Macau, China

Macau is the gambling mecca of Asia. To get there, you can take one of the hydrofoils from Hong Kong. That's what we did back in 2002 with some friends of ours: Steve and Dik. Macau was once a Portuguese colony.  It's not as interesting as Hong Kong, but the lovely colonial architecture gives a certain ambiance to what would otherwise be a pretty grimy place. Street vendors and local markets also create a vibrant, stimulating atmosphere.  We managed to do one walk-through of a smoky casino, and I happened to lock eyes with a young, sultry Chinese prostitute. Being the smart guy I am, I kept on moving.

The past several years China and private investors have pumped lots of money into revamping Macau's infrastructure and promoting gambling internationally, not just Asians. One of the titans of Las Vegas big casino and resort development has actually made Macau the place for a lavish masterpiece: the Wynn Macau.  Just to give another example of the mega-bucks floating around Macau, a 36 yr. old Chinese businessman representing one of the city's casino resorts, successfully made a $350,000 bid for a rare Michael Jackson item - an item that alone might lure me back to Macau.



The Historic Centre of Macau is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
St. Paul's Cathedral façade stands in the background.
At the 1:04 mark here, you can see a 1960 aerial of the cathedral façade.