Macau's Transformation

When I used to live in Hong Kong, I went to Macau periodically for good food and to add to my 'antique' furniture collection.

No one can resist the Macanese custard egg tarts and roast pig, the quaint alleys and laid-back atmosphere.

It was later that I learned Macau was a refuge for many Chinese during the Sino-Japanese war and also when the Communists took over China.

So for those hoping to reminisce about the old days visiting Macau these days will be in for a shock.

 VIP Lobby of the MGM Macau

The place is trying to transform itself into the Las Vegas of the east and it is well on its way. It only used to be Casa Lisboa with its gaudy yellow and white colours, its bulbous shape and flashing lights that seduced excited gamblers to part with their money.

But now there are many more choices -- MGM Macau, Wynn, Sands, The Venetian, with many new luxury hotels popping up too.

Wynn has become so successful here that it has opened up Encore, an even more luxurious hotel specifically for the high rollers. The VIP entrance at MGM Macau was designed by Pansy Ho, the daughter of casino king Stanley Ho. She used lots of marble and raw jade to create a Moroccan-style lobby that oozes with grandeur. Who wouldn't want to be seen in a place like that?

The majority of these high rollers are mainland Chinese, and the source of all their money is questionable. Nevertheless, they are the ones keeping Macau afloat. Sixty percent of the revenues of The Venetian in Las Vegas come from rooms, entertainment and restaurants. In Macau, it's 20 percent. Many of the gamblers here would rather fritter their money away and then eat a bowl of cheap noodles before heading back on the ferry.

Mainlanders are everywhere in Macau; hotels have had to hire Mandarin-speaking staff to bridge the language gap with Cantonese-speaking Macanese. It was strange having to speak Putonghua to a waitress in a restaurant of a five-star hotel, and to the pool attendant.

Silver showers at the Grand Hyatt Macau

While it was not strange seeing mainlanders smoking up a storm, it was shocking seeing them smoke IN the elevator with the "No Smoking" sign on the control panel. The hotel I stayed at didn't have ashtrays at the elevators and so cigarette butts were left on the marble floor. How classy.

Although there were some Chinese who ate cheaply, there were others who dropped lots of money on expensive restaurants. The chef from Tim's Kitchen which is actually near where I live, got a Michelin star and he was lured to work in Macau. Joel Robuchon has a restaurant in Lisboa hotel. I've heard the set lunch here is a great value, but it's only available on weekdays and you must reserve well in advance.

It's just mind boggling to hear of the tens of thousands of hotel rooms that are available and tens of thousands more being built. Are they all occupied? Who stays in all those rooms? While the labour shortages are still an issue, the government has done little to alleviate the situation, insisting a certain number of Macanese must be employed at each property.

A view of the new hotels from the Taipa ferry terminal

As a result, a number of young Macanese abandon their jobs to become dealers at tables, job-hopping from one new hotel to the next in hopes of increasing their salary each time.

The few young Macanese I spoke to who were born and raised there think it's great to see their hometown boom like this. However, is it too much too soon? Time will tell.

Quick Cut, Quick Beauty

QB House is a cheap way to get a haircut, especially in Hong Kong. QB stands for "quick beauty".

The business started in Tokyo in 1995 just as the recession hit, and since then it has taken off in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The concept is that you're in and out of the no-frills salon in 10 minutes for only HK$50 ($6.44).

A friend of mine went there about a week ago to try it out. There are some 25 outlets in Hong Kong and he went to the one in Sheung Wan, in the Shun Tak Centre, or Macau Ferry Terminal. It's just at the top of the escalator when you come up from the MTR (exit D).

First you have to have a HK$50 bill that you feed into a machine and it spits out a ticket. Then you wait your turn.

My friend didn't have to wait long -- the guy ahead of him was semi bald, and only wanted his sides shortened. The hairdresser quickly remedied the situation by getting out the electric shears and shortened the sides in two minutes.

When my friend sat in the chair -- there's no hair washing involved -- the hairdresser was a bit nervous dealing with a gweilo or foreigner, but with his broken English and my friend's decent Mandarin they were able to communicate the kind of haircut he wanted.

The hairdresser was probably a bit more cautious, wanting to make sure he wasn't cutting off more than expected, but my friend was pleased with the end result.

While the hairdresser didn't check to make sure every single hair was cut properly, he basically did the job. And really, how can you complain about a HK$50 hair cut?

However, the service might not be advisable for women, who are more particular about their hair...

Fighting for Cantonese

Yesterday hundreds of people in Guangzhou and Hong Kong staged rallies protesting the Chinese government's bid to push for greater use of Putonghua instead of Cantonese.

In Guangzhou, protesters clashed with police, with at least eight people arrested, seven of whom were either journalists or supporters of Cantonese.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, more than 100 people marched from Wan Chai to the Central Government offices in Central in support of Cantonese.

Last month a political advisory body in Guangzhou proposed that TV stations broadcast prime-time shows in Putonghua instead of Cantonese ahead of the Asian Games in the southern Chinese city in November.

Officials and organisers anticipate a huge influx of Mandarin-speaking people into Guangzhou for the sporting event, but this also struck fear in Cantonese-speakers that their native tongue would disappear in the process.

The protest in Guangzhou yesterday was the second in as many weeks. The police tried to stop the rally, deeming it illegal, but demonstrators refused to leave, so the police carried many away by their hands and legs.

However, in Hong Kong the protest was subdued, with hundreds of people wearing white shirts demanding the preservation of Cantonese.

Kevin Kong, a 29-year-old university student studying in Canada, traveled from Guangzhou to Hong Kong to support the protest.

"We have the right to show our personal opinions," he said, saying Cantonese and Putonghua should coexist and one dialect should not be suppressed in favour of another.

"It may not be a major problem for this generation, but what about the next?"

Legislator "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung was also at the rally, saying people should be free to use whatever language they want.

"The people who speak Cantonese outnumber the population of France," he said. "How can you deny such a vast language to people?"

Meanwhile, government officials in Guangzhou were trying to play down the rumours to get rid of Cantonese.

"The citizens and concerned people can be reassured that Guangzhou will not go for the so-called cause of 'abolishing Cantonese to promote Mandarin,'" said Ouyang Yongsheng, a spokesman for the city.

Su Zhijia, a deputy party secretary of Guangzhou said, "The city government has never had such a plan to abandon or weaken Cantonese."

Sounds like the government is still blundering its way through social policy and has had to back down on this latest initiative. There is obviously little understanding of the importance of Cantonese, not only throughout the province, but especially in the Pearl River Delta region, where everyone in southern Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau use Cantonese on a daily basis.

Using the excuse of the upcoming Asian Games as a way to make people speak more Putonghua is ridiculous. Most people in Guangdong already speak it and Cantonese. And the Asian Games is only for 16 days.

Anyway, as long as people continue speaking it, Cantonese will not be a dying language.

Firing Up a Delicious Meal

Roka restaurant is located in the basement of Pacific Place Mall in Admiralty.

It's a place that is meant to invoke the five senses, from the wood and stone to the fire from the robata grill that serves up grilled vegetables, seafood and meats, as well as sashimi and sushi.

Sitting at the bar is the ideal spot to watch the chefs at work, busy tending to their dishes. Every time an order is read out, they all shout, "hai-ya!" for a bit of drama and energy. One chef garnishes an Alaskan King Crab leg, while another throws a piece of raw beef on the grill. The dishes are all plated with a thick leaf soaked in water to create a simple yet beautiful presentation.

My friend and I had a bite to eat here and thoroughly enjoyed the three-piece set of sashimi that featured salmon, tuna and yellowtail.

Then we had a spinach salad with sesame dressing, garnished with finely diced burdock and thin slices of daikon. It was very refreshing and light.

Strawberry jasmine sundae with yuzu granite

Next came the main, a grilled seabass, two lamb cutlets that were seared hot and a tender red inside. We also had a side of grilled sweet potato served in a small bowl.

The meal had to be completed with dessert, and so we ordered Itchigo To Jasmine No Sundae, Yuzu-Gouri, which is described as strawberry jasmine sundae with yuzu granite. Yuzu granite? What's that?

The waitress explained it was lightly flavoured shaved ice. Bring it on, we said.

It arrived in a small quaint glass on top of a bed of ice. There was the ice cream on top with the slices of dried strawberries, complete with the crushed ice and thin wafers in between the layers of cream and mango. Mmm-mmm good.

Dinner for two without drinks was just over HK$700 ($90).

Roka
Shop 002, Level LG1
Pacific Place, 88 Queensway
Hong Kong
3960 5988