Some of Macau's iconic towers.
Macau is a former Portuguese colony, a fact that became immediately apparent from the road signs written in Portuguese. I dusted off my knowledge of the Portuguese language, acquired from three months of travel in Brazil (for example, “bombeiros” means “firefighters”), and was able to get around quite easily.
The casinos and racetrack were iconic, of course, and there were many other sights and sounds to conjure up both Chinese and Portuguese culture. I spent the whole day walking around the city, thoroughly enjoying both the subtle and obvious differences from mainland China. When it came time to leave, this proved quite easy as well. I simply hopped on one of the hourly ferries to Hong Kong.
Though I was only in Macau for a day, I had a great time there. Here are a few of my photos:
The first thing I saw upon entering the city was an entire district of shops selling baby formula, condensed milk and protein shakes.
Many of the city's streets are narrow, and the apartments have cages over the windows. The layout simultaneously looks both quaint and futuristic.
The Lin Fung temple is near the Chinese border.
Incense burning at the Lin Fung temple.
Fish for sale at a market.
Plenty of fresh veggies here.
At the seafood market.
Butchers.
Scooters are very common here.
Here is a typical apartment building.
Macau is famous for its casinos.
Here's some more dense housing.
Macau has a tropical climate. Palm trees are common here.
More palm trees.
Fortaleza do Monte is the historical military center of the former colony.
On the streets of Macau.
Here is a classical theatre.
Sai Van Lake is one of the biggest in Macau.
Here is the bridge to the southern district.
The MGM is one of the biggest and most famous casinos in Macau.
