Hello Fellow World Travelers,
Thanks to Cathay Pacific Airlines we have arrived safely in Macau. We flew from JFK to Macau via Vancouver. We had a 1.5 hour layover in Vancouver before we continued to Hong Kong. In total our flying time was 17 hours + the 1.5 hour layover. Cathay Pacific’s economy class and business class is fantastic. The service is excellent!
Upon our arrival in Hong Kong, we transferred to the ferry to Macau (about 45 minutes). You can check your bags all the way to Macau and they are waiting for you at the Ferry station in Macau upon your arrival. It is very important to follow the signs for the Macau Ferry so that you can transfer from within the airport. If you don’t and leave through baggage claim you will have to take a taxi to another ferry station because you cannot re-enter that section of the airport.
Macau is tiny, only 29.5 square kilometers. it consists of 2 islands (Taipa & Coloane) and the peninsula that connects it to mainland China. All of the bright lights are here along with several casinos and fabulous hotels. There are over 20,000 hotel rooms in Macau.
We are staying at the Madarin Oriental. By comparison the Mandarin Oriental is considered a boutique hotel with only 200 rooms. All rooms are suites with only the size of the living room varying. The higher the floor the larger the living room. The Mandarin Oriental does not have a casino, which I find pleasant. It’s a nice quiet retreat to come back to after touring. From champagne bar to fabulous rooms a wonderful spa and an all high end mall, the Mandarin Oriental is a luxurious hotel.
On our first day weather is pleasant in the upper 60’s low 70’s.
We just finished a playful night and delightful dining experience at Nga Tim Cafe, where the owner is a lively man who is known to break out in song and visit every table. I’m told that while he was a bit more animated tonight because he and his wife were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, he is usually like this most nights. His restaurants are in a sort of courtyard with tables outside. It’s very casual with the freshest seafood. The most dramatic dish of the night was the “Drunken Sauna Prawns”. They arrive to your table alive! They thrashed about in a dish while marinating in wine and spices until they stop moving, then the waiter brings hot stones similar to the hot stones used in a hot stone massage. He pours the shrimp and the marinade over the hot stones, cover them and allow them to steam in what he calls a sauna and in minutes the shrimp are done. This dish is fun, dramatic and tasty!
What a fun evening!
Until tomorrow
Ja’Vonne Harley
Co-Host, The Traveling Eye
President, Advantage International