I was sent to Macau, a special administrative region of China, for our continuing series on cities of the Orient. It's about 28 square kilometers (10.9 square miles). It is ranked the 4th densest city on the planet, which is an awfully small area for a population of half a million. Here are some interesting facts: Half of the world's population is within a 5-hour radius by airplane from Macau. Its gambling revenues surpassed that of Las Vegas by a couple of billion dollars in 2006.

The instant I walked in a casino, there was the immediate atmosphere of sin. Yet when I walk outside, there's a thicker feeling of history, as Macau was occupied by the Portuguese for over 400 years. The charm of Macau lays in 28 World Heritage monuments spread around its peninsula and two islands (Taipa and Colone).