After an exhausting few weeks in overdrive mode, Meghan and I decided it was time for a change of pace and a little clean [or cleaner] air. Adam (Venetian renaissance man and friend to everyone in the city) was our host, tour guide, and gracious donor of Cirque de Soleil tickets.
None of us were really itching to partake in the Vegas-like forms of entertainment, so we spent most of our time on the other side of the island. We had Portugese style garlic prawns for breakfast on the beach and one too many famous Macanese egg tarts in the lovely Coloane region, then wandered around the cobblestone streets and up to St. John's Cathedral in San Malo. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Portugese influence is still very apparent and almost thriving. Tons of European structures still standing, most of which are important city features although many have taken on a Chinese veneer. Again, such a fascinating blend of East and West - I guess that's the theme of these Chinese Special Administrative Regions. Tons of Europeans all over the city, and just a really friendly vibe in general. The European charm really sets Macau apart from Vegas, and in my cultural snobbish opinion elevates it far above Sin City. Hopefully this will not disappear with the mad rush to over-saturate the place with Vegas style hotels and casinos (and yes, my company is part of this effort).
Our timing could not have been more perfect, as we were able to partake in the 8th annual Macau Food Festival. Yet another gastronomic adventure...people watching has now been replaced by food watching. Mysterious sea creatures and chicken feet being devoured by masses, one of my favorite sites probably being a little girl wrapping her sea snails in cotton candy.
And Cirque was fantastic. Note Meghan's astute observation that performances in China incorporate excessive amounts of glitter to appeal to the local market. Keep that in mind for those of you who are ever planning on doing business with Chinese...just add a little sparkle to everything and you will win them over.
Our weekend in Macau concluded with yet another Asian fireworks show (glitter in the sky) which we were told happens nightly. Apparently they even have firework competitions every so often - reason enough to go back. The perfect weekend getaway, I'll definitely be returning soon.
No we're not in Europe, yup still in China. Colonialism at its best.
Lord Stow's famous egg-tarts
Probably what Europe what would like if the Chinese took over
Chestnuts
St. John's Cathedral
No comments:
Post a Comment