By Baby Gomez

Davao City (30 August) -- At exactly 7:30 in the morning on August 8, 2008 (what a lucky day!) six top travel agents and trip joiners took off (at the Davao City International Airport) for a connecting trip to the Philippine Air Lines' familiarization trip to Macau. The 19 'fam trip' participants from Davao City excitedly waited for two-hours and a half at the Centennial airport waiting for the PAL aircraft to take them to Macau.

trip to the Macau Peninsula took an hour and forty-five minutes to the Macau Peninsula, 15 minutes longer than the Davao-Manila flight. The plane landed at 2:30 p.m. The flight was smooth all through out except for the last 30 minutes when it became 'bumpy' due to air turbulence.

Leading the participants was no less Atty. Domingo Duerme, PAL Senior Vice-President-Mindanao and PAL City Ticketing Office manager Tita M. Manabat joined the fam trip. Duerme was also joined by wife Connie while Manabat was joined by husband Jim and son Mark Jim. It seldom happens when two bigwigs travel for a familiarization trip.

And what made the trip more exciting was the presence of course of the six top sellers of PAL's inbound and outbound trips. Composed of consistent top sellers of PAL Tita Manabat said. Leading the group was Evelyn "Batch" Borda of Pan Asia World Holidays Inc., (Golden Awardee for 2007) and Atty. Robert de Leon, PAL's official escort to the trip. Other top sellers were: Christine Baluyot, Mt. Apo Travel & Tours and Jazzie Ann Marie Evarretta(CM Tan Travel), both S*ilver awardees; Johnny Tan, Frontier Travel, Chastity Ann of Lite Travel and Bong Dumadag, AME Travel. Lorna Siega of DLS Travel also joined the trip. Bong Dumadag of AME was the life of the 'fam trip'. Other joiners were: Arnold King, Eusebia King of Good Fortune Travel; Dr. Fred Medina of CHDCH; his mother Mercedes Victoria P. Medina and niece Catrina Louella Estanislao, Bernadette Gomez, Fe Manabat; and Bing Jumamil.

Manabat said the 'fam trip' is the first of a series of 'fam trips' in recognition of their performance in 2007. Over the weekend another group of agents went to Bangkok, Thailand while Another one is scheduled to leave for Honululu this September and the fourth is a Mexican cruise in October.

Pan Asia World Holidays as the lead agency tapped Estoril Tours Macau for the 3-nights and 3-days travel package at the with Hotel Beverly Plaza. For only $180.00 per person the package included a 3-days/3-nights stay. The participants enjoyed the package which included 3 days free buffet breakfast; buffet lunch at Dragon Hotel; dinner at Dumbo Restaurant; free shuttle service and a tourist guide; free entrance to the Hackett Macau Tower Convention & Recreation Center; and free hotel-airport transfers. The PAL flight package (plane fare excluded) included hot meals and check through baggage transfers for passengers coming from Davao.

Upon arrival, the participants excitedly proceeded to the immigration area. What a glaring difference as the airport staff did not even checked the baggages if the claim tags match and most noticeable is that all their airport staff are young. The Davao visitors were then shuttled to Hotel Beverly Plaza. The view from the airport was breathtaking as the airport terminal and ferry terminal and heliport were located not far from each other and a little farther, the Fisherman's Wharf.

A few hours rest and the participants embarked into 'real action'. First stop was the Dumbo Restaurant for an early dinner where a sumptuous dinner was prepared. While waiting for food to be served, cameras started clicking until they finally made it to Macau's biggest hotel and casino, the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Spaciously located in Taipa area, it prides itself with its 3,000 suite rooms. Its elegance and grandeur is seen in every corner of the resort-hotel. It comes with 350 international shops and duty-free shops for shoppers, 1000 slot machines and 600 gaming tables operating round-the-clock. Authentic Venetian gondolas make an inviting scene. The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas is however much bigger with 4,027 suite rooms.

A must-see also is the St. Paul's Church ruins which was built during the 16th century but got burned in the 18th century leaving only its façade. Beside the church are also the ruins of St. Paul's College and Mount Fortress. One of the oldest and biggest churches in China, tourists always make St. Paul's Church ruins part of the destination especially for Catholics and Christians alike. The church steps (60 steps all), church façade and the built-in altar housing six saints remain intact up to now.

The group walked from St. Paul's Ruins to Senado Square (only five minutes walk away) for another sight-seeing tip cum shopping. Bargain stores abound in the nearby area as tourists from other parts of China, Asia and other parts of world merge for one common purpose of getting to know more of Macau. One would find cheap buys for almost all items a tourist would want, from shirts, dresses, shoes, jewelries, art pieces, delicacies, perfumes, religious items, IT products, mobile phones, textiles, antique collection and more. Macau has a good number of garments and textile factories with their finished goods exported to Europe and the USA.

Another 10-minute walk is the Hotel Lisboa and Casino, one of the biggest hotels in Macau, allegedly owned by Stanley Ho, the famous operator of the floating casino in Manila. The hotel displays wealth as can be seen by the gold color dominating the hotel's façade and inside lobby. A portion is connected with an overpass to an annex building where the casino operates. A little farther another hotel and casino filled with wealth and grandeur. Gold bars are on display on its inside walls. Chinese businessman Stanley Ho is a major owner of the Lisboa while Jackie Chan is behind Grand Emperor.

Another stop was the Hackett Macau Tower Grand Lisboa; Am-a Temple; St. Paul's ruins; Macau Grand Prix Museum, Hackett Macau Tower; Macau Wine Museum, Fisherman's Wharf and the ferry and airport terminals were part of the itinerary.

The Macau Tower is a 338meter high structure above the city; the 10th highest free standing tower in the world and the 8th tallest in Asia, taller that the SkyTower in Auckland; Paris' Eiffel Tower. It dominates Macau's skyline providing a panoramic view of Macau, parts of China, Hongkong and Pearl River. Walk, bungy jump, sky jump is rather expensive but is one place for those who want thrill and action.

The visit was concluded with sight-seeing trip to the Fisherman's Wharf on the third day, August 10. The first theme park in Macau, it is a five minute ride from the ferry terminal and heliport. Estimates about its budget US $110 million more or less. it offers a nightly 'explosion' of the 40-mt. high man-made volcano, daily jet ski. The complex has 150 stores and restaurants, the Rocks Hotel and the Sands Casino. It is near the the Hongkong-Macau Ferry Terminal. Three theme wharf, namely: Dynasty Wharf East Meets West and Legend Wharf. The Macau Fisherman's Wharf has been conceived to recreate Xanadu in Asia. Top developers are Stanley Ho and David Chow.

On its 4th day, the Davao delegation was all ready to leave Macau with fond memories of the city, where discipline is part of their daily life and cleanliness in all over the city making them feel wanting to come back for another visit.

Located in the Guangdong province of China, Macau is growing in size with many buildings under construction on reclaimed areas. The number of tourist are also increasing each year. It depends mainly on tourism and casino operation. Between 80-90% of its income is generated from tourism casino operation. It has earned the title as the Las Vegas of Asia. The biggest casinos are located at the Venetian Resort Hotel, Grand Lisboa, MGM Grand, Wynn Macau, Grand Emperor, Star World, Sands Macau Hotel and more. Its area stands at 29.2 square kilometers. There are 3 bridges that connect the city to mainland China and other provinces.

Tourists flock Macau's tourist destinations anytime of the week and year, they either shop or just play in the casinos which now numbers around 30 with some under construction.

A tourist may also visit Hongkong by ferry. Round trips by jet foils costing between MOP $ 300-350 or P2,500.00 in an hour or less.

The Am-a Temple in downtown Macau draws tourists mostly coming from other provinces of China. It is the most famous temple in Macau and has become a populat subject for artists over centuries. A picturesque temple, the name Am-a came from a Taoist goddess which the name of Macau has been derived.

An old woman sits outside the Am-a Temple to earn her keep while number of tricycles (made of sturdy materials of galvanized sheet) are parked outside the rear part of the ferry terminal.

A family takes a brief ride in a gondola in a man-made lake at the top floor of the Venetia Macau-Resort Hotel. In a separate photo, the top portion or ceiling appears like the sky outside but it is the design. The biggest hotel in Macau, it boosts of 3,000 roms at the top of the building aimed to capture the casino players at the ground and seconf floor of the building. Gambling figure Stanley Ho is being identified as one of the owners of the biggest hotel.

An added attraction…. a miniature mountain cum garden is displayed at the entrance of Beverly Plaza Hotel restaurant. What is most interesting is made mostly of ginger which has started showing sprouts all over. Some decorations are tiny bamboo and century plants. Inside is a an aquarium made of indigenous materials and a plastic to protect table from being soiled.

A few hours rest and the participants embarked into 'real action'. First stop was an early dinner at the Dumbo Restaurant where a sumptuous dinner was prepared. While waiting for food to be served, cameras started clicking until they finally made it to Macau's biggest hotel and casino, the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Spaciously spaciously located in Taipa area, it prides itself with 3,000 suite rooms. Its elegance and grandeur is seen in every corner of the resort-hotel. It comes with 350 international shops and duty-free shops for shoppers, 1000 slot machines and 600 gaming tables operating round-the-clock. Authentic Venetian gondolas make an inviting scene. The man-made lake is just beside the open theatre where American and Filipino performers show their craft several times in the evening. It is considered the most exciting place in Asia with an 18-hole Grado Golf Course. The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas is however much bigger with 4,027 suite rooms.

A must-see also is the St. Paul's Church ruins which was built during the 16th century but got burned in the 18th century leaving only its façade. Beside the church are also ruins of St. Paul's College and Mount Fortress. One of the oldest and biggest churches in China, tourists always make St. Paul's Church ruins part of the destination especially for Catholics and Christians alike. The church steps (60 steps all), church façade and the built-in altar housing six saints remain intact is a sight worth seeing.

Going down the steps of St. Paul's Church, one will realize how faith is manifested by the hard work shown in the number of steps leading to the church. It could have took them (the Portuguese) many years in building the church and the surrounding religious sites. About ten-minutes walk is the Macau Cathedral and several churches nearby, another evidence of a strong religious presence in Macau. How faith keeps one strong amid their busy schedule in Macau. At the cathedral, a devotee made the Way of the Cross on a Saturday afternoon. A closer look at the faithful showed him using a prayer book in Chinese translation.

The 19-man delegation, now joined by Arnol King, Eusebia King of Good Fortune Travel walked from St. Paul's Ruins to Senado Square (only five minutes walk away) for another sight-seeing tip cum shopping. Bargain stores abound in the nearby area as tourists from other parts of China, Asia and other parts of world merge for one common purpose of getting to know more of Macau. One would find cheap buys for almost all items a tourist would want, from shirts, dresses, shoes, jewelries, art pieces, delicacies, perfumes, religious items, IT products, mobile phones, textiles, antique collection and more. Macau has a good number of garments and textile factories with the produce exported to Europe and the USA.