 Destination  |
Macau
In General
 Sixty kilometers west from
Hong Kong on the southeastern coast of China lies the tiny
Portuguese peninsula of
Macau. Gambling
and tourism are the largest sectors in Macau's economy. Macau
is the fastest growing casino gambling market in the world. From
2001 to 2006, gaming revenue in Macau has grown at an annual rate of
23%. By comparison, Las Vegas and Atlantic City had.
When we arrive there, we take one of the many bicycle
taxis that was around the
port. We live all of our bags in to the
bicycle and we look around the city for hotel, finally we
get
a guest house
for 30 dollars per night. Macau is renowned for the permanent
Portuguese presence that began in the mid-1500s and the resulting
southern European influence that is still clearly evident in Macau
today. The name of Macau is derived from the
word Magao (A-Ma Temple). It is believed that when the Portuguese sailors first
landed on the peninsula and asked the name of the place, the natives
replied "A-Ma-Gao, the name of
A-Ma Temple in front of them. The word became the Portuguese name
for the land for nearly 400 years.
Macau
was added to the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Site list in 2005.
Most of the travelers
who travel to Macau they have noted that it is a location for
both tourism and living and this is because
is a beautiful
city with good weather delicious food and good conditions of life.
More than 20 million visitors arrive
in Macau annually.
Senado Square
 The 3700m Senado Square has
always been the city centre, most of the
travelers live near the
senado square because here
you can find 1000s of classic and modern shops. The buildings
around Largo do Leal Senado are neoclassical in style because Portuguese influence it was strong in
Macau, until 1999 that the Portuguese government
transferred sovereignty of Macau to the People's Republic of China.
Senado Square, was built in 1784 and the Square
provides a clear example of the multicultural dimension of the Macao
community. Near the Senado square I
meet Mo one of the older taxi drivers in Macao after a lot of
bargain we agree to 40 dollars for a day trip to the town.
More...
A-Ma Temple
 A-Ma Chinese temple built five centuries ago, its also called Barra Temple, is located
western slope of Barra Hill. Is the
oldest of the three principal old temples of
Macao.
The temple is dedicated to the shrines of Mazu, a sacred sea
goddess. Many artist especially painters and poets they have
live here them own religious messages. A-Ma Chinese Temple already existed before
the city of Macao came into being. Unfortunately in 1605, In 1974, a fire
caused damage to the Chinese temple. The Chinese temple was restored
with donations from private citizens in 1975. A-Ma temple
complex was once again restored in 1987, 1996 and 1997 by the
Cultural Institute.
Kun Iam Statue
Located on the Outer Harbour, this statue, dedicated to
Goddess of Kun Iam (Goddess of Mercy) is 20 meters tall and
made of special bronze.
Ruins of St Paul College
 St Paul's Mother of God Church is
the most famous landmark of Macau.
Is a 66 stone steps leading to the facade. Built from 1582 to 1602 and Designed by an Italian Jesuit, with the assistance of Japanese
Christian artisans who had fled from feudal persecution in Nagasaki. It was the largest Christian church in Asia and the royalty of Europe vied
with each other to bestow upon the Cathedral the best gift. St
Paul College
was destroyed by a fire in 1835.
Mount Fortress
 Mount Fortress built in
1626 and stands on top of Mount Hill, which rises 52 meters above the
sea level. The Fortress was once a principal military facility and
was one of the citys strongest defense points. The Monte
Fort's great moment of glory eventually came in 1622 when the Dutch attempted to invade Macau and were roundly defeated. The
fortress used to be a restricted military facility until around 1965
when the barracks were converted into a weather observatory.
The fort is a splendid place to obtain overall views of the city,
including Ruins of St. Paul's below.
Kun Iam Tong Temple
 Is one of Macau's
most interesting Temple complexes, Kun Iam Temple
is build for the Goddess of Mercy (Kun Iam) 360 years ago during the late Chinese Ming Dynasty, and
is the largest temple in Macau. The Kun Iam Tong Temple
also has important historical relevance as it was the spot where the
first Sino-American treaty was signed in 1844. The second altar is
dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and gold lacquer figures of the
eighteen wise men of China, one of them believed to be the image of
Marco Polo.
Macau Cuisine
 Macau offers a wide variety of good restaurants with various
cuisine. Macanese cuisine is a mix of Portuguese, Indian,
Malay and Chinese influences. One of the best cafe restaurants is
E.S.kimo located near the Senado Square for local customers usually but for tourist visitors also.
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