Meeting Family in Macao

When I told my mother that Matt and I were planning to go to Macao, she insisted that we stay with my "aunt" while we were there.

Let's be frank here, this "aunt" isn't really my aunt. She's my mother's first cousin from Burma who is now living in Macao with her husband (whom I've never met). My mother hasn't even talked to my "aunt" since we last saw her (briefly) in Burma a number of years ago. I can't remember ever exchanging a word with this "aunt." On top of all this, I was quite uncomfortable with the idea of Matt and I staying with a virtual stranger who was, without a doubt in my mind, going to report every single move we made back to my mother.

"Family is family" my mother told me and the situation was settled. Matt and I were to stay with my "aunt."

When we arrived in Macao, I was a bit nervous as I didn't know what to expect. I didn't even know if my "aunt" and I would recognize one another! As Matt and I came out of the Macao ferry terminal, my anxiety vanished as I instantly recognized my "aunt" and the big grin on her face showed that she had recognized me too.

Meeting my distant "aunt" in Macao

"You look just like your father!" she exclaimed and started taking bags from my and herding Matt and I towards the taxi stand.

The week in Macao with my "aunt" turned out to be a fantastic week and Matt and I both grew very fond of her and her husband, Stanley. The two of them showed us boundless hospitality and we really enjoyed spending time with them in their home sharing midnight tea, eating fabulous food all over Macao and gambling at the famed Macao casinos (revert to Matt and my gambling addiction blog). Stanley even treated Matt and I to a fabulously luxurious day at the incredible Malo Clinic Spa at the Venetian, complete with 180 minute aromatic massage and an afternoon in the jacuzzis!

Here are some of the fun photos Matt and I took while meeting and getting to know my extended family in Macao!

Tired after a day of walking around Macao

Do you see any family resemblance with me and my aunts?

Gorging at a local seafood restaurant

The new family portrait

Although I was a bit hesitant to meet and stay with my extended family in the beginning, I'm really glad that I did! Matt and I ended up having a great time and now we stay in touch with my "aunt" often. Now that we're living just a short ferry ride from Macao, Matt and I are planning to go back to visit them!

My mom was right: Family is family, no matter the distance and even if you've never met before!

Have you ever met distant relatives while traveling? What was that like?

© Connie Hum 2011

How I Became a Gambling Addict in Macao

Macao is an interesting place. There are plenty of sights and historical buildings to fill the boots of any avid tourist. There's enough delicious Cantonese, Macanese and Portuguese cuisine to stuff even the heartiest of bellies. And then there are the casinos...

The misleadingly named, Wynn Casino in Macao

I have to say, when I arrived in Macao I didn't really think I would spend much time in the casinos. I've been to Vegas enough times to have lost interest in casinos, BUT I do have a weak spot when it comes to casinos: massive dinner buffets and playing Craps.

Do I need to explain why I'm drawn to the massive casino buffets? Who can possibly NOT love the huge spread at the buffet tables of gaming casinos? Certainly not a lover of food like me!

I LOVE buffets!

As for gambling, Craps is the ONLY type of gambling I've ever done and I think it's probably going to be the only game I'd be willing to bet money on. It's just so fun but darn if I could tell you how to play it!

Matt and I started playing Craps our first night in Macao. We were up by the time we got hungry and decided to splurge on a buffet dinner at the Wynn Casino. We stuffed ourselves silly!

Enjoying round 1 of our epic buffet dinner

After dinner, we immediately returned to the Craps table and made off with almost 500 HKD before we called it a night. We were absolutely over the moon!

Our first night's winnings

The next day, we walked around the sights of Macao, getting lost in the small streets and alleyways and even catching a lion dancing show, before the lure of the gaming tables beckoned us and we returned to the Craps table to ahem, make more money.

Lion dancers drawing a crowd around them in Macao

As we were winning several hundred Hong Kong dollars again, Matt and I treated ourselves to yet another buffet dinner. This time it was at the Hotel Lisboa and in our ecstatic mood over winning, we both decided to be adventurous and tried oysters for the first time.

Matt's reaction to his first oyster

My reaction to my first oyster

Then back to the dice! Matt and I walked away from the Craps table the second night with almost 300 HKD in our pockets. Success! And now it's safe to say: we're officially hooked on gambling.

The third day, perhaps we overdid it because we weren't so lucky. Matt and I played Craps all afternoon (yes, a little excessive but hey, that's addiction for you) at the Sands Casino but lost 700 HKD in the end before calling it quits.

The stealer of gambling dreams (and our money)

The fourth day, Matt and I did our best to avoid the gambling tables, we really did! We went sight-seeing again, trying to take our minds off the Craps table.

The ruins of St. Paul's Church

We got lost making our way through Macao's small side-streets.

Losing our way in Macao

Unfortunately, being gambling addicts, we inevitably returned to the Craps table at Wynn not too long after we finished sight-seeing, hoping to recover our losses. As this was our last night in Macao, Matt and I decided to just go all in and have a good time (while you know, making our millions). We ended up losing 1000 HKD before cutting our loses, saying goodbye to the casino workers who had become our friends during the many hours we spent at the gaming table, and leaving.

So Matt and I didn't exactly make our millions in Macao as we had originally hoped, but it was definitely fun and we sure did have a good time.

I guess you just need to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em in Macao! Just try to fold 'em while you're still up!

Have you ever played Craps before? Isn't it fun? Can you tell us how to play the game?

© Connie Hum 2011