Our Hong Kong Trip (Day 3)
You were awaken by a noise at around 4am and got frightened. Waking me up in my deep sleep proved futile, as you realised and hid yourself in the blanket. I woke up slightly earlier than the phone alarm would ring at 7:30am. Though we slept on a single size bed, I don't feel squeezy and had a comfortable night. As a result of the noise, you didn't sleep well and woke up earlier to use the bathroom. I took out my NEW Shan Zhai white iPhone to play. I still can't figure out how to insert the SIM card. I tried using the charger to charge your (original real McCoy) iPhone the night before. As we will see during the next few days, it's the cause of pre-mature shut down of your iPhone at 57%. By this time you were no longer feeling scared. The sight of me using the phone amused you as you snapped several shots of me that morning.
At 8am we had breakfast at the same hotel on the third floor. It is now that we started talking to each other more. I showed the boys the iPhone that I bought, and they were amused at the replica. Breakfast was rather okay, though I don't remember clearly what we had. The only photo we had on the food was an egg bun. By 9am we were back on the coach while the tour guide was asking how our shopping was the night before. He also showed us his phone with an antenna that looks like on from the dai kor dai. The bus took us by beautiful sceneries on a coastal road. The side of the road was lined with palm trees. The tour guide begun to tell a story of a forbidden love between a princess and a peasant. A tsunami was approaching, the princess used her magic to delay it while the peasant led the villagers up a hill. When her magic ran out, she was petrified. A statue was erected at the site to remember her. Similarly, a statue of her husband was created on top of the hill, and the hilltop was our destination for the morning.
The tour guide was rather dishonest. He brought us to take the cable car up the hill, but there's another way to reach the hilltop without paying money. Although, frankly speaking, I wouldn't want to walk my way up the hill and perspire first thing in the morning. At the hilltop, we had taiwan sausage and got saw a stall where by you can take a photo with a snake. Your mom shunned at the sight of it and we continued on. The view from the hilltop gives us a wide view of the city. We took a few pictures and prepare ourselves to return to the bottom. We missed another legend associated with the hill. There is a rock where by locked padlocks were tied around it, and the key thrown away. It is to symbolise that a relationship be unbreakable. Alas, the tour guide didn't tell us about it and we only realised it while queueing for the fast ride.
As usual you were apprehensive, but wanted to accompany me on a ride I would love. Thanks ^^ After the ride down (and taking photos of you in shock), we went to eat again at a restaurant with an ancient theme. The waiters and waitresses were wearing traditional clothes while serving us. Like the previous times, we had baby prawns again... It seems that baby prawns are a delicacy here. After the meal, we went for our final shopping spree in China.. at the shopping centre-cum-checkpoint to Macau. There, the guide showed us around the Shanzai Guccis & LVs. He must be feeling really proud of his non-original, copycat culture. We split from your parents and went shopping together. Bought an Angry Birds iPhone cover. I also bought a pair of trousers here, after much looking around and consideration. It's a bit tight at the crotch area though. Do they have small... or maybe it's just me =x
Finally, we reached the stipuated time to meet. As usual, your mom was frantic about whether we could actually find our way back to the rendezvous point. Took a final look at the country where our forefathers came from, and went to the checkpoint. It's the usual process - write departure, arrival cards, pass through customs, and walk over to once-portugese held island. Technically Macau is part of China. However, I still view it and Hong Kong as cities in their own right.
Macau landscape is radically different from Zhuhai. For one, the street signs were written in English & Portugese with little Chinese. As it was already late, we were toured around the small island, zipped passed some of the more prominent landmarks and casinos, before being sent to our hotels. The four of us were separated from the rest of the tour group. But no matter, because we got to stay in the expensive Westin Hotel! Legend says legends such as Jackie Chan stayed here. By the time we went to the hotel and wash up, it was only 8:30pm, so I suggested we could go out, take a stroll and do a little free & easy.
Thankfully, there was a cafe nearby, so we decided to have a little supper for the chilling night. It reckon it's about 13 degrees. Not cold enough for snow =( We made our way through a small path by the beach and ordered fries & crab. I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet and cozy atmosphere that is unlike anywhere to be found in Singapore. With some wireless Internet access, I also informed my sister of my well being. We left the cafe at 10pm, going back to our individual rooms to prepare for another fun day. I look forward to tour Macau more than Zhuhai. One thing we realised while we walk back to our rooms... It's darn far from the lobby! And quiet too. Hardly see anyone else around the hotel. The hotel room was the coziest out of all the ones we stayed in this trip. It's easily twice the size of Royal Pacific Hong Kong's rooms. There were also a lot of amenities we could use in the room.
You couldn't sleep properly in this hotel room, too.