Around the world in a daze: part 4

Hong Kong – 28 September 2009

Early writing tonight, I, due to poor planning, managed to endure the morning and afternoon rush hour on the MTR. The plan toady was to head off to early to the ferry terminal for a day trip to Macau. I had lots of ideas on what to do. Unfortunately, the rain put a stop to that. SO I spent the day in the casinos.

Macau is a little like Vegas; all the big names are there. I took a walk through the Wynn, the Venetian, and City of Dreams (home of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino). Of the three, the Venetian wins. It’s the largest casino in the world, a massive place that dwarfs the Vegas version, in both size and over the topness.

OK, I got a little ahead of myself. I trekked in the light rain from the hotel to the Wan Chai MTR station. Little did I know there was a covered walkway form the hotel to the station I discovered later in the day, but oh well. Took the train to the Central station and walked up to Central Ferry Pier, which is exactly where I shouldn’t have been. Turns out the Macau ferries leave from a different terminal a few blocks down. So off I go in the rain, though to be fair most the walk was under cover.

The ferry ride to Macau was not unpleasant. I didn’t get on one of the hydrofoils, but a jet-cat. All for about 200HKD (FYI, $1 = about 7.6HKD).

OK, interlude here… A large percentage of the population wears the surgical masks. H1N1 (swine flu) seems to be a big deal here. I guess they still remember the bird flu from a few years back that spread rapidly. When you enter the country, a thermal camera screens you, and if you have a high body temp they quarantine you until an examination can determine if you are a carrier. For the record, I went through this twice today, so I guess I don’t have the flu. Also, most public buildings have a sterilization regime ever 2 hours. They sanitize doors, handles, handrails, bins, and pretty much anything that gets a lot of touching. They take this stuff way seriously.
So, a lot of meandering in casinos. I lost some money, which is my standard way of operating in casinos. I think in all I was out $40, but that’s like 300HKD (or Macau Patacas, they run about 1 to 1 with HKD). But it feels like I’m laying down some heavy bets, and it makes me feel a bit like a baller.

Every now and then while walking around I stop and realize I have developed this stupid grin on my face. I had it going on in Dubai occasionally too. Why? Because I’m doing this. It’s not like Europe or Australia where there’s a small chance of looking like I belong there. Nope, I’m a different tint that the natives. Yeah, I occasionally see some Europeans and Aussies (or Kiwis) meandering about, and a couple of rare Americans. But as a people we don’t seem to get out much. Too bad.
I am a little disappointed I couldn’t get out and see the non-casino part of Macau. Guess I’ll have to come back.

Now, I think it’s chill time. I’ll watch the light show from my room, then maybe head out. I want to check out the night market over in Kowloon, or maybe bar hop around Wan Chai. I saw a “bar fight” last night, or more accurately the end of a bar fight. There must have been about 20 of Hong Kong’s finest gathered around, with riot gear… nice! Till Later