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Macau
Day 2 - 27th February - Historic Sights of Macau by Morning (Part 1)
As per my usual holiday practice, I set out early for the Heritage Trail.
"Café e Nata"
This cafe around the corner from the hostel, according to the hostel owner, was run by the estranged wife of Lord Stow (or something like that)
Naturally I had egg tarts. They were not bad.
The extent of the fog. And with fog came humidity.
Puzzling sign on preventing Bird Flu: "Do not blow the vent of the chickens". I have no idea why peple would blow chicken asses.
Also note that this sign is in Chinese, Portuguese and English, despite the last not being an official language of the city.
"Patrimonio do Estado". This was presumably the old governor's house.
Strange fish-animal-topped pillar
Monument to Jorge Álvares - the guy the Macanese have to thank for their privileges
Banco Nacional Ultramarino building
Post Office
"Be a Lady. Do the Wrong Thing."
Advertisement featuring Maria Cordero (of mixed ancestry, whose Chinese name is amusingly "肥媽" ["Fat Mama"])
Municipal Hall (Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. c. 1784) by day. It's colonial architecture but it's not terribly impressive.
Santa Casa Da Misericordia (Holy House of Mercy, a Catholic charity)
Edificio Ritz (Tourist Office)
I realise I did not take any pictures of Senate Square in the day. Doubtless this was because it was so ugly, with all the Chinese New Year decorations. So here are 2 pictures of it when it isn't so ugly:
The wavy mosaics (the tiles for which were imported from Portugal) are supposed to symbolise "the sea and Macau's maritime heritage". Apparently this is the part of Macau which most resembles Portugal.
The 19th Century Pharmacy Building
Travessa da Misericordia
St Dominic's Church, early 1600s
Rua de S. Paulo
"Pastelaria Koi Kei - The Popular Choice"
The Original SPG by day
Ruins of St Paul's. Notice the girl in the left of the picture who is raising her arms. Maybe she wants to emulate the Japanese Martyrs, since Jack's not here to hold her.
Self-upskirting girl and dog
St Paul's by day - symbolising Macau since 1835
Information about the Ruins of St Paul's - the Church of Mater Dei, the College of St Paul's and the Residence of the Jesuits, as well as the Museum
After climbing the steps to the ruins, the humidity finally got to me. The weather would only have been tolerable if I had not been moving, and I made the mistake of wearing jeans, to boot. So I had to take pauses to allow my sweat to, if not dry, then at least lessen.
St Paul's through the ages
Edifice from the rear
I then entered the Museum of Sacred Art in the basement of the ruins.
Sino-Portuguese Crucifix, 17th century
Holy Wafer Box (Pyx), Portugal. 17th century.
St Anne teaching the Virgin Mary how to read, Indo-Portuguese. 18th century.
The halos are scary
The Martyrs of Japan, 1640 (1996 Replica).
They were crucified for disrupting religious harmony in Japan; one man's martyr is another man's heretic/infidel.
The Archangel Michael. 17th century.
The Archangel Michael. 17th century, Portuguese.
Religious bier for Our Lady. Early 19th century, Asian-Portuguese.
All in all, I found the Museum of Sacred Art very educational. It taught me that there's a reason why Portuguese works are very rare in art museums, and Asian-Portuguese works are non-existent.
