MACAU - history's museum

MACAU, China - This place can be called, like other European colonies in Asia, as the museum of history.

Britain had Hong Kong, Spain had the Philippines, France had its Indo-China, now broken up into Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and Portugal had its Macau.

Colonized in 1557 it was turned over to China in 1999, two years after Britain gave up Hong Kong. That's more than 400 years.

But Portugal and its influence are still here in the many landmarks, and its streets and buildings look like a rustic Lisbon countryside, with its Portuguese and even Moorish architecture.

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We came here yesterday from Hong Kong aboard a fastcraft with Ric Yanson. Pompey Querubin, Toti Ramos, Manolo Lopez, Hermes Aguilar, Ed Mercado, Marianing Tuvilla, and myself.

Nordy Diploma and Alex Mirasol stayed in Hong Kong. Macau has a colorful history. The name was from A-Ma, who to the early Chinese was the goddess of fishermen and Gao means Bay.

So the original name Ma Gao means Lady of the Bay, which the Portuguese pronounced as Macau.

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This was the fishing ground that supplied fish to China. At that time Macau teemed with fish. Now, it is depleted.

Macau lies at the tip of the peninsula of Southern China. And it lies at the delta of the Sea Shell River, while at the other side seen from Macau is the Pearl Sea City.

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There are many things we can learn from Macau in tourism.

In a population of 470,000 it was visited last year by more than 18 million tourists.

And its attractions are its gambling casinos. No problem with the Catholics? We asked the tour guide.

No, she said. There are only 7 percent Catholics, 1.2 percent Protestants and all are Buddhists.

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There are 21 gambling casinos here. Of these, 15 are owned by the well known Stanley Ho who at 84 still runs all his casinos, hands on. He lives in Hong Kong.

What is the secret of Stanley Ho? The Sunshine Boys wanted to know and became more interested when told Stanley Ho at 84 has four wives, the youngest is 24 years old.

Don't they quarrel? No, was the answer of our witty tour guide, Monica. When he had three they lacked one for a quorum in mahjong. So, he got the fourth.

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Compared to the other colonies that lost their luster Macau has successfully blended the cultures of the old and new worlds.

The old Portuguese architectural designs are preserved and the streets are cobbled like the old. Rome still has cobbled streets.

That's why people flock here to smell the fragrance of history and the ambience of a bygone era.

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The first place we visited was the A-Ma Temple, Goddess of the Bay where some of us burned josh sticks for offering.

Then we went to the 61-storey tower scaling it. There were people learning sky jumping and sky flying.

It's very good place for those who lose money in the casino to jump from the 61st storey to complete the loss.

It was an enjoyable trip. I would like to write later about the sidelights.*

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