Macau Old Town

I've got so many photos from my trip to Macau that didn't really fit in with any other post. Instead, I'm going to put them all here and share with you some pictures that hopefully will give you a feel for what walking around this storied old city feels like. Welcome to the Old Town of Macau. Enjoy!

St. Dominic's Church and the Museum of Sacred Art

16th century Church of St. Dominic

inside St. Dominic's, Macau

the church is full of beautiful statuary and iconography

the Marian Shrine at St. Dominic's

St. Dominic's is home to the Macau Museum of Sacred Arts, a museum showcasing Jesuit relics and artifacts from Macau's history

the museum, built in the upper floors of the church building, is free to visit

Senado Square

Senado Square, the Senate Square, is one of the central plazas in Macau

this area is a UNESCO protected area, and is home to many of Macau's oldest historical buildings

Sic'em, Bears!

Na Tcha Temple

Na Tcha Temple is a very small but ancient Taoist temple in Macau, located near the Ruins of St. Paul's

St. Michael Archangel Cemetery

This crowded and very beautiful Catholic cemetery is full of Portuguese and Chinese names alike.

the chapel of St. Michael Archangel at the cemetery

Inside the quiet and beautiful chapel. I especially liked the stained glass windows.

we spent a few moments walking through the quiet paths at the cemetery, noticing the tombstones that dated back hundreds of years.

Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady of Macao

The Macau Cathedral is located near the center of the city in a historic plaza.

The cathedral is huge, with a tall ceiling. When we visited, a small prayer group was singing softly in the front of the church.

inside the cathedral

the altar and stained glass looked beautiful

another view of the Cathedral in Macau

Around Macau

there are Jesuit remnants scattered all throughout the city

monuments honoring some of the first Portuguese settlers in Macau

the Macau Maritime Museum was a fascinating look at the important maritime history of the peninsula

Macau really is a great jumble of old and new

the old Portuguese government building now serves as the Portuguese consulate

Food in Macau

food at a local restaurant - two meats and two veggies , washed down with a Tsingtao Beer

world-famous Macanese egg tarts, a symbol of Macau

pork chop bun, the other iconic snack of Macau's cuisine

Xiao long bao soup dumplings - after walking nearly 20km in one day, I couldn't even take another step. We were so close to the hotel, but I had to sit down. I was finally worn out! Pinky dragged me into the nearest restaurant, a tiny family-run shop. We didn't even know what they had on the menu. We pointed to the dumplings, and the lady running the shop brought us cold water while we waited. We watched as she pounded the dough, making each dumpling by hand. Maybe it's because I was so tired and hungry, but this was one of the most delicious meals that I've ever eaten!