I had to go to Macau last year to activate my visa and, as some of you may remember, it left me thoroughly unimpressed. A year ago, Macau smelled like shit. It wreaked of addiction and people wasting precious time and money inside casinos on: gambling, selfies, taking pictures they'll never look at again, and just being in the way and underfoot in general.
Recently, I had to make the same trip for the same reason. I must be softening in my old age, like a good Camembert, because this time round, I didn't hate Macau. It was actually fairly enjoyable. I've come up with a few potential explanatory factors that might have led to this change of heart:
1)A year a half in Hong Kong = a slow and painful degradation of heath standards and an eventual succumbing to numbness/acceptance in the following areas:
-Pollution
-Overcrowding
-Ridiculous things people do with their cell phones
-Ridiculous things people do with their money
Unfortunately, no amount of time in Hong Kong will ever ebb my hate/disgust for hawking.
2)After going from 60 hrs/6day work weeks to going flat bloke and (happily) unemployed...quite frankly my traveling standards have been lowered. Therefore, I am much more easily entertained. Five star restaurant? How about a pork floss bun. Throw in a hot milk tea we'll call it a day.
3)Baby it's cold outside and it's the most wonderful time of the year. Mama's full of all sorts of holiday cheer and Macau is fittingly ostentatiously decked. (Quite thankful for the alleviation of the suffocation of summer)
4) I was smart this time and plopped myself down on a temperature controlled vehicle in the form of public transport instead of trying to be little miss independent and walking everywhere. Never again.
This last point made a pretty big difference. It also allowed me the opportunity to take the wrong bus and cross the bridge from Macau into the little city of Taipa. Taipa had the perfect mix of old world Portuguese Villa Antigua with winding tiled streets lined with century old trees, set amidst the gaudy backdrop of towering apartment buildings and gold plated hundred story casinos. It was the epitome of the paradox that is Macau.
I stopped off on a crowded street offering up pork chop sandwiches, "Portuguese style" egg tarts, milk teas and various dried beef products. Of being a self respecting lady in hung overness, I sampled all of the above (didn't actually buy any beef products)
After meandering around Taipa and taking sneeky pictures of life that went on there, I found a correct bus that took me back to Macau.
Recently, I had to make the same trip for the same reason. I must be softening in my old age, like a good Camembert, because this time round, I didn't hate Macau. It was actually fairly enjoyable. I've come up with a few potential explanatory factors that might have led to this change of heart:
1)A year a half in Hong Kong = a slow and painful degradation of heath standards and an eventual succumbing to numbness/acceptance in the following areas:
-Pollution
-Overcrowding
-Ridiculous things people do with their cell phones
-Ridiculous things people do with their money
Unfortunately, no amount of time in Hong Kong will ever ebb my hate/disgust for hawking.
2)After going from 60 hrs/6day work weeks to going flat bloke and (happily) unemployed...quite frankly my traveling standards have been lowered. Therefore, I am much more easily entertained. Five star restaurant? How about a pork floss bun. Throw in a hot milk tea we'll call it a day.
3)Baby it's cold outside and it's the most wonderful time of the year. Mama's full of all sorts of holiday cheer and Macau is fittingly ostentatiously decked. (Quite thankful for the alleviation of the suffocation of summer)
4) I was smart this time and plopped myself down on a temperature controlled vehicle in the form of public transport instead of trying to be little miss independent and walking everywhere. Never again.
This last point made a pretty big difference. It also allowed me the opportunity to take the wrong bus and cross the bridge from Macau into the little city of Taipa. Taipa had the perfect mix of old world Portuguese Villa Antigua with winding tiled streets lined with century old trees, set amidst the gaudy backdrop of towering apartment buildings and gold plated hundred story casinos. It was the epitome of the paradox that is Macau.
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| Inner Taipa with casino looming in the back |
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| Inner Taipa |
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| Outer Taipa |
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| Outer Taipa |
After meandering around Taipa and taking sneeky pictures of life that went on there, I found a correct bus that took me back to Macau.
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| City scape of Macau out the bus window |
Once in Macau, I did what, it seems, I do best. Found a busy street, ate some food on it, then walked around and took pictures of it. Pretty riveting.
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| This was the best thing I ate all day. It was like a hot pocket, but with things made from real food. |
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| Everyone huddled around some found dim sum |
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| Purty |
