To Macau

I'm so glad I decided to make the trip to Macau today - I had a great day, and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

Macau is largely known for its casinos (it's the only place in China where gambling is legal - and business at the casinos has taken a huge hit since the world economy tanked). It's a pity, because there is so much more to the island than that. I enjoyed it mainly for its atmosphere, which is totally different to that of Hong Kong. While HK is young, brash, loud, edgy and very modern, the historic centre of Macau is more refined and very charming. The Portuguese settled there in the early 16th century and its glory days as a centre of pan-Asian trade came in the 17th century - as Portugal's imperial fortunes began to fade and Britain's began to rise.

I got the 9.30 am catamaran ferry from Kowloon to Macau, and by the time I crossed, got through immigration (you need a passport to travel between HK and Macau, strangely enough) and hopped a bus to the city centre, it was 11 am. Luckily, the historic areas are very easy to get around. When central Macau was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, a walking trail was established with a network of signposts around the town, so it's easy to find places of interest and not get lost.

My first stop was the fantastic Largo do Senado (Senate Square), the main city square which looks like it's been transplanted directly from a Mediterranean country. It's beautifully cobbled, has a central fountain, and is ringed with typical 18th-century Portuguese colonial buildings, built in baroque and neoclassical styles and painted in various pastel colours with wonderful stucco detailing. I went wild taking photos...then realised that my camera's battery was just about to die. Argh! (So unfortunately I haven't any pics of the rest of my day.)

Afterwards, I visited more landmarks, including the church of Sao Domingos, the ruins of the Sao Paulo church (of which only the facade remains, at the summit of a long flight of stone steps - very dramatic and the remains are well-preserved), and various other public buildings including a theatre, a seminary and a beautiful library housed in a colonial building with a modern extension made of glass. Not wanting to neglect Macau's Chinese heritage (the population of the island is 95% Chinese, after all), I also took a spin around the A-Ma Temple, the oldest religious site on the island (14th c.) and dedicated to a local goddess believed to protect seafarers.

At lunchtime, I stopped in a great little Portuguese bakery/cafe/resto tucked in behind the Sao Domingo church called Ou Mun Cafe. Earlier in the day, I noted that there seemed to be very few Europeans around - but obviously this was because they were all at Ou Mun. The resto was pretty packed and from the hum of conversation around me, the clientele were largely chic Portuguese expats. At least that boded well for my lunch - I had the set menu of spinach soup, followed by stewed lamb with potatoes and salad, and for dessert the famous local specialty of egg-custard tarts (I scoffed several throughout the day, in fact, cos they were just so damn tasty).

After lunch, I decided to take in the Museu de Macau, which opened just a few years ago and is really excellent. I spent so much time there, in fact, that I ended up having to rush back in a taxi to the marine terminal, in order to catch the 5.30 boat back. But it was a wonderful day. It's interesting how evocative old Macau is of southern Europe. I've never been to Portugal, but I've been to Italy several times, and it reminded me of towns I've visited there, with its little winding streets, hidden squares, and wedding-cake architecture. Such a fun and refreshing contrast to Hong Kong!

Speaking of which, this is my last night in the city....