Far from the madding crowd
The once-sleepy Portuguese enclave of Macau is now bursting with activities with people looking for fun under the sun, enjoying its food and going on heritage trail, writes
AS my taxi speeds over the causeway from Macau International Airport, the driver constantly steals a glance at his rear view window. Is he trying to check me out?
“Where are you from?” he asks in his accented English.
“Malaysia,” I answer, before flashing him a smile.
We strike up a conversation and share a couple of laughs before Mr Lee, a man in his early 40s, says, “Sometimes I admire your people, being able to speak and understand so many languages. It’s so easy to strike a conversation.”
Well, Macau is not too far behind either. Although the population is less than a million, as I am being told by my guide later, people from different backgrounds and cultures flock to this tiny peninsula, bringing with them their own languages and dialects, for many reasons — work, fun or leisure.
It got even better for the island after the introduction of Sands, a hotel and casino located in Se, in 2006, and later the 600room MGM Macau the following year. The autonomous region of China, just like Hong Kong, has surpassed Las Vegas as the world’s top gaming spot which the Sin City, as it’s fondly known, had held over the last half century.
The tide is shifting for Macau and the once-sleepy Portuguese enclave is now bursting with activities with people looking for fun under the sun, enjoying its food
Chestnut sellers near the Senado Square.
Skywalk at the Macau Tower.
and going on the heritage trail.
Take, for example, a friendly employee at the hotel where I am staying can speak at least three languages (English, Cantonese and his native language, Tagalog). And it is not surprising if you meet a local who can speak Portuguese fluently. If only I speak Portuguese too, but the only thing that I’m good at being Portuguese, figurativelyspeaking, is chowing down on the famous Pou Tart or Portuguese egg tarts.
As the taxi nears my hotel, located on the other side of the Cotai area, anxietyinducing bright lights assault my sights. The over-stimulating visual feast is what you’ll get everywhere you turn to in Macau.
Big, bright shiny neon lights smile down on almost everyone in the city that never sleeps. Huge signages with the word “casino” are just about everywhere. In fact, there’s one on the upper floor of my hotel. Someone shouts excitedly over at the baccarat table. Must be someone enjoying a winning streak.
Mind you, Macau is the only place in China that allows legal betting. A flourishing industry since the 1800s, under the thenPortugal rule, it has led to a few gambling giants such as the Casino Lisbao, owned by Hong Kong billionaire Stanley Ho.
But are there any non-gambling attractions here? The answer is a definite yes!
Take your time to explore the streets of Macau.