‘Bonjour, Macao!’
MANILA, Philippines - Right at the beginning, I overheard the words “Bonjour, Macao!” from a group of young tourists while on my way to the lobby of a hotel in Macao. That could only mean really bright and dazzling things to come.
Flashback to a couple of years back: a friend had asked me what’s my ultimate travel destination, and (since I never thought about it before) I blurted out, “Paris!” And now there I was, right at the center of the next best thing: The Parisian Macao hotel with its French-themed architecture and lobby interiors, a replica of Fontaine de Mers at the heart of the rotunda, as well as Versailles-inspired reception, concierge and casino. Visitors can’t help but transport themselves into a constellation of everything Parisian.
Hard not to succumb to its charms when you have a half-scale Eiffel Tower standing in front of the hotel, serving as its landmark.
AirAsia Philippines and Sands China Ltd. recently invited The STAR on this trip designed to let us travelers immerse themselves in a Parisian state of mind while in Asia’s Las Vegas: Macao with its beautiful lights, fabled strip and life of glam.
After the success of The Venetian Macao, management decided to recreate another themed destination, and didn’t take them long to decide that Paris would be next — the City of Lights with its uniqueness and artistic splendor.
The Parisian Macao, which opened its doors last Sept. 12, has 3,000 hotel guest rooms and suites; 850 shops; international restaurants; as well as world-class entertainment, which includes live shows at The Parisian Theatre and animated performances by the colorful Parisian streetmosphere.
The Parisian Macao is linked to The Venetian Macao and Sands Cotai Central via covered walkway, making the whole of Cotai Strip into one big covered shopping and entertainment destination. It’s like a mini-city inside a city.
Yes, it was my first visit to Macao, and my colleagues in the paper teased me about the need to partake of “lutong Macao.” Which I promptly did: I tried the famous Macao egg tart, two actually, and then some. I also learned about the origin of the phrase.
“Lutong Macao,” in the vernacular, means anything that is preconceived. Historians say that it probably comes from the experience of locals with the Chinese from Macao when dining in their restaurants, where the cook usually prepares all ingredients way before the meal is ordered. Not a bad thing, actually, especially if you have a show to catch at The Parisian Theatre or a banquet of wine and French cuisine at ----Brasserie.
And let me tell you how photogenic Macao is. Here are a few must-see places:
A-Ma, the oldest temple in Macao, built in 1488 during the Ming Dynasty; Ruins of St. Paul’s, the ruins of a 16th-century complex in Macao including what was originally St. Paul’s College and the Church of St. Paul destroyed by fire; Senado Square, public square for shopping and dining; Mandarin’s House, is a historic residential complex and family home of the late Qing theoretician and reformist Zheng Guanying, built at a cost of around 7,360 silver coins; Lou Lim Leoc Garden (locals come to this lovely Suzhou-style garden to practice taichi, play Chinese music, or simply to relax among its lotus ponds and bamboo); and Tam Kung Temple (a temple dedicated to Tam Kung, a Taoist god of seafarers). We even get a chance to see part of mainland China in this temple.
So, Macao is not all just bright lights and Vegas impressions. There are temples, gardens, old ruins, picturesque squares, and — if you check in at The Parisian Macao — a reflection of the incandescence of Paris.
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You can fly direct from Manila to Macao via AirAsia, every Tues. Thurs. and Sat. Keep updated with AirAsia's latest promotion and activities via twitter (@AirAsiaPH), Facebook (www.facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines) and Instagram (@AirAsiaPH). Photos by REY RIVERA
