Macau

Macau (meaning "Inlet Gate" in Chinese) is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of China, the other being Hong Kong. It is a relatively small city consisting of Taipa & Coloane Islands and a tiny part of the peninsula that sits across the Chinese province of Guangdong. It is a former Portuguese colony and was administered by Portugal from the mid 16th Century all the way up to 1999 when, as the last remaining European colony in Asia, control finally reverted back to China. The economy is heavily dependent on gambling tourism. By 2002 it had become one of the world's richest cities, and it became the world's largest gambling center in 2006 when it surpassed Las Vegas. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", China is responsible for the city's defense and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, and immigration policy. Currently Macau and Hong Kong are the only two "Chinese" cities that don't require visas of foreigners to visit.

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Welcome to Macau sign at the airport shows some of the territory's top tourist attractions.

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As befits what is supposed to be one of the richest cities in the world, the lobbies of most of the major hotels are gaudy beyond extreme. Gold is always a predominant color in Chinese hotels to denote wealth and prosperity. This was the sight when I entered my hotel for the stay, the Sofitel at Ponte 16.

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Macau isn't very big; most of it was visible in a single shot from my hotel room window.

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Day & night shots of the same view looking north from my hotel room. Macau along the right edge of these frames, China everywhere else.

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Random walks through Macau often reveal charming old colonial architecture.

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Macau's most famous site, the ruins of St Paul's Cathedral. Built from 1582 to 1602 by the Jesuits, the cathedral was one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia at the time. A fire in 1835 destroyed the entire structure except this stone southern wall facade. In 2005 it was officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau.

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The cathedral ruins are a great place for people watching and observing everyone taking selfies in front of the landmark.

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At the base of Macau Tower, looking up to the observation deck 1,109 feet (338m) up.

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Not much of a view from the top of Macau Tower on this drizzly day...

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Massive painting in the lobby of the Macau Tower showing how happy everyone was in 1999 when Macau reverted back to Chinese control and the Portuguese left Asia for good. The kind of joy that can only be accurately presented in art by the likes of Communist dictatorships.

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What do you do when you want to take a taxi somewhere but don't speak the language? Thankfully Macau is small enough that almost all of its attractions are featured on their currency notes. Just hold up money to the cab driver's gaze and point. Off next to the Guia Fortress!

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Guia Fortress is a historical military fort, chapel, and lighthouse complex built on the highest point in Macau. The complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Centre of Macau. The fort and chapel were constructed between 1622 and 1638 and were crucial for protecting the city from tentative Dutch invasion. The lighthouse was built in the mid 1860s, the first western-style lighthouse in east Asia or on the China coast.

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Panorama shot of Macau as seen from the top of Guia Hill.

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A few more shots taken from the grounds of historic Guia Fortress.

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The Grand Lisboa Hotel & Casino, shaped like a giant lotus, towers above the Macau skyline and is one of the most recognizable structures in the city. The casino silhouette is unmistakable and is seen in several of the panorama shots above and below. Time to dive inside the place and see what all of the fuss is about...

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Inside the lobby of the Grand Lisboa Hotel & Casino is a feast for the eyes with every sort of symbol of wealth in China, including priceless elaborate gold, jade, and ivory carvings.

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With torrential rain now hammering the city and darkness approaching, I decided to stay inside the rest of the day. Time to head to one of the most talked about and advertised casinos on the Cotai Strip, the Galaxy Macau. One of the neatest features in Macao is the frequent casino shuttles that are free and are available for pick up and drop off in most areas of the city, so getting to or from a casino was never a problem.

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The Galaxy Macau is massive and makes for pleasant indoor walking, dining, and entertainment. The colorful "Wishing Crystals" light up when sensing surrounding noise. The spectacular "Fortune Diamond Fountain" features a massive three-dimensional diamond that seems to rise above the water and float in mid air.

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Downtown Macau skyline on a rainy evening.

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Land border between Macau and China to the north.

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Visiting the Chinese city of Zhuhai (lit: "Pearl Sea") on the China/Macau border for no other reason than because I can.

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Zhuhai's signature landmark, a statue of a maiden holding a pearl up high over hear head.

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Walking back across the border from Zhuhai to Macau. The Chinese are nothing if not subtle, especially when it comes to gambling...

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Having already entered Macau by air and land, I decided to leave the territory for good by sea at the end of my stay there just to try something different. Macau has two ferry terminals with frequent connections to Hong Kong, China, and beyond.