Travel: Historical, with a buzz

T’S perhaps the first place where East met West historically, and two very different cultures began to live side by side.

Macau developed from the middle of the 16th century as a Portuguese trading and religious settlement on the edge of Imperial China, and although now once again part of China, it has retained its unique attributes and idiosyncrasies.

Beautiful Portuguese and Sino Portuguese architecture, and the highly visible use still of Portuguese as an official language, though actually little used by the current population, remind one of the history.

A certain laissez faire attitude and atmosphere too, including China’s only casinos, give Macau its very special character, making it a memorable place to visit.