No. They are EVERYWHERE.

Haha, maybe it has gotten worst in the last two years, or maybe my camera has a special function to make "them" invisible.

http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/macau081609
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/macau0108
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/macauone0507
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/macautwo0507

2 years is a long time in Macau. The harbourfront has sprouted a volcano, a lost Inca paradise, the science museum, the fisherman's wharf. It's too much.

Then go to the cotai strip. Venetian on one side, City of dreams on the other, and a huge Galaxy development next to that. A huge building site.

The quaint Macau I used to know is gone. Gone, gone, gone. All the shops along the Almeida Ribeiro are shut. Closed 'cos the landlords hiked the rents and are waiting for an offer from the developers.

It's just glitz, glamour, gambling and whores. What a shame.

Again, I know what you're saying, but the places I showed on the photos are still there, and I know they're just as quiet as when I took those pics, as I still visit Macau about twice a year.

I don't go to Fisherman's Wharf, I don't go over to Cotai. I don't even go to Wynn or MGM. The only place that I feel the mainland crowds are at the ferry terminal (sometimes), and around Senado Square/St Paul's. But as you can tell from my photos, nobody goes into the Leal Senado with its beautiful courtyard right in the middle of the city. Or inside the St. Dominic's, even though hundreds of mainlanders stand outside of it trying to take pictures.

Or check out the Casa Garden, or Lou Lim Ioc Garden, or up to the Ghia Lighthouse, and so on. They are no more crowded than 5 or 10 or 20 years ago.

I dont know how I missed this thread before but find it an interesting discussion. I just left Macau today.

Before I first went to Macau I thought it was someplace I just did not want to go. Never really heard anything to exciting about the place. I must say that I am growing to like it after a few visits. Do I like all the smoke? No but honestly it only seems real bad in the casinos even though it is really allowed everywhere. I have never been on a weekend so I do not know what that crowd is like but during the week it is not very busy and restaurants are easy to get into and reasonably priced for the food and atmosphere. I find the history interesting especially the Portugese influence. It was interesting at St. Pauls yesterday when everyone was out front taking pics but when you go beyond the gate there was nobody.....relating to a point made earlier.

I will probably actually use Macau a nice two day getaway when in the region. I dont know what golf is like in the area but a cheap stay at the Westin and some golf.....sounds like my next plan.

Just out of curiosity, how long did you stay? 2 days/1night or 3 days/2nights? What do you think is more ideal?

The answer for me is both. If I am doing Hong Kong and Macau then we usually do one night but if I am going from lets say BKK then I do two nights. I saw some great rates pop up at the Westin recently so it gave me he idea this may be a good place to get away for a few days and do some golf and maybe just head into the gambling areas for an evening or something.