The
hand-over in 1999 signaled the surrender of the final piece of Asian
soil under European colonial control. In Macau itself, this colonial
historical legacy is nowhere more obvious than at the site of the
Bella Vista hotel. Once a glorious colonial style hotel, it is now
the residence of the Portuguese consul.
The Chinese government has
promised to allow Macau to continue as it was before under the "one
country two systems" policy. Macau has been made a designated
Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Chief Executive of the
region is chosen by an electoral college consisting of local
representatives.
In practice the hand-over was surrounded by less
pomp and circumstance than Hong Kong's hand- over in 1997 and day to
day life in the region appears to have continued pretty much as
before.
Situated only 65 km from Hong Kong,
Macau is a tiny island with a big population (420,000 and growing)
and a booming economy. This is an area with a fantastic mix of
culture. The majority of the population is Chinese and the common
language is Cantonese although Mandarin Chinese, English and
Portuguese are all spoken too.
The financial success of the region
is due largely to the influx of tourists who come here to visit and
to play in Macau's most famous sites; the Casinos.
But casinos are not all that Macau is
about. Until December 1999, Macau was Europe's oldest colony. As
such, this is a city of amazing and fascinating cultural wealth. The
unique blend of European and Oriental cultures existing here creates
a pleasurable and laid back atmosphere in a truly beautiful city.
Palm trees line the Portuguese named streets, Churches, Cathedrals
and forts sit tight with ancient Chinese temples and buildings.
The parks here are quaint and there are
some great beaches and restaurants too. The most prosperous and
impressive area of the city is around the Ruins of St. Paul's
Cathedral, itself a symbol of the fusion of cultures existing in
Macau.
