Viagem Para Macau

Olá! How are you this week? We're only four days away from Christmas, now, and look what I found!

Of course, I had to go to Macau to find a religious Christmas display, but no matter. Yes, a friend and I spent Tuesday in Macau, the former Portuguese colony on the southern edge of the Pearl River delta that is just 2.5 hours from Guangzhou by bus. It was a lovely day, and there are many gorgeous places to visit in an afternoon (because that's what you've got, after you've spent an hour standing in two border-crossing lines to get in).

 

 

 

 

Largo do Senado

 Unfortunately, I spend the majority of the day being queasy and generally unwell. Family, remember that year at Sturbridge when I was suddenly, inexplicably, and horrifically ill on Sunday morning and you all joked about my "wicked hangover" while I lay in the grass and moaned? Yeah, it felt like that. I was still mostly mobile, but I had absolutely zero appetite, so the only culinary news I can give you about Macau is that they make delicious almond cookies and egg tarts. My traveling companion enjoyed a sardine bun and a wonderful-smelling waffle thing that was slathered with peanut sauce and condensed milk, as well.

Like Hong Kong, Macau is an interesting jumble of East and West, old and new. Also like Hong Kong, they speak predominately Cantonese and write in traditional characters, but Portuguese didn't seem to be as prevalent as English is in Hong Kong.

Art Park Graffiti

We visited the ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral and the Macau Museum (lots of dioramas; surprisingly interesting).

I have no idea who the person to my left is.

You may be asking yourselves, "Why are all those people wearing funny hats?" Well, we'd seen some signs announcing festivities for the 12th anniversary of the handover, when Macau was given over to China in 1999. We just didn't realize that it was the actual day. So, after taking this picture, we went into the museum, and about an hour later, we emerged to find a large group of people and a parade forming up.

little altar by the corner of a shop

Well, we didn't stay to see the parade. And we didn't actually go to any of the casinos for which Macau is famous (what with the mysterious illness, I figured my luck wasn't too good). But I did take a picture of the Grand Emperor:

It was all very fancy. There's also a Venetian, and MGM, and a Sands. It's called the Las Vegas of the East for a reason, but I don't think I missed much by sticking to the historic quarter.

Well, my thoughts have been drifting home a lot this Advent season, almost as often as you see fake snow in Christmas movies. Snow or no snow, it must be chilly. So here's a picture to cheer you up, direct from the courtyard garden:

December 21, 2011: sunny, 73 degrees

Next week's blog will be late, as I'll be on vacation. But for now, Merry Christmas. May your holiday be bright and full of cheer.