...gambling and tourism, and I don't gamble.
Macau, if you are not familiar with it, is a small peninsula and island off the southern coast of China, just a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Like Hong Kong, Macau is a former colony which was turned back over to China in the late 1990's and today maintains some independence from the mainland. It has its own currency, its own immigration policies (no visa required), and allows certain commerce that is illegal on the mainland - namely gambling. In recent years, thanks to heavy investment Macau has become the "Las Vegas of the East", and according to many reports does a bigger business than Vegas, and its growing rapidly. But again, I don't gamble, so what am I doing in Macau? I had to ask myself the same question. Mainly, I just had a day to kill before heading back to the US and I didn't feel like hanging out in Shenzhen or Hong Kong. Something new.
Gambling aside, Macau is a former Portuguese colony, and as such has some uniqueness to it. There are some old neighborhoods with a distinctly European feel, and many signs still in Portuguese. But honestly, once i saw a few old streets and ruins, I was done. This place is hot, its extremely crowded with mostly Chinese tourists, and its expensive. Hot, crowded and expensive are OK if you are someplace like Hong Kong with lots to see and do. I felt like I did Macau in an afternoon and that was that. I don't suspect I will return any time soon. Here are a few pictures anyway.
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| Flat sheets of cooked mystery meat seem to be the local delicacy. Kind of like sweetened SPAM |
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| Vegas has the "fake Eiffel Tower. Macau has a "fake Coliseum" |
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