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Buddha, China, Doors, Old, Maçau
Buddha, China, Doors, Old, Maçau A Long Week-End in Maçau, China
Sunday, February 2, 2020 at 3:57PM Before the COVID-19 virus was out and about (a week before!!!), I had friends visiting from The States and so we decided to take a nice 4-day week-end to Maçau . . .
On the week-end that the corona virus was announced, we happened to be in Maçau . . . it was beautiful in the old part of the city as they were erecting decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year festivities.
Big crowds on a beautiful February day.
Gold for good luck . . . Year of the Rat (but only mice depicted!!!). . .
There were crews putting up the elaborate Chinese New Years decorations along the famous walking streets.
Maçau is a photographers dream come true . . . especially at this time of year. A worker putting up decorative gold bunting.
This was my third time in Maçau. The historic center of Maçau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is popular from people from all over the world . . . before the virus, that is.
The walking streets were packed with tourists, mostly from mainland China.
The door of the old Portuguese church.
Yes. A photographer's dream come true.
Did I mention there were large crowds from mainland China . . . .
The mainland Chinese like to come to Maçau and nearby Hong Kong for shopping. We talked to a shopkeeper who said that for items like cosmetics and medicines, the Chinese preferred shopping here because they did not trust the quality back home . . . and they didn't want their neighbors see them buying expensive things!!!
Some VERY interesting graffiti in the alleys of Maçau!
Most tourists spend a day in the walking streets and narrow streets by walking all the way up to the ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral.
The old St. Paul's ruins are lovely. Built in 1602 and burned down during a typhoon in 1835.
One of my favorite subjects for photography are old wall textures. Maçhau plenty!
Understandably a major tourist destination. Beautiful.
There are a lot of CCTV around Maçau . . . cameras everywhere. We spotted these two western tourists looking lost . . .
We took taxis around town to many sites of interest. This is how most working people in Maçau live.
One stop was at the old Portuguese Governors Office. Portugal acquired a leas on Maçau in 1557 and ceded it back to China in 1999.
Next to the Portuguese Governors Office was a lovely old hillside Chinese Temple, the oldest in Maçau we were told.
We walked to the top of the temple compound along narrow and steep steps.
Something interesting around every corner . . .
The way up led went through this lovely circular passageway.
Up and up we went!
Small shrines were found all along the way up.
The views back down over the temple roofs.
The temple complex from above.
Small buildings along the way held fascinating altars.
Among the most interesting altars I have ever seen . . .
Large conical incense hanging from the rafters.
Each altar has their own tender.
The coils made for some amazing patterns.
The votive incense cones were really interesting.
Fortune cards . . .
Another of the many temple shrines at the hillside temple.
A small and seemingly ancient altar.
Wishes set into the wind . . .
These were so sweet . . . casting your wishes to the wind.
The walk back down was also beautiful.
The view down through the incense coils.
A Maçau banana flower.--------------------------------------------------------
Maçau By Night
Maçau Municipal Building.
The historic town center at night was really beautiful.
The Chinese New Years decorations were mostly installed, but it was too early in the season to see them all lit up. Drat.
The famous ripple pattern tiled streets with lights above.
Just as we were saying how great it would be to see the decorations all lit up . . . they all lit up! If you look to the right side of this photo you see a guy on a ladder and a fuse box . . . he was testing the lights! What good luck! We were in the right place at the right time.
So, of course, I turned around to get a photo of the FULL decorations all lit up . . . and the lights went off!
Oh well. It was still a very beautiful place to be at night. We walked in . . . 
The old church square at night.
The old yellow church at night . . . still lots of tourists out and about.
And so we walked on into the side streets towards the St. Paul's Cathedral ruins.
Crowds of mainland Chinese shoppers . . . 
The strange lighting in some of the shops made for some interesting people photos.
Press dried meat stackers. Very popular with the tourists . . . free samples every few blocks. Very tasty.
Crowds in the narrow streets of historic Maçau at night.
These little egg custard pies were absolutely delicious!!!
It seemed like there was a pharmacy on every corner. Lots of mainland Chinese buy their pharmaceutical products abroad . . . for safety.
Interesting architectural find up a side street . . . the Portuguese influence everywhere.
Lots of very interesting old buildings.
A shop of dreams! Something for the Little Woman?
Where the streets give way to the cathedral on the hill.
Just as beautiful at night . . . and almost as crowded.
The view back down the walking streets from the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral.
We stayed here for a while and soaked up the old world charm.
We walked back down the interesting and crowded narrow streets.
At the end of a long day . . . .
I didn't have any (too sweet), but my friend did (coconut, of course).
I love walking around in these cobbled streets at night . . . anywhere in the world.
I did not post all of my 'art' photos here. There were too many!
We left the historic section and walked out onto the city streets of Maçau where the local citizens were going about their business, walking home from work, or off to visit friends.
I love night street photography . . . and was in absolute heaven here.
Superb light, shadow, form . . .
We were all hungry and looking for some place to eat.
Beautiful neon light.
This old Portuguese colonial building looked brand new (or recently renovated). We were heading back in the direction of our hotel, and again past the many glittery casino hotels.
These huge casino towers were amazingly glitzy!
Among the casinos . . . but we really didn't want to go in . . . 
Max Glitz!
More Max Glitz. We decided that because it was so late that we would just dodge into one of these grand hotels and find the all night café.
Yep. This is the interior of a casino/hotel in Maçau, China. We went up these magnificent stairs . . .
. . . and down this polished hall to the café. I had the French Dip.
Back out on the streets. Walking back to our hotel . . . .
Otherworldly Glitz.
We were tempted . . . 
Our hotel was in an older area not far from the casino district.
The shops around the casinos see to cater to the 'big spenders' and 'big winners' . . . .
Our hotel was just around the corner. We had a wonderful four days in Maçau . . . just before the virus pretty much closed off any travel to China.
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