Strolling through "The Historic Centre of Macau - Part Two

Reviving the Old Streets of Macau - Day 4 (Pt 2)
Continued from Day 4 (Pt 1). We boarded the free shutter bus at the impressive classical Chinese style-gate next to the Esso Petrol station on the road as the bus is waiting at the gate that leading through hill slope of the lush forest and the bus was nearly full passengers including ourselves. In less than 5 mins, the bus started to drive up the lush forest which is the quite steep along the road path and it would take us about 15 mins to reach at the top of the hill where A-Ma Cultural Village and A-Ma Statue are.

A-Ma Cultural Village

Stairs of Stone-craving of the Roaring Tiger

A-Ma Cultural Village, the Qing Dynasty style complex that lies at the 170m peak of the mountaintop on Macau's Coloane Island and culture village is about 7,000 sqm that celebrated the beloved deity's legend and it is a pleasant and beautifully surrounding culturally rewarding. We were greeted by six rows of stairs carved with auspicious Chinese patterns like of the roaring tiger, the double lion, the five cranes and double phoenix that lead to the Tian Hou Palace. It was started its development in 2001 during Chung Yeung Festival shortly after the A-Ma Cultural and Tourism of Macau.

Close-up of the interior design

It comprises of a bell tower, a drum tower, carved marble altar in the A-Ma Palace, a dressing hall, museum, shops that will attract the A-Ma devotees and tourists from Asia countries where the goddess A-Ma is believed to be around 1,000 years ago.

Statue of A-Ma

The Statue of A-Ma is close to the world's tallest and is the protector of people who made the living of the sea, located on the top of Coloane Hill (Alto dee Coloane).  A-Ma is designed by local sculptor and beautifully carved (China) of white marble, the statue stands 19.99m high and can be seen from miles around. It imparts a sense of peace and serenity, as well as being an spot for phototaking the Pearl River Delta area

Side View of the bell tower and its turtles

Centre View of Tin Hau Palace

Anicent Chinese-style Burner

After we walked around for an hour within the compounds, took lots of photos seems never ending as it is such a huge spectacular cultural village and the Tin Hau Palace's rooftop, there is a Pagoda and two Dragons stood on each side of the Pagoda. Shortly after that, we walked down the stairs to catch the shutter bus at the base of the stairs and takes us to the base of the hill near the gate where we were from. The shutter bus comes in every thirty mins interval.

Bus-stop opposite the Chinese-style gate

After the bus reached at the base of the hill, we crossed the road just opposite the Chinese-style gate, to take a public bus no 15 to the next destination - "Taipa Houses-Museum", "Islands of Lingering Grace Exhibition on Macanese Culture" and "Museum of Taipa and Coloane History" and so on.

Retro Design of the Building

 After we reached at the destination, we walked along the road that leads to the Taipa Houses-Museum as well as Museum of Taipa and Coloane History. The road is a circular shape with eerie old buildings that no one lived but this place is well protected by security on this island.

The small house with no windows

This traditional old house looked an ancient house of China-era with one door that has no windows build on it. The road paths were made of cobblestones along the slope passageway that one could hardy walk up the slope.

Carmo Hall

Our Lady of Carmel Church

Our Lady of Carmel Church built in 1885, stands on the hill overlooking the sea. Taipa village and the restored mansions of old Taipa Praia. Being the only Catholic church in Taipa, it is famed for a nearby park where the visitors can rest their feet and enjoy the plant biodiversity in the park. Some wedding couples come here to have a photo shot of their selected wedding location and I spotted them and took a photo before heading towards the Taipa Houses-Museum.

Taipa Houses-Museum

The Taipa Houses-Museum comprises of five old houses built in1921 located at Avenida Da Praia, displaying various artifacts and exhibits. The five houses are named "Macanese House", "House of the Island", "House of the Portugal Regions, "Exhibition Gallery" and "House for Reception". These five Houses had been the residence of high superiors and Macanese family in the decades and eventually bought by Macau Government in 1980s, remodel them into beautifully designed, recognising its important architectural value, thus reforming into museum and renaming the five houses as above information lists from the website here. I took one of the Taipa Houses - Macanese House

Macanese House

Macanese House is one of the Macau's typical houses during colonial days and the reminder of the ancient Portuguese splendor that was characterized by frequent affluence of the Portuguese, British, Mandarins and wealthy merchants in this small territory.

Side view of Taipa Houses-Museum

I managed to take side view of the five Taipa Houses-Museum distance from the sea view where the carmo garden is.

Free Phototaking of Trishaw Rider beside Taipa Houses

Photoshot of Wedding Couple at the Taipa Houses-Museum

I saw the wedding couple sitting gracefully at the corridor of Taipa Houses, would bring a memorable of their wedding day. There is a free photo-taking of Trishaw Rider that parks beside one of the Taipa Houses.

Windmill at Municipal Garden

Sculptures at Municipal Garden

At the Our Lady of Carmel Church that leads to the Carmo Square that is nearby to the Taipa Houses-Museum just walk a short distance. These beautifully sculptures of different animals on each side of the garden with sea view. And also lookover the landscape and you will see the city landscape of Cotai Strip Hotels and Buiildings.

The street of Trevessa De Santa Gertrudes

As we walked along the street of Trevessa De Santa Gertrudes and leads us to the small Kuan Yin temple.

Kuan Yin Temple

In the narrow path that leads us to the most famous street named - "Rua Do Cunha 官也街" or "Guanye Street" is the main street that running through the Taipa village on the island of Cotai in Macau. It is the heart and soul of Taipa and important area for this small enclave in Macau. Many locals restaurants and pastry shops can be found serving Macanese, Chinese and Portuguese cruises and selling Macanese deliciacies.

Cunha Bazaar and Old CheryKoff

Koi Kei Pastry shop, Post box and Trishaw Rider

This silver of a pedrestian street is just 5m wide and stretching about 115m that packed in a dozens of snack shops and eateries, is a small commerical buildings with colourful background on the wall to appealing tourists' attraction. The colourful colonial architecture and the folks of different culturally overwhelming the locals and tourists alike. The heaven smell of pastries, peanut candy, pork and beef jerky when we went near it and thus make us feel hungry. There is even tasting of samples on each shop too. There are  also red posting box ( different from the first Day 2 pic 1 and  Day 2 pc2 ) and trishaw rider stood in front of Koi Kei pastry shop.

Cozinha Pinocchio Restaurant

Cozinha Pinocchio Restaurant is one of the most famous restaurants in Taipa and they specialise in Macanese cruisine. The building is super huge and looks spectacular from the side view and the restaurant has been around more than 30 years.

The Paint Graffiti of Cunha Bazaar

The wall of Cunha Bazaar is full of hand-painted with colourful streets of Taipa village in olden times. I heard that the grand opening of Cunha Bazaar was on the 22rd Sept 2011 and was a collaborative effort between The Choi Heong Yuen Bakery and Macau Creations. The out most wall of this four-storey building is hand-painted with the traditional colors of Macau.

Pastelaria Fong Kei

This shop is a century old pastry shop Fong Kei is the next big draw to the crowds on Rua Do Cunha. Well, this place is for the local people who want their cakes and their steak and to eat it on the open space and a takeaway box too. The shop makes cookies with port and lard fillings. It sounds like doggy biscuits but it tastes like humans culinary genius, as evidenced by the perennially long queue outside Fong Kei. Almond cookies with pork filling are their signature. We were not at Koi Kei pastry shop and there's no testings and it could cost cheap. Do try to be a good shopper and just order quickly and without any problem to ask otherwise you will get the evil eye if dilly dallying. A long queue is a maker of great meat cookies.

Museum of Taipa and Coloane History

We walked along the street of Rua Do Regedor to where there is a history museum called - Museum of Taipa and Coloane History was formerly known as a Public Administration building located at Rua Do Meio. The 2-storey Museum of Taipa and Coloane History consists of exhibitions of the historical relics unearthed in Coloane, stone architectural remains and the development of the villages, religions and culture of the islands provide an overview of the history and culture of old Coloane and Taipa. There is a Pak-Tai Temple within a few short walk from the Museum. 
The 1st floor level is a ancient history where there is a collection of relic spaning from the Han Dynasty and  Qing Dynasty are on display, reflecting the ancient history of Taipa and Coloane. Also the Prehistory of Civilization that display prehistory stonewares like stone net weight and sharp and pointed tools as well as sketches of the archaeological findings and stratigraphies of the earth layers from the Hac Sa Site. NO photography is allowed on 1st floor level.

Farmer's tools (2nd floor level)

One of the utensils in this picture on the left (2nd floor level) is a wooden bucket (mid 20th century) used by fish sellers to carry fish. In the past, the salt fish industry was very prosperous in Taipa and Coloane. The salted fish were kept in wooden buckets for transportation. On the centre of the picture is the Shrimp paster stone grinder, is the processing tool for makeing shrimp paste, miniscule white shrimp were crushed and ground in the stone grinder to make smooth and the shrimp paste.

Stone Mill

The stone mill is a processing tool for grain products, comprises upper and lower of millstones used for grinding grain foodstuffs. In the past, the farmer of Coloane and Taipa would grind paddy rice for rice milk to make rice cakes.

Chinese Weapons

The Chinese weapons (2nd floor level staircase) exhibited in the building of former Municipal Council of the Islands.

Firecraker Trimming Maker (2nd floor level)

A tool is used by the firecraker factories to make fuse powder in the olden times. Wood charcoal and self-peter were the major raw materials in making fuse powder, and the wood charcoal had to be grounded in this wooden before use. In the late 1960, many factories started to used this kind of wooden grinder that driven by a machine, as the result this old wooden device was gradually eliminated.

There is also the sculpture of the beam of the old sailing fishing boat above the ceiling.

The Ancient Bell (2nd floor level)

At the Tin Hau Temple, there was once an ancient bell from the past which you may not see it and now it is displayed at the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History. This ancient bell is exhibited from the Tin Hau Temple by the effort of the Civil and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) in converving the relics of the temples in Taipa supported by the Association. The ancient bell is more than two hundred year old, ancient relic of the bell and the frontal inscription reads " the nation flourishes and its people live in peace". The "Tin Hau Temple of Long Tau (Dragon Head) Bay, dated on 50th year of reign of Emperor Qianglong (1785). A 'Bell' performs an important function and high status of the temple and devotees pay their homage to gods and strike the bell, notifying the gods about their visit.

Horizontal Tablet of Jing Zhan Shan En

The tablet in the middle is a scroll, while boy statues are engraved on both sides and the bottom decorated with bats. The main text in the middle and the signature are engraved in relief. This tablet lent by Coloane Si Miao Ci Shan Hui.

First floor of red carpet staircase

It is such beautiful 'red carpet' on the grand staircase that looks new and spacious area. I felt to be able to take a photograph of myself with the help of my hubby and also group photo is taken by the friendly staff of the museum.

In front of the staircase, there is a "Tin Hau' statue, which is a original model of the Tin Hau statue located at the Mount Coloane.

Dog's Poop (WC)

After walking around the museum, we took a public bus no 28A which is near the corner of the building at RuaCorreria Da Silva, to the 4-faces Buddha Shrine located along Estrada Governador Albano Oliveira next to the Macau Jockey club and Casino Taipa Square. As we alighted at the junction, continued walking along the road till we saw the most clean place of an animal doing business on the spot - Dog's Poop (WC) where you may not see in Singapore. Well, you may say Macau is clean without any dog's poop on the roads and there is a spot for the owners' doggy for doing business. And yes, I did see the cute dog - Chihuahua at the Senado Square where there is a dog's WC around the corner of the building. Will Singapore follow this example instead of letting the dogs peeing and pooping on the roads and building's footpaths? This is to educate for the dog owners for cleanliness and health of the people who passing by.

Four-faces Buddha Shrine

Casino Taipa Square

Macau Jockey Club

Another popular of Taipa attraction, seated in a Thai Style pavilion, surrounded by stone elephants, mythical birds and flower wreaths, the gold-leaf clad statue is a popular "praying stopover" for gamblers on their way to the Macau Jockey Club just next to it as well as Casino Taipa Square. The magnificent 4-faces Buddha consists of four elements - earth, water, fire and air.

Bus-stop at Grandview Hotel

As it's getting late for us and we headed to the bus-stop at the corner of Grandview Hotel, took a public bus no 26 or MT4 heading towards our hotel in Cotai in 20 mins. As we were still waiting for the bus no.26 but it will take a longer time about 30mins waiting time. We somehow took bus no MT4 which arrives every 10 mins interval that would faster than normal bus no 26.

Girl dances on the rings

As soon as we boarded the bus no MT4 when it arrives earlier and reached to our hotel in 20 mins and the weather is still freezing cold at nights and drop about 13 degrees C. At the lobby of our hotel, there is another show at night - Girl dances on the Rings at the Paradise garden in front of "God of Fortune". It is indeed a spectacular sight.

After the show, we headed to our dinner at foodcourt and soon walked back to our hotel to rest as we were tired throughout the whole day.

The following morning, we headed to the other popular exhibitions at nearby neighbouring hotels just opposite from our hotel in my next blog.

Strolling through "The Historic Centre of Macau - Part Two

Reviving the Old Streets of Macau - Day 4 (Pt 1)
As usual after daily breakfast in the morning, we took a stroll outside our hotel and eventually took a photo in front of the hotel, the weather still freezing cold and the sun was not so hot at that time.

Outside Entrance of Hotels (Conrad & Holiday Inn)

You could see the signage in front of the Hotel that has two Hotels' name instead of one each signage. Well, I would think that because the building is huge and basically split in two, half is the Holiday Inn and the other half the Conrad. The two Hotel lobby are connected by some retail areas and a medium size Casino but there are separate entrances and lobby with the guest elevators next to one another centrally located between the two lobby's. The decor of the Lobby and outside areas is Himalayan/Tibetan styled.

Himalayan Styled of the Hotel outside areas

It was a such beautifully decoration of the garden of the Hotels with the huge vases display surrounding hotels outside where you could see mostly in Cotai Strip.
Our next destination is Coloane where there is the famous temple in the world with a spectacular surroundings of the buildings and the Panda Park - A-Ma Culture Village, Statue of Goddess A-Ma and Giant Panda Pavilion located at Estrada De Seac Pal Van.

Retro Bus-stop along 

Before that, we took public bus no. 26A or 21A in front of our hotel to Coloane along the street called Estrada Do Campo where there is a park called "Lai Chi Vun" where we will trek around the quaint villages near the Estrada de Lai Chi Vun on the island of Coloane, we pass by the eerie abandoned shipyards along the coast. Thus we alighted the bus-stop which stood an old bus-stop without a seating stool (above picture).

Quaint Coloane Villages along the Estrada De Lai Chi Vun

Coloane Village is known as living testament to Macau's Cantonese and Portuguese heritages. There are fewer residents and less urban developed. Today, the Coloane Islands is a good place for beach goers, lovers, hikers and golfers.

President Antonio Ramalho Eanes Square (2 pics above)

The name of the square is the central of Coloane VIllage is known as Largo Do Presidente Antonio Ramalho Eanes (President A.R. Eanes Square where the bus-stop located along the various restaurants and bakery shops. There are also Church of St. Francis Xavier and Tin Hau Temple down the road. But I didn't walk further down the road as I intended to visit A-Ma Culture Village and Macau Giant Panda Pavilion just further up the road on the right.

Traffic Light at Estrada De Campo

Further up the road of the opposite on the right on the slope to where the traffic light post stands that is much different from Singapore's traffic light. The Traffic post is made of steel pole attached with a box (orange colour) with just one red light that withstands the strong wind in the winter season where the abandoned shipyards nearby. The word of the post red light indicated - "Pare Ao Sinal Vermelho (Portuguese) means "Stop the red light". It indicates that if motorists see the red light shown is 'ON' and the motorists will eventually stop at the red light traffic, the post installed two orange box which turns two side from both side of the road.

Steep hill at Estrada Militar

We passed by the steep hill at Estrada Militar across the road about 600m and winds around the island and detour through the road - Alto De Coloane to see A-Ma Statue and A-Ma Culture Village.

Lai Chi Vun

Coloane Shipyeard

Lai Chi Vun Park located at Shek Pai Wan Ma roadside, next to the the Coloane shipyard, named oriented Coloane Lizhiwan. This park is adjacent to the Coloane, depending on the hillside and built the park has lounge chairs and picnic tables, tree-lined, quiet environment, provide nearby residents with an ideal summer living, chat and enjoy the place of litchi Bay and the Park is open all day.

A-Ma Cultural Village Gate

The impressive classical Chinese-style gate, next to the Esso Petrol Station on the road that connects Coloane Village with Cotai and Taipa, is the best starting point for a tour of Alto de Coloane and A-Ma cultural village.

Shutter Bus to A-Ma Cultural Village

The road that winds all the way to the top of the hill through a lush forest, we would therefore hop on one of the free shuttle bus that run from the gate up to A-Ma cultural village every thirty minutes. But there is no one around at that moment and even the bus drive, and maybe we will catch up the shutter bus later as we intended to visit the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion just a few 2 mins walk from the shutter bus terminal point.

Macau Giant Panda Pavilion

Here we are at the entrance of Macau Giant Panda Pavilion, but before that, we remembered that we walked along side of the road, there is a stray dog coming towards us and the people around and I noticed they carried the food in the bag on their hands and the stray dog will go after the smell of the food as if it comes all the way from where it is.

Stray dog at the entrance of Panda Pavilion

The stray dog went inside the entrance of Giant Panda Pavilion to follow the people with holding the foods in their hands and the security guard chased it away. It was such a pitiful sight.

Entrance to Panda Pavilion Garden

As we walked pathway to the Panda Pavilion garden and it was a huge garden including small zoo garden, birds park garden, children's playground, stage, pond as well as Natural and Agrarian Museum.There is Souvenir Shop nearby as well as Mini Bar next door. Entrance in the Panda Park is free but seeing Pandas in person and it costs you only HK/MOP$10 per pax (around SG$4.50 depends on currency rate).

Children's Playground

Stage Show

The Stage show is only opened according to the schedules when there are more tourists and locals. Apart from the show, there is Natural and Agrarian Museum which is free for all. As we were so close to the museum, we saw the staffs who were having their lunch break and the staffs spotted us and waved us to come and visit the museum. The friendly staff obliged to help the direction to where the entrance to the museum.

Canopy Chair

Before that, we saw the canopy with a chair stool that looks nice and peaceful surrounding just next to the museum.

Natural and Agrarian Museum

Macao is far-famed with the vast number of Museums it has over its comparatively small area of land. Beyond the astounding ratio, it’s indeed the unique collections in distinct categories featured by the museums that built up the reputation. Natural and Agrarian Museum located at Parque Seac Pai Van Park, liha De Coloane, Macau. Visitors and tourists have the opportunity to interactively learn about the general aspects of the geography, the natural environment's climate, important characteristics of Macau through written and audio-visual supports by the museum. Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 to 18:00 ( Closed on Mondays except holidays).

Farming Tools

The museum has 5 exhibitions that are devoted to the geography of Macau, farming tools, the lives of the farmers, animals, and plants. Also featuring a simulated mangrove swamp exhibit, as well as exhibits featuring a working waterwheel, and a grain mill replica, the museum captures the essence of the farming community of Macau’s past. 

Chicken farm

Water bucket and Grain mill

Life of a farmer

Worth a visit to learn more about the lives of the farmers' past that exactly how my grandma's kampong villages that surrounding the farm that reared pigs, chickens, ducks and planted the fruit trees too.

Mangrove swamp trunk of a tree

These trunk of the trees are the biggest living things and the exhibit gives you an idea of how huge they are and the lives of the trees.

Panda Pavilion Park

After we looked around the museum and we came out from the back of the museum and walked towards the Panda Pavilion Park where the stone sculptures of the Pandas display along the park with beautifully decorations of the fresh flower plants and some are plastic plants too.

Stone's Carving of Kai Kai and Xin Xin

The most beautifully decorations of the stone's carving of two Pandas - Kai Kai and Xin Xin that are craved from Alabaster of Fangshan District, Beijing. The Stone's Craving Pandas are designed and manufactured by Ai Qiang Craft and Stone-craving Factory of Quyang County, Hebei Province on 18th Jan 2011. Its weight is about 11.5 ton.

Macau Giant Panda Pavilion

As we passed by the Giant Panda Pavilion and looked at the time as if it's still early by looking at the schedule of the time visiting of the Pandas in person. Oh...my, It's already started but luckily it's still half an hour and enough time to visit the Pandas. Actually, the show time is one hour and the time slots stated at the appropriate time assuming available on the time slots. Otherwise we have to wait another two hours later. So we just booked the ticket (HK/MOP$10 per adult) and not to delay our next trip to A-Ma Statue and Cultural Village just next to it.

Viewing Paths of the Pavilion

After we bought the tickets and we walked up the slope to where the Pavilion is. The outlook of the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion (picture above) is designed to mimic nature, e.g. the yard is enclosed in a rock wall with some built-in panda habitat features. The indoor exhibit area is under a translucent film roof that offers more natural light than electric lighting. The roof of the whole pavilion is fashioned in the shape of a seashell.

Indoor Activity Panda's Quarter

The viewing area in the indoor activity quarters features two viewing paths of different elevations accessible to two streams of visitors at a time, adding to the accommodating capacity of the pavilion. The outdoor yard, however, is the result of the all-in-one design concept and most of the trees previously grew here have been retained, allowing the giant pandas to enjoy themselves in an outdoor environment when weather condition permits. Visitors will be able to watch the activities of giant pandas through the toughened glass.

Indoor Activity Quarter - Xin Xin (Closeup)

We could see the distance of the Panda's acitivity quarter - Xin Xin and I managed to zoom with my camera some disances away to a closer look (closeup) for a clearer view of the picture (above) and Xin Xin is resting on the trunk tree that supports it.

Close up - Kai Kai

Along the path of the Pavilion, we went outdoor of the Pavilion where the Kai Kai is walking and climbing on the trees to show the visitors of its enaging manners.

Macau Giant Panda Gift Shop

Outside the Pavilion, there is a Macau Giant Panda Gift Shop that sells gifts and souvenirs related to Giant Pandas. It also offers a large collections of giant panda gifts for visiting residents and tourists to choose from.

Collection of Pandas in different sizes

Soft toys Pandas with different colour dresses

It includes the soft toys, bags, clothes, key chains, stationery and household items...etc. There will also be a snack shops and cafes in the vicinity of the gift shop.

The Pond and Greater Flamingos

Along side of the Pavilion, there is a pond with lots of Flamingos and the most plumage of the greater Flamingo is the Pink, is the palest colour among of all species of flamingos. This is the most widespread and the largest species of the flamingo family, closely related to the Caribbean Flamingo. Its height and weight are 110-150cm and 2.0 to 4.0 kg respectively.

Pink Flamingo and white Flamingos

It can found coastal seawater lakes, salt fields and brackish shallows in most countries that are Africa, Southern Europe, Central Asia and Western India.

Nicobar Pigeon

Nicobar Pigeon has a blue and green long feathers with metallic lustre on its neck and has a wart-like black protrusion on its break. It mainly found in Nicobar Islands and in New Guinea, and its length is about 40 cm. I took a photo of it and it is very shy away from me.

Sika Deer

Close-up - Sika Deer

Sika Deer, mainly distributed from China, Japan and Siberia, always gather in groups and are very active during mornings and evenings, Sika Deer are vegetarians. Males are very strong and especially aggressive in courtships during mating seasons. It usually lives in the mixed forests of the broad-leaves trees and conifers. At the age of two, the males start to grow horns, which will decay and reborn naturally. The numbers of horns will increases by one branch every year since then. Because of their market value, they are now being raised domestically in China in massive numbers.

Macau Giant Panda Information Center

1st floor of the Information Center

Setting in the Seac Pai Van Park, the once previous center was known as "Nature Education Center now converted into ' Macau Giant Panda Information Center by Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM). The centre has two floors - the ground is multifunctional hall that may use to hold exhibitions and lectures while the first floor is an exhibition hall surronding giant panda themes, demonstrating features, behavious, body shapes, growth and habitats..etc of giant panda in engaging manners.

Outside the Giant Panda Information Center

As I was walking outside the information center, I was holding and looking at my PC Tablet and didn't know of the photo taken by my hubby as if I was searching the locations after this. And eventually, we walked outside the park and headed towards the A-Ma Culture Village, 2 mins walk to the free shutter bus waiting for us to board. 
Continued to the next blog in Day 4 (Pt 2).