it was a tourist attraction. It still confounds me till this day.

Hawkers at Senado Square

We excused ourselves from the chaos of the square and made our way down towards Se Cathedral, the city’s main cathedral. The newest of the lot, it was by far the least ornamented and simplest, and the bishop in his wisdom, roped off the front half of the church to let the persons religious go about their devotion without the hordes of tourists breathing down their necks.

Holy House of Mercy, with a very interesting backstory

St Dominic's Church, Senado Square

Interior, Se Cathedral Macau

Heading back to the chaos of Senate Square, we were off to the icon of Macau: St Paul’s Ruins. This would have been a short five minute walk, but the sheer number of people made this feel like a tourist pilgrimage. I imagine Jerusalem to look like this during Holy Week. People packed cheek to jowl, shuffling away, walking at an agonizingly slow pace.

Throngs in narrow streets

St Paul's Ruins, Macau

Up at the ruins, it seemed less crowded, but only slightly. The architecture and grandeur of the building still a visual impact, despite the smog. Up here, the vantage towards the rest of the territory was interesting, to say the least.

We then headed up to the fort, and did our little ‘Game of Thrones’ man the ramparts and watch for wildlings from the battlements. Up here, it was surreal. Mainland China, just beyond the river, cannons still pointing in that general direction.

Ramparts & cannons, Mount Fortress

Manning the ramparts, Mount Fortress

Truth be told, it did not look like a pretty place up here. Glitzy casinos and fancy towers next to Stalinist minimalist blocks and the smog lent it a rather dystopian image. Samwise even commented it could be a perfect stand-in for Lagos.

Four hours later and a rather late lunch and tea, we walked over to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, passing the glitzy and kitschy Casino Lisboa and Wynn Casino. The modern part of Macau is indeed surreal, and the bus-loads of Chinese visitors reminded us who kept the economy moving.

We felt we didn’t quite give Macau the credit she deserves. She does warrant a night and a day to explore and soak in. Away from the crowds, it is a rather quaint place, good for quiet contemplation, if you ignore the densely built blocks surrounding the quiet patches.

And Samwise commented that his back pain was gone. We suspect the indulgence and pilgrimage from church to church may have played a part.