Nightlife in Low Consumption
By Susan Sou

What would immediately come to your mind when we talk about Macao nightlife? Probably casinos, karaoke and bars, right? Yes, you are right. All of them are parts of Macao nightlife, but there is more to discover in Macao. In Freguesia de Nossa Senhora de Fatima, also known as the North District, you can see something different.

 

The nightlife in the North District is low consumption. People here won't ask for a luxurious place for a drink, a grand ballroom for dancing and a comfortable caf?for chatting. What they enjoy is simply a place with fresh air.

 

In the Hac Sa Wan Park of the North District, there are many people doing different kinds of exercises such as jogging, dancing, playing badminton and football. Some spend their time alone, while others gather in groups.

 

"I love dancing here, because it is free and people here are very nice," Mrs. Sou, one of the residents in the North District who dances in the Hac Sa Wan Park four times a week, said. "Sometimes we would bring food to share with each other, it is just like a small party after dinner."

 

Located closely to the Hac Sa Wan Park, the Hac Sa Wan seashore is also one of the hottest nightlife spots. For people who don't like exercises, they can also have fun. Sitting here with friends, enjoying the pleasure of chatting and having some snacks are nice enough, and why not have a bottle of beer? The seashore is also a place where you can enjoy a wonderful moment of viewing the glittering Zhuhai night scene across the river bank.

 

Tommy Chu, a 15-year-old high school student, likes to hang out with friends after school, said, "We stay here because we have nothing to do after school, and it is too expensive for us to go to bars and karaoke frequently. Though sometimes we like to stay in the cyber caf?and video arcade, we can't afford it every day."

 

Not only Macao locals can have fun, people from other places can also enjoy their happy moments here. Sally Lin, a foreign laborer from Hubei, has been working in Macao for almost three years, and her parents live in her hometown. "My dormitory is very close to here, when I don't need to work at night, I like to sit in the park and give my mother a call. Sometimes I go to the seashore for a walk," Lin said. And she joked that maybe she will meet a boyfriend on the seashore someday.

 

The North District is the largest freguesia in Macao Peninsula. It constitutes one-third of the population in Macao. People who live in the North District are mostly residents with lower income and foreign laborers from mainland China. They would not spend much on their nightlife here. Every night you can see people from different places and different generations doing different things, but there is one thing they have in common: enjoying the nightlife there is the most wonderful moment in their whole day.