Located 70 miles southwest of Hong Kong, Macau is one of the cities in China. However, as Hong Kong, Macau is an autonomous region in power to govern themselves.
Although the region including China, here feel more European feel. Almost everywhere, every article that describes something made in two languages: Chinese and Portuguese. In fact, the name of some streets in Macau more nuance than Chinese Portuguese.
Macau does have a long history of ties with the Portuguese. It began in 1513. At that time, the Portuguese merchant named Jorge Alvares arrived there by sea. Shortly thereafter came the Jesuits group who spread the Roman Catholic religion. They were later built churches there.Macau also became a center of trade between Asia and Europe from the sea, through the Malacca Strait.
Since 1887, Macau officially handed over by the Chinese Government to the Portuguese. China gave Portugal the right to control the colony until 1974. Tenure colony was then extended another 25 years. On December 20, 1999, Macau reverted to Chinese official with special autonomy status.When I visited there in late April, the weather is cool and calm. Country four seasons had just left winter and switch to transition season.
Ruin of St.Paul 's, the name of the ruins of the church where I was standing it, leaving only a "piece" front wall. The back has been destroyed after a fire in about 1835. Now, the site became one of the Macau tourist attraction. The UN organization UNESCO make the region as one of the historical sites of world heritage in 2005. The area was also given a name: the historical center of Macau.
Ruin on the right side of St.Paul 's stands an old fort that was built in the 16th century. Fortress from the outside such as the composition of the stones was erected on top of a hill. Since 1998, the fort was named Mount Fortress has been converted into a museum. This is where the past history of Macau is stored: ranging from trade maps, ancient books, miniature buildings in Macau until the 16th century.In front of a computer touch screen, I suddenly creeps. Not because of ghosts, but because I find the word Aceh on a digital map that describes the connectivity between Macau and Portuguese. Together with Malacca, Aceh turned out to be one of the world's trade routes stopover at that time.
On top of the fort was displayed dozens of guns. The legend says that the cannon was only ever used once when dispels the Dutch troops to land there. As a result, the Dutch also leave from there.On top of the fort built by the structure of the basement, I could throw a view to the rest of Macau. This is the view presented: swanky hotels and towering wide, also an iron bridge with pillars terpacak at sea. That bridge connects downtown Macau with two small islands which are still part of Macau.
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Macau is not just a story of the past. Former pirate village is now transformed into a metropolitan city which is famous as the only center of gambling in the Asian region. Even so, a relic of the past that were hundreds of years of being treated as an identity and a legacy to a new generation.
Granted special autonomy status in China make Macau Government has the right to run a different economic system with Chinese mainland. If China adopts a socialist economy, Macau has done the capitalist economic system. That's why, on average luxury hotel that has a casino in Macau is the branch of Las Vegas, USA. Call it like Sands, Galaxy, and the Venetian Hotel which has 3,000 rooms.Entering the Venetian Hotel, European feel so obvious. Built on an area of 97.5 hectares, one of the largest hotels in Asia that brings the feel of Venice, city of a thousand channels in Italy.
Go up to the second floor of the building. Do not be surprised if you like find an atmosphere like being in a different city. There is a blue sky, the shops with Italian-style architecture which has a similar overhang the pavement, also a small creek that divides the shops into two parts. To cross, there was built a few bridges.
When I came there, under the bridge a man rowing a boat called a gondola. The boat was deliberately presented in the building to complement the flavors of Venice. In fact, it turns out the hotel manager directly brought from Venice Gondola rowers.
While paddling the boat, he was singing in a voice like a singer seriosa. That's how they provide a new experience for the tourists who come there.
Bored at the Venetian, not far from there is no Galaxy Macau with design that is not luxurious and elegant. Assorted branded goods world scramble to open storefront here.
Of the Venetian, there is a bus that will take us to the Galaxy. No need to pay, the facilities given by the hotel free of charge for all visitors without having to stay there.
Free buses can easily be found. Usually, they also opened a post at the entrance to Macau: bus terminal at the border, ferry ports, and airports. Buses various kinds of branded hotels and casinos vying serve visitors to come to their place without having to stay, also not required to play the casino games. Principle: we pick you to our place.
The hotels are also vying presenting attractions to lure tourists.
In Wynn Macau, for example, there are attractions in the hotel lobby luck dragon. Accompanied by music, a giant dragon statue suddenly appeared from which originally covered the floor. The golden dragon made like life. His head was spinning as he sometimes emits smoke from his mouth. He kept moving until it reaches the roof open automatically. Before long, the dragon back into the earth. A moment later the floor was closed again automatically, as if she never happen.
Outside affairs and gambling casinos, Macau is one of the tourism as a sector of economic support. Data from Macau Tourism Representative Office in Jakarta show, until September 2012, there were 158,285 tourists from Indonesia are in there.
In addition to overseas travelers, not fewer domestic tourists who flock to Macau. Come morning, afternoon they returned through the border gate, which separates the Macau border with Guangdong Province. Although both China, the Chinese mainland who turns into Macau must have special documents like passports.
That afternoon, I witnessed a thousand mainland Chinese people have to queue at the exit to be stamped documents in and out of Macau.
At first I was astonished to learn that the Chinese are still a country with Macau must use a passport to get in there. However, from a young mainland Chinese I found the answer. "Special autonomy status Macau makes this region different from other regions in Macau. The same thing applies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, "said the young man that I estimate his age not more than 25 years.When night falls, Macau bathed in light. Hotels compete decorate entire buildings with colorful flickering lights, complete with a moving animation. Be Macau at night like a land of dreams.Macau, is riveting. []
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