So our chinese adventure has now officially started! Back to the familiar smells of Asia, we are delighted to see again the deliciously looking food stalls, the incense-smelling budhist temples, the extremely useful low prices! But there is more to Macau than its oriental side, the one we had found in Thailand and Malaysia. There are two more sides to Macau in fact: Portugal and Gambling.
The Portuguese heritage of Macau, their administrative territory for 500 years, is clear everywhere: all signs and labels are in portuguese, still one of the official languages, the paved cobblestones adorn most streets in Macau in wonderful designs, buildings everywhere in the city would not look out of place in any portuguese city - and yet they seem odd in such a Chinese context! This is the part of Macau though which draws many of the tourists, most of them Chinese, having this south european feel to a chinese city, as exemplified by the ruins of St.Paul's Church, the symbol of Macau
But the other thing which draws the tourists, in throngs, is gambling. Macau is now rightfully dubbed the Las Vegas of the East, with casinos to rival its Nevada cousin and not lose out in comparison. So amazing to see them, a visual opolence to the eye, casinos adorned with neon colours, water games, british-looking guards, amazing collections of jade sculptures, and ever more casinos being built! And yet we cannot but admit that walking at night down the casino strip of Macau, there is an excitement, a visual circus, which is somewhat strangely appealing!
Now it is time to leave Macau, and the comfort and portuguese home-made meals of Pedro's uncles home (muito obrigado!!), to move on, chinese visa in hand (for one month, the time we will be spending here). Hong Kong and Xiamen loom ahead, and their stories will follow!
The Portuguese heritage of Macau, their administrative territory for 500 years, is clear everywhere: all signs and labels are in portuguese, still one of the official languages, the paved cobblestones adorn most streets in Macau in wonderful designs, buildings everywhere in the city would not look out of place in any portuguese city - and yet they seem odd in such a Chinese context! This is the part of Macau though which draws many of the tourists, most of them Chinese, having this south european feel to a chinese city, as exemplified by the ruins of St.Paul's Church, the symbol of Macau
But the other thing which draws the tourists, in throngs, is gambling. Macau is now rightfully dubbed the Las Vegas of the East, with casinos to rival its Nevada cousin and not lose out in comparison. So amazing to see them, a visual opolence to the eye, casinos adorned with neon colours, water games, british-looking guards, amazing collections of jade sculptures, and ever more casinos being built! And yet we cannot but admit that walking at night down the casino strip of Macau, there is an excitement, a visual circus, which is somewhat strangely appealing!
Now it is time to leave Macau, and the comfort and portuguese home-made meals of Pedro's uncles home (muito obrigado!!), to move on, chinese visa in hand (for one month, the time we will be spending here). Hong Kong and Xiamen loom ahead, and their stories will follow!
3 comments:
Hi Pedro e Lenka
Foi muito bom tê-los connosco. O tempo foi curto...neste momento estão já a caminho do jetfoil para HK ...e já temos saudades vossas. Espero que tenham gostado da terra onde vivemos há tantos anos....e tenham entendido o significado para nós desta experiência unica ...e cheia de especificidades, como viram! As calçadas portuguesas que referem...falam-nos todos os dias da terra onde nascemos ...e deste diálogo vem a saudade!!!Continuação de boa viagem. VOLTEM...!!! Um abraço. Tucha e Norberto.
Radik :)
Have fun in Macau ! Don't lose all your money on the Poker tables.
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