Macau

Macau is a fusion of East and West: the fact that Macau was previously a portuguese colony creates a flair that is unique in Asia. On one hand you have a Mediterranean style historic centre with little streets, baroque churches, Art Deco apartment buildings and little parks and gardens and on the other hand skyscrapers like in Hong Kong and huge Las Vegas like casinos. Walking on the paved sidewalks and pedestrian area in the old town reminds of the city of Lisbon. Some 30 buildings and squares have in conjunction be recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Every day Macau is flooded by hordes of Chinese gamblers since Macau is the only place where casinos are legal in China. Some locals view the pace of change since 1999 (when China resumed sovereignty over Macau) with melancholy since quality of life has worsened for some with the gambling industry´s boost to the economy.