In the land of casinos and egg custard tarts
WITH its blend of Portuguese and Chinese culture, it didn’t take us long to discover the unique appeal of Macau. Soon after arriving by highspeed TurboJET ferry from Hong Kong, we were sitting in Antonio, a beautifully tiled restaurant that could easily have been in Lisbon.
The food and drink was excellent (owner Antonio Coelho whips up a mean souffle), and the fado singing of entertainer Marcelino was truly memorable.
Located at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta at the southern tip of China, Macau comprises a peninsula and two islands – Taipa and Coloane – connected by three dramatic bridges. It was run by Portugal until 1999 when it became a special Administrative Region of China.
Wandering with our guide through Macau’s Historic Centre the next morning, it was evident how the Portuguese influence has been maintained through the architecture and cobbled streets. The highlights for us were the Ruins of St Paul’s, elegant Senado Square, and A-Ma Temple, which is more than 500 years old.
My husband Neil and I were impressed by just how clean and tidy Macau is – they even have WCs for dogs with entrances marked In and Out.
After lunch at Cafe Litoral (a fusion of Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, South American, African and Malaysian flavours – it works!) we headed over to the Macau Tower, which has the world’s highest bungee jump. Plunging 764ft in 17 seconds is not for the fainthearted, but neither is Skywalk X, where you are harnessed and take a thrilling – if that’s the word – walk around the outer rim of the Tower with nothing to hold on to.
We were disappointed that, for technical reasons, we weren’t able to see the multimillion-pound production of The House Of Dancing Water. Developed by the man behind many of Cirque du Soleil’s dazzling shows, it features acrobats, motorcycle stunts and fountain effects.
Mention Macau and many people automatically think ‘casinos’. There are 26 of them, including the world’s biggest, The Venetian. It looks the size of Wembley and has about 500 baccarat, roulette and blackjack tables. Gambling is illegal in Hong Kong, except on horseracing, so thousands from Hong Kong as well as mainland China try their luck here. Free shuttle buses run between the casinos, and as the doorman at our hotel, the Sofitel, said: ‘It’s either that or a Rolls-Royce!’
The island of Coloane, meanwhile, has green hills, small villages and a peaceful coastline. In the Town Square we were intrigued to find Lord Stow’s Bakery, home to the Portuguese egg custard tart. Launched by Englishman Andrew Stow in 1989, the store is now run by his sister Eileen, and it sells more than 3,000 of the delicacies every day.
Macau has a typhoon season from June to September when the bridges can be closed, but a long tunnel keeps the traffic flowing. As a destination, it is far cheaper than Hong Kong and there is plenty of accommodation. The food is wonderful, and when you stir in the Portuguese heritage and influence, you get a fascinating and colourful melting pot.