February 16, 2010 --- While Nathan and I were traveling in Hong Kong, we thought it would be nice to take a day trip to Macau. I didn't know anything about Macau other than gambling and the Ruins of St. Paul's. We went to buy a ferry ticket to go to Macau on February 15, but all the tickets were sold out. Of course, it was during the Chinese New Year, and all the Chinese people were traveling, so the last-minute plan wouldn't work during this biggest holiday. Luckily Nathan and I got a ferry ticket for the next day in the afternoon, so we could at least spend 4-5 hours in Macau.
We took a ferry at Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal (Shun Tak Centre) at Sheung Wan. The ferry ride was very smooth, and the journey took only about an hour. The tickets also included lunch. We got a very delicious grilled eel over steamed rice. This wasn't my first time eating eel, but it might have been Nathan's first time. :-)
When we got to Macau, getting through immigration was easy. Neither of us needed a visa to explore the city and were allowed to stay up to one month. From the ferry terminal, we saw a lot of nice, air-conditioned buses from The Venetian waiting to take passengers to the casino at no charge. We hopped on the bus right away even though we didn't want to gamble in Macau. Why not, it's free!
The Venetian
here wasn't much different from the one in Las Vegas. I'm not sure if
this one is a little more spacious..... Actually, I felt like the one in
Las Vegas is more attractive. Nathan and I didn't spend much time here because we had a lot to see and so little time. We got on a taxi and asked the driver to take us to the Ruins of St. Paul's.
The Ruins of St. Paul's is the most famous attraction in Macau. It was built in 1850 and caught on fires three times and was damaged by a typhoon, so the only remaining parts of the church are the front facade and the grand stone stairs. It used to be the biggest Catholic church in East Asia in the late 1630s. Now it has become the most famous tourist site of Macau. Nobody who has visited Macau would miss it.
Behind the Ruins of St.Paul's there is a museum called The Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt. It's a very small museum but very interesting. You can check on this website for more information: http://www.macaumuseum.gov.mo/w3ENG/w3MMabout/ScaredC.aspx
Later
I saw that there was a hill right next to the Ruins of St.Paul's, so we
decided to climb up there. We got a really good view of the Ruins of
St.Paul's and the city of Macau.The buildings were old looking, as if
they never repaint their homes since they are first built. That is
typical for any Asian country. The climate is so wet and humid, so it is
difficult to keep things from getting moldy or peeling on the wall. 
On top of this hill actually is Monte Fort,
the oldest fort in Macau, originally built in 1616 to help defend the
church from pirates. It later became a military fort. The view from the
fort is incredible. A lot of people came up here to get a good view
across Macau and to visit the Macau Museum.
Macau Museum is the biggest museum in Macau. There are three floors of exhibitions. The theme of the museum was all about different cultures, nationalities, and religions in the history of Macau .
Nathan and I spent quite some time at the museum. I would recommend anyone who visit Macau to consider spend sometime here. For more information about this museum, you can click on this link: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/macau/museum.htm
After visiting Macau Museum, Nathan and I walked back to the Ruins of St.Paul's and walked down the steps to Senado Square. There were a lot of shopping stores, restaurants, historical landmarks, and famous churches. Nathan and I visited all the famous churches like St. Dominic's Church, St. Augustine’s Church, and The Cathedral.
We also tried Macau's famous egg tart here, and it was the best I've ever had! I bought a nice, green hat here, and I still have it till now. We went to one of the traditional restaurants, and all the food was fabulous! All of this good food and interesting historical landmarks have made us want to go back to Macau ever since!
Our 4-5 hours in Macau were unforgettable. If we have a chance to be around Asia again, we would like to stay in Macau for a couple of nights to explore the city more. The Portuguese left a lot of influence on Macau's food, architecture and religions, and the harmony of Chinese and Portuguese traditions in Macau make it so charming and attractive to all tourists around the world.
