Ode to optimal opulence

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: A ferry from Hong Kong International Airport takes me to the world’s most lucrative gambling centre, the city of glitzy casinos a la Las Vegas style and majestic hotels.

The 50-minute ferry ride to the would-be Las Vegas of the East, Macau, left me hungry. So my guide took me to ‘Domgalo’ to relish some Portuguese delicacies. Being a vegetarian, I wasn’t exactly spoilt for choices, but the soups, salads, rice and spaghetti filled me up. But for non-vegetarians I noticed, there’s plenty on offer, and then of course you can wash it all down with Port wine.

After lunch as I ambled through the streets of Macau, I was struck by the seamless fusion of contemporary Chinese buildings with minimalistic designs and Portuguese buildings painted in pastel colours donning the colonial look.

The Portuguese empire which governed Macau for over 450 years, left behind evidences in the form of gateways, residential and commercial structures, churches and forts, after handing over the province back to China in 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.

With the number of tourists visiting Macau in 2007 crossing the 27 million mark, the city is turning out to be a golden goose for the gamblers of the world. “Its 26 casinos at present have already surpassed the revenue of Las Vegas and for the time being no new licenses for casinos are being issued by the Macau government,” my guide informed as I took the route to my hotel, Starworld Galaxy. And as lady luck shone on me, I won few Hong Kong dollars through a slot machine at the casino in my hotel! Even though I wanted to try my luck again when I visited other casinos like the Sands, the Venetian, Grand Lisboa and Wynn, I couldn’t, because I was running short of time. You can also spin some money at the grey hound races which are held at the Canidrome on Avenida General Castelo Branco. It’s exciting to see some of the best bred dogs running after a toy rabbit and crossing the finishing line in a matter of seconds. Who knows you might turn into a millionaire overnight!