In like a storm...

Granddaddy often says my Uncle Scott comes in like a storm and goes out like a storm.  Well, Chris did the same thing.  He left under a level 3 typhoon warning on Monday, and we haven't had another storm since.

The only downside to his visit was that it was too short.  Here's some of the fun we had:

We tried a "sour" banana that Chris likes.  It tastes like a green banana, even when ripe.

We tried out the exercise equipment while walking around the reservoir.

As you can see, they don't let much riffraff happen at the reservoir.  Don't even think about walking on the grass (what grass?).

   

Walking on the foot "massage" station is quite alright, if your feet can handle it.  Mine couldn't take it for long before I had to hop off.  It's been a long time since I ran around barefoot.

It was a sunny day, and there weren't too many people walking in the heat of the day.  It's a nice place to sit, though, when the sun is setting.

We walked about 15 minutes from the reservoir to Guia Hill park.  Guia Hill has a zoo, a flower garden, a fish pond, tennis courts, two walking trails which circle the hill, exercise stations, and on top of the hill there is a lighthouse and an old military fort.  Chris and I climbed the hill, walked through an air raid shelter turned museum (Portuguese troops haven't been stationed in Macau since 1974), and toured the outside of the lighthouse (the inside was closed off due to the holiday).  

We encountered a Chinese man teaching his son the word "air raid shelter."  Oddly enough, every time we encountered the two again afterwards, the man seemed to be quizzing the boy - Atop the lighthouse:  "Air raid shelter."  Playing frisbee:  "Air raid shelter."  Walking down the trail:  "Air raid shelter."  I guess that's how we learn.

There was a nice display of the typhoon warning signals.  Chris is pictured next to the number 8 signal and next to the photo showing how the signal is displayed (I suppose from atop the lighthouse). 

The Guia Hill Lighthouse (thanks, Google - it was hard to get a good shot).

The view from the top.  

Yes, the sign does indicate that this is a variety of Ficus.  I had no idea they could get so big.

The view from the sky bucket thingie.  It was only 2 patacas to ride!  I'll never climb the mountain again.

Chris got to see the final night of the fireworks competition.  China was the last competitor, and of course, they won.  You can read about it on the front page of the Macau news:  http://www.macaunews.com.mo/index.php?option=com_news_portal&Itemid=45

Thanks for coming, Chris!  I had a great time!