An Overview of Macau

I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on Macau lately. Obviously, it’s important to know as much about the place one is traveling to and living in. Here’s what I’ve found:

Macau is a very unique place, since it is a “Special Administrative Region” (SAR) of China. That means that while the Chinese national government has control of Macau’s defense and foreign affairs, Macau itself is quite politically independent. However, the movement toward democracy is slow, and only a small portion of its political representatives are elected by the people; the rest are appointed by government officials in other parts of China, like Hong Kong.

This interesting political position is due to Macau’s political past. In 1999, the city of Macau was officially handed over to China from Portugal. Before that, Portugal had ruled Macau for four centuries. In this deal, China agreed to allow Macau to be relatively independent politically until the year 2049.

It’s been ten years since Macau was handed back to China, and already the city is making a name for itself as the Las Vegas of the Orient. The city has transformed itself from a seedy, crime-ridden town to a glitzy entertainment city. Foreign investors, like Steve Wynn, have built lavish casino hotels in Macau that mirror those in Las Vegas. Macau is the only place on Chinese soil that allows gambling, which draws much tourism to its large casinos, and in fact, Macau currently earns more revenue from their casinos than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined.

Due to it’s past under Portuguese rule, Macau has an interesting cultural blend of Portuguese and Chinese traditions. Much of Macau’s classic architecture is Portuguese, yet many Chinese temples and other traditional structures still are prominent. Macau also has a unique culinary culture, with many popular dishes using an interesting blend of both cultures, such as the spicy Galinha à Africana, or African chicken. As for religion, there are many Catholic churches in Macau, and every Easter a procession of red-cloaked men carry a statue of Jesus with the cross through the city. However, a large majority of Macau’s population are Buddhist, and many Chinese Buddhist temples can be found throughout Macau.

The Macau Special Administrative Region is made up of two islands on the southern coast of China, while the city of Macau itself sits on a peninsula across the water from Hong Kong. Manmade bridges connect the peninsula to Taipa, the first island. Off of Taipa is the Macau Airport, and the runway actually sits out in the ocean, while bridges connect the airport to Taipa. South of Taipa sits Coloane, which is connected by bridge to Taipa. The school I am going to, Macau Institute for Tourism Studies, is on the peninsula of Macau.


Personally, I find Macau’s history and culture quite interesting, but because it is so diverse and unique I have a hard time picturing it. I see so many photos online that show its glitzy casinos and a bustling Las Vegas-like setting, but I also see other pictures that show calm, open plazas with quaint Portuguese arquitecture. And I’ve even seen a few pictures that show crowded, dirty streets with shabby apartments, and then I see beautiful parks with Chinese temples and altars.

I suppose, like any city, it has many different sides to it, like the tourist destinations as well as the unkept urban areas. However, it seems so diverse that I have difficulty imagining the city as a whole. When I try to picture myself there, I can’t because I’m not sure which setting I will be in. I suppose that uncertainty makes this journey even more interesting and adventurous!

Sincerely,
Kati

P.S. Check out Macau marks a decade of Chinese rule. This was where I learned a lot of my knowledge about Macau.