With 30 days to go before the games open, we hit the streets of Macau to ask 30 locals how they feel about living in the city and found one happy populace Leong On, 67, retired printer: The government is better than before the handover. Everything is changing and improving. It's free of charge for a medical check at the hospital and I can renew my ID card for free. Now I'm old it's nice to sit in the park. Vu Vai-fong, 57, kindergarten teacher: After the handover the people are more united. The citizens trust the government. Macau is beautiful and peaceful, and I love the Portuguese buildings. Antonio A. J. Ramos, 60, civil engineer: I am Portuguese from Oporto and have lived here since 1982. I love my work and the food and the buildings and the people. It's a big mixture. We all have different feelings, sentiments and culture, but we all live together. We have very high-quality museums and interesting Portuguese culture. Ng Siu-yin, 19, McDonald's waitress: It is very busy here, especially on weekends when lots of people come. There are a lot of tourists these days. The policy of this restaurant is to serve with a smile and that is easy for me because I think people in Macau love to smile anyway. Loi Hong-seong, 46, barber: Not many people cut their hair here. I guess it is because it is cheaper to have a haircut in China. I can give you a good haircut for $60 but if you go to China, you can get a cut for less than $10. But I know all the latest styles. Do you want a haircut? Eteluina Gomes, 48, law court clerk: I'm from Portugal but this is my home. I have lived here for 16 years but I know that one day I will have to go back because I'm a civil servant. But if I can stay here forever, I would do that. My family live here and I have lots of friends here, too, and this is such a happy place. Aidan Conroy, 66, priest: This is like one big Irish town. It is that kind of friendly place. I'm from Kerry in Ireland but I have lived here for 30 years. It used to be very peaceful but it is beginning to liven up these days. I guess there are too many casinos but I don't worry about my flock for Macau people don't like to gamble and they stay away from casinos. Maggie Hoi, 40, government administrator: I am from Burma and have lived here for 36 years. Macau is laid back compared to Hong Kong; not only Hong Kong but the rest of the world. If you are not interested in leading a glamorous life or becoming wealthy, Macau is very suitable. Kenneth Liang Kin-man, 72, chief executive Macau Jockey Club: Betting turnover was $4 billion last season and that's my target this season, too. But people are spoilt for choice. They can choose from casinos, soccer betting or the dogs. Despite these challenges, I love it here because it is more laid back than Hong Kong where I come from. Anna Lena, 15, student: The best things about this place are the street festivals. People have so much fun and I love walking around. I also love the variety of food you can get. I'm Portuguese but my favourite food is Chinese. This is a multi-cultural place where all the people love to have fun. Kyung Ho-cho, 29, jockey: I'm from South Korea and this is my first day on the job. Horse racing is more competitive here because there are jockeys from all over the world. In Korea, we had only Koreans. I'm still getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side of the road and I have still not found a place where I can eat kimchi. Wong Cho-kei, 18, shoe salesgirl: Macau is small. No riots. No demonstrations. It's comfortable. I like hanging out with friends, window shopping, walking around, looking at the fountain in the square. Everyone is united and lives in harmony. Donald Tang, 43, interior designer/decorator: I like driving around, although it's a small area. I shaved my head because there wasn't much hair left before, so I decided to remove it all. Is this style unusual in Macau? I don't think so. It looks better. Leong Wai-kun, 53, bakery shop owner: Business is good. More tourists are coming from China. They like our pork chop bread and wonton noodles. I am proud of Macau because it is quiet. No air pollution. Everyone is relaxed and there's no need to feel nervous about anything, so we can provide good service to the customers. Herman Sek, 40, civil servant: My elder brother is getting married today and I'm on my way to the wedding. I'm the best man. I don't know when I will get married but this is a good place to bring up a family. Mei Wing, 23, housewife: I've lived in Macau for only one year. I came from Guangdong province. It's easier to look for a job in Macau because there are millions of people in China, so it's less competitive here. I can't work at the moment, though, because I look after my baby. Leon Zeng, 28, hotel guest relations officer: I am from Hunan and worked in Shenzhen city before coming to Macau. The salary is higher here than mainland China. In Shenzhen I worked at a five-star hotel and in Taipa I'm at a four-star hotel, but the salary is still a little bit more. The economy is good here. Lo Choi-wan, 44, taxi driver: There are too many cars in Macau these days, so there are always traffic jams in town. There is a lot of development, new hotels and the world heritage sights, so many tourists want to visit these places . . . St Paul's, San Malo, the church on the peak, the lighthouse. Leong Chi-pui, 50, jewellery salesman: I've lived here for 20 years, but when I have some holidays I go back to China. One of the best things about Macau is that it's safe, so it's good for attracting tourists. Security has improved a lot and this is boosting the economy. Stephen Brown, 50, Macau Jockey Club trainer: It's really a little gem, unique. A lot of people have not discovered it. Macau is hustle and bustle, Taipa is a bit laid back, and in Coloane you can see trees and sit on the beach. You have three entirely different places in one, and you can nip across to China. I'm from Darwin and have lived here for 12 months. Jumar Garcia, 24, security guard: This is only my second day on the job and I'm really happy to be working here. I'm from the Philippines and this is an opportunity for me to make money. I like the way things are done here. The Chinese people are very hard-working and very disciplined. Tanja Schommer, 37, fashion and jewellery shop owner: I am German, from Cologne, and have lived in Macau since 1999. I spent three years in Hong Kong but came back last year. I wanted to own my own clothes shop. It's quieter and cheaper here. I live in Coloane so I like to swim and go on my bike and eat well and drink well. Jackie Xie-qian, 30, TV journalist: My job can be stressful but it is not so here. I mainly cover politics and business, and I find it quite easy. Everything is in harmony here. Kristina Petrenko, 21, cocktail waitress: I'm from Vladivostok. It is a small but beautiful place, and I like it here. I work as a waitress in a casino. There are a lot of girls from Russia here. I'm off today. Greg Morrison, 47, project manager at Venetian: This is such a get-up-and-go place. I was involved in building the Sands casino too. We did that in 18 months. The Venetian is much bigger but it is being built in two years. Working here is a unique experience. They even work on holidays. I'm from Australia. U Luen-fong, 55, dim sum waitress: Life is good here. It is a clean place where the garbage bins are cleared every day. I like taking my granddaughter to the park where she can play in a hygienic environment. Mr Lee, 43, butcher: Business is great. More people are buying my meat and I have no beef with anything. More restaurants, more hotels and more casinos mean more business for me. I've got a stable life. Hoi Chl-cheng, nine, schoolgirl: When I'm not at school I like to watch TV and play TV games at home. The TVB Chinese channel is my favourite because there are lots of cartoons. My favourite place to visit in Macau? McDonald's. Ah Choi, 47, man-about-town: The best thing these days is the security. There are no triads, or at least they are keeping a low profile. Even though I'm unemployed, the job situation is good. Lots of people have jobs and everyone seems united. Money makes the world go round without problems. Ivy Fong, 23, beauty consultant: I'd describe Macau as a mini Las Vegas. If we didn't have the gambling industry we could not boost the economy. I don't love Macau. I love European countries because there is more greenery and not so many buildings.
