Macau
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008July 10, 2008
Macau China has a number of great sites. It has breathtaking villas; it is home to what is widely considered the best food in the nation - it has spectacular ruins, museums and a singularly fascinating history. But, of course, 99% of visitors to Macau have little interest in these things. This is the gambling mecca of the Orient, a bustling hybrid of China and Vegas, the golden jewel of Macau Tourism.
Macau is often mentioned in the same breath as Hong Kong – both are assimilated trading posts from a bygone age. They are merely 35 miles apart, each lying on opposite sides of the mouth of the Pearl River. Both are far more entrenched in Western culture and capitalism than the rest of the region. And both are tiny fortresses surrounded by the “real” China, vastly different entities that happen to share a common country.
The first thing many people notice about Macau China is how clean it is. The tidiness carries over into everything here - the Macau casinos are famous for it, but it’s the rest of the city that splays out a testament to order and hygiene. The majority of historical sites in Macau have been immaculately restored too, especially the ancient villas and churches – the most obvious reminder that this land was once under European rule. Until 1999, in fact, when the Portuguese finally returned their long-standing prize back to its rightful owners.
There are a number of tours for visitors that will take through the aging sites of the city – the ruins of the church of St. Paul, Monte Fort, Guia Fort, St. Domingo’s Church and the Loyal Senate are some of the best of what remains of Portuguese culture, subtly intertwined with 15th century temples and ultra-modern buildings. The Macau Museum of Art is one of the finest in China, while the Macau Wine Museum attempts to educate the uninitiated with tastings and lessons in differentiating between famous wines.
