Little Getaway

So. In HK we are lucky to have a week off this early in the school year! VACATION TIME.

Took a one-hour JET boat to Macau and Cotai (SAR of China). 

They served us Cantonese Donuts. They are GOOOOD!

Macau is a Portugese-Chinese Fusion culture.... with Ancient Christian ruins, Buddhist temples, fusion food, and motorcycles on a backdrop of shiny skyscraper casinos.... it is absolutely unique. And, it turns out, fairly kid-friendly.

Ruins of St. Paul

St. Paul ruins are also known as 'Church of Mater Dei' - built 1602. This facade is all that's left... oh, and a bunch of bones in the vaults below (yes, we saw them!).

Na Tcha Temple

typical Chinese housing

an exercise park!!! We had so much fun! And local (?) grown ups were using it too!

 Monte Fort

Stumbled upon this ancient Jesuit fort from early 1600's. Pretty cool. At the top of the "mountain"

hmmm.... not sure how I feel about this

Toured the Mandarin House - an old Chinese mansion with a labyrinth of rooms

photo courtesy of a certain toddler

wait! Photo op! Too bad they weren't open yet for us to go in. Many places open late here.

that's a BEAN CURD popsicle. She devoured it. Impressive.

 Restaurant Litoral

Found this place from our LonelyPlanet Guide... Macanese food! I ordered a well-known seafood rice dish (delicious... but certainly included some unusual seafood) and Jasper asked for meat in his Caesar Salad.... he got OX TONGUE (which was actually not bad at all).

The Venetian Macau - our hotel - was host to many a street performer along the shopping-mall hallways. Lots of spontaneous entertainment for the kids! and FOUR. yes. FOUR heated swimming pools.

one of the 6 largest buildings in the WORLD - it's possible to stay all day and night!

yikes - the natives are restless!

 Time for a Gondola Ride! (3 canals inside this hotel... with painted fake-sky-ceilings)

The boatmen serenade beautifully!

Mother-Daughter Date Night!

The House of Dancing Waters show - Macau's Chinese version of Cirque Du Soleil - was jaw-dropping good!

The stage floor changed from a pool deep enough for breath-catching dives to a floor sturdy enough for dancing and motorcycle tricks (!?) 

 Incredible. A great night.

back at the hotel....

street performer

BunnyCakes, as you know, is something of a celebrity here with her bleach-blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and vivacious personality. It was nothing short of SHOCKING while in Macau. Macau was beginning to fill with mainland Chinese on holiday... and mainland Chinese seem most enamoured by our blonde girls. Bear was trying to eat her noodles when 3 women (their own noodle bowls in hand) crowded within inches of our table and openly stared at her in wonder. Like she was a picture show.

Whenever we let Bunny stray more than 2 feet from us, women would come running and scoop her up in their arms, cooing and smiling. Not. Kidding. After getting over the initial heart-stopping shock, it became quite the comedy. Check it out: (can you find her?)

vids:

National Day was on October 1 and Chung Yeung Festival on October 2.  Most people travel. Many of our friends are off in places like Thailand, Guilin, Japan, India, and South Africa. Us? We stayed closer to our new home, which was great. The following days we spent swimming in our own pool, lazing around in pajamas, and hanging out with new friends.