A PASSAGE TO INDIA: 237. MACAU

Macau

It's been several decades since I was in Macau. I'm curious of course, at the tremendous changes, at the same time, aware changes may not be for the better. For governments concerned, it's just about the economy, whether this has filtered down to the residents, one has to spend extended time to find that out.

It rained almost every day in Macau making photo taking tricky.

I had to google some for decent shots...

The wall facade of St Paul, Macau's iconic image.

For me at least, the main interest about Macau is her Portuguese heritage. They were here more than 400 years and of course it shows particularly in the European influenced architecture left behind - the food and its people, not so much, if any now. And to a certain extent, Catholicism - I had expected more churches, but there's more casinos, entertainment complexes. With a communist giant breathing down the neck, organised religions had to walk on eggshells. Many went underground. Far easier and more tempting to worship money and materialism than an invisible 'God'....

In today's China, more organised religions are allowed to operate, but the people inside, my senses tell me, are planted there by the communist party, the CCP - donations collected would go towards them in which they get a 'cut' - a very big one.

The Americans do the same with their charismatic evangelising church organisations - the obscene amounts collected finance government programs - arms, alcohol and cigarette companies, pharmaceuticals, porn ... anything that's addictive as you get repeat customers. No money filters down to their people who remain homeless, poor, unhealthy, unemployed...

Modern day Macau is better known as a gambling center/resort with hotels, entertainment and shopping centers. It's all kitsch to me...kitsch has become an interesting art form.

The above, the Grand Lisboa is perhaps one of their oldest casinos - the building is interesting - almost like something from the Roaring 20s - it's retro, it's art deco, it's my favourite building on this trip...

Apparently, there's at least over 40 casinos in this little space that's smaller than Singapore. 6 are big name major operators.

Their casino buildings come with European themes (but of course, since this is Macau!)

Sands dosen't need any intro...this one isn't loud enough!

The Venetian - that blue sky and white clouds is fake - had me fooled! It's a globe enclosing the building!

Land was reclaimed to form huge Cotai island (merging Coloane and Taipa Islands) where many of their monstrosities stand, the casino buildings, shopping complexes, hotel resorts...well connected by bridges...

The Londoner...

The Parisian...

Tonight's dinner was in the revolving resto of the Macau Tower, somewhere on the 60th floor. Whilst waiting for the high speed lifts, there's free champagne as the aperitif. How to beat service like this?