Saturday, September 11, 2010

12th entry - Gambler's Paradise Macau

This is a sad tale of an incorrigible gambler. No, I'm not talking about me or the other gambling addicts out there. I'm referring to my *sob* sweetheart ... *sob*

Ok, I'm exaggerating a little. After all, its not as though we lost $26million like that local businessman who gambled his fortune away at Resorts World Sentosa. H is only a small time gambler in comparison. But the mechanics is the same - first, they entice you with an illusion that you are on a money-making lucky streak when you step into their casinos, by giving you a beginner's luck win. Once you are hooked, they begin the macabre fleecing of your fortune, slowly but surely gnawing away your dignity, until every last shred of humanity is sucked dry. Gamblers walk around the casinos like zombies, staring lifelessly into the slot machines, their bodies mere empty shells controlled by Greed and Blind optimism that their luck will change for the better... Its like watching a helpless fly in the web of a hungry spider, oblivious to the eminent danger that it was facing.

That was how I felt when I was exploring the casinos in Macau as H was playing blackjack. H was winning initially, but then started losing until his capital was gone.


Macau is a city of Sin. Everything was built on the Blood and Sweat of hard-earned fortunes lost to the casinos. But the casinos were only elaborate instruments providing illusory pleasure to its patrons. The real monster is Human Greed in every gambler believing that they will get lucky whenever they visit the casinos. And the real pleasure is enjoyed only by the casino owners who laugh all the way to the banks when they see their profits climbing in spite of financial crises etc.

There is a silver lining. Like a venus fly trap, Macau offers sweet nectar of beautifully and lavishly decorated hotels such as the famous Venetian, City of Dreams, Grand Lisboa and MGM Grand; unique Macanese (Portuguese-Chinese) culture in the form of preserved historical buildings (such as the Ruins of St Paul) and cuisine (e.g. Portuguese egg tarts and sweet Macanese curries); and close proximity to Hong Kong and Zhuhai (China), which has a huge shopping centre containing a vast selection of cheap imitation goods, services (hairdressing, massage and spa) and various F&B outlets. The wise tourist knows how to enjoy these aspects of Macau without getting entrapped in its snares - the gambling dens.

It was my first visit to Macau, and it may be my last. H and I stayed in a relatively comfortable hotel, the Casa Real, which is located near the ferry terminal. From the ferry terminal, one could easily visit the casinos and many tourist attractions because of the free shuttle services offered by the major hotel groups. Macau is not a family-friendly vacation spot, however. The free casino buses did not allow passengers below 18 years of age to board because they were not permitted into casinos, and the only large-scale amusement park at the Fisherman's Wharf was closed. A decent meal in a hotel would generally be expensive and meals in street-side eateries were not very tasty (not to mention that service was appalling), unless you ventured into Zhuhai, where some hotels such as Charming Hotel served delicious HK dim sum at affordable prices.


First time visitors like me would enjoy the city view from the world's 10th tallest tower, the Macau Tower, and a stroll down Senado Square (not far from the Ruins of St Paul) where there are many eateries and shops. At night, the city comes alive with bright neon lights and occasional fireworks displays. In this aspect, Macau is quite similar to Las Vegas, except that the latter does not bother with any pretenses of a cultural heritage. There are also other attractions such as the Grand Prix and Wine Museum, and Ah Ma Temple. These attractions are described in detail in Tommy Ooi's website.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Tef said...

"their bodies mere empty shells controlled by Greed and Blind optimism that their luck will change for the better..."

Technically, the gamblers are correct. Their luck WILL change for the better, as long as they have pockets deep enough to last the time. It is a matter of probability and if you consistently double your bets each time you lose, you WILL make it big. Of course, the key caveat here is the endless supply of money and that is, unfortunately, where practically trumps technically.

11:38 AM  

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