Author Topic: Macau 澳門小游 (Read 230296 times)

chin · « **on:** 02 January 2010, 04:40:45 »

I personally found Macau more and more appealing as a short traveling destination. After the gambling reform about 5 years ago, Macau now has many nice hotels and restaurants and a good place to spend a few relaxed days.

The first downside is that the nice restaurants are now more expensive than before, especially the ones that get Michelin stars. The second downside is that it's much easier now running into some very rude mainland gamblers.

chin · « **Reply #1 on:** 02 January 2010, 04:51:39 »

We went to Macau on 28 Dec 2009 to 1 Jan 2010. And this is the first time I went around a little bit to take some pictures.

On 31 Dec 2009, we went to the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden 盧廉若公園 at around noon time. The first thing that attracted my attention was the small number of 盆景 (Penjing, or miniature Scene in a Pot, or Bonsai to most non-Chinese speaking people.) The Penjing are not as refined as those in the Hong Kong Flower Show but still nice to look at and admire.

The first one is a side way trunk, with the inside already exposed. Yet new roots are growing underneath, and new life are forming inside the exposed "interior".

chin · « **Reply #2 on:** 02 January 2010, 04:53:30 »

This one looks like burnt on one side, and cracked open on the other side, yet it's still surviving and growing strong in the shallow pot.

chin · « **Reply #3 on:** 02 January 2010, 04:53:55 »

How old is this tree?

The garden was formerly a wealthy family's residence, thus right in the middle of the city. In the back of this picture, you can see the rather old houses nearby.

chin · « **Reply #4 on:** 02 January 2010, 04:57:55 »

This is my personal favorite - a miniature forest.

chin · « **Reply #5 on:** 02 January 2010, 05:00:42 »

Compare the thickness of the trunk verse the branches, one can't help wondering how much time and effect it took to shape these two. When the season comes, they will have nice flowers.

chin · « **Reply #6 on:** 02 January 2010, 05:02:00 »

Another interesting one, with a hole in the middle.

chin · « **Reply #7 on:** 02 January 2010, 05:05:44 »

This one maybe younger? Perhaps in the future it will be another one-tree-forest.

chin · « **Reply #8 on:** 02 January 2010, 05:06:24 »

Two more before moving on to the larger scenery.

chin · « **Reply #9 on:** 02 January 2010, 05:12:16 »

According to the tourist brochure, the Garden was built by a wealthy 19th century Chinese merchant, Lou Kau, and was inherited by his son Lou Lim Ieoc in 1906. The son contract an architect to transform that garden into a Suzhou style garden. The next two pictures are the two sides of a 涼亭 that is features in almost all Chinese gardens.