Travel with Manfred

Travelogues from around the world

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Copyright © 1995 by Manfred P.. All rights reserved.

January 30, 1995

Macau

Hong Kong's Twin Sister

by

Manfred P.

Keywords: Macau, tourist, travel trip report, travel log, travelogue.

Macau is very similar to Hong Kong. It's a bustling metropolis strongly influenced by China. Skyscrapers are popping up like mushrooms, and the narrow roads are congested with people and cars. Pretty much all my Hong Kong impressions can be repeated in the context of Macau. There are a few differences though. The first one that is noticed even before arrival is that Macau is not a British colony but a Portuguese colony. Hence, the arrival card to be filled out is bilingual, Portuguese and Chinese. Portuguese is the official language. In the city itself most signs are in Portuguese and Chinese. English is not too common but plenty of people speak at least a few words. The mixture of European influence and Chinese is quite interesting, sometimes unusual. My brain had to get used to store signs where the the type of the shop is written in Portuguese and the owner's name in Chinese such as "Panaderia Xiau Foo". Besides the language and the architecture the most noticeable contribution of the Portuguese is their cuisine. Especially the deserts are all European including madellenas and sweet roulades. The most famous main dish of Macau is a chicken dish with Chinese spices and saffron. Saffron, as you most likely know, is a cornerstone of the spices of the Iberian Peninsula and is the key to any good paella.

In comparison with Hong Kong Macau is cheap, sometimes 33 to 50 percent cheaper. Hotel rooms are only HK$800 where a comparable one in Hong Kong would be HK$1600. Restaurants are cheaper as well. Other differences include the size of the city. Macau can be crossed from the south to the north in about an hour on foot. In the north is the Chinese border. Thousands of people cross here daily. Looking across the border I couldn't notice any distinction between mainland China and Macau. Unlike the Mexican US border where it is easy to tell which side is which, here both sides look alike.

It happened to be the day before the Chinese New Year's Eve when I was visiting the city. Macau was lit up in beautiful lights to welcome the Year of the Pig. While firecrackers are outlawed in Hong Kong they were going off left and right here. While I was on the fort Monte Hill which overlooks the city I could here sets of fire crackers exploding in different places throughout the city. It was also interesting for me to learn that firecrackers seem to be related to Buddhism. In Europe, churches are places of quietness and peacefulness. Here it is the opposite. People take their firecrackers to the temples, hang them on the huge incense holders and ignite them. These are not the small firecrackers, but the kind that hurts your ears if you are too close. It was fun though to see bundles explode.

Some of the highlights of the city were the Monte Hill, St. Paul's, and Guia Hill. The Monte Hill once was the highest spot in the city that's why the Jesuits decided to build a fort there. Today it is no longer the highest spot. There are dozens of skyscrapers now that overlook the hill. Nevertheless, the hill offers a great view. The Guida Hill is an island within the city, a getaway for joggers and those seeking fresh air.

Night life for the most part means family dinners in restaurants on small side alleys. Gambling is legal in Macau. Several casinos offer Black Jack and some other popular games. The hotel Lisboa is the only one left with Roulette tables. Shopping is also part of the entertainment. Especially jewelry is attractive here. Macau has its own currency but Hong Kong dollars are generally accepted and since the exchange rate is always 1, shopping is very convenient for Hong Kong visitors.

Despite the similarities to Hong Kong, Macau is a city with its own flavor and spending a weekend there is well worth it.