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RUINS OF ST PAUL'S
Without a doubt, the most popular sight to see in Macau is the Ruins of St. Paul's. It's the only thing I remember seeing when I was here for three hours back in 1993 and since then it's been renovated. It now has steel beams supporting it in the back and a pathway in the middle of it for great views. Since then, it's also been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cathedral of St. Paul was built between 1582 and 1602 by Jesuits but burned down in 1835. It was once the largest Catholic church in all of Asia but all that remains today is the façade. It's a popular attraction in Macau, partly because of its central location and proximity to Senado Square.

SENADO SQUARE
Just a block or two away from the Ruins of St. Paul's is Senado Square. It's a popular public square that is packed with tourist and locals. The pedestrian-only streets feel like old world Europe and show off a Portuguese sense of style and design. Between the beautiful old colonial buildings are shops, cafes, even a colorful Catholic church. If you explore the side streets, you'll find hidden markets and medicine shops perfect for when you aren't feeling well. FYI: To consult a doctor and get an herbal tea treatment costs around $15USD. I went into St. Dominic Church to light a candle for my mom. While I was praying I could feel, hear and see flashes going off. I soon realized that because of my stance, I was being used as a model for pictures soon to be on Facebook and MySpace pages all over the world. It was just karma because as you will see, I was getting it in return from the worshipers I took photos of in the temples (but I didn't use a flash).

MORE SHOPPING
There's more shopping than just Senado Square. If you love farmers' market like me, then be sure to visit the Red Market to get a flavor of old-school China. I'm talking butchers here cut the necks of live chickens right in front of your very eyes! It's a little disturbing but it's the way the Chinese shop. Everything is fresh. The place was filled mostly with old-timer Chinese women who seem to be able to tell which chicken or fish is the healthiest and tastiest by looking in their eyes. My favorite thing was buying cheap exotic fruits from other markets: I love mangosteins, lychees and rambutans ... all the stuff you can't get in the U.S. Actually, the Grand Central Terminal Market and Whole Foods sell 12 lychees for 10 times the price here in the U.S. and they don't taste as good.



Á-MA TEMPLE
Another sight to see is the Á-Ma Temple. It's located in the southeast of the Macau Peninsula, next to the Maritime Museum. It's the oldest temple in Macau, constructed in 1488. It contains six main parts and has statues of gods all the way up the paths. There's lots of smoke since everyone is praying and lighting incense. When the Portuguese landed here approximately four hundred years ago, they were near the temple. They asked the name of the land but the locals thought they were asking for the name of the temple. So they answered 'Ma Ge' which the Portuguese translated into 'Macau'. Click here for more information on Á-Ma Temple.

THE MACAU TOWER
If you like heights and adventure then be sure to visit the six-year-old Macau Tower (website). It's 61 floors and being whisked up to the top in 50 seconds in the glass-door elevator was exciting enough for me since I'm afraid of heights. However, adrenaline-junkies and thrill-seekers will get their fill up here. For starters, they have a skywalk (HK$388) where you walk around the outside of the observation deck for 20 minutes. Or for the really brave, there's a bungy jump (HK$1,188) from 233 meters. It's the highest in the world and it beats out the South African outfit I featured by 16 meters. It's run by AJ Hackett, the New Zealander who turned the Vanuatu pastime into a sport.

OTHER PLACES
I visited a lot of other places. I could've done without seeing Macau Fisherman's Wharf, but kids love it. I enjoyed seeing Our Lady of Penha church (website that dominates the skyline and is one of the 10 historic Catholic churches in Macau. Driving up felt like being in the Hollywood Hills, probably because it's the richest part of town. I also really liked the Jardin Luis De Camoes park. It was all locals either playing Mahjong or exercising (how cool is it that they have exercise machines in the park?), and kids running around. It was a great haven. Next-door is a Protestant cemetery with graves with lots of English and Americans who died in the mid-1800s. The most famous is Robert Morrison who compiled and published the first Chinese dictionary. We also ran into a Portuguese businessman stationed in Malaysia and when asked what he thought of Macau he said that the cobblestone streets make him feel like he's home. He said the smell of them is exact and since Portugal is too far away, this was the next best thing.

VIDEO
Here's a four-minute Johnny Jet video of my trip to Macau. We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on YouTube.

NEXT WEEK
Next week, we pay a visit to Macau's most popular neighbor!

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Note: This trip was sponsored by Macau Tourist Office.

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