lacau casinos

Judi
Lees

THE ASTUTE TRAVELLER

MACALU,A touch of
Portugal in Asia, offers an
eclectic mix for tourists. The
6.5-km peninsula and two
small islands that make up
the Portuguese-held colony
on the southeastern coast of
China are noted first and
foremost for gambling.

* Day-trippers from Hong Kong
(it's a 50-minute jetfoil ride) go for
the cight government-franchised

‘casinos. The gaming houses, open ~

24 hours, have no entry fee or dress
code, but visitors must be 18 years
of age or older.

For the best odds. skip the ones
in the large hotels and head to the
floating Macau Palace in the Inner
Harbour. Try your hand at Bit &
Small — there's a 50-50 chance
you'll win,

The buildings crowding

- Macau's streets are a melange of
architectural styles, from the soft
‘pastels of the 1840s colonial-style
palace that is now the seat of gov-
erament to ornate Chinese struc-

- tures like the Temple of A-Ma.

Macau is making a real effort to

“. Spruce up its landmarks. This
" spring, the Dom Pedro V Theatre
reopened after being restored to its
mid-19th-century splendor.

But the facade of St. Paul’s
church remains Macau's most-vis-
ited site. Built in the carly 17th
century and partially destroyed by
firé in 1835, even as a ruin it is still
imposing. -

The city is rich in restaurants,

. from Brazilian to Japanese and —:
pleasant surprise — unlike most of

Asia, wines ure inexpensive. A bot-
tle of top-notch Portuguese red is
about $8.

For a treat. stay at the Pousada
de Sao Tiago. Rates in this | 7th-
century, Portugucse inn on a ter-
raced hillside overlooking the

_ South China Sea start at $190. °

Macau's Barrier Gate, the offi-
cial border crossing into the
People’s Republic of China, was
built in 1573 and opened to tourists
in October 1979. Tours are avail-
able through China Travel Service
in Macau’s Hotel Beverly Plaza on
Avenida Dr. Rodrigo Rodrigues.
Visas are not required for visits of
under 20 days.

For more information: Macau
Tourist Information Bureau, ¢/o
Ste. 157, 10550 Shellbridge Way.
Richmond. B.C. V6X 2W9,
Telephone 231-9030 or toll-free
(800) 331-7150.

if you're used to cramped seat-
ing when you fly, the spaciousness
of Air Canada’s new Executive
First Class may make you feel pos-
itively agrophobic.

Air Canada has just eliminated
the first-class sections on its long-
haul 747s and 767s and given the
space to a roomier business class.
The distance between the back of

148 days from $2999.00 |
4 INCLUDING AIRFARE, AND
CONDOMINIUM ACCOMMODATION
4 PLUS FREE GOLF MEMBERSHIP
WITH EVERY BOOKING

Depart 20 January, 1995

delight

one svat and the next — called
“pitch” — has been increased by
10 inches (25-1/2 em) to 55 inches
(140 em), which means that the
outstretched toes of someone 5°8”
(172 em) can just barely touch the
seat in front,

The plush new seats are also
two inches (5 cm) wider, and cach
one comes with its own phone and
six-channel video system.

For more information and reser-
vations, telephone Air Canada at
688-5515 in Vancouver or toll-free
(800) 663-3721 throughout B.C.

It sold out in Paris and Tokyo.
and for the past two months
Toronto's Art Gallery of Onturio
has been hosting the only Canadian
stop on the six-city world tour of
the Barnes Exhibit, an amazing
collection of 83 paintings by late-
19th and early 20th century
painters including Cezanne.
Matisse. Monet. Picasso, and Van

_ Gogh.

The extravagant exhibition is in
Toronto until Dec. 31. Tickets
(which must be used on the day
and time specified) are $15 adults
and seniors, $12 students, $6 chil-
dren five to 11.

To reserve tickets, telephone
toll-free (800) 461-3333.

FREE INFORMATION
DOSSIERS AVAILABLE

ONE YEAR AIRFARE
TO AUSTRALIA FROM

VANCOUVER (VIA ASIA) {

FROM $1470.00

409 Granvilie Street, Suite 452, Vancouver
4 -800-663-51 i id 687-3083

Atone low price. ‘To réserve your deluxe guest room and Super Saver

guidebook filled with savings at downtown's best shops, restaurants

and attractions, contact your travel agent

or call us tall free at (800) 228-3000.

Subject to availability: atfer expwes March 25, 1995.

@

THE WESTIN HOTEL

Seattle

B Please call

David Frinton
Bfor a personal
A video presentation

f Take a Sailing “Siesta”

: 7-DAY ADVENTURE CRUISES
Be 7-DAY LEARN-TOSAIL

B coo

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Morch 10 ~ April 2, 1995

925-2222 5
Dec. 21 to 28
7 nights

cin O38.) ona :

Inclusive of:
¢ Round trip airfare from
Vancouver
¢ Alrport transfers :
* Moderate hotel (3 stars)-
located in Scottsdale _

in Baja
Sail Mexico's Wandrous Sea of Cortez: j

LIVEABOARD COURSES
A Booking Special
‘BOAT CHARTERS

“Reservations subject to availabilty.
Taxes are extra. Cail us for detail

A Agents For

The Moorings

peg TOUR SHP TO SHORE
ADVENTURE SPECIALISTS
1620 Duranieay St.
Granvifte bland.

ORES) 7
Loan

An escorted trip is ideal if you are travelling ah
Join us for a preview briefing and to meet
tour escort, Maria Morden.
Thursday, November 24, at 6 PM in our office
Please let us know if you plan to attend.

TRAVEL EXPERTS LTD.

1716 Marine Drive, West Vancouver 926-8511 :

Cruise 1000 miles along the mighty:
Amazon River on board the Stella Solaris

Amazon River Cruises
January 2-16

February 12-28

Small ship luxury at 18,000 tons :
¢ Explore Santarem, Alter do Chao and Boca

de Valeria on the banks of the Amazon

Spend a night in the 19th Century rubber’

boom town of Manaus

Attend enrichment lectures by Capt. Loren.

Mcintyre, discoverer of the Amazon’s

source

Cail 925-2677
Julia Mcintosh .... Maureen Keeble

Your Escape Artists
2225 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver