Macau Hotel, City of Dreams
After visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral with Macau’s Senado Square, we headed south in Macau.
While there were more tourist attractions in the central part of Macau, the hot weather made it seem like visiting just the cathedral would suffice.
In the southern part of Macau, on Taipa Island, hotels are densely packed.
Macau is often referred to as the Las Vegas of the East, with well-equipped hotels and casinos.
Due to the hot weather, we decided to take a break from outdoor activities and explore the hotels indoors.
Hotel Shuttle Bus
In Macau, hotels weren’t just for accommodation.
Most hotels also had casinos, attracting many tourists who visited specifically for that reason.
Although my trip to Macau was only for a day, with plans to return to Hong Kong afterward, I wanted to experience Macau’s casinos, so we decided to visit a hotel.
Grand Emperor Hotel Shuttle Bus Stop
We walked about 10 minutes from Senado Square to reach the Grand Emperor Hotel.
Several shuttle buses were shuttling guests to various hotel casinos on Taipa Island.
Due to time constraints, we couldn’t visit many hotels, so we chose a few to explore.
The first hotel we visited was the City of Dreams.
Just a month before our visit to Macau, this hotel had been featured in the movie “Thieves” (2012). It was a space where crucial scenes unfolded in the film, so I was eager to visit it during my time in Macau.
Shuttle Bus in Need of Cleaning
As we boarded the shuttle bus, I noticed food trash left on the floor by the previous passenger.
“Someone should clean this up for the next person,” I thought with a sigh.
Macau Tower
While crossing to the island, we could also see the Macau Tower through the window.
Although I couldn’t visit it personally, catching a glimpse from afar was satisfying.
City of Dreams
Upon entering Taipa Island, the City of Dreams hotel came into view not long after.
Despite its size not being small, amidst the many large hotels, the City of Dreams seemed relatively small.
Entrance of the Hotel, Not So Small in Scale
Arriving at the entrance of the City of Dreams hotel, I was surprised by its considerable size.
Many people were already using the hotel’s facilities, making it quite crowded.
City of Dreams, Entrance to the Casino on the 1st Floor
Many tourists gathered in the lobby, taking photos and checking in to stay at the hotel.
Amidst the crowd, a huge screen on one wall caught my attention.
Mermaid in the Waterscreen
The waterscreen depicted a mermaid underwater exceptionally well.
At first glance, it almost seemed like a real person submerged in water.
Alive Mermaid
The mermaid interacted with the crowd, greeting people and amusing the tourists.
Seems Like Conversing with the Tourists
The level of technology was truly impressive.
Luxury Boutiques
Taking photos inside the casino was prohibited.
It was much larger than I had imagined, with many people enjoying various games.
Lost in time, we continued exploring until we stepped outside the casino building.
Hotel Lobby
Having seen this hotel in a movie, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the film’s story as I toured the hotel.
We had spent more time than anticipated, so we had to quickly move on to the next hotel.
We had also planned to visit The Venetian Macau Resort Hotel besides City of Dreams.
However, if we delayed further, we might miss the return ferry.
Facade of The Venetian Hotel
It was within walking distance from City of Dreams.
The Venetian Hotel seemed to be one of the largest in Macau, given its enormous size.
Though the hotel was right in front of us, it wasn’t easy to get there in the scorching heat.
Aug. 23, 2012