Old Town: Four Hundred Years Around the Corner

Macau has two faces. Side A is Cotai. Side B is the old town. This episode is Side B.

01 — Ruins of St. Paul’s

The Ruins of St. Paul’s are the postcard. The church burned centuries ago; the facade stayed — and became the face you remember.

02 — Snack street

Below the facade, the snack street packs tight. Almond cookies from Fengcheng — the queue is part of the tax; the box is still worth it.

03 — Side alleys

Turn into an alley and the crowd drops. Black-and-white Portuguese wave paving, lanterns overhead — that is old Macau’s texture.

04 — Quiet old town

Walk deeper and even tourists thin out. Arcades, signs, patched walls — the old town keeps its own pace. It does not rush you.

05 — How I arrived

I came from Hong Kong on the Hong Kong–Macau Express bus, across the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, sea the whole way. I kept the ticket and route card as a bookmark.

06 — Closing

Cotai is Side A. Old town is Side B. A day on A, half a day on B — together that is a full Macau. Mine looked like this. Yours does not have to copy it.

My Macau looked like this. Yours does not have to copy it.