Macau - China

Our last adventure in Hong Kong was a day trip to Macau.  Macau is a former Portuguese colony (like Hong Kong was formerly British).  Hong Kong still has a big city feel and we were curious how much Portuguese influence remains in Macau. You can take a fast boat & get to Macau in about an hour.

My colleague does a lot of work for gaming clients. Macau is an important market for them - it's one of the richest cities in the world and, I believe, the only place you can gamble in China. 

Hong Kong felt very shiny and new.  Macau felt more like what we expect of China than Hong Kong. Macau, like Hong Kong, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

It was quite rainy when we arrived, but we enjoyed just walking around the city. There are some old fortresses & remains of an old church.

There was only one small section of town that looked Portuguese.





And, they had our favorite pastel de nata from Portugal. I was warned that the Chinese palate is not as accustomed to sweets as American/Europeans.

It's true these treats were more eggy than sweet, but we still enjoyed them.

While we didn't blend with the locals in Hong Kong, the culture felt more familiar than Macau. It was fun to feel like you were exploring new territory.

Though, there were some familiar sites. I wish I would have gone into the shop to check out the menu.




This is the famous Hac Sa Beach. It is supposed to be black sand, but to combat erosion, the government put yellow sand on top.  We didn't see anyone in leisure boats or on the beach anywhere in Hong Kong or Macau.  Perhaps Victoria Harbour is restricted to cargo ships. The weather wasn't great, but I'm not sure how often people go in the water. I read that less than 50% of the population of Hong Kong knows how to swim.
We had a great Portuguese lunch and then headed back into town to check out the main attraction.

We did go into a casino which was fascinating. You can't take photos inside the gaming rooms, but at first glance it looks like any other casino in Las Vegas. Except you can smoke, but not drink. Instead of pretty young ladies serving drinks, grandmotherly types push around a tea cart with sweets.

The interiors were just as opulent as the fancy hotels in Vegas.  I think this was the Venetian.

We loved our time in Hong Kong. Such a fascinating city, with lovely people and great food. 

Kowloon Island Hong Kong

One of the most amazing experiences in Hong Kong is to view the city lights from the Kowloon side of the harbor.

It was selfie central. 

We enjoyed watching everyone pucker up & retake their photos.

In case you are curious, this is how great the quality of a camera phone is in the dark.

Everyone comes to see the laser light show which is pretty cheesy. 

But, it is such a pretty view and the city is buzzing with happy people. Afterward, we walked to the Temple Street Night Markets which were so much fun!

I was ready to do all my Christmas shopping, but my partner in crime was jet lagged so we called it a night. If you don't get a gift from me this year, you know who to blame.

Lantau Island Hong Kong

We stayed in Hong Kong for two days after my conference was over. On the first day, we traveled by train with a work colleague to Lantau Island.  One of the big tourist events is to take a glass bottom gondola to see the Big Buddha.

They say 40% of Hong Kong is part of a National Park. I don't know why everyone is so concentrated in a small area of the islands. I'm sure access to public transportation dictates where people can live.

The gondola was interesting for a while, but the trip was very long.

It felt very Gorillas in the Mist.

Eventually we made it to the top where there is a little village of shops & restaurants. 

Then, you reach the stairs leading to the Big Buddha.

Not quite a postcard worthy day.

But, the surrounding areas were very pretty.

We debated renting a taxi to take a tour of the island, but ultimately decided to head back to explore Kowloon Island.

Happy Valley Racing Hong Kong

On Nick's first night in Hong Kong, we joined my colleagues for a night at the race track.

The track is in the middle of town.

We booked a package that included a private window for betting, AIR CONDITIONING, a buffet and drinks. 

We also had a very nice view of the race track.

Each race was a different length. They had information on our table so you could place your bets. I don't like losing money so I consistently made small bets.

For one race, we were allowed to go down on the track. I placed a bet before I left the suite. This was one of the horses I selected - based solely on his name.

It was exciting to see the horses race right by you.

I placed a Quinella bet which means I had to pick the 1 & 2 spot horses. My horses came through & I wished I had placed a $30 USD bet instead of a $30 HKD bet (which is $3 USD). 

It was a fun night and something out of the ordinary.  I don't think Nick had ever been to a horse race before (not a lot of gambling in Utah). We caught one of the last races of the season. Once the weather gets too hot, the track shuts down & the horses get to play in the water all summer. Overall, it was a fun night & great new shared experience.