Macau Charms in Winter Part 1

by Michelle Lee

All around, the reaction was one of incredulity when I told friends and acquaintances of my intention to holiday in Macau for a week.

Puzzled friends quizzed, "What is there to do for a week? You'll be bored after a day."

A client who regularly goes to Macau remarked, with a sly glance at me, "A week! Are you going there to gamble?"

My doctor asked quizzically, "Going golfing there?"

It was all rather off-putting.

But I was unfazed. In my experience, many Singaporeans base their assessment of a travel destination on how much shopping it has to offer. I comforted myself with the thought that I've already laid down my plans for the week; my family and I would spend at least one day in Hong Kong and two relaxing on Coloane, an island of Macau. How bored can one get in the four remaining days?

Our holiday, however got off to an uneasy start when our taxi-driver informed us, with a concerned look, that our hotel is in the "old part of Macau". "Be careful," he counselled us, "the area is rather disreputable." Our uneasiness deepened when we arrived at our hotel, and saw shabby alleys that reminded us of Singapore's Chinatown of years past.

This poor first impression was quickly dispelled when we began to explore the neighbourhood after checking in. Walking into the alley behind our hotel, we were taken aback to find a pulsing world of bright lights, exciting food and inviting shops that made our heart beat faster in anticipation.

While our budget hotel, Hou Kong Hotel on Travessa das Virtudes, is in the former red light district, it is also just an alley away from Rua da Felicidade, the food street of Macau.

As we wandered up and down the alleys, soaking up the sights and ambience, we congratulated ourselves on our good fortune of choosing a hotel that's just steps away from the heart of good food in Macau.

The first thing on Rua da Felicidade that caught our eyes was a shop swarming with tourists, all of them snatching boxes as if they were going for free. It's Koi Kei Bakery, one of the musts on my list of food places to check out. Koi Kei Bakery abounds around Macau, all of which are always crowded with eager tourists snapping up boxes of souvenirs to bring home.

Soon, we found ourselves marvelling at Macau's oldest restaurant, Fat Sui Lau, which spotted a 30-men deep queue snaking out of its humble noodle shop. A look at the press cuttings revealed this to be Cheong Kei, a much-loved institution whose signature dish is dry tossed noodles with shrimp. Its roe deep fried dace fish balls coated with rice is popular too.

We were solely tempted to just eat our way through the night but Largo do Senado (or Senado Square), the city centre of Macau, beckoned us on.

The Christmas Spirit Shines Bright in Macau

After a 15-min stroll, we found ourselves dazzled by the sight of Senado do Largo looking like a beautiful enchanted park, bewitchingly decked out in fairy lights.

Laid out like jewels around Senado do Largo were some of the greatest architectural treasures of Macau. The pastel-coloured neo-classical buildings included the magnificent Leal Senado (which houses the municipal government offices), the grand General Post Office, the captivating Santa Casa da Misericordia (which is the oldest European charity in China, established in 1568) and the fetching yellow-and-green Church of St. Domingo.

We had arrived in Macau on Dec 26 and the Christmas rejoicing was still going in full swing.

All around us, tourists were laughing, taking photographs, shopping and popping into eateries for delicious food. Add in the Christmassy chill in the air - the temperature in Macau hovers around 17°C in December - and you'll experience once again the pure bliss you felt as a child on Christmas.

To further soak up the Christmas spirit, we tried to catch a post-Christmas mass at the St. Joseph's Church but the devout Macanese packed the church to the rafters, leaving many devotees standing out in the cold. We had to content ourselves with gazing upon the life-size nativity scene put up in the square outside the church. Nonetheless, watching the fervent devotees worshipping in the Baroque-style church was an uplifting sight that brought to mind a medieval Christmas observance.

Busy doing all the attractions listed on the map, we missed the fireworks and music and dance spectaculars held at the Macau Fisherman's Wharf from Dec 24 - 27. Even without these special events, the theme park would have been worth a visit, with its 150 stores and restaurants housed in buildings built in the style of different world seaports such as Cape Town, Amsterdam and Venice, six rides, a casino and a hotel.

We, however, caught one Christmas event: A traditional Portuguese dance performance staged against the spectacular backdrop of St. Paul's Cathedral, the symbol of Macau. The lively performance left us with beautiful memories of the Christmas season in Macau.

A Fascinating Interface of Two Very Different Cultures

I can't imagine travelling independently in Macau without being able to speak Cantonese or Mandarin. None of the people we spoke to on the island - except for some Filipino expatriate workers - could speak English.

We soon discovered that the Macanese are also not good with the Portuguese language. Despite the fact that all road names and official signs are in Portuguese and Mandarin, we learnt quickly that asking for directions using the official Portuguese name was a lost cause. All we got was a blank look.

Despite having been occupied by the Portuguese for 440 years, the locals appeared to have shrugged off the Portuguese's linguistic imposition. For every Portuguese name applied to a place or street, the locals have their own Cantonese version. For example the famous Largo do Senado is known locally as Pan Shui Zhi (‘Water Fountain' in Cantonese). Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, the main street of Macau, is known as San Ma Lo (‘New Road' in Cantonese)

While the Portuguese influence may not have taken root linguistically, it has shaped the Macanese culture strongly in other ways. The incongruous mixture of the European culture with the Chinese peasant culture can be seen in the food, architecture and on the streets.

Portuguese-built squares, plazas and gardens abound throughout Macau. The squares and plazas are tiled in the Portuguese fashion, with tiny mosaic tiles forming vibrant patterns. In these squares, you will find locals sitting on the stone benches around the fountains, chatting with each other.

Macau contains no fewer than 22 listed buildings and eight historical plazas. Walking up an alley, you never know what you will find round the corner. It could be a majestic church, an ancient Chinese temple, or a beautiful square complete with cobblestone streets, fountains and statues that could have been the square of some European village. Every alley and every corner offers an intriguing find.

The friendliness of the Macanese is also atypical of the Chinese. It could be the village-like feel of tiny Macau, but the Macanese seem genuinely courteous and affable to stop awhile and chat.

Find out more about Macau and some of its must-see places here.

This article was contributed by Michelle Lee

Not sure where to go this holiday? Find out where your fellow in2it.sg members are going this holiday, and share some your previous trips with us at the forum! While you're at it, check out Travel Club for good travelling deals!

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