Macau

I finally made my way to Macau last Sunday. Being the naïve foreigner that we were, we ignored the storm warnings thinking that we would be able to handle the tropical climate with just our umbrellas. Although both Macau and Hong Kong are part of China, we still needed our passports and go through “customs” to get to Macau. The fastest way was to rid the turbo jet (see picture), which took a little over an hour. In many ways Macau is similar to Hong Kong for it has its own currency, regional government, and local regulations. The city seemed to be a strange mix of China, Portugal, and Las Vegas. Since it was a colony of Portugal for many years, parts of it share the many characteristics of an European town, such as narrow streets that were filled with shops and tiny cafes. Many buildings have Portuguese architecture styles, especially old governmental buildings. All of us enjoyed it tremendously because at times it became hard for us to tell whether we were in Asia or Europe. We ended up eating at this Portuguese restaurant, which had surprisingly good Portuguese food.

Aside from its colonial history, Macau is also famous for its casinos. Many people refer to it as the Las Vegas of Asia for its extravagant casino and entertainment industry. Immediately upon our arrival, we were greeted with free shuttle buses that would take you directly to their respective casinos. Without hesitation, we all hopped on one of the casino buses to get to the city. The most visible and attention grabbing casino in Macau has to be the Grand Lisboa Hotel, which is a skyscraper shaped like a giant flower. In its lobby, I saw the biggest diamond I have ever seen. If my memory doesn’t fail me, I think it was at least 280 carats. Gambling was an interesting experience for me. Having already won $100 at the racecourse in Hong Kong, I was feeling a bit overconfident and lucky. I bought $100 worth of chips ($10 each on the poor people’s floor) and played Russian roulette until I lost it all. I was slightly devastated but learned of the harms of gambling.

The city overall had an atmosphere that was jaded and dilapidated. Perhaps it was because we went on a rainy day, but the old and worn out resident buildings that were spread out throughout the city made me feel like I was in the 90s again. The most impressive piece of architecture in Macau was the remains of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was destroyed in a fire started in its kitchen many years ago. Although only the front side of the building remains, one could tell from its remains that it was once a magnificent cathedral that could rival many of its European counterparts.