So here is my trip spluge, 4 star hotel oh yeah I'm loving the room service (and the concierge, what a cutie).
So after pouncing on my king size bed and rummaging through the mini bar I headed out to the tourist info centre to see what was happening in Macau. Still stinking hot and humid here yet doesn't feel quite so suffocating as HK.
Macau has been a portuguese settlement since the 16th century only reverting back to Chinese soverignty in 1999. This makes for a fantastic fusion of Chinese and Portuguese with beautiful European buildings and squares (such as Largo do Senado) and some of the most delishous food outside of Sichuan.
My first full day I decided to wander through the historic areas of Macau (a large portion of Macau is classified as a World Heritage site). Starting at Largo do Senado I headed south to St Augustine's Church but in my rush to get out into the city before the heat I had forgotten that nothing here opens before 10, so the first few stops on the walk I couldn't get inside. Stumbled on a gorgeous little square (Lilau Square) in one of Macau's earliest settlement districts and sat and pondered life for a while with some of the locals whilst watching a man pull a wooden cart up a cobblestone street.
The Moorish barracks were next on my hit list, little did i know that tourists weren't allowed....I'll leave that one there.
Eventually got to A-Ma temple which is dedicated to a blend of Confusianism, Taoism, Buddhism and local folk beliefs. The temple itself is older than the city of Macau!
The Maritime Museum was opposite the temple so I sat and waited for it to open (still being before 10). I waited for half an hour and then got up to see if the doors were open, then noticed a sign saying not open Tuesdays, yeah guess which day today was, haha.
Then in my wisdom I thought i could walk to the Macau Tower, given I could see it in the distance. Not sure it was legal to walk on the freeway...or over this rooftop garden thingy...or through a construction site, but meh I'm still here. I had planned on doing the sky jump at the tower, whats a 338m jump huh anyone can do it and from a distance she didn't look THAT big. Yeah, got to the base of the tower and changed my mind instantly, that is one frikin huge jump! I even felt queezy just going to the observation deck.
Managed to find an interesting little temple, Sam Kai Vui Kun, tucked away down a small street back up near the Largo do Senado and then headed out to the Ruins of St. Paul's. The Ruins of St. Paul's is simply the facade of the Church of Mater Dei, the Church itself burning down in 1835. The Macau Museum next door is awesome, built inside an old fortress.
In the arvo I headed down to the new wharf area where they are building casinos in the shape of the Potala palace, the Forbidden City, Alladin's Cave and who knows what else. Most of it was rather tacky but the main street built looking somewhat like Nyhavn in Copenhagen was rather groovy.
Hit the casinos at night! First stop Casino Lisboa, Macau's most famous casino. Apparently Macau is the Las Vegas of the East. Having been to Las Vegas myself, I would say there is no comparison whatsoever. Burswood casino in Perth is bigger than the Lisboa! And what is with the game they play here, its all the one type or you can go on the slots. I want my russian roulette!
Second day was museums, the Grand Prix museum and the Wine museum (mmm, free tastings....).
I was a bit ill whilst here so didn't get to see everything I wanted. But Macau is a really interesting place, definatly add it to your agenda if your in HK!
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