Today marks a move to different part of Rotary District 3450. After the last 13 days in Hong Kong, spent visiting Rotary Clubs on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, we are going across the South China Sea by ferry to Macau. This district is made up of clubs in Hong Kong, Macau and Mongolia. There are 6 clubs in Macau and this year’s District 3450 Conference is being held at the Venetian Hotel in Macau.
Another ferry like ours having a dice with us
Our rooms are suites – normally about R2000.00 per night – but the District organised a special deal for Rotarians for less than a third of that. The suites are out of this world.
Our ferry trip across from Hong Kong was quite smooth – you sit on the ferry as if you were on a plane – seats are numbered and adverts for Macau attractions are shown on big-screen TV’s during the trip.
We were met at the ferry terminal in Macau by GSE Chair PP Stella Kan and Conference Chair PP Fatima who got us onto the hotel bus to the Venetian.
After we check-in a good friend I have mentioned previously, Wanchai RC President David Sarju met us and took us to a wine-tasting and supper snacks at another hotel, the Crown Plaza. It was a very pleasant time and we learned a lot about Macau chatting to him and his friend, Marc, who is the General Manager of the Crown Plaza. President David is certainly well-connected. Brendan seems to attract rugby-lovers like moths to a lamp. Within 20 minutes of arriving, he was chatting to a guy called Luis who loves South African rugby and coaches a side here in Macau. It seems Brendan will be able to keep up his pre-season training for the Rhino’s here on Macau as well.
That was it for the evening and we retired to our suites to sleep. District Conference starts tomorrow (Saturday 21st) with registration from 11am. We are waiting to hear when we will be doing our presentation to Conference, but assume it will probably be on Sunday morning.
Macau is another SAR (Special Administrative Region) of the People’s Republic of China. Originally colonised by Portugal, it was handed over to China in 1999. Under a special treaty with China, it will, like Hong Kong, be virtually self-governing for 50 years with China being responsible for Foreign Affairs and Defence.
Macau is best known for it’s casinos these days. Apparently more money is wagered monthly in Macau casinos than in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos put together. In the last two years there has been a proliferation of hotel/casino resorts.
Because the District Conference is being held at the Venetian Hotel, we are staying there on Friday and Saturday nights. It is a huge 3,000-room resort hotel with a casino with 800 gaming tables. It has 92,900 square metres of shopping and over 100,000 square meters of conference facilities. The place buzzes like something you have never seen at Sun City etc. The amount of people is simply amazing, there are full-blown shopping malls, restaurants, pubs – anything that you can think of including a mini golf course in the grounds!
Macau is best known for it’s casinos these days. Apparently more money is wagered monthly in Macau casinos than in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos put together. In the last two years there has been a proliferation of hotel/casino resorts.
Because the District Conference is being held at the Venetian Hotel, we are staying there on Friday and Saturday nights. It is a huge 3,000-room resort hotel with a casino with 800 gaming tables. It has 92,900 square metres of shopping and over 100,000 square meters of conference facilities. The place buzzes like something you have never seen at Sun City etc. The amount of people is simply amazing, there are full-blown shopping malls, restaurants, pubs – anything that you can think of including a mini golf course in the grounds!
The Venetian - everything in this pic is part of it - it's hard to get it all into one pic
Our rooms are suites – normally about R2000.00 per night – but the District organised a special deal for Rotarians for less than a third of that. The suites are out of this world.
Our ferry trip across from Hong Kong was quite smooth – you sit on the ferry as if you were on a plane – seats are numbered and adverts for Macau attractions are shown on big-screen TV’s during the trip.
We were met at the ferry terminal in Macau by GSE Chair PP Stella Kan and Conference Chair PP Fatima who got us onto the hotel bus to the Venetian.
Us with (from left next to Brendan) PP Fatima Ferreira, Connie (a conference helper) and PP Stella Kan
After we check-in a good friend I have mentioned previously, Wanchai RC President David Sarju met us and took us to a wine-tasting and supper snacks at another hotel, the Crown Plaza. It was a very pleasant time and we learned a lot about Macau chatting to him and his friend, Marc, who is the General Manager of the Crown Plaza. President David is certainly well-connected. Brendan seems to attract rugby-lovers like moths to a lamp. Within 20 minutes of arriving, he was chatting to a guy called Luis who loves South African rugby and coaches a side here in Macau. It seems Brendan will be able to keep up his pre-season training for the Rhino’s here on Macau as well.
That was it for the evening and we retired to our suites to sleep. District Conference starts tomorrow (Saturday 21st) with registration from 11am. We are waiting to hear when we will be doing our presentation to Conference, but assume it will probably be on Sunday morning.
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