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have always considered Macau to be a gambling mecca; thus, our previous visits with the kids in tow have been mere day trips from HK. But this May, we tagged along with my husband for a convention, and it was our first time to stay in the island for almost a week in the Cotai Strip. The latter stands for the strip of casinos in Cotai, which is the reclaimed area between the islands of Coloane and Taipa. We hotel hopped among three luxe hotels: the Galaxy, Venetian, and Parisian.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and the Chinese have definitely got that particular art down pat. They don't just knock off bags, watches, gadget, etc. (hello, triple class A). They've moved on to recreating places! [This is hyperbole, of course, because the sister hotels-Parisian and Venetian-are also in Las Vegas.]

The Venetian Hotel is a clone of Venezia in Italy. The lobby boasts of the opulence of the Renaissance with its flamboyant arcs, lavish golden embellishments on the Roman columns, magnificent sculptures, and ornate paintings on the ceilings and walls. The paintings are clearly inspired by the Italian Masters, similar to those I've seen on the Sistine Chapel and St. Mark's Basilica.

The hotel's entrance leading to the foyer is reminiscent of Piazza San Marco, including a massive replica of the Rialto Bridge and the Campanile di San Marco (bell tower). The full Venice experience is on the 3rd floor Grand Canal, where guests can opt to ride a gondola, while being serenaded by a gondolier dressed in black/ white stripes accented by a red neckerchief and hat. The experience is not purely authentic, but it is good enough. The bonus here: the murky water is replaced by clear pool water with no prominent fishy smell emanating from the actual Venice canal.

The Parisian Hotel's façade showcases the iconic Eiffel tower, which is half the size of the original, and a mini-version of the Arc de Triomphe. Inside the main lobby, a dramatic rotunda exhibits a reproduction of the Place de la Concorde's, Fontaine des Mers (Fountain). However, the gargantuan LCD screen on top of the Arc screams this is totally Faux-ris in China!

In the lobby, there is a giant dome with elaborate paintings reminiscent of a cathedral ceiling. The tiers of balconies surrounding the main rotunda are similar to those I've seen in a French Opera House. Thus, it's not surprising that guests are treated to short performances along the hallways by charac- ters singing opera pieces or jazz dancers in chic flapper-style ensembles.

There's even a wannabe French boulangerie called Elysees for the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Their pastries were just ok and nothing tres magnifique! On the bright side, there are Portuguese egg tarts and almond cookies, which are the two signature pastries in Macau, which the sweet tooth in me always appreciates.

The Parisian is the newest among the hotels so definitely, it is spic and span. Their family rooms have bunk beds and billeted guests are treated to French Macarons. The rooms are modern and trendy, as opposed to the Venetian's lavishly designed rooms with the tones of gold. The latter is also bigger, with its suites furnished with a separate living room complete with a sofa and small dining nook.

The other luxury hotel we stayed in is the Galaxy, which has no specific country theme but is a part of the 5-star enclave in the Galaxy Complex. The giant crystal display in the main lobby is an attraction in itself drawing tourists. What looks like a pretty humongous chandelier filling-up the cavernous lobby, turns into a mustsee show called the Fortune Diamond.

Most importantly, they more than make up for that the lack of country theme with their own man-made island paradise complete with white sand and tropical fauna at the main hotel's roof deck. It is about 75,000 square meters, with beautiful landscaped gardens and inviting azure pools that offer a wide array of water activities. They have a giant wave pool, heated pools, 2 mini kiddie water-parks, skytop mountain slide, and the rapids. My kids and I enjoyed the last the most, because it is like a lazy river ride which can be enjoyed while lounging atop giant buoys that propel guests around different splash stations. Old World

Unbeknownst to gambling fans, who go for the glitz of the numerous casinos, Macau is also a Unesco World Heritage site. Being a Portuguese colony for a multitude of years, they have charmingly unique colonial buildings and mosaic cobblestone streets. They have amazingly preserved their rich history in spite of all the rapid changes and development.

We took a tour with a Portuguese named Mario, who is a treasure trove of information and tidbits. He took us to the Ruins of St. Paul, Senado Square, Santa Casa De Misericordia, Mount Fortress, Governor's Mansion, Macau Tower, A-ma temple, and the Temple of the Goddess of the Sea. The positive side of taking a group tour is he was able to explain each iconic place's history. He even challenged us to bungee jump off of the Macau Tower for a whooping $500 for thirty seconds of thrilling fun. Uh, no thanks!

It was a pleasantly good trip that was rich in glitz, glam, and history. Surprisingly, we were able to find a lot of fun things for the kids to do since casinos do not allow anyone 21 years old and below. Aside from the Resort Deck, my kids enjoyed the Dreamworks Ice Word in the Venetian and Studio City's Warner Brother's Fun Zone. Promo fares make this place quite easy to visit, and it is most definitely worth a peek because it brings a taste of Europe into the Far East!

For more pictures please you may look at these pages:

Parisian and Venetian http://orochronicles.com/atale-of-two-cities-the-parisianand-the-venetian/

Galaxy Macau Resort Deck http://orochronicles.com/galaxy-macau/

Warner Brother's Fun Zone http://orochronicles.com/ studio-city-warner-brothersfun-zone/

Dreamworks Iceworld http://orochronicles.com/ dreamworks-ice-world/