Macau 2012 - Day 4

Day 4 - We're supposed to go to the Panda conservation but we decided to just spend the day on buying stuffs or gift for friends and families back home as we have decided the night before to just stay in Macau instead of going to Hong Kong just to do shopping as our original plan and do the Panda in the morning on the day of our flight back to Manila. 

Although we all woke up late as we went to bed late the night before, it was still I who woke them up.

The weather that morning was perfect - not hot but not too cold. I was able to go out without my coat. We got out of the hotel at half past noon to have brunch and yes, it took us like half an hour to decide where to eat. 

We saw a Portuguese restaurant just three blocks away from our hotel. So while my friends were checking on the menu, I had to search on my phone (thanks to free wifi) their must try food. I read that their Portuguese chicken and anything curry is really good. So I had portuguese baked chicken, it has olives, potatoes, bell pepper and fried sweet onions. 

We noticed a lot of people waiting on the line outside as it's already lunch time. So I guess, the food is really good on this place. And so our food was served, it kinda took long for my order to be served, I don't know why. Valerie was making fun of it, she was saying like because I'm too picky with my order. lol. while she and the others had some beef pepper...

Anyway, I was wrong, the food here was not good... It was great!! lol. Had I only live on that place I wouldn't hesitate to stay on the line and wait for my turn to get inside. lol. The place is always jam packed!! 

While I was enjoying my lunch my phone rang. It's an international call with a US country code. I had to answer it despite that I know I will be charged for the call as I have an idea who the caller was. I recognize the voice and it's a very, very sad and groggy voice, it's my father and he was surprised to know I was already in Macau he thought I wouldn't be there until the end of February. Well, the call was to let me know my Grandmother (his Mommy) past away in the US. It didn't come as a shock to me 'coz the whole family knows that Mommy (what we call grandma) is not in a good health as before,  like what they say, she was just waiting for her time - she was 90. 

I definitely felt sad after hearing it, I can sense my father was just trying to hold on his tears as he doesn't want me to hear him cry on the phone. I asked him what will be the plan for Mommy's remains, he said the whole family will fly down to Manila to bring Mommy home.. yes, home. Despite spending most of her time in the US she even became a US citizen, mommy opted to go home to where she was born and be laid to rest beside her husband. It has always been her request to be returned to Manila if she had to close her eyes for a very long time. 

All of a sudden, a moral sense hit me, I felt like I should not be in that place but my father insisted that I enjoy the trip and that the family has everything covered. 

I was lucky to be at the company of good friends after that sad news. I saw how they tried to make things light for me. I was staggered that I didn't cry, I even ask them why. They said probably because at the back of my mind I know Mommy is in what we called a happy place.. or maybe because I don't want what supposed to be a happy memories in Macau be tainted with grief. 

May Box at night

Waiting for the food

After that saddest lunch of my life yet (I wasn't even able to finish my food) we had to take a cab to go to Macau Peninsula and return to Senado square where we shall do our shopping spree. As soon as we get to the square, we decided to go our separate ways so we can do the shopping without thinking about the other person tailing who. lol. We just have to meet on the specific place in 2 hours. It didn't take me that long to buy all the things I want for friends and Mom. 

We really had to drop by at Starbucks to buy the tumblers which Valerie, a coffee freak, have been collecting for over a year now. It's quarter to five in the afternoon and it's beginning to get cold. I felt like I made a wrong move of not bringing my coat with me. We just finished our drinks and then we hopped into the cab and while on our way I told Valerie that I'm craving for McDonald's nuggets so we  thought of having a take out at the nearest McDonald's in our hotel. 

Okay, would you believe it, I had some nugget meal which I had the fries and drinks upsized to large and another order of chicken wing meal with regular fries and coke. I guess it was my way of coping up with my feelings that time, with the passing of my grandma. And yes, I was able to finish it! lol. 

We received a call from the other room, it was Mark, he was asked to inquire what time are we going to the Galaxy casino that night as it was almost 7pm. 

Gluttony at its finest. Not too happy.

We found our way to Galaxy hotel at 8PM. I was with Jaydee and Mark on the cab, we got into the hotel first, we took pictures while waiting for Valerie and Patrick. The weather is so cold. So cold that we already started complaining. lol. I'm serious. 

Photos courtesy of Mark

Okay so we played another round at the casino, I won HKD200 but lost it eventually. lol. And just like a critic we found not liking the ambience of the casino, hahahaha, we felt like we're really at home with playing at The Venetian. lol. After a couple of hours of playing we went to see the shops in the area. What can I say? The place is really colossal and exquisite. I was telling my friends that had there have been a mall like that in Manila -  Greenbelt or Rockwell wouldn't come close to it, not even Resort's World. lol. 

I really like the entrance to the casino area. It's like a big peacock, isn't it?

Tired from doing shopping all day and strolling at the casino, we went home just after we had a japanese dinner. Yes, with all that McDonald's I consumed I still had some dinner. lol. We were supposed to watch a movie, we wanted to try and look at the movie house in Macau, unfortunately, it's too late as the LFS has already started. 

Anyway, we have a Panda day scheduled on our last day so we better get some sleep and recharge! I can't wait to see those black and white bears!