We started our Chinese adventures in HK, a place of rampant consumption. I have never seen such concentration of high-end fashion brands in one place. Do people really need three Armani stores within a 500m radius? In HK, it seems they do. Work harder, longer, buy more, and if you don't have time to organise your life get a maid. That's what HK culture appears to be about to me. Otherwise, it's quite a livable city, with easy access into the countryside. And there is a real winter for those who crave it, unlike always hot Singapore. But it would be just too stressful for me to live in.
Macau
A former Portuguese colony, it has a very beautiful central square and a great museum exploring its colonial past.
The rest of it however is dominated by giant and mostly very tacky casinos.
Gambling in illegal in China and HK, but legal in Macau - this makes for a very big market. We went to the Grand Lisboa and MGM Grand, but they were nowhere near as exciting as they sound. Actually they were just like the Crown - filled with poker machine and gambling table, just a larger floor area. Certainly nothing like that "Casino" show; no hot girls or good-looking rich men.
If you are ever there and want to see true opulence, The Venetian is where it's at. It's got 3 canals (INSIDE the building), complete with opera-singing gondoliers. Le grand tackville factor is all happening, but in a fun way. Yes the frescos look like they were painted yesterday, but they are big and there are lots of them, so what more do you need?
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