Macau

These photos were taken early last year before the some new casinos were in operation. I still disagree with how a city should develop and fully indulge itself in such a dangerous expedition. The news articles about how young people only focus on how to earn money quickly without appreciating the beauty of acquiring knowledge is just saddening. It's a silent suicide that greediness towards wealth slowly encroaches the city. Macau has its wonderful cultural and heritage assets. What is a government doing when it is simply pouring pestilence to the hearts of its people. How can it sustain?

This is an entry written last year about my trip:

I have just been to Macau over the weekend ... haven't been there for many years, if i remember correctly, that should be 5. There's a new slogan 'City of Dreams', echoing the springing up of casinos literally everywhere. Either they are being built along main roads or in new areas, causing great inconvenience walking on pavements. The flooding in of borrowed images denoting grandeur could be found when you just look around: huge chandeliers, lit up glass panes, biege coloured marble floors, Venetian styled appearances, musical fountains, you name it! I had this utmost absurd feeling when people stood in front of casinos and took photos as if they are new landmarks, worthy of remembering ... perhaps some had 'earned' great fortune? I did take some photos of casinos but I felt strongly people are wrongly inclined to this kind of 'activities'. The dream of earning by luck, the greater dream of becoming a millionaire in the city saturated with gambling opportunities. I don't know how sustainable an economy 'indispensible' of gambling could survive when the global economic waves hit in another cycle.

There was a very interesting conversation when our whole family was on the way to the pier, a taxi driver teased how Hong Kong's economy is dwindling, not as vibrant as theirs. He even said that if he had the chance of being employed he wouldn't consider coming due to the lower salary. Most ironically, he even said he could save up more because he simply evades tax in Macau, a widespread acceptable practice.

Though the trip was thought-provocative, we had so much Portugese food in just two days ... I quite like the old places there, especially 'Ma Kok', but just didn't have enough time to document these structures and happenings. The weather wasn't that fabulous, always cold and cloudy, so I guess the night shots are better!