Welcome the year of the Horse!

My fourth new year in China!  Welcome in the year of the horse! 

 

I took advantage of our beautiful weather today (high 60s, sunny) and the relative lack of crowds (everyone off work, staying home with family) to get out and about in Macau.  I decided to start at the northern border gate (our border with China) and walk the length of the Macau peninsula and take pictures of the festivities along the way.  I probably walked between 4 - 5 miles today, give or take, including my walking around Taipa beforehand. 

 

This was my view from the bus stop in Taipa.  I took the bus from Taipa to the border gate and then began my walk back to the southern tip of the peninsula.

 

 

 

The border gate.  The historic old gate is behind the lanterns.

 

 

 

I'd seen this park many times from the bus but hadn't walked into it before.  The park was 90% filled with old men, talking and playing chess.

 

 

 

 

 

Then, something really cool happened.  Though I was walking a route I was fairly familiar with (albeit from a bus window), I came across a temple I hadn't noticed before.  Temples are hoppin' on the first day of the Chinese New Year, so what I saw wasn't that surprising.  But the fact that I wasn't excpecting to see a temple made this stop really special.  Just a reminder that something unexpected in your day can give you a feeling of wonder and appreciation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then a walk back to my old 'hood in Macau.  Lovely old buildings.

 

 

 

The temple in my old neighborhood.

 

Horse lanterns everywhere.

 

Then a stop by my old favorite park, Lo Lim Lok Garden.  They had their annual orchid display that coincides with the new year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorites are the less showy, "drab" ones.

So tiny and delicate.

 

Then on to Tap Seac Square.  There was a performance and I got a free "fu" sign to hang on my door.

 

 

 

 

 

Then on to Senado Square, the most commercial square in Macau.  You can tell by the sudden crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then finally back to Taipa, hungry and tired.  It was a gorgeous first day.