More of Macau

Our first stop the next morning was Macau's most famous landmark- the Ruins of St Paul. I heard that getting there meant having to contend with an uphill walk, so we took a taxi instead. :p

The place was so crowded and everyone was clamouring to pose for pictures. It was rather amusing to watch, really. We saw loads of churches in Eastern Europe but none of them elicited as much excitement as this single church facade! :)

1/4 of a church (or 1/5 maybe, if you count the roof)...

Next, we climbed up the stairs to Mount Fortress (right next to the Ruins), where you can find the Museum of Macau. I would have loved to visit the museum, but we didn't think there was enough time. We wandered around a bit and then made our way back down. That was when we discovered there were escalators! O_o

So, if you're going to visit Mount Fortress, take the left route up the hill (as you cross the road from the Ruins) and you will see the escalators taking you up. No need for all that huffing and puffing!

We wandered around the narrow streets and found ourselves at St Dominic's Church; a baroque Filipino-style church built by Spanish Dominican friars in the mid 16th-century. We also took a look at the various exhibits on display in the upper floors of the church.

St Dominic's Church

Leal Senado Square; with its interesting wave-patterened mosaics

After lunch and a wee bit of shopping (we each bought a light jacket), it was time to make our way back to the hotel. That's all the time we had for Macau!

Snapped this from the back of a moving taxi-what an interesting building! :)