I travelled to Macao, which is a former Portuguese colony that was only returned to China in 1999, with my Mum and some family friends in 2012. The streets were heaving with people, which should not have come as a surprise, considering that Macao is the most densely populated region on Earth. To provide some perspective on how crowded Macao is, one only needs to compare the population density figure with the respective number for London. There are just over fourteen thousand people per square mile in the capital city of the United Kingdom; remarkably, the relative figure for Macao is just under fifty-five thousand. The busy streets of London do not seem so hectic now!

The narrow streets were lined with modest restaurants, souvenir stalls and bakeries. We indulged in some egg custard tarts, which brought back some fond childhood memories. Mum always made sure that she bought some of these sweet treats for me whenever we were in a Chinese restaurant or when she had been shopping in Manchester’s Chinatown. I had always assumed that they were of Chinese origin, but they were actually imported by Macao’s Portuguese colonists. Their popularity eventually spread to other regions, such as Hong Kong.

I was glad that we did not spend too long trying to push our way past the sea of people that had filled the network of streets. The feeling of relief when we reached the open space of Senado Square was palpable. My mind felt like it had been tricked though; on first inspection, one could easily believe that they were standing in a public square somewhere in Western Europe. There was a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones beneath our feet and the surrounding buildings had been constructed in a European style.

There was a fountain in the centre, which I dismissed as just a typical feature of a square of this nature. However, this was installed at a later date. The fact that many locals refer to the square as ‘The Fountain’ hints at the significance of this addition. During colonial rule, the Portuguese authorities built a bronze statue which honoured Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita. There has recently been a global discussion about the validity of statues that honour controversial historical figures, but the Chinese population of Macao took matters into their own hands in 1966. Mesquita was responsible for the deaths of many Qing Chinese soldiers, which led to resentment amongst the local population.

The statue was torn down during political protests and rioting that occurred following a police crackdown on demonstrations against the issues of corruption and colonial rule. This became known as the ‘12-3 Incident,’ due to the event happening on the third of December. The colonial government relinquished some of their control following the protests and a fountain was erected in the spot where the statue once stood.

We noticed that there were a couple of teenage girls walking around the square whilst holding up signs which said: ‘Free Hugs.’

“Would you like a free hug?” Mum asked.

It almost felt like Mum was acting as a pimp for a watered-down physical service that was being offered by these girls. If this had happened in 2020, everybody would have run a mile! The signs would probably have been interpreted as: ‘Would you like to contract COVID-19?’ Looking back, it certainly makes you realise how we have all become so used to social distancing that something as simple as a hug seems fraught with danger.

The Cotai Strip is home to a string of large casinos and hotels, similar to what can be found in Las Vegas. I was surprised to discover that Macao, not Las Vegas, is the gambling capital of the world. The revenue from this industry is larger here than anywhere else in the world.

Macao is the only region of China in which casinos are permitted by law. This is one of the reasons why the Chinese government has been relatively relaxed about the Special Administrative Region status that Macao holds. Like Hong Kong, it has been a huge source of revenue for China due to it authorising activities which have been banned in the mainland. Problems only arise when citizens voice their disapproval of the government. China just about managed this balancing act for the best part of two decades, but the recent protests in Hong Kong are an indication of serious trouble ahead.

Whilst visiting the Forteleza do Monte, I took a photograph of one of the fort’s cannons from an angle which made it look like it was taking aim at the Grand Lisboa.

“Do you think I can strike the Lisboa from here?” I jokingly asked Mum.

“Stanley Ho would not be happy!” she replied.

“It feels rather symbolic; something that is hundreds of years old pointed at an ostentatious monstrosity, seemingly ready to destroy it.”

“If you say so,” Mum chuckled.

I resisted the urge to fire the cannon.

We were probably the only tourists in town who had no intention of gambling. By the end of the weekend, I had achieved an unlikely double of abstaining from placing a single bet during my visits to Las Vegas and Macao. Some years later, I would go on to complete a remarkable hat-trick in Monte Carlo.

We visited most of the popular tourist sites during our overnight stay in Macao. The seventeenth-century Ruins of Saint Paul’s is probably Macao’s most distinctive landmark. Although little more than the beautiful granite façade remains, it was once one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia. The original complex, which was built by the Jesuits and dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle, also included St. Paul’s College.

The Macao Tower, which was opened in 2001, is one of the most recognisable structures in Macao. Standing at 1,109 feet tall, it houses many standard tourist attractions, such as an observation deck and a shopping centre. It also has a revolving restaurant and an outdoor ‘Sky Walk.’ If that does not satisfy the needs of adrenaline junkies, it offers a bungee jumping facility. The Guinness World Record for the world’s highest bungee jump from a building was achieved here a few years prior to our visit.

Like much of Macao, the tower was the brainchild of the recently deceased Hong Kong billionaire Stanley Ho. He had been so impressed by a visit to the Sky Tower in Auckland, that he decided to have his own one built in Macao. I guess that is what billionaires do. This is probably the equivalent of someone with average wealth purchasing a nice pair of shoes after they have spotted them on someone walking down the street.

We saw plenty of churches during our trip, such as the Our Lady of Carmo Church and Our Lady of Penha Chapel. This was an indicator of the influence of the Portuguese on the local population’s religious beliefs. The Catholic faith became one of the most common religions during colonial rule, but Buddhism and Chinese folk religions have since become more widespread.

Despite being an introvert who dislikes large crowds of people, I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the most densely populated region on earth.