Fast forward to leaving the house at 4.40pm, taking a cab to the budget terminal, check in, had some snacks and drinks, before taking off on the 6.10pm flight by Tiger Airways.
Being on an aeroplane for the first time, it was excited to see and feel how the plane take off from the ground. Just like a little kid, i could not help to constantly look thru the window, and exclaimed how does the earth looks like when the plane is several meters away from the ground.
The plane reaches Macau International Airport at around 10pm, and the first thing that I feel when I step the ground of Macau: the air is fresh, and it is cold. (It was about 21 degrees celsius at night.)
Oh yes, not forgetting the feeling of the first breath of air abroad. A mixture of wind, with a hind of wood and engine oil. Hehehehe.
The first impression of Macau International Airport: clean and empty. Perhaps it was late, isn't it?
Brother and I took a cab to Metropole Hotel, located at Macau Island itself. (Note, Macau is a combination of 3 islands - Macau, Taipa and the other island...unknown. Can't remember what is the name.)
Upon check in, we decided to go for dinner at a tea cafe nearby. We came across Macau Restaurant, a cha can teng (tea cafe, just like your neighbourhood kopitiam in Singapore.), which serves really great grilled Portuguese pork chop with fried rice.
Before we had our dinner, we decided to take some pictures.
As you know, Macau is just like the Las Vegas of the East, which houses loads and loads of casinos. So, here are some of the photos we took on the first night of arrival in Macau.
Emperor Hotel, which was owned by Emperor Group, which is into movie productions, jewelleries, hospitality and so own.
Pawnshops for anyone who needs cash desperately...
Public houses...
And here you have the 2 casinos: Grand Lisboa and Casino Lisboa, standing side by side with one another.
Last but not least, the interior design of Grand Lisboa casino and hotel. This is the reception area, which right beside is the entrance to the casino.
Apologies for no photos on the casino, as no photo taking is allowed. All I can say is that, the gamblers consist a healthy mix of Hong Kongers, Macau natives and Mainlanders from China. With each bet at a minimum of MOP $100 (ard S$21), one can enjoy a game of Blackjack, lucky spin, jackpot machine, and not forgetting the dice game which the Chinese loves it the most: Big and Small. (it is a game where 3 dices will be shake each time. After the dice has been shaked in a covered cylinder, one will place their bets to guess if the total points fallls either small, which is 3 p0ints to 9, or big, which is 10 to 18.)
Not forgetting that smoking in an air-conditioned casino is a norm, since one can smoke in a open air area, and air-condition venues. So, bear the second hand smoke if you must visit the casinos.
To continue on the trip to HK in the next post...