A former Portuguese colony, administered by Portugal from the mid 16th century until late 1999 when it was ceded to China, Macau is a city of blended cultures.
You may have heard of it as one of the major casino havens of the world. There's no denying that Macau is a gambler's paradise and, in fact, loads of fun when it comes to entertainment and partying (that's a story for another blog)... A little Vegas, Chinese style.
Situated just a quick hour ferry ride from the bustling city of Hong Kong, or an impressive 15-minute helicopter "Jurassic Park" style flight (for those of you who remember the opening scene), Macau is one of the main destinations for Chinese mainlanders and expats looking to decompress and spend their hard-earned renminbi/HK dollars. In short, a great little weekend getaway when I used to live in Hong Kong.
Fortunately for most of us, Macau is more than just glitz and cash. It is also home to some most excellent cuisine, eclectic architecture, and charming-as-ever narrow backstreets and alleyways. The latter being the object of this blog.
So without further ado, here is a little tour of "my" Macau:
An old, refurbished Honda parked in front of a colonial apartment building
Top view of the A-Ma temple, built in 1488 - It is one of the oldest on the island and dedicated to the Chinese sea-goddess Mazu
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A row of metal mailboxes found in old apartment complexes
A young mechanic taking a phone break - probably checking how many new Steemit followers he has, or maybe just looking for a tutorial video on how to fix his mess
Chinese temple incense coils and typical street signs (in both Chinese and Portuguese)
Wooden-framed stained glass panels
One of the many rooms located in a residence referred to as the "Mandarin's House", a traditional Guangdong residence featuring a fusion of architectural influences from western cultures - a unique product of Chinese and western cultural interchange, built in 1869. Its owner Zheng Guanying, was a merchant, thinker and reformer whose writings, like his masterpiece "Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity" have had influential impacts on Sun Yat-Sen, Emperor Guangxu and even Mao Zedong.
Details of a rusty door guarding the entrance of a mysterious old house
Temple drum and bell
Intricate woodwork divider and window carvings, typical of old Chinese houses usually owned by the wealthier families
One of the many Macanese shop/restaurant viewed from a narrow street, with stairs seen on the left directly leading to the owner's humble abode
Open air cloister in traditional Macanese house. Notice the geometry and clean symmetry of the area, giving off a strong feeling of peaceful "zenitude", encapsulating the very core idea of Feng shui-ism
("feng" = wind, "shui" = water)
Make a wish! I know what mine is...
The hot sun piercing through the foliage of a densely forested park
And last but not least, a blurry photo of my happy mug in front of Na Tcha Temple
Map Location: !steemitworldmap 22.192969 lat 113.540257 long - Macau through my lens
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To check out some of my previous posts, click on the links below:
 Ayesha |  Nepali woman |
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 In the eyes of a child |  My introduction |
Sylvia
“Learning is not a race for information, it is a walk of discovery” - Jane Healy