Hiking Macau Peninsula: Avenida do Almirante Lacerda
I took a hiking trip around Macau Peninsula before the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. It was my first time crossing the border at the Qingmao Port, and it was incredibly fast. The Qingmao Port is located behind the Zhuhai Railway Station, and the customs of the two places are combined into one, requiring only one verification and almost no waiting time.
After crossing the border, I encountered an embarrassing situation: my phone lost its internet connection. I usually have a postpaid phone plan and mistakenly assumed roaming would be the same. As soon as I crossed the border, I received a text message reminder, but before I could top up my account, the network was cut off.
In this era of heavy reliance on mobile phones, without internet access, one becomes deaf and blind. Fortunately, I had downloaded an offline map on my phone beforehand and marked the key locations of my planned itinerary. My phone map then became a paper map with a compass, still able to guide me, just not as convenient.
According to my previous plan, guided by the offline map, I walked towards Guia Hill.
I visited the Lin Zexu Memorial Museum and then arrived at the Rotunda Carlos da Maia. I stumbled upon the Macau Fire Services Museum by the roadside, a beautiful yellow building that stands out among the old streets.
The Macau Fire Services Museum was built and opened in 1998, mainly to provide local residents with a place to learn about the operation and history of Macau's fire services. The antique fire trucks, old-fashioned fire helmets, and other ancient firefighting tools on display were eye-opening and gave me a new understanding of Macau.
Leaving the museum, I walked uphill along the Fire Services Lane to Avenida do Almirante Lacerda. This is a traditional old street that has witnessed the changes of Macau city and is very suitable for taking nostalgic photos.
I found a cha chaan teng on the street. I wasn't really hungry, mainly wanting to use their Wi-Fi. I ordered a chicken chop rice with milk tea, and of course, I successfully got online. After topping up my phone, I felt less anxious. The prices in Macau are much higher than in mainland China, roughly equivalent to the prices at airports or on high-speed trains. The portion of chicken chop rice didn't look big, but it was filling and came with an egg. Maybe it was too greasy, or maybe I wasn't that hungry, but I couldn't finish it.