As we bumped along in the No.

当我们坐在25路巴士上沿着路氹连贯公路颠簸前行时，很难去忽略远处的澳门威尼斯人(Venetian Macau)。

25 bus on Estrada do Istmo, it was impossible not to notice the Venetian Macau, a mountain of steel and glass, shining in the distance in the afternoon sun.

在午后的阳光下，这座由钢铁和玻璃组成的山峰闪闪发光。

Opened in 2007, it’s home to one of the largest casinos on earth.

全球最大的赌场之一就设在2007年开业的该酒店内。

And it’s not alone: Of the 10 biggest casinos in the world in 2014 (based on revenue), a staggering eight were in Macau,

并且并非孤例：2014年全球最大的10家赌场（按收入计算）中，多达八家位于中国南部海岸地区的弹丸之地澳门。

a tiny region on the southern coast of China, where over half a million people are packed into fewer than 12 square miles.

在那里，不足12平方英里（约合32平方公里）的土地上容纳了50多万人。

But I wasn’t there to gamble.

但我不是去赌博的。

Following a precedent I’d established in my very first Frugal Traveler column, when I toured Las Vegas without going to the famed Strip,

写第一篇穷游世界(Frugal Traveler)专栏时，我曾去拉斯维加斯旅游，却没有去大名鼎鼎的长街(Strip)。

I was determined to break the shell of Macau’s opulent exterior and see what lay beneath the surface.

遵循这个先例，我决定打破澳门奢华的外壳，看一看表象下面是什么。

During a quick two-night trip, taking the ferry across the Pearl River Estuary, I found it was the perfect place for a getaway from the noise and intense urban compactness of Hong Kong.

在短暂的两夜游期间，我乘渡船穿过珠江口，发现澳门是摆脱香港的喧嚣和严重的城市拥挤的绝佳去处。

Owing to its colonial past, Macau, with its cobblestone streets, old Catholic churches and narrow alleyways, has an almost European feel to it, along with an interesting local cuisine that fuses Portuguese and Chinese flavors.

因为曾是殖民地，有着鹅卵石街道、古老的天主教堂和狭窄的巷弄的澳门，几乎有一种欧洲的感觉。当地的饮食也非常有趣，结合了葡萄牙和中国的风味。

And my focus, naturally, was putting this trip together without causing undue strain on my budget.

我的重点，自然是在完成这趟旅行的同时，不至于让我的预算过于紧张。

Macau was one of the first Asian settlements to be forced into the yoke of European colonization and the last to shed it, achieving full independence from Portugal in 1999.

澳门是亚洲最早被迫卷入欧洲殖民统治的地区之一，也是最后一个摆脱殖民统治的地区，1999年才从葡萄牙完全分离出来。

As with Hong Kong, China administers Macau but employs a somewhat laissez-faire, capitalist-friendly approach.

和香港一样，澳门在中国治下，但后者采用了一种有些自由放任的、对资本主义友好的方式。

There are no visa requirements for Americans staying in Macau fewer than 30 days (you will need to bring your passport).

美国人在澳门停留30天以内无需办理签证（但需带上护照）。

The TurboJet ferry ride from Hong Kong (150 to 200 Hong Kong dollars for an economy fare, about $20 to $25) is reasonably quick and comfortable.

从香港乘坐喷射飞航客轮（经济舱150到200港币，约合20到25美元）还算快捷、舒适。

Ferries leave from various spots in Hong Kong regularly, so if you miss one, there’s no need to worry.

客轮定时从香港多地发船，因此即便错过一趟也不用担心。

(Be more cautious when you’re leaving Macau — it’s easier to end up on the wrong ferry.)

（但离开澳门时要更加小心谨慎——因为比较容易上错船。）

My attack plan was simple: to see as much as I could, by foot and by public transportation.

我的作战计划很简单：用步行和乘坐公共交通的方式尽可能地多看一些东西。

Macau is traditionally divided into three sections: the peninsula and the islands of Coloane and Taipa.

澳门传统上分三个地区：澳门半岛、路环岛区和氹仔。

(A fourth region of land reclaimed from the ocean, Cotai, now connects Coloane and Taipa and is the home to many of the newer casinos.)

（还有一个地区是填海造陆后形成的路氹，现在将路环和氹仔连接在了一起，那里有很多比较新的赌场。）

I particularly had my eye on rustic Coloane Village in the south.

我尤其关注澳门南部颇有乡土气息的路环村。

Though I had no plans to indulge in the casinos, one lesson I’ve learned in my travels is that where there’s gambling, cheap rooms follow — it’s how they lure you in.

尽管我不打算沉溺于赌场，但我从多次旅行中得出的一个经验是，有赌博的地方就有便宜的房间——这是他们吸引你过去的方式。

I was able to land a very comfortable, relatively luxurious room at the Sofitel on the western side of the peninsula for 650 Hong Kong dollars, a little over $80.

我得以在澳门半岛西部的索菲特(Sofitel)酒店住进了一个非常舒适，并且相对豪华的房间，价格是650港币，相当于80美元多一点。

Close to the center of the city, it was an ideal jumping-off point.

因为接近市中心，那里是理想的起点。

I was able to check another essential off the list by walking to Yin He Dian Xun (roughly, Galaxy Telecommunications) and purchasing a 500-gigabyte SIM card from a very helpful young woman for 50 Macanese patacas (about $6).

我还买到了清单上列出的另一件必需品。我走到银河电讯，以50澳门元的价格从一个非常乐于助人的年轻女士那里买了一张500G的SIM卡。

Ah, yes, the currency.

哦，对了，还有货币。

The Macanese pataca and Hong Kong dollar are separate currencies but virtually interchangeable in Macau.

澳门元和港币是不同的货币，但在澳门几乎可以互换。

Change will sometimes come in patacas, sometimes in Hong Kong dollars.

找的零钱有时候是澳门元，有时候是港币。

A dollar is, however, slightly more valuable than a pataca.

不过港币比澳门元略微更值钱一些。

If you’re considering making a big souvenir purchase (like gold or jade jewelry, which is plentiful on the main drag of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro) either use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee, or walk into a bank to exchange for patacas —

如果考虑大手笔地购买纪念品（比如新马路的主干道上应有尽有的金器或玉饰），要么用信用卡，无外币兑换费，要么去银行换澳门元。

I was able to do both without difficulty.

我使用两种方式时都没遇到困难。

Senado Square, within walking distance of my hotel, was a good place to begin exploring.

从我住的酒店步行可达的议事厅前地是一个开始探索的好地方。

Beautiful old yellow and pink pastel buildings with arched doorways and green shuttered windows frame the historic square, which is paved with small tiles.

具有历史意义的广场上铺了小地砖，四周坐落着漂亮的黄色和粉色建筑，带有拱形门廊和绿色百叶窗，风格淡雅。

It was a perfect place to stroll and enjoy the egg tart I’d purchased for 9 dollars from Koi Kei Bakery.

这里很适合一边散步，一边品尝我花9澳门元从钜记手信买的蛋挞。

The egg tart is one of Macau’s signature delicacies, a local interpretation of the Portuguese pastel de nata — perfectly creamy custard with a pleasantly caramelized top, encased within a delicate, flaky pastry cup.

蛋挞是澳门的标志性美食之一，是当地对葡萄牙蛋挞的演绎——光滑细腻的奶油蛋羹上面是一层漂亮的焦糖，包裹在脆薄的杯状酥饼里。

Another distinctive item is the pork chop bun.

另一款特色美食是猪扒包。

I stopped into the celebrated Tai Lei Loi Kei, a nearly 50-year-old Macanese chain, and paid 48 dollars for a small, bone-in pork chop that had been slapped somewhat unceremoniously onto a buttered white roll.

我停下脚步，走进澳门有近50年历史的知名连锁大利来记，花48澳门元买了一小份带骨猪扒。猪扒被随意地放在了一块涂有黄油的白色小圆面包上。

Fortunately the meat was simply seasoned and well cooked (just be careful not to break a tooth).

不错的是，肉经过了简单地调味，并且是十成熟（务必小心，不要咬掉牙）。

In addition to its cuisine, Macau has memorable architecture.

除了饮食外，澳门还有令人难忘的建筑。

Catholic influence is still very much present, at least aesthetically.

天主教的影响依然非常明显，至少在审美上如此。

St. Dominic’s Church, a beautifully restored, custard-colored 16th-century structure, is free to enter, as is a three-story art museum housed in the church’s bell tower.

经过精心修复后，蛋奶色的16世纪建筑玫瑰堂免费开放，位于教堂钟楼里的三层艺术博物馆也是免费的。

I looked over the icons and relics of the church on display, including beautiful old wooden carvings.

我仔细欣赏了展出的玫瑰堂的圣象和圣人遗物，包括古老的精美木雕。

Other worthy architectural attractions include the Ruins of St.

其他值得一看的建筑景观包括大三巴牌坊。

Paul, a grand stone facade that is one of the few remaining pieces of a centuries-old complex.

这是一面宏伟的石壁，是一处有几百年历史的建筑物的正面外墙，也是其留存下来的少许残垣断壁之一。

While there, I made the steep hike up to the adjacent Fortaleza do Monte, which provided an excellent view of the city.

在那里，我沿着陡坡爬上了旁边的大炮台，一览全市盛景。

I could walk to the ruins and St. Dominic’s from my hotel, but despite Macau’s compact size, not everything is walkable.

我可以从酒店走路去大三巴牌坊和玫瑰堂，但尽管澳门很袖珍，却不是哪里都适合步行的。

I would not recommend driving in Macau, nor riding one of the city’s ubiquitous scooters.

在澳门，我不建议开车，也不建议骑当地随处可见的电动摩托车。

I found a bike rental shop called Si Toi in Taipa that charged 20 dollars per hour (only $2.50, remember) but I ultimately decided on the bus: I found it cheap and fairly reliable.

我在氹仔找到了一个叫时代的摩托车租赁行，每小时20澳门元（记住，仅2.50美元），但我最终决定坐巴士：我觉得巴士便宜并且相当可靠。

Unless you have something called a Macaupass (which I did not, and purchase locations are annoyingly scarce), you will need coins.

除非你有一种叫澳门通的东西（我没有，能买到的地方少得令人恼火），否则需准备硬币。

Lots of coins.

大量硬币。

And they don’t make change on the buses, so get used to walking around with a pocketful of patacas.

澳门的巴士不找零，因此要习惯四处溜达时口袋里装满澳门元。

(Local businesses and banks can help you make change if you’re hard up.)

（如果手头硬币不够，当地的商家和银行能帮你换。）

I hopped the 26A bus to Coloane, eager to see the rustic, more peaceful side of Macau.

我跳上开往路环的26A路巴士，急切地想看看澳门乡村的、更平静的一面。

(A quick note on signage: Every official sign in Macau will be in both Portuguese and Chinese.

（快速说一下指示牌：澳门所有正式的指示牌都是中葡双语的。

I found this somewhat curious, as I didn’t hear a word of Portuguese my entire stay.

我觉得有点奇怪，因为在整个澳门之旅期间，我没听到一个葡萄牙词语。

I asked Neal, a server at the cute Cafe Cheri, if he spoke Portuguese or knew anyone who did.

我问在小巧精致的餐厅常喜当服务员的尼尔(Neal)会不会说葡语，或者认不认识说葡语的人。

Well, he hesitated, No, not really.

嗯，他有些犹豫，不会，不太会。

Did anyone in Macau speak Portuguese? Yes, I think in some restaurants.)

澳门有人说葡语吗？有，我想在有些餐厅有。

Coloane Village was quiet, almost sleepy, when I hopped off the bus by the roundabout near Eanes Park.

当我在恩尼斯花园附近的环岛旁边跳下巴士时，路环村一片安静，几乎算是人迹罕至了。

It was, in other words, exactly what I was seeking.

换句话说，这正是我想要的。

I began walking north up the coast, stopping for another excellent 9-dollar egg tart at Lord Stow’s Bakery.

我开始沿着海岸一路往北走，并在安德鲁饼店停下，又买了9元的蛋挞。

Colorfully painted houses stood on stilts in the bay, China a mere 1,000 feet to the west.

海湾地区，刷成五颜六色的房屋被用木柱支撑着，仅1000英尺（约合300米）以西便是中国大陆。

Fishermen hung their catch outside their homes, and every now and then there was the distinctive clack of mah-jongg tiles.

渔民将捕到的鱼晾晒在屋外，偶尔还会听到麻将牌发出的独特的啪嗒声。

I wound my way down Avenida de Cinco de Outubro, in the shade of thick-trunked ficus rumphii trees with aerial roots, like banyan trees.

我顶着树干粗壮的心叶榕的树荫，沿十月初五日街朝南走。

I eventually found myself in a beautiful cobblestone plaza with a fountain on one end and the beautiful, bright yellow Chapel of St.

心叶榕根系发达，很像菩提树。

Francis on the other.

最后，我发现自己来到了一处美丽的鹅卵石广场，广场的一头是一座喷泉，另一头是圣方济各圣堂。

I dined al fresco at Cafe Nga Tim on a 58-dollar dish of rice and curried prawns and watched evening set in.

在雅憩花园餐厅，我花58元吃了一顿米饭搭配咖喱虾的户外晚餐，静观夜幕降临。

The casinos? Didn’t need them.

赌场？根本不需要。

They do provide a useful benefit, though: When it came time to head back to the ferry terminal, I happily used the hotel’s free shuttle bus.

不过它们的确提供了一个便利：到要返回轮渡码头时，我开心地乘坐了酒店的免费穿梭巴士。