May 10, 2023
Happy humpday again 
When the government of China lifted the Covid restrictions and travel ban to Macau at the end of December last year, it become one of the top most visited places in China regions. I saw the increase of the crowd right before my eyes and dived with them in the busy streets of Macau during our 1-day trip to this region.
After leaving St. Paul's Ruins before noon, we traced down the walkway flooded with tourists and locals. Aside from Rua da Felicidade and San Mao Lo, other notable streets in Macau are crowded too, especially on holidays.
I noticed a variety of food stalls and retail shops on both sides of the streets wherever we went. I so assumed that these were Macau's shopping streets. There are both new and old buildings, commercial and residential, some of which include retail spaces on the first floors. Just similar to typical Hong Kong-style streets, but with Portuguese architecture.
Streets are narrow, yet the crowd don't seem to mind. Similar to how people generally follow the crowds, so do we. People are lined up outside of the stores on both sides. While some people are into something, others are merely really interested. This proved the news that Macau tourists spiked over a few hundred percent since the beginning of the Chinese New Year.
And there's Colette, smiling widely. Excited to say out loud whatever was in her mind or something interesting she saw by the street. Meanwhile, the bosses were looking at the shop seeming to be waiting for something. I can guess what it was.
No one could resist nostalgic Macau. But I must say that I couldn't resist tasting the free food offered by every shop on this busy street. Not just in this part, but in other streets of Macau with food shops.
Wherever we went in these streets, people were eager to taste the free foods. Who could resist the food offered for free anyway? Every shop has this. They are offering free tastes to whoever will approach their shops to encourage them to buy their items after they tasted their delectable delicacies and other food.
I took two pieces of this almond cake and the lady didn't mind🤣. It was for free anyway.
These two are the top famous Macau snacks. The signature almond cake in the photo above or what they called Koi Kei, and the meat jerky in different flavors in the photo below, or what they called Bakkwa.
These treats tasted different from those in Macau's local shops when I tried them here in Hong Kong. The authentic meals have a beautiful aspect and are truly enticing. However, people who dislike beans might not enjoy the flavor of the almond cake. Mung beans, a few other nuts, and apricot kernels are among the ingredients in addition to almonds. Since I enjoy beans and nuts, I really enjoy the flavor. If you are familiar with chorizo's flavor, you may guess what those meat jerky taste like. Some have flavors similar to traditional Chinese sausages.
People seem to visit Macau just for food tripping. You can tell by the busy streets in any part of the region.
There are small wet markets too in the area selling fresh fruits and vegetables. I spotted coconut but I was uncertain if they are fresh or imported from other countries.
Some of the popular Macau snacks also include the pork chop bun and of course, egg tarts and tea with different local flavors. The pork chop bun is quite pricey though. One bun cost $40, lol. Meanwhile, the egg tart we tasted in Coloane Village cost $15 each which was reasonable because of its yummy taste. It was the original egg tart flavor from the shop where the Macau egg tart started.
Apart from food, casinos, and Portuguese villages, historical sites, other attractions in Macau include old churches and other structures.
Just near the busy street was the baroque style St. Dominic Church which was completed in 1587. It was the Cathedral Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese in the 16th century and is now one of the UNESCO Heritage sites in Macau.
There were officers on duty safeguarding the area when we entered the church. With respect to the sacred place, visitors were told to remove their caps. I did what was told and silently entered the sacred church. Before exiting, I touched the holy water and made a sign of a cross which I typically do when entering and exiting any Catholic church.
Another historic church we came across while going to the ruins was St. Anthony's Catholic Church, built in 1560 and where the site of the first Jesuits headquarters is also located.
Meanwhile, this grey brick site houses Lingnan Traditional Architecture Exhibition. Upon checking the information board, they called the exhibition, "The Memory of the Grey Bricks."
Lingnan is an old architectural design and this exhibition raises awareness of the significance of historic sites and traditional architecture in Macau.
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Although the entrance was free, we didn't enter the place as we planned to go somewhere else at that time. Macau is truly nostalgic. Anywhere you go would make you imagine the past and feel as if you walk back in time during the colonial era. There are so many places to explore and one day with the bosses wasn't really enough. The next time I visit Macau, I would surely explore the other ruins and other historical sites.
Thanks for stopping by.
(All photos are mine)
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