MACAU TOWER JUMP

With a full day of activities planned for our day visit to Macau (Thanks Steph!!) we didn't hit the Macau Tower Jump until night time. In fact, we were the last jumpers of the day. It was quite interesting jumping at night this time, but no less scary. As you can see, they gave us these super sweet jumpsuits to use vice the orange one they gave me last time. We liked them so much, we kept them and went out to dinner with them on that night! Wonder dork powers.....Activate!

MACAU DAY VISIT

It's kind of odd that in going form Hong Kong to Macau, you never leave China, yet get both exit and entry stamps on your passport, neither of which are anything to do with the Chinese. The two are SAR's - Special Administrative Regions - who essentially haven't changed since reverting to Chinese rule in the late 1990's, (after 400 some odd years). Beaurocracy and international relations are amazing things.

So after experiencing some truly Brisith customs on Hong Kong (driving on the other side, having your tea served with milk and sugar), strangely enough, visiting this island 65 KM off the coast of Hong Kong gives visitors a true taste of Portuguese life. (Macau did not develop as a major steelement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century). It was Asia's first European colony, and has a ver Mediterranean feel to it. Indeed, Stephanie kept commenting that parts could just as easily have been in Spain or Italy. Or, I'm assuming, Portugal. It was handed over in 1999. Anyway, we had a good time, and almost missed the last ferry home!

For years, the most famous landmark of Macau was the Baroque facade of the former Church of St. Paul (Sao Paulo in Portuguese). Many people make a pilgrimage to these ruins, one of the most revered Christian monuments in Asia. This church was constructed under the supervision of Carlo Spinola, a Jesuit from Italy. It basically replaced the Church of the Mater Dei, which was built in 1593 but was destroyed by fires in 1593 and 1602. The construction of St. Paul was completed from 1602 to 1627 by Christians exiled from Japan, along with the assistance of Chinese craftsmen. The Jesuits were booted out in 1762, and later the complex spent time as a military station. A catastrophic fire in 1835 consumed the site except for the facade and the monumental stairs.

Steph with her favorite travel companion sitting on a fountain in the central square in Macau.

Steph with her second favorite travel companion, the Lonely Planet Guidebook.