Macau Day 3 (Wine & Grand Prix Museum, Butterfly Pavilion & SKY 21)
Day 3 at Macau was another awesome day full of activities! In fact, it was a sardine packed day XD
We started our day at the Macau Grand Prix Museum & Wine Museum and that made me glad I grabbed some breakfast before we came xD Not good to drink on an empty stomach eh XD?
Macau Wine Museum is closed on every Tuesday. Entrance fee is priced at MOP/HKD15 per adult (inclusive of wine tasting), MOP/HKD5 for visitor age 11 to 18 yrs old,Free admission for visitors age 10 & below and above 60 yrs old
The museum gave us an insight into the history of wine making and the different process of making it.
Apparatus/Vessels to facilitate the distillation process.
The showcase of different region’s wine and their traditional costume!
Inclusive with the entrance ticket was the chance to sample a glass of wine. I wanted something sweet so the master recommended this white porto to me.
I liked it so much I bought a bottle back (only MOP 128 I think!). But FML, I bought the red wine version instead of the white T_T It was still really nice and sweet but still…still … epic fail Kaika is epic fail oTL.
Beside the Wine Museum was the Grand Prix Museum.
Macau has actually played host to more than half a century of Formula 3 racing starting at 1954! 58 years! That’s even older than Singapore! The inaugural racing event is held in November every year and features a street circuit racing. We were told the circuit in Macau is especially demanding due to her naturally narrow roads and hilly terrain.
The Macau Grand Prix Museum is also closed on every Tuesday. Entrance fee is priced at MOP/HKD10 per adult, MOP/HKD5 for visitor age 11 to 18 yrs old, Free admission for visitors age 10 & below and above 60 yrs old
There was a Racing simulation at the museum too and we all had a try at it.
After the museums we were ferried off to the MGM Butterfly Pavilion!
Eh no no, this is not the exhibition. This is just the art installation in MGM’s Hotel lobby. Isn’t it pretty *_*?
The Butterfly Pavilion is just beyond that door!
As we passed through the big, tall opening, it felt like we were passing through from the real world to a magical land of fairies and tinkerbell! This picture also reminds me of the Gate of Truth in FullMetal Alchemist XD *OTAKUMODEON* XD
Macau’s first-ever butterfly exhibition kicked off in May 2012 and boy was it a sight to behold O_O! The Katamari like Sphere above is a live experiencing zone where you get to have an up-close encounter with the butterflies!
The sphere measures 26ft in diameter and 21ft in height and it is rooted in the very heart of Grande Praca. According to the brochures, more than 1000 butterflies from different parts of the world are housed inside it!
This it how the sky looks from inside xD The curling willow vine sculptures inside are designed by famous UK artist Tom Hare. A Hare design a Vine, don’t know why I find it very funny leh =x
Owl butterflies!
Static photographs cannot quite capture the magic of having fluttering creatures flying around you like a cheerful ballerina. But I hope you enjoy them!
One tip though! If you want the butterflies to come near you, dress in earth tone coloured clothes!
Sau Jun’s dressed like grass here so he got 3 butterflies to land on his shoulders xD
Unfortunately for me, I was dressed like a Polar Bear so no butterflies came near me T A T
Outside the pavilion was 3 steel trees! 7.5m in height and made with 16km of wire wrapping. And as you can see, instead of leaves, they have spinning pinwheels! The spinning pinwheels are printed with butterfly motifs and programmed with a custom music! Unfortunately for me, i didn’t get to hear any sound from it while I was there =/ Would have been cool if a huge gush of wind blew and the pinwheels starts spinning a tune!!
Okay okay I know lah, indoor how to have wind right –_-? Can’t I just have fun imagining?!
And yes, the entire exhibition is indoor! Check out the amazing glass roof and the lavish architectural design surrounding it !
The Grande Paca cafe just beside the Butterfly pavilion. Sigh, I want to go back there and have a photoshoot therrreeee >w<
Pretty cakes on sale xD!
The incubation room beside the Cafe.
This is the specimen of the Swallowtail Gynandromorph. Apparently this little friend has a condition so rare you only see 1 out of 6 million. I cannot be bothered to count the zeroes but I know that is rare. Don’t know whether to say this little creature is extremely lucky or extremely suay (unlucky) LOL.
The main uniqueness of it is the clear difference in both its wings. The right fore and hind wings shows male characteristics while the left shows female characteristics.
Oh in case you’re wondering, the kira kira (sparkling) effect in my pics are not photoshopped. They are done entirely with the “Scenes” function in Lumix GF 5! It reacts to light and creates a lens flare/sparkle effect xD
And then we were led to the VIP Hotel lobby *likeaboss.jpg* xD
When the lovely PR lady from MGM told us she was going to bring us to the VIP area of the hotel I was kinda like “O_o? What’s the big deal?”.
And as soon as we entered the VIP lobby, I was like letmekillmypooruselesspaupersoulnowwwwwwwwww!!! wargshgghdjdrk&637!!
Sian… now I feel so sad I didn’t get a photo of myself sitting like a Queen on this throne, I mean erm, sofa.
But it was very hard to get anyone to take photos of me because (I’m not pretty enough) everyone always walk off so fast!!! oTL
Then it was finally time for lunch! We had lunch at the beautiful and exquisite SKY 21.
Occupying a total of 20,000 sq ft spaced out into 2 storeys, SKY 21 is an interesting space! The restaurant serves a unique blend of Asian Cuisine, has interesting theme for different part of the restaurant and boast one of the most spectacular cityscape view in Macau.
Of course, because we were so likeaboss.jpg we got a room to ourselves *grins*
Sky21 has an interesting concept in their menu. The dishes are all wrapped and categorised by the regions they came from. Being the lazy and expectable person I am , I choose the Macanese set.
But before our main dish came, they served us this appetiser.
I know what you think. It just looks like some boring raw salmon served with some rocket (the plant). Looked like some half heartedly tossed together dish eh?
But I was hungry and I eat anything people put in front of me so I lifted my chopsticks and tossed the salmon into my mouth. And my eyes went like this O*O. It's been a long day, I'm typing this blog entry at 12am and my lids are closing but when I thought of the salmon my brain suddenly woke up xD.
It was such a perfect blend of fresh salmon with fresh spice! I can't name the spices exactly but it tasted like something you would taste in Thai cuisine. Slightly tangy, slightly spicy, a little salty and incredibly refreshing! It perks you up immediately!
The rest of the blogger’s lunch!
Sakura Ai choose the Japanese Set.
Sau Jun choose the Indian set.
Vietnamese set that I cannot remember belonged to who xD Look at the clarity of that frikin prawn >A<!!
Anyway here's the Macanese set I chose. 
Grill cuttlefish salad with Portugeuese vegetable souple, Braised pork knuckle with kidney bean and steamed rice!
Serradura; this is a traditional Macau/ Portuguese dessert made out of chilled whipped cream and grounded Marie biscuit.
And while we ate, Iris from the Macau Government Tourist Office announced our Amazing race results from yesterday and gave us prizes XD! Obviously being the last team, we didn’t win ;_;
And the best thing about SKY 21 is their strategic view! Sky21 has a clear view of the Macau Tower and Macau's cityscape. Most fitting of a romantic date xD
Tried to do an artsy fartsy reflection photo but kinda failed ….
The top level of SKY 21 features a totally different feel and concept! Somethign more modern and free!
We were also brought to their new exclusive showroom; Sky Luxe. A space reserved only for VIP guests and special guests to Macau. Hehehe , special guest *trollfaceme*
Sky Luxe is the place where high-spending visitors can experience in one place, an unforgettable shopping moment worth a round the world treasure hunting. I don’t know nuts about hunting but Valyn definitely had fun ogling at the ‘treasures’ there xD
Look at how excited this girl looks !
Sky Luxe carries many branded exclusive luxury items and novelties product from all across the world. I'm too poor to afford anything there so I can only snap photos of the other bloggers marvelling. *foreveralone.jpg*
This is an insanely long entry for an equally long day. So I’m going to cut the entry short and talk about the rest of my fabulous day in another blog entry! Stay tuned!
Comments
I want to go to Macau too! (maybe sometime after Singapore trip for me? XDD )