This weekend we were back in sight-seeing mode and we made it to 2 new Chinese cities. On Saturday we crossed the northern border of Hong Kong into mainland china and spent the day in Shenzen and then on Sunday we visited Macau, which is a special administrative region of China, similar to Hong Kong. Macau is about an hour ferry ride, west of Hong Kong.
SHENZEN: Shenzen was created by China to be a big business hub and it feels like a city without much heart and soul. According to our guide book in 1980 it was a small fishing village and not anything like the city it is today. China decided to make it a "special economic zone", and so, with a speed that can only happen in China, the small fishing village is now a huge city, the richest in China (according to the guide book), and filled with high rises, big businesses, international hotels, etc. But it lacks much by way of personality...at least we didn't find much in the few hours that we wandered around. The main reason that people from Hong Kong visit is to buy cheap stuff, having tailoring done, or visit the cheap spas. We spent the day just wandering around and didn't really do any of those things!
Crazy China traffic--apparently no rules really apply here!
Ben standing in a "park". "Parks" are generally a city block dedicated as open space, with a few planters and benches. They are lined in concrete instead of grass and if you are lucky enough to find on with grass, it always has a keep off the grass sign.
Chinese Fondue---the "hot pot"!MACAU:
Macau is a nearby island and penninsula that was a Portugese colony, the earliest european colony in Asia. Similar to Hong Kong, it was owned and ran by the Portugese government until 1999, when it was given back to China and it is now a 50 year plan to become part of China. Macau's claim to fame is gambling and it has become the Las Vegas of China. Casinos are spreading like crazy, again at a rate that is probably only possibly in China. We spent the day touring around the town and the casinos. We visited the Venetian, the Wynn, and the Lisboa, ate lunch at a Portugese restaurant, saw 2 Catholic churches, and one toaist temple. We only gambled about $12 US in the nickle slots, but we watched our friends try thier luck at poker and blackjack. It was a fun day and we look forward to going back sometime when we have a little longer to explore.
Macau skyline as we arrive on the ferry
Here's the whole group at Amah temple: Gidget, Madhu, Ben, Alisa, Jim...everyone, but me, works with Ben at Intel
Over looking the cobblestone streets of the older part of town.
Ben and I in front of the Grand Lisboa Casino/Hotel.
The Lisboa at dusk as the lights are starting to come on.
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