Macau

I was born in Macau and lived there until I came to Australia at age 14. Not many people know about Macau, but it is my home and I’d like to share the things I love about it.

Macau or Macao is a small autonomous region 65km away from Hong Kong. It has a nickname, “Las Vegas of the East” due to the striking tourist industry and casinos around the coast. It is a really small dense territory. Whenever you walk on the street, you might see someone you know. The small size is actually convenient, because it makes getting around easy and there is good transportation to the main shops.

Macau became a Portuguese colony in 1557 and this is how it received its current name. When the Portuguese first arrived at the coast near a temple called “A-ma” temple, they asked the locals for the name and due to the language and cultural difference, the locals thought they were asking they name of the temple, so they replied “A Ma Gau”. The Portuguese took the name “A Ma Gau” and changed it into Macau and the name stuck.

Macau is different from other places in Asia as it has two official languages, that is Portuguese and Cantonese. Although it stopped being a Portuguese colony in 1999, there is still a distinctive European influence on the culture. This makes Macau an interesting place for people to visit, it has very unique architecture, food and entertainment. My country is also very serious about conserving historical buildings because we view them as too beautiful to destroy. The destruction and degradation is sometimes seen as the most special part of a building. For example, there is a famous historical site called “Ruins of St Pauls”, which used to be a huge church. It was burnt down three times, but its entrance remains; the locals take this as a sign that Jesus has embraced and protected the building. This means that the ruins are considered a very sacred place.

Another amazing thing about Macau is the cuisine which is called Macanese food. When Portuguese colonised Macau 500 years ago, many Portuguese people moved to Macau. The word ‘Macanese’ refers to the people with Portuguese ancestry. Macanese food is an especially unique combination of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine.

‘Minchi’ is one of the classic Macanese dishes that is popular in restaurants. The word ‘Minchi’ means ‘minced’ in Cantonese. This dish is a stir-fried beef mince with diced potatoes, dark and light soy-sauce, onion and garlic. It is served with rice and a sunny-sided egg. It is a perfect textural combination, the egg yolk moistens the beef mince and the crispness of the diced potato complements the salty flavours of the dish.

Another delicious famous food is the Portuguese custard tart. Comparing with other custard tarts, the Portugueses custard tart is tiny and can be eaten in a few bites. It has a flay, crispy crust and a creme brûlée top which makes it special. It is a must-try street snack in Macau.

So, what do you think about Macau? Does it sound interesting to visit? Whenever someone is asking me where I come from, I’m always proud to answer Macau. It is not well known, but to me it holds a meaningful wealth of history and memories. It made me who I am today.