Category Archives: 2018

Walk About #1-Macau!

You’ve thrilled to my “Drive through Saipan” series. You’ve marveled at my “Scooter stylee through Laos.” Well, now you can enjoy my upcoming new “Walk About…” series! Starting with this Walk About Macau test video!

Overcoming my shyness, my self-consciousness, my naturally introverted personality, and the selfie-stick-stigma, I bravely step out into the streets of Macau to practice using a selfie stick, walking and talking at the same time! (I’ve had practice walking and chewing bubble gum, so this shouldn’t be much more difficult!)

REMEMBER: I created this for my personal use to practice my technique, to get comfortable in public, and to assess the quality of the finished product. So, I’ve simply inserted the raw footage without any fancy editing. I’m not really discussing anything profound, so you probably won’t learn much, but feel free to comment or make constructive suggestions. I’ll start:

“Do some neck muscle exercises, pencil neck!”

 

Idiocracy meets the Matrix: “Let’s have lunch,” then and now!

I see it everywhere: on buses; on trains; in elevators; on the streets, in the cars on the highway. Everywhere. My friends don’t even notice it. Heck, sometimes they are complicit in it! When I point it out to them, they have to really make an effort to step back far enough to see it objectively, and even then, they simply shrug it off as “normal.” Perhaps it’s because they made the transition first to Facebook–to socializing via computer screens–then to phone screens. They have lived the logical progression from one mode of screen-based social engagement to the next. I never did, and so, what I see around me now is surreal and shocking, bordering on horror-movie frightening!

It’s my own fault, though. I haven’t done the nomad thing in almost three years. I’ve been sequestered in paradise on Saipan, writing books, running on the beach, soaking in the sunshine, creating and living my reality of choice with minimal interaction with certain technological aspects of our ever-changing world! And now–having returned to nomad skies and vagabond roads–I feel like I’ve landed into an oddly familiar, alternate-reality-diverted-timeline movie plot!

Yep, I feel like Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson’s character) in the comedy movie, Idiocracy who is chosen for a one-year human hibernation experiment, but wakes up 500 years in the future to an unrecognizable world. Combine that with a plot element from The Matrix where everywhere I turn I see humans who believe they are engaging with reality, but who, in reality, are plugged into a computer program simulation.

In this movie in which I find myself, commuters in subway stations and pedestrians on the streets rush forward at breakneck speed with their heads down, smart phones in hand, fingers tapping, looking up only for the split second it takes to avoid colliding with other similarly “plugged in” commuters (and not always being successful at that)! Inside the train cars, 9 of 10 people are in the same plugged-in position–head down,  elbows bent, phone in hand (I once say one girl walking with two phones), swiping left, swiping right, up, down, tapping, watching movies, playing games or texting. No one is talking. No one is making eye contact. In this brave, new world, there are no chance meetings, no smiles shared between passengers, no pickup lines and numbers being exchanged! Nope, no “howdy, stranger, where are you from?” happening on this train ride. I can’t NOT see it! It jumps out at me all the time! I’ve seen it in both Hong Kong and Macau.

Similarly, when I see couples, families and friends in restaurants, it’s the same scene–people interacting with screens instead of each other. Yesterday, for example, I spent the day in Hong Kong with a friend, and had lunch at Harmony Village restaurant. I looked over at the other diners and saw the perfect illustration of how times have changed:

Notice anything comment-worthy in this photo?

“Let’s have lunch!” Then and Now.

Well, if you don’t, here’s what I see:

“Let’s have lunch” on the left: two friends (or family members, perhaps) of an earlier era. They are facing each other, sitting upright, having a conversation, and making eye contact while eating their food.

“Let’s have lunch” on the right: two friends of modern times (coworkers on lunch hour, judging from their attire). They are seated side by side, hunched over, focused on their phone screens, no eye contact, minimal  conversation. Their food is actually already on the table, having been served just a few moments prior. I saw one girl look up for a split second at the food and then return to her screen; and even when she started eating, she continued holding the phone in her left hand, and her chopsticks in the right.

(Question: what would YOU do if you went on a date with someone who couldn’t put their smart phone down and held it in one hand while eating? I know what I’d do, and the funny part is, she might not even realize that I left!)

Fascinating. Scary.

Yep, this is what “let’s have lunch” means these days. Welcome to reality. Your red pill awaits.

p.s. In any event, speaking of my day in Hong Kong…

At Harmony Village in Hong Kong with my good friend and airline pilot. Um, smartphone much? Hee hee! (He had to check a pending flight schedule before we returned to our conversation)
Kowloon Park! My camera ran out of power shortly after this shot, so I’ll have to go back to Hong Kong to give you a thorough post of this cool spot, and reveal what it’s famous for! Stay tuned!

Hey, look! It’s Usain! Big tings a gwan!

Standard Chartered Bank rolls out international campaign featuring Jamaican Usain Bolt

The new phase of Standard Chartered Bank’s “Here for Good” campaign kicks off in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. This phase (“Good enough Will Never Change the World”) showcases a series of inspirational short films featuring people who accomplished extraordinary things because they wouldn’t settle for “good enough”. The launch video, published today, stars Jamaican sprinter and Olympic champion Usain Bolt.

“I always say ‘never think limits’ and ‘anything is possible’. It is not enough to dream big – you need to push through barriers to realise your dreams. When you have an end goal in mind and you’re passionate about it, you can find the will and the strength to break through boundaries and achieve that goal,” Bolt said*. (More about the global campaign)–From Marketing Interactive, earlier this year.

*And, for the record, that’s precisely what my “Jamaican in China…and beyond” blog is all about–breaking through these arbitrary lines we call national borders, as well as other self-imposed limitations, and societally-promoted worldviews and stereotypes to boldly go and see the world fearlessly (and inexpensively)!

Next time you hear from me, I’ll be Jamaican in Vietnam! (I wonder what the smart phone culture will be like over there!)

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A mouthful of teeth and a blissful carrot

When I travel to a new destination, my idea of a time well spent is simply to settle into the local life and do things that locals do, shop where locals shop, and even visit the dentists locals visit! Meet Dr. Sofia Ferreira Dias Tavares Da Costa Alcántara, THE dentist at Centro Medico in Taipa! She did a thorough ultrasound teeth cleaning for me!

Yep, that’s me! I know. I know. Way too much information, but hey…we’ve already shared bowel movements, so what the heck! Open wide!

Interestingly, I discovered Dr. Sofia is also an aspiring author, so I shared a few tips from my writer’s workshops for her to use in her passion pursuit!

Thanks, Dr. Sofia! See you soon on the Macau Tower bungee jump platform!

Then, it was off to another vegetarian spot in Macau: The Blissful Carrot!

In front of Blissful Carrot

You can’t go wrong with a restaurant that features Ghandi, Mother Theresa and Bob Marley on the wall!

Blissful Carrot bulletin board

The menu features rice dishes, salads, tacos, all-day breakfasts, They also sell home-made Kombucha, locally-made tempeh, and gluten-free pastries and desserts! Beatriz suggested the Bimibap

Thanks, Beatriz!

While there, we ran into Natasha, and Constança (Beatriz’s sister studying in London), and Khaled, originally from Somalia visiting Macau.  We exchanged a few pleasantries and took a few photos!

Natasha, Constança and Khaled, who said he, too, will be doing the Macau bungee jump before he leaves!

Ran a few more errands–changed some US dollars into MOP (Macau currency), bought a selfie stick, took some photos for my Vietnam visa application, then headed back to home base to enjoy the Blissful Carrot cuisine: main dish: Bimibap Bowl (Indonesian Gado-gado style sauteed kale & mixed vegetables with peanut-chili sauce, tamari grilled tempeh topped with sesame seeds and crispy dried shallots), Breakfast tacos, plus homemade kombucha, vegan banana bread, raw coconut/peanut butter cups and tempeh!

Yes, I know we want to eat, but first we must position the food for the obligatory blog post photo!

ADDENDUM:

I visited the Blissful Carrot a few days later and got a chance to run into Aaron, the original owner (he’s still involved, but his wife actually runs the business now).

 

Aaron of Blissful Carrot

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 JIC MISSION: “To create an alternative travel narrative to encourage people who identify with me to break free, jump out and see the world fearlessly! (and inexpensively)!”
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Sometimes in life, you’ve just got to leap without a net!

 

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Getting lucky in Macau! Woo hoo!

New: I’ve given in to peer pressure. You can now follow me on Instagram

As a single traveler, it’s always a thrill when I get lucky! During my six-month adventure in China a few years ago, it happened to me in Beijing. It happened to me in Singapore, too! I even got lucky in Laos at the end of a long passageway off the main road in Luang Namtha, near to Zuela Guesthouse.  And, it was years ago, when I was living in New York that I experienced it for the very first time! In each of these destinations, I got a taste of something that satisfied my desires, put a pep in my step, and made me feel strong and powerful for the rest of my stay there!

Want some more hot, spicy details? Well, in Beijing it happened here with her. In Singapore, this is where it happened. The Laos experience happened on day 1.  Yes, my friends, I’m speaking about something that’s perfectly natural, something just about everyone wants and needs, something that makes the world go ’round, something that builds emotional bonds between people, and something that if more people did it freely and without the societal stigma, would make the world a healthier, saner place! Yes, I’m speaking, of course, about EATING AT THAT PERFECT VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT!!!!

And now, Macau joins the list of places in which I’ve gotten lucky and found that perfect spot! It’s called Sum Yuen Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant, and I kid you not, this is by far, the BEST I’ve ever had! It’s larger than any other in which I’ve dined. The menu has more selections (30+ page, full color, exquisitely bound menu), and the presentation of it all is fabulous!

The front entrance through the gate.
Close up of first floor entrance. Using Google Maps may lead you to the back entrance. Nearby bus routes: 30 and 35. (This photo: https://macaulifestyle.com/dining/local-eats/vegetarian-temple-restaurant/)

“Pou Tai Temple was founded in the 19th century by Buddhist monks and is the largest temple on Taipa Island. On the ground level of this Buddhist temple is…  Sum Yuen which officially opened during the last quarter of 2014.”–Macau Lifestyle

Like a kid in a vegan candy store!

With only about eight days left here in Macau, I’d never be able to try everything I’d wish to even if I dined here every day! Here are some pages from the amazing 30-page + menu (Everything here is completely animal-free; no sentient beings were harmed in their creation!):

See the entire menu at https://www.facebook.com/pg/sumyuenmacau/photos/

With that said, we (my “not shown” dining companions and I) tried the following items:

#008 – Avocado & Mango Rolls (Sushi)

#028 – Vegetarian Prawns Salad

#049 – Hong Kong Style Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork and Crispy Vegetarian Goose (deep fried bean curd skin)

#053 – Chiba tofu and spinach rolls

#058 – Assorted Mushroom Teppanyaki

#092 – Braised Vegetables with Fermented Beancurd

#134 – Pan Fried Vegetarian Dumplings

#146 – Steamed Chinese Sponge Cake

While I was there, I decided to practice taking photos and filming with my new selfie-stick! Yes, I’ve reluctantly, but also a bit excitedly joined “those folks” who do the stick schtick while traveling. In my defense, however, I’m doing it for YOU–in anticipation of doing a series of special Walt’s Walk & Talk through China and Beyond Youtube videos, so stay tuned and please forgive my new obsession!

You can find Sum Yuen’s listing here on HappyCow.net. Surprisingly–given how amazing this place is–there was only one review when I added mine!

See you there! Maybe we can get lucky together!

 

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Virtual reality mission, Macau style!

A secret military space station has gone dark and it falls on a specially-trained, multi-national team–two Jamaicans, an Italian and an American– to investigate why. No signs of life remain…well, not human life anyway. Their mission is to secure the space station, eliminate enemy robots and drones and rescue any survivors. The space station is a multi-billion dollar experimental project designed and constructed by military contractor Zero Latency, Inc.

Team members Ron, Daniel and Aaron being briefed on the mission!

The team had a choice of Mission code name “Engineerium” (Exploring a unique world), Mission code name “Zombie Survival” or Mission code name “Singularity” (securing the space station). They chose Singularity!

The choice of missions
Yes, thats me using a selfie stick for the first time!
This is a serious mission
All suited up and ready to go on our rescue mission! Jamaican. American. Italian. Jamaican.

Of course, I couldn’t record the experience while immersed in the mission, so here’s the next best thing–the Zero Latency promotional video:

After the mission:

Needless to say, the mission was a success, and we celebrated afterwards!

Those are our individual scores of enemy drones and robots we eliminated on display behind us! Daniel is doing his best to block them from view!

Learn more about it https://zerolatencyvrmacau.com/

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On Thai Lo and other culinary experiences

It’s definitely easy being vegan here in Macau. There are enough stores and a few restaurants that cater to the lifestyle. For instance…

WAITAMINIT!!! How did that slide get in there???? Wrong shot! Ahem…as I was saying, there are about two dozen vegan-friendly restaurants that appear in a Macau, China search at www.Happycow.net, and On Thai Loi is at the top of the list! So, I took a walk there as it’s not that far from where I’m staying.

On the first visit, there was another diner present who was nice enough to translate my English requests into Cantonese (thanks, Candy!).

On my second visit, the owner’s son, João, (how to pronounce), was there to make things go smoothly. From what he told me, the restaurant has been in operation for five years, and is the only Thai-focused one in Macau.

Making hard choices from the great menu while babushka shells peas. We had a few, very brief traveler’s sign-language conversations!

 

João translates my order while I wait. What do you mean ‘my pose looks fake???’

 

Order is checked and double checked!

 

Outside On Thai Loi with take-out order in hand

 

Narcissism alert: Um, guess what I DIDN’T take photos of? Yep, THE FOOD! Well, if actually seeing the food in a restaurant review is your weird thing, you can check out my review of On Thai Loi on the happycow.net site, where you’ll find great photos of their dishes posted by other travelers!

The other vegan survival resource here in Macau is the chain of Park & Shop stores around the city. The largest, I believe, is one in Taipa, which is almost like a Whole Foods stateside–lots of fresh produce, healthy snack options (US brands I’m familiar with), bulk food items (nuts, dried fruit), mock meats, and more!

The well-stocked chip and snack aisle in Park & Shop, Taipa, Macau

And, of course, as mentioned in a previous post, there’s no shortage of produce stands on every street to get fruits and vegetables to prepare my own meals! Here’s a quick “one main meal of the day” (Walt’s Thai Fry) I whipped up yesterday using Thai noodles, scallions, onions, tofu, bean curd, black fungus, broccoli and pepper flakes, stir fried with virgin coconut oil in an iron wok:

 

The Raw Power Salad accompanying the meal contains mung bean sprouts, avocado, scalion, cilantro, lettuce, kimchee, diced onions, chopped garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, all sprinkled with Chlorella powder–all raw, nothing cooked.

 

Hungry yet?

I’ll be wrapping up my stay in Macau soon and haven’t decided between Vietnam or Thailand yet. Where should I go next? Any suggestions?  Email me or leave a comment!

Jamaican Jumps off Macau Tower!

Are you anticipating hearing I chickened out? Think I’m about to use the old “uncooperative weather” excuse? Do you think that a person would have to be slightly off-kilter to jump off a structurally sound building? Do you expect, therefore, that I’m rescheduling it to some undetermined future date for some unfathomable random reason? Or, do you simply believe that Jamaicans may run, and Jamaicans may bobsled, but they don’t fly? Well….

 

…..YOU’D BE WRONG!!!! ON ALL COUNTS! For today, July 27, 2018, the weather forecast for Macau, China will read “partly sunny, partly cloudy, 28 degrees Celsius, chance of afternoon showers, and a very high likelihood of falling Jamaicans!” IT”S ON!!

WARNING: This blog post is replete with all the obligatory one-liners, song and movie references, puns and superhero references you no doubt expect in a blog post about bungee jumping.

First, thanks to Jeff for his help setting things up! Cool guy!

 

Getting suited up with t-shirt and shoes by Freddie (aka “Not Kruger”). (Red t-shirt and sneakers? Definitely not my style, but….)

 

First class, one-way ticket! 62kg (137lb)?? Glad I had the harness and weights to add about 4-5kg(8-10lb), or I might not make it down on my own!

 

Awaiting my turn and practicing my cool superhero arm moves for the trip down!

 

Getting harnessed 233 meters up! “I’m on the top of the world, looking down on creation and the only explanation I can find…” (The Carpenters)

 

 

The folks who’ll be jumping after me

 

“I believe I can fly!” (R. Kelly)

 

Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre (Chinese: 澳門旅遊塔會展娛樂中心; Portuguese: Centro de Convenções e Entretenimento da Torre de Macau), also known as Macau Tower, is a tower located in Sé, Macau. The tower measures 338 m (1,109 ft) in height from ground level to the highest point. Its observation deck features panoramic views, restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and the Skywalk X, a thrilling walking tour around the outer rim. It offers the best view of Macau and in recent years has been used for a variety of adventurous activities. At 233 metres, the Macau Tower’s tethered “skyjump” and Bungee jump by AJ Hackett from the tower’s outer rim, is the highest commercial skyjump in the world (233 metres), and the second highest commercial decelerator descent facility in the world, after Vegas’ Stratosphere skyjump at 252 metres. The tower was created by the architecture firm of Moller Architects.
The tower is one of the members of the World Federation of Great Towers. Besides being used for observation and entertainment, the tower is also used for telecommunications and broadcasting. It and the Grand Lisboa hotel are the most recognizable landmarks in the Macao skyline. (Source: Wikipedia)

(You say bungy, I say bungee…”tomato,” “tom-ah-to…”)

“Too late to turn back now! I believe, I believe, I believe I’m falling in Macau!” (Cornelius Brothers)

 

Um, excuse me, guys…is it too late to use the restroom first?

 

“Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! It’s that skinny Jamaican guy!”

 

Incoming! Incoming! Look out below!!!!

 

“Fly like an eagle!” (Steve Miller Band ’73)

Video of the jump from the waiting area:

 

Now, here’s what you’ve been waiting for: the video from the GoPro camera strapped to my wrist: (Direct link to download video)

Yep, it was waaaay cool! I’m actually thinking about doing it again! I’m sure it will be more fun now that I know what to expect!

I always imagined that the actual sensation of falling would be the uncomfortable, overwhelming part, but for me, it was that single second right before I stepped off the ramp that was the most unnerving. Then, once I was actually airborne it was pretty easy to get into the moment and be fully conscious and aware of what I was doing (i.e. arms extended in front like Superman, etc., the scream, etc.)

And the grand finale: the official AJHackett video created for my jump: (Direct link to download video)

After my jump, Sam from Nepal and Alex let me hang around at the base of the tower to watch the next jump.

A new friend from China, Wuxi who jumped right after I did!

Review: Great, professional, fun crew! Nice atmosphere! Excellently-produced video! Highly recommended! In fact…

Lesson for today: a bungee jump is not something you do just once, so yes, I’ll have to do it again! The next two jumps are discounted, and the FOURTH jump is FREE! I was also told that on subsequent jumps, my feet won’t be tethered together and I can actually walk and dive off. This could get addictive! Hmmm. I know what you’re thinking….Seems there are quite a few songs with the theme of “crazy!”

“Crazy” (Gnarls Barkley; 2006)

“Crazy” (Seal; 1991)

and, my personal favorite, “Crazy” (Patsy Cline; 1961)

 

 

Next on the bucket list: Sky Diving, Sensory Deprivation Tank, Zero-gravity/Weightlessness experience!

 

Addendum: A few days after my jump, the folks at AJHackett emailed me my official Bungee Jump Certificate:

Um, excuse me, why is there a pig in my vegetable soup?

(Featured image of menu courtesy of Tripadvisor)

A few days ago, some friends here in Macau took me out to dinner at Fernando’s. Nice atmosphere, great layout, near to the beach. I typically go to restaurants with my non-veggie friends for the conversation and camaraderie, and I often won’t eat anything if the establishment is not vegan-friendly or if they cook their veggie meals in the same kitchen (pots) as the meat dishes.

This time, however, I decided to act like an adjusted member of the planet Earth and behave in a manner so as to blend in with the other humans. So, I scanned the menu and ordered the vegetable soup. Simple enough. Safe. The photo showed a bowl of soup with vegetables in it. No one on the wait staff need ever know an alien was dining amongst their regular customers.

The soup arrived, and I waited for my friends’ dishes to arrive before I started. At one point during the wait, a waitress passed by and (reverting to my old ways) I decided to ask what exactly was in the vegetable soup before I started.

Me: Hi, could you tell me what the ingredients are in this soup?

Her: I’m sorry, I have no idea!

Me (in shock, and snidely); Well, YOU may have no idea what’s in this, but I need to know what I’m eating. Could you find out, please?

She headed into the kitchen and soon, the manager came to our table.

Me: Hi! Could you tell me what the ingredients are in the soup?

Manager: Potatoes, vegetables and water.

Me: Potatoes, vegetables and water. (I forget which vegetable it was)

Manager: Yes, potatoes, vegetables and water.

Me: Cool! Cool! Cool! No butter?

Manager: No.

Me: No dairy, no milk?

Manager: No.

Me: Cool! Thanks so much!

Manager (as he turns to walk away): Oh, and a piece of sausage.

At that moment, the manager, probably from the wide-eyed look of disbelief he may have seen on my face, surmised he was speaking with a vegetarian, and returned to the table.

Me: Oh, I thought it was a vegetable soup.

He was gracious enough to take the soup and the pig in my soup away and offered to make me a new bowl of “vegetable” soup himself. He brought a fresh bowl back in about 10 minutes, and I thanked him profusely.

Of course, I didn’t drink the new bowl of soup either. What are you kidding me!??? Who knows what else he may have innocently overlooked in the list of “by the way” ingredients! (“Oh, yes, and of course, we always add a cupful of MSG and monkey brain to all our dishes!” as he walks away.)

However, I didn’t want his hard work to go to waste, or to insult him by leaving an uneaten bowl of soup on the table, so one of my dinner companions was nice enough to eat it for me! Bon appetit! Still, we all had a great time!

Now, this is entirely my fault. I’ve  obviously been out of touch with human reality and living in my own lifestyle bubble for too long. So, here’s what I’ve learned: Out here in the real world, the word “soup” is more like a metaphor, really, and actually means “in a soup bowl with my meat.” Confused? I’ll translate a scenario for you:

Waitress: How can I help you today, sir? (Translation: How would you like your meat today, sir?)

Me (with a savvy wink): Vegetable soup, please. (Translation: Vegetables “in a soup bowl with my meat” please.)

See how that works? That’s why travel is so important. How else will you learn new things?  This poor lady in the video below hasn’t quite caught on yet:

Share this post with your friends so they too can learn!

Celebrity Watch: While we were there at Fernando’s, my dinner companions noticed the host of Master Chef, Graham Elliot, dining with a group of his friends! Sorry, no photos!

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The cost of vegan living in Macau and the Guia lighthouse

You can judge the quality of a society by how they treat their vegans! (There’s some new age traveler’s wisdom for you!) If a society imposes a “vegan tax” in the form of higher prices for Terra chips and Lara bars, for instance, then such a society should be avoided at all cost! With that said, fruits, vegetables and some of my favorite healthy treats are a bit cheaper here in Macau–of course, this is all based on a USD to MOP exchange rate.

A bag of Terra chips sells for 24.9MOP which, at the latest exchange rate of 8.03MOP to $1USD, works out to $3.10 which is way less than the almost $6US I would pay on Saipan or stateside!

Park & Shop in Macau

 

An orange costs 5MOP = $0.60US (almost $1 on Saipan)

Coconuts, however, are a bit pricey (17MOP = $2.11US; $1 on Saipan)

I’ll do a full shopping list in a future post.

So, with the advantage of this favorable exchange rate–combined with the fact I was informed I could get a second-hand phone for 1000MOP or less ($124US)– I decided to take the opportunity to upgrade my Blu Mini phone and join the rest of you people in the 21st century! Now, I don’t play video games; I don’t even make many phone calls, and for sure I won’t be among the obsessively phone-affixed who barrel at breakneck speed through crowded airports and metro stations head down, eyes glued to their screens without ever looking up! (It’s an amazing thing to see!) However, I do want to download and test out a particular GPS app that might prove helpful for a top-secret project I’m working on back on Saipan, and my current Blu phone simply doesn’t have the necessary sensor for the app to function.

So, I headed to the Portas do Cerco area in Macau to do some shopping.

Getting my new smartphone in Macau

Shopped around at a few stores and voila! Equipped with my “new to me” Samsung Galaxy 6S (1100MOP/$136), I now venture forth into my Jamaican in Macau adventure. All photos from this point forward will be taken with the new gadget!

Next stop, the Fortress of Guia (Guia Lighthouse)

The Guia Fortress (Portuguese: Fortaleza da Guia; Chinese: 東望洋炮台) is a 17th-century colonial military fort, chapel, and lighthouse complex in São Lázaro, Macau, China. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau. (Source: wikipedia)

The pathway up to the fortress

 

Inside the museum

 

The Guia Lighthouse, Macau (Photo: Irish M); Admittedly, this panoramic shot is something that would not be possible with my now retired Canon Powershot! Rest in peace, little guy!

The lighthouse was constructed between 1864 and 1865, the first western style lighthouse in east Asia or on the China coast. The lighthouse stands at Guia Hill, which stands at 91.4 metres (300 ft) tall, and has a light visible for some 20 miles in clear weather conditions. The complex was built upon the highest point on Macau, Guia Hill, and named after the same location. (Source: wikipedia)

 

The fort and chapel were constructed between 1622 and 1638. The fort was already partly built during the unsuccessful attempt by the Netherlands to capture colonial Portuguese Macau from Portugal, providing an advantageous firing position for defending against naval attacks. (Source: wikipedia)

 

Macau tower on the left and the Lisboa Casino (right) in the background…bungee jump countdown…T minus 2 days and counting!!

 

Vegetable shopping at Red Market

Nomadpreneur passive-residual income update: One of the strategies to the “money & mobility” lifestyle is to create products and services that don’t require your physical presence. While I’m here in Macau, my www.freesummerconcerts.com website provides free concert information for New York city residents. Everything is automated. I input the events at the beginning of the summer, and a special software I created generates the weekly event listing, sends it out to the mailing list of over 10,000, and receives the $9.95 subscription fee. Learn more strategies in my book, How to Become a Nomadpreneur: A pocket guide of income strategies, travel jobs & survival tips for expats, vagabonds, techies and rat race escapees who want to see the world AND make money too!
in the Guides & Resources section of www.nomadpreneur.com and available on Amazon.

 

Techie web design tip:  Using the code at https://jssor.com/development/tip-make-responsive-slider.html, I’ve added a Jssor slideshow to the homepage of my www.waltgoodridge.com site to be more descriptive of what my brand encompasses. Check it out to get some ideas for YOUR online brand and check out jssor.com for the slider code.

 

Macau day by day, and Walt’s bungee jump countdown!

Just a few shots of my days in Macau! It’s all gearing up for the big day! Yep, the BIG day! What’s the big day, you ask? Well, it involves jumping off a perfectly good building….Let the countdown begin….

A little sightseeing….

 

 

Shopping where the local folks go. The three-story Iao Hon market; Fish on the first floor. Vegetables on the 2nd floor. Meat on the third floor

 

 

Longon, lychee pit stop

 

Bungee jumping countdown! T minus 5 days! You don’t want to miss this!

 

Hanging out at the beach, yes THE beach on Macau!

 

“TMI”-Too Much Information? My colonic experience in Hong Kong

One of the body maintenance practices I mention in my book, A Clean Cell Never Dies, is the colonic. It’s a great way to thoroughly cleanse the large colon of mucoid plaque, undigested food, impacted feces, parasites, etc., and give the digestive system a chance to reset itself. On my checklist for this adventure was to find a colonic hydrotherapy center in either Thailand or Hong Kong to get one done! (Watch a simple description of the colonic in the first part of this video.)

While here in Macau, I  found Optimum Health with a simple online search, called them up and got a good vibe, so I made a reservation. They’re located in Hong Kong at 54-58 Jardine’s Bazaar on the 2nd floor of the Prosperous Commercial Building. So, I took the Macau-Hong Kong ferry to get there! Here are a few shots of the day’s adventure:

Prosperous Commercial Building

 

Front door of Optimum

 

Waiting area
Signing in at the front desk where I completed a 5-page form of health history before beginning the session

My colonic therapist for the session was Amy Poon. We chatted for a while and I told her of my wishes for the session, my own protocols and health practices as well as my prior experience with colonics.  She set the water temperature based on my body temperature. She gave the required insertion instructions, gave me my privacy to prepare, and then returned once I had disrobed and covered up.

On my back ready to start the flow

She started the colonic along with some massaging of my abdomen. Then she added food grade hydrogen peroxide to oxygenate the water–as I had requested–to address any parasites in my system. The session lasted half-hour, and then I was done! I’ll spare you the gory video details of the actual inflow and outflow, but you can see one fellow’s first colonic experience (exactly the same procedure, equipment and setup).

The effect was immediate.  Even though I was on day 7 of an extended water fast and my energy level was a bit low, the boost in energy from the H2O2 as well as from simply removing toxic waste from my system gave me a ton of energy. There are a whole lot more details I could share, but I’ll leave that specifically for my Ageless Adept health blog (please sign up to be notified of new posts)

Optimum was a great choice! Amy was great! She was very knowledgeable, answered all my questions and had a great aura and personality! The price was good (about $65US). (When I get to Thailand, I’ll check out YanHee Hospital which is reportedly a bit cheaper.) I’ll likely be back here at Optimum, however, for another session (sometimes multiple sessions are required for a really deep cleansing)!

Afterwards, before heading back to Macau, I found TWO vegetarian restaurants in a building right next door that I plan to experience when I return!

Harmony Village Restaurant in Hong Kong

With that said, next time you see me, feel free to start a conversation about my colon and bowel movements. After all, I feel like we know each other quite well now!

 

Remember to sign up below to be notified of each new post. You can always email me at walt[at]jamaicaninchina.com
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