Along the roads of Zhuhai - a mainland special economic zone and Macau's border neighbour - acres of potted flowers are placed and thousands of flags hoisted.
Decorating every street light are slogans celebrating this weekend's return of the Portuguese colony to the 'motherland' and promising greater co-operation between the two cities in the years ahead.
However, missing is any of the excitement that usually characterises times of historic transition.
Just days before Beijing's resumption of political sovereignty over Macau after more than four centuries, this normally laid-back town of 1.18 million people looks downright sleepy.
Much of Zhuhai's quiet stems from a massive police crackdown that has seen the departure of tens of thousands of transients.
It began two months ago with a one-night round-up of 5,000 migrants and has expanded to include strict policing of restaurants and entertainment venues.