A Quiet Milestone
This was our first overseas family trip with my in-laws. Not because they have never travelled. In fact, they have travelled far more than my husband and I ever have.
But this time, it was different. This time, hubby and I were the ones bringing them along. There was this quiet, unspoken acknowledgement that we have reached a new stage in life, like a small rite of passage.
A Trip That Became a Mini Pilgrimage
One lovely memory from this trip was how it quietly turned into a mini pilgrimage.
We found ourselves stepping into church after church: Our Lady of Carmel Church in Taipa, St. Dominic's Church, St. Lazarus' Church, Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady (Macau Cathedral), and The Chapel of St. Michael.
We celebrated Palm Sunday at St. Lazarus' Church on a Sunday morning. It was beautiful. There's something about being away from home, yet participating in something so familiar: the same rhythm, the same sense of reverence. It reminded me God remains constant, no matter where we are.
At one point, on our way to the Ruins of St. Paul, we wandered into St. Paul's Bookstore, run by The Daughters of St. Paul. We ended up spending more time there than expected, browsing and choosing little Catholic items like pins, crosses, rosaries, etc., each of us drawn to something in our own quiet way.
As I was writing this blog post, I stumbled upon this piece of news: Macau nuns use travel stamps to evangelise tourists.
The Portuguese Egg Tart Moment
Somewhere in between, there was a Portuguese egg tart. Just one from a shop near the Ruins of St. Paul's, eaten while being surrounded by people, noise, and movement.
And so, I just have to take this photo to immortalise the moment. Haha.
And Then… Pink Lights!
And then, there was a completely different kind of joy!
Standing there, watching The Parisian Macao light up in pink, synced to BLACKPINK's GO... I didn't expect to feel that excited!
It was loud and vibrant, completely opposite of the quiet churches we had been visiting.
Almost Sakura
And then, of course, there was my "almost sakura" moment.
According to the QR code beside the tree, it was Zhongguohong (Cerasus campanulata), also known as China Red, a type of cherry blossom found in Southern China that blooms between January and March.
Sometimes, close enough is enough.
The Small Things I Keep Collecting
Somewhere along the way, I found myself doing something familiar: collecting souvenir stamps.
Not the official kind you frame, but the simple landmark stamps, the kind you press onto paper just to say "I was here!"
It reminded me of Taipei, where I first started this little habit. There's something quietly satisfying about it. A small, tangible way of holding onto moments that would otherwise pass too quickly.
The Stairs...
Also, a small note for anyone romanticising heritage walks, but Macau comes with… a lot of stairs. The kind that immediately brought back memories of my trip to South Korea.
The kind that quietly humbles you while you're trying to look like you have your life together. Hahaha.
What Stayed With Me
Maybe that's what this trip was, without expectations, but still exactly what I needed.
A collection of small moments I chose to notice.
A quiet milestone.
A Palm Sunday far from home, yet deeply familiar.
Not sakura,
but close enough to be beautiful in its own way.
