Macau: More than just an Asian Vegas

I visited Macau recently and found it extremely interesting. I didn't really know much about Macau before I came to Hong Kong. I certainly didn't know it was only 11 square miles but has a population of 575,000 making it the most dense country in the world. I had heard that it was the 'Las Vegas of Asia' and that there was nothing really there except casinos. This is a misconception and Macau has much more to offer than gambling. Despite its size it is rich in culture and history, there are plenty of historical sites to visit and I didn't feel a day was long enough to explore the whole place.

This is an example of a steet sign in Macau,

despite the cantonese symbols it still looks very

portugese.

Macau was part of the Portuguese 'empire' for over 100 years and has inherited a strong Portuguese culture and feel from this period. At times as I was walking around the city it felt as though I was in Europe. The best way to get a feel for the city is to get one of the free buses from the ferry terminal to the casino district and then walk into the 'historic centre' of Macau. It's quite amazing because it feels as though you are walking through 3 different countries starting off in USA with the casinos before moving into China with tall apartment blocks and dim-sum restaurants below, and finally walking into Portugal with beautiful colourful houses and churches. 

This is the view from Fortaleza do Monte, with the Grand Lisboa casino in the distance. The fort was built in the 1600's by the Jesuits. It was used by the Portuguese to defend  Macau from a Dutch invasion.

This is the ruins of St Pauls Cathedral and probably Macau's most popular tourist hotspot. It was burnt down in a fire in 1835 and only this section remains, a poignant reminder of Portuguese rule.

The photo above is of the tiny Na Tcha temple and I think the story of this temple shows how two completely different cultures can work together to mutual benefit. In the 19th century a deadly disease had plagued the Portuguese and Chinese communities, everything they tried failed. Then one night the Chinese deity of Na Tcha appeared to a Portuguese man in his sleep and told him to build a temple and worship Na Tcha. News spread of this and the Chinese and Portuguese people worked together to build this temple, a few weeks later the plague disappeared.

Macau had so many beautiful tranquil parks, some with a very european feel and others with a distinct Asian feel. This was one of the best things about Macau for me and something that I feel Hong Kong is missing, that you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city so easily by just stepping into one of the many parks.

There is no fancy metro network in
Macau, just buses and these trishaws

And of course a trip to Macau would not be complete without visiting some of the incredible hotels and casinos that have made Macau the gambling capital of the East. I visited the MGM and the Wynn, both were full of designer shops and were aesthetically beautiful buildings. 

The dancing fountain show at the Wynn, I wonder where they got this idea from?

The dancing fountain show at the Wynn,
I wonder where they got this idea from?

The infamous bronze lion of the MGM Grand

I would say that a day trip to Macau is an absolute must for anyone visiting Hong Kong for more than a few days. To really experience Macau it is worth exploring the hidden gardens and temples on foot, it makes it more rewarding when you just stumble across a beautiful tranquil garden. Macau is definitely worth visiting, not for the casinos and the hotels, because Vegas does that much better than Macau, but for the history and the stories that are unfairly overshadowed by Macau's obsession with opulence and gambling.

Crazy Asian Fashion

This is just a brief insight into why I am actually here in Hong Kong... Modelling. I have discovered that the fashion industry here is very different. The Asian fashion market is very different to the European market, the Asian people aren't afraid to be really bold and stand out from the crowd. This means designs are very creative and unique. An example of this is the shoot that I did today, where the clothes were definitely... unique.

Yes I did fall over in those shoes... flat on my face. It hurt.

It's safe to say I look absolutely ridiculous here. 

Victoria Peak

So today I visited probably the most notorious tourist hotspot in Hong Kong- Victoria Peak. Despite the cloudy weather the views of Hong Kong and Victoria Harbour were still superb and you can really appreciate how little space there actually is in Hong Kong, almost all the land that can be built on is covered in skyscrapers. Despite this there is still constant building work going on throughout Hong Kong as these gigantic skyscrapers become even more gigantic.

This is the view from 382 meters above sea level and is of the North of Hong Kong Island and South Kowloon. Despite being so high up and being on the side of a mountain, the architects of Hong Kong have still managed to build a 7 storey shopping mall on top of the Peak Tram station.

Most of the tourists here do not bother to take the 20 minute steep path up to the very top of the Peak but I thought it was a necessity as you can see the South of Hong Kong Island which is much more mountainous and still built-up but much more calm I think.

The peak is connected to the city via a funicular tram known as the Peak Tram. It has been running for 120 years and is a real reminder of the colonial power that used to own this land for 99 years.

First Impressions

So, I've been here in Hong Kong for over 2 weeks and unfortunately I have been sick for half that time, but I still feel I am beginning to understand Hong Kong. So, what are my first impressions? Unbelievably busy. I knew Hong Kong was a densely populated place but I was very surprised to see SO many people everywhere. Rush hour here is unbearable, with thousands of people pouring onto public transport. The hongkongese (never refer to them as chinese, they hate it) are very meticulous people, everything runs like clockwork. So this means that everyone starts work and finishes work together which only makes rush hour worse. They also all have the same lunch break from 1 till 2 so it is nearly impossible to get anywhere near ANY restaurant or cafe during this time. I've made sure to eat just before or just after the lunch break, much quieter. 

With all these people living in such a small area it is no surprise why house prices are so high here in Hong Kong. A simple 2 bedroom appartment in sheung wan (which is what I'm living in) would set you back HK$6 million, which is approximately £600,000. Crazy money. My bedroom isn't what I would class as a bedroom, I would class it more as a cupboard with a bed inside, with barely enough room to open the door. 

The area of Sheung Wan, where I am staying, is a very traditionally Chinese area with little signs of any Western influence (except for the Mcdonalds just a short walk from my appartment). 

 

A typical street in Sheung Wan

One of the many small shops selling hundreds of different spices