Vignettes of the World
I was in Portland for two and a half days and spent two days sightseeing. Portland has quite a number of scenic spots, museums and historical venues to offer if one has a car. Since I didn’t have a car, I will be discussing places …
My heart skipped a beat when I came to a closeup view of the USS Iowa. It was stately, to say the least. Under generous sunlight the USS Iowa breathes an aged but assured glory. Its imposing image is immediately evocative of battle scenes. I …
I noticed that the Los Angeles mornings were always somewhat hazy. The day was young and the wintriness was gentle. In fact, it felt almost as if California was still easing into the fall. For it was even warmer than Hong Kong at this time of the year.
Looking at the haziness, I figured that I could first have an early lunch and then wait for the sun to clear up the sky. After lunch at I walked toward the shore for about 40 minutes, and by the time I got there, sunshine was plenty and the day was good for photographs.
Perhaps all that is worth seeing for a tourist in Long Beach are all concentrated in the shore. I passed by the Pike Outlets, which features some common brand names like H&M, Nike, Cotton On and GAP. Having passed the footbridge, I arrived at the shoreline area.
There are a few things in this area that are worth seeing. The first is the Aquarium of the Pacific. There were groups of school age children there when I passed by. Across from the Aquarium is a marina. The whale watching yachts stand by there for commission.
Then there is the Lions Lighthouse. Across from the Lions Lighthouse (not accessible by foot over the waters) is the Shoreline Village, which is very touristy with a little bit of photogenic quality. Then, again, across the waters, but to the south, is docked the RMS Queen Mary. It has been renovated recently, and reopened its doors for tours and visits.
I took a walk all around the Lions Lighthouse this morning.
Situated at the estuary of the Los Angeles River is the Shoreline Aquatic Park. Shaped like a half-enclosed thenar space, the Shoreline Aquatic Park is a bay where the Los Angeles River meets the ocean. The Lions Lighthouse glistens under the midday sunshine. The vibe was relaxed. People took walks, jogged, biked, and living life there in as Californian a manner as it could be.
The Lions Lighthouse is a decorative lighthouse of the Downtown Long Beach Lions Club International, which set it up to commemorate their dedication to the blind. The lighthouse was first lit in 2000.
The fact that it was not a historic relic in the real sense of the word did not make it any less valuable. Its charitable purpose was plenty interesting to me. Besides, it was at the lighthouse that the love for Long Beach as a community shines. There are captions there explaining various aspects of Long Beach at the Light House.
It is said that this area was long inhabited by the Native Americans, as early as the 1500s. At the time, the people called it “Bay of the Smokes,” referring to the smoke signals that the Native Americans used for communication at what is now the Signal Hill area. During the late 1700s, the area was owned by the Spanish, and it was divided into Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos (thus the beach being named Alamitos Beach).
In the 1880s, the residents voted to incorporate the city as Long Beach.
In 1921, with discovery of oil in Long Beach came an enormous economic boom. Long Beach also became a popular seaside resort and port town. The Pike was the area of recreational activities and boardwalk entertainment. Between 1902 and 1979, the Pike was first an amusement park, then throughout the years was the designated venue for different configurations of entertainment. Its main walkway was lined with hotdog stands, arcades, shooting galleries, and cafes. It stood for the best of all fun in Southern California, and was known as “Walk of a Thousand Lights.” As I walked in the shoreline area, I figured that perhaps a lot of the old Pike has retained its historical role to this day.
Another interesting history of Long Beach is that Calbraith “Cal” Rodgers, who flew the first airplane across the continental U.S., landed in Long Beach as the final destination for his flight that began in New York. This 1911 fanfare was known as Vin Fiz because Armour & Company, the sponsor of the flight, wanted to use the occasion to advertise its grape soda.
Yet Long Beach is much more than fun and adventures. Between 1943 and 1997, this is the site for the major naval base on the West Coast. The shipyard served fully its patriotic function during WWII, having done 303 major repairs on 9 battleships, 14 cruisers, 31 destroyers escorts, 46 destroyers and 30 oil tankers.
The story of Long Beach is a decorated one, and it really ought to be proud as a community.
After an easy walk at the Shoreline Aquatic Park, I decided to return to the hotel. That was a nice first day in Southern California.
The Wikipedia on Lions Lighthouse.
Descriptions on site at the Lions Lighthouse.
The City Government of Long Beach, Long Beach History.
It has been over a decade since I set foot in the United States, the country that I also consider to be home. There was urgency in returning this time because my driver’s license has expired, and every ten years, the renewal requires an in-person …
Before you head out on the Senado Square, perhaps it is worthwhile to visit the Tak Seng On on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. This was the street where many pawnshop businesses set foot during the late Qing dynasty in Macau. The streets of Rua de …
In this two-day trip in Macau, I visited a host of significant historic heritage in the Macau Peninsula area. The following is an itinerary for those two days. There are relatively less historical sites in the Taipa area, and that is for another occasion.
Macau is a very walkable city, and so I visited all these sites on foot.
| Site | Significance | Time required | Nature of Scenery |
| View of Nam Van Lake | A man-made lake that is bisected by the Macau-Taipa Bridge. | 10 minutes | City views |
| Sei Kee Café in Nam Van | Besides its claypot brewed coffee, Sei Kee’s pork chop buns also top the charts for this distinctly Macau delicacy. However, at the Nam Van Lake, the restaurant only serves the beef variation of the bun. | 30 minutes | Food |
| Our Lady of Penha Chapel | Colina de Penha is the third highest elevation point in all of Macau at 62.7 meters above sea level. Our Lady of Penha Chapel was established in 1622 by the Augustinian priests. The church originated from a crew of the ship São Bartholomeu, which was pursued by the Dutch when it was near Formosa, en route to Japan. The Crew then established this church to thank for a safe return. | 30 minutes | Religious & architecture |
| Moorish Barracks | The barracks was built in August 1874 to accommodate a regiment from Goa, Portuguese India. It was designed by an Italian architect. | 15 minutes | Historical Architecture |
| The Lilau Square | Legend has it that an old woman built a pool that collected fresh water here. In Chinese, Lilau Square means, “the grandma’s well square.” It is said that “once you have drunk the water of Lilau Square, you would never be able to forget Macau.” | 15 minutes | Historical and cultural |
| The Mandarin’s House | Of the Zheng’s, the Mandarin’s House was built in 1869. The Mandarin’s House is the only Tai Fu Tai in all of Macau that celebrates the Qing official title of Ronglu. Tai Fu Tai was the traditional mansion type of residency for a civilian government official, in Qing dynasty times known as Tai Fu. | 45 minutes | Chinese heritage in Macau |
| Site | Significance | Time required | Nature of Scenery |
| St. Lawrence’s Church | St. Lawrence is the patron saint for navigation. This church used to overlook the shore of Macau. The family of the Portuguese seamen would pray here for the safety of their beloved, as well as watching -the approaching vessels moor to the safety of home. The current structure is of 1846. | 20-30 minutes | Religious & architecture |
| St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church | Along with the St. Paul’s Ruins, this church stand for the only two examples of baroque architecture in China. | 20 minutes | Religious & architecture |
| St. Augustine’s Church | St. Augustine’s Church features neoclassical elements of architecture, with just a tiled and gabled roof, no dome, and one tower. Overall, its style reflects the spirit of the Renaissance. The current Augustine’s Church is a structure of 1814. | 15 minutes | Religious & architecture |
| Dom Pedro V Theatre | Built in 1860, it was the first western-style theater in China. Needless to say, its establishment was originally to serve the cultural and social circles of the Portuguese / Macanese in Macau. | 15 minutes | Cultural and architecture |
| Sir Robert Ho Tung Library | Sir Robert Ho Tung purchased the mansion in Macau in 1918. The original structure was built in 1894 in the Macanese style. During the Japanese Occupation years in Hong Kong, Sir Robert Ho Tung lived in this mansion, as Macau remained neutral during the war. He left the mansion to the Macau government in his will, designating its use as a public library. | 15-20 minutes, can sit at the benches to rest there. | Cultural and architecture |
| Site | Significance | Time required | Nature of Scenery |
| Tak Seng On | A very small but engaging museum that showcases the history of the pawn business in Macau. | 30 minutes | History and museum |
| Senate Square (Senado Square) | Namely the heart of Macau that drives all pedestrian flows, the Senado Square is a must-see before one reaches the famous Ruins of Saint Paul’s. In this square, you will come across an innumerable number of historic structures, including the St. Dominic’s Church, the Municipal Administration Office, the Santa Casa Misericordia, the Macau Post Office, amongst others. | 1 hour
|
Urban scenery, historical architecture, street food. |
| Site | Significance | Time required | Nature of Scenery |
| Ruins of Saint Paul’s | The Jesuits set up a college at St. Paul’s to give home to Japanese students due to the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki. The very first St. Paul’s cathedral was thus known conterminously as St. Paul’s college. The college was an institute of higher learning, with didactics in theology as well as mathematics. | 15-20 minutes, depending on the crowd and how well you can take good photos. | Historical architecture |
| Na Tcha Temple | This old temple lies on the way from the Ruins of Saint Paul’s to the Monte Fort. Built in 1888 and the Na Tcha Festival takes place annually in May of the Lunar calendar. | 10 minutes | Religious and architecture |
| Monte Fort (Fortaleza do Monte or Mount Fortress) | The fort was built between 1617 and 1626 on Mount Hill by the Jesuits in order protect their properties. The fort had also served as the governor’s residence. | 1 hour (longer if you want to visit the Macao Museum) | Historical architecture |
| Wabi-Sabi | A super economical and good restaurant, but very small space, so be prepared to line up at 11am for lunch. | 1 hour | Recommended restaurant |
| Site | Significance | Time required | Nature of Scenery |
| Guia Fortress and Lighthouse | The fort was built in the 17th century as a colonial military facility. At the time of the Dutch invasion, it was partly constructed. | 1 hour | Historical architecture |
Right across from the St. Augustine’s Church is the Dom Pedro V Theatre, built in an exceptionally beautiful style of neoclassical architecture. Its elegance, being distinctly cultural in character, is a nice change of scenery from the multitude of churches that I saw in Macau. …
Not far from the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church is the St. Augustine’s Church and the St. Augustine’s Square. Following the footsteps of the first Catholic missionaries, the Jesuits, the Augustinians also made their way to Macau in the 1580s. Other Catholic missionaries that came …
Its name Igreja e Seminário de São José in Portuguese, St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church was a church of the Jesuits. The seminary was founded in 1728, while the construction of the church building completed in 1758. As with the St. Lawrence’s Church, St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church stands in the São Lourenço neighborhood.
Yet as a religious institution, the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church had a significance beyond the pastoring of its parish. Before the Jesuits were expulsed from Macau in 1762, the seminary was the training base for the missionaries that answered the call to missions in China, Japan and other neighboring countries. It offered training to the Jesuit missionaries in tandem with the College of St. Paul. The Seminary offered an academic curriculum, not unlike a university. In 1800, the Portuguese Queen Dona Maria I conferred the royal title “House of the Mission Congregation” upon the seminary.
When the Jesuits were expulsed from Macau in 1762, the Lazarites took over the administration of the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church.
I headed up the famous granite steps to reach the forecourt and came upon the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church. Its appearance struck me as I adored the perfectly aligned roman columns in three stories. The windows on each story show mouldings of different Baroquian motifs.
Although both are structures of the Jesuit Order, the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church and the St. Lawrence’s Church have notably different architectural styles. The St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church is distinctly baroque in character, very much a contemporary feature of the time that it was built. Like the St. Lawrence’s Church, the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church has a yellow exterior, glistening a warm brilliance.
The baroque architecture of the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church is significant as an example of Portuguese baroque architecture abroad. The churches of Asia are typically built in much simpler architecture than those of Europe’s. Yet they never lack the chief importance of church architecture, which is itself the very dedication to God and holiness. Along with the St. Paul’s Ruins, this church stand for the only two examples of baroque architecture in China.
The façade shows the main entrance representing the baroque style of adornment, with a grandeur that moves the aesthetic senses. There is a central dome, as well as two onion shaped small domes on the side towers by the façade. These domes are the chief architectural feature that enables the drawing of natural sunlight into the nave. In the St. Lawrence’s Church, the conduit of natural sunlight are the roof windows that are built on the sides, instead of at the top.
There is a certain sense that the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church are a notch more elaborate than the St. Lawrence’s Church. Its sanctuary is adorned with significant architectural features, with domes and arches presenting a unity in the whole. The nave conveys an echo of holiness and solemnity that fills the space and the soul.
Photos: On the left, the nave of the St. Lawrence’s Church. On the right, the nave of the St. Joseph’s Church.
I was particularly drawn to the interior Solomonic columns that are distinctive in this church. They appear to be wooden and concrete structures. As the name suggests, this architectural feature is meant to resemble the columns of the Israelites’ Temple of Solomon (First Temple).
Finally, the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church houses quite a number of sacred relics, including books and documents, oil paintings, icons, liturgical vestments and vessels, together they are known to be the Treasure of Sacred Art of St. Josephe’s Seminary. It also houses the shoulder blade of St. Francis Xavier, who, although never visited Macau, was a key figure in the Catholic missions of the world and also a founder of the Jesuit Order.
While the St. Joseph’s Church is open to the public, the St. Joseph’s Seminary is not.
The Wikipedia on the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph%27s_Seminary_and_Church
Museum of Macau, The Treasure of Sacred Art of St. Joseph’s Seminary.
The Macao News, Behind the Relic: St Francis Xavier’s perilous mission to spread Catholicism across Asia.
The Wikipedia on Solomonic Column.
Open House Macau, Saint Joseph’s Seminary and Church.
A historic tour of Macau would not be complete without learning about the heritage of the Christian faith in this small city. Perhaps it is fortunate that with the ills of western colonialism also came the light of the Christian faith. Different catholic orders have …