Vignettes of the World
Ask me if there is any kind of print that still widely circulates in Hong Kong, and I say it would be the horseracing newspapers, in Cantonese, literally “horseracing bibles,” which is the North Star for the loyal betters of the games. Party Time at …
Once you have drunk the water of Lilau Square, you would never be able to forget Macau. Throughout Macau, a main urban feature is the squares. Lying at every significant junction in the local neighborhoods are these squares that carves out a concentrated space, usually …
On this day I spent most of the day walking the heritage trail of UNESCO-designated historic Macau.
From the HZMB Macau Port, I arrived at Sei Kee Café, hoping to get the famous pork chop buns at the restaurant. However, I learned that this Sai Kee does not serve its famous pork chop buns. Instead, I ordered a beef and egg sando and it turned out to be fantastic.
Since 1965, Sei Kee has been making its famed clay pot coffee, brewed over open charcoal fire, to the satiation of Macau’s commoner palate. This coffee making technique continues to this day. The owner sets up the coffee making at 5am each morning. As the coffee ground swims within the swirling motions of a claypot brew, the slowness of the charcoal fire engenders a full infusion of the coffee’s flavor and pungency.
Sei Kee Café began as a simple shed on the streets of Macau. The current owners are the third-generation operators of the restaurant. Eventually, the business expanded. There are more shops, some as takeout only stands and some others having a proper dining space.
On this day I visited Sei Kee Café’s Nam Van shop. Besides its claypot brewed coffee, Sei Kee’s pork chop buns also top the charts for this distinctly Macau delicacy. However, at Nam Van Lake, the restaurant only serves the beef variation of the bun. It was, nonetheless, very delicious.
At this part of Nam Van Lake, the view of the Macau Tower lies afar by the waterfront. I became quite excited, as the steeping vibes of colonial history are well in sight at this part of Macau.
As I walked to the Riviera Hotel, I stopped occasionally to snap photos of the heritage buildings that I saw on the way.
The beginning point of my heritage walk is Our Lady of Penha Chapel at Colina de Penha. Also known as Penha Hill, Colina de Penha is the third highest elevation point in all of Macau at 62.7 meters above sea level. In Portuguese, Penha means “a cliff by the sea.” At this vantage point, the view of Nam Van Lake is open and beautiful.
Our Lady of Penha Chapel has an interesting history. Its first structure was established in 1622 by the Augustinian priests (although the Jesuits were traditionally the preeminent order that came to Portuguese Asia). The church originated from a crew of the ship São Bartholomeu, the sail of which was pursued by the Dutch when it was near Formosa, en route to Japan.
The crew decided that, if they were to make it back to Macau safely, they would certainly dedicate a church to the Virgin Mary. As such, it is the chapel of choice for the faithful seafaring followers, whose prayers were almost always about safe voyages.
At the time of 1622, having sensed that there would be impending aggression by the Dutch, the Macanese built a fortress here at Penha Hill. The fortress overlooked a strategic southern point of entry to Macau by sea. This fortress was built over by the later structures of the church.
The current structure standing at Colina de Penha is a building of 1935, when the building underwent reconstruction with the Bishop’s Residence. The Colina de Penha is therefore also known as Bishop Hill.
According to Patrimonio Cultural de Macau, “The built structure consists of a steeple, bell tower, a chapel in eclectic architectural style and the building of the former bishop’s residence.”
The Official Website of Sei Kee Café.
The Wikipedia on Penha Hill.
The Wikipedia on Pena Hill Fortress (Chin).
Patromonio Cultural de Macau on Chapel of Our Lady of Penha.
Descriptions on site at Penha Hill.
Since I would like to study the heritage of Macau, I figured that a good book on Macau’s history, which is probably not widely known, is in the order. I found an exceedingly pleasant book called A Macao Narrative by Austin Coates in the library. …
Since I would like to study the heritage of Macau, I figured that a good book on Macau’s history, which is probably not widely known, is in the order. I found an exceedingly pleasant book called A Macao Narrative by Austin Coates in the library. …
Since I would like to study the heritage of Macau, I figured that a good book on Macau’s history, which is probably not widely known, is in the order. I found an exceedingly pleasant book called A Macao Narrative by Austin Coates in the library. In the last, this and the next two entries, I summarize the key points that I took from his book as an overall introduction of Macau’s fascinating history.
The golden era of Macau would soon meet the challenge of both the British and the Dutch. The prelude to the rise of British and Dutch colonialism in Asia was the takeover of Portugal by the Spanish King Philip II. Soon after he took possession of Portugal, he banned all British presence in the Asian ports. Meanwhile, the unrest in Spanish Holland also resulted in Philip II closing all Portuguese and Spanish ports to Dutch presence.
In around the 1590s, the Dutch began its own exploration of colonial trade and settlement. In the matter of a few years, it managed to take over Java and established its footing in the Dutch East Indies. Like the Portuguese, the Dutch were eyeing the bounty of the Japanese trade route. It was only a matter of time that it would come upon Macau. The first Dutch fleet appeared in the Macau waters in 1601.
With the East India Company and the Netherlands East India Company established in 1601 and 1602 respectively, the British and the Dutch both entered the game of trade in Asia. Britain began its colonial presence in India. The Dutch, using their base in Java, developed an illicit trade route with Japan in the Island of Hirado, with Formosa (now Taiwan) as the sheltering point for Dutch vessels.
However, Formosa did not offer the massive supply of silk that the Japanese demanded in order for the Dutch to displace the Portuguese’s established position in the silk trade. The Dutch were only able to source their silk, in sporadic quantities, from the pirates in Formosa. Macau’s strategic importance in this trade, as it could source the silk from China, was clear as day.
There were some peaceful years after Truce of Antwerp of 1609, signed between Spain and the Netherlands. It applied also to Portuguese territories. However, Macau knew, after a few confrontations with the Dutch in the region, that they must fortify. Such actions caused misunderstanding with the Chinese authorities, as rumors started circulating that Portugal intended to invade the Chinese mainland and to take down the emperor. After this rumor was dispelled, it was determined that all Macau buildings must acquire a permit. Similarly, shipbuilding also required a license.
Eventually, the rise of the British and the Dutch as colonial powers in Asia would be the most significant cause for the decline of Portuguese influence in this part of the world.
Photo: The Bom Barto Fortress was probably the first fortress built in Macao, and it was in existence at the time of the Dutch invasion of Macau in 1622.
On June 23rd, 1622, a Dutch fleet headed by Cornelis van Rijersen approached the harbor of Macau. The resistance against the Dutch launched by the heroic Macanese goes down the books as the most unified act of defense in Macau’s history.
At the time, a lot of the foreigners in Macau were out in different parts of China and the Far East, and perhaps only about 1,000 European men were left to defend Macau. After a nightlong bombardment of Macau’s fort, the Dutch lost one ship.
The next morning, some of the men managed to approach the inland of Macau, which was not fortified. They soon met the fierce opposition from all men, from the slaves to the free, from the lay to the cleric — and the Jesuits quickly took their positions in the defensive seminary and launched their cannons, which, in “normal” circumstances, were meant as gifts to the Chinese emperor.
Two Jesuit missionaries were particularly critical in the Battle of Macau. Father Schall was himself the author of Huogong Qieyao (All Essential Matters of Firearms), the Ming dynasty ammunition playbook that the missionaries helped write to educate the imperial court. Fathers Rho and Schall certainly put their knowledge into practice in the Battle of Macau.
The Jesuits had few men or guns (just three guns) to fire those cannons, but as the Dutch forces approached the lower slope of the Monte, Father Rho fired a decisive shot. It having hit the Dutch powder magazine, the Dutch artillery blew up in an explosion. The Dutch were short on ammunition then, but they had planned on securing themselves between the hills of the Monte and the Guia. They had not known that there were simply not enough men to defend the city.
A sudden reinforcement of men arrived from the outer harbor forts. They made the battle cry of “St Iago!” and the whole city submerged in the roar of victory before it was won. The influx of Macanese forces engaged the Dutch in hand-to-hand battle. The Dutch were rightly confused as they had not known how strong the Macanese forces were. As the Dutch commander soon fell, the Dutch forces retreated messily back to their vessels. This was the moment where all engaged themselves in the battle by slaying the enemy. An African slave woman dressed as a man even killed two Dutchmen.
The slaves that engaged in this decisive battle were liberated as a result. Canton was pleased to hear about this heroic victory as well.
Finally, the Dutch launched its very last attack in 1627, but it was thwarted by the Portuguese naval forced led by local Portuguese Tomas Vieira. With this final defeat, the Dutch could only conduct its silk trade with the pirates off of Formosa.
But that was not to say that the Dutch had lost its influence in this part of the world. The truth was far from that. Without any reservation to exercise military power in its trade, the Dutch laid a stronghold in the Dutch Indies, and managed to control the waters around Singapore. This had the effect of making the route between Macau and Malacca very dangerous for the Portuguese. Without this particular leg of the journey, Macau’s own Japan trade came to a dwindle. “Malacca–Macao–Nagasaki… one of the most remarkable trading epochs in history. But the loss of just one if these cities, and the commercial existence of the other two would be fatally threatened.” ～Austin Coates at 72.
Austin Coates, A Macao Narrative (1978, 2009).
CUHK Library: Adam Schall and the Battle of Macau (1622 Attack by the Dutch).
Since I would like to study the heritage of Macau, I figured that a good book on Macau’s history, which is probably not widely known, is in the order. I found an exceedingly pleasant book called A Macao Narrative by Austin Coates in the library. …
Here comes the dog days of the summer and the thought of having to walk from sea level up to the mid-levels’ altitude for the Museum of Medical Sciences was daunting enough. So, instead, I opted to walk from Central MTR station, via the escalators, …
The series on Macau is long overdue. I visited Macau during the October 1st golden week, traditionally a week-long holiday in China. I was thus fortunate that I saw the National Day fireworks during this trip.
I have been to Macau many times before, but most Hong Kong people go there for the wonderful Macanese cuisine, or otherwise a round of good luck at the gambling tables. On this trip, I was determined to focus on the heritage and history aspects of Macau. It was truly eye opening to see that a place known for its swanky gambling establishments has so much to offer in its history, its past of Portuguese colonialism breathing through its cityscape.
There was a time when the jetboats were the only way to reach Macau from Hong Kong. Since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), traveling to Macau by land transportation became the norm. I boarded the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao shuttle bus at the HZMB Hong Kong Port.
However, not all airport buses arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport stop by the HZMB Hong Kong Port. The best thing to do is to ask the driver if a given airport bus takes you to the HZMB Hong Kong Port. If it does not, then get off at the Terminal 1 stop and wait for the next bus that will take you just one stop away and arrive at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. Adult tickets for the shuttle bus costs $65 (in both HKD and MOP, if you take the same bus back from Macau).
On my first time travelling by bus to Macau, there was quite a bit of learning to do. After arriving at the HZMB Port in Macau, I had no idea how to proceed in order to get into town. I decided to take a taxi, and that would be the only time I took taxis in Macau, for that was incredibly expensive. It cost HK $100 to get into the Macau Peninsula. Therefore, I suggest readers to take the bus (surely, it takes a lot longer) to get into the touristy areas of Macau, both in the Macau Peninsula (101x) and Taipa (Route 103x).
Hong Kong people with a permanent Hong Kong ID card are not required to apply for a VISA to enter Macau. It is also VISA exempt for passport holders of many western countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EU for differing periods of time for a maximum stay. Be sure to check the status of VISA requirement before your visit.
At the immigration checkpoint, there are some electronic booths for HK ID card holders, but unless you have previously equipped your card for electronic access, you must go through the manned booths.
Macau accepts Hong Kong currency on a 1:1 basis. The HKD is typically more expensive than the MOP, but perhaps the convenience is worth the exchange rate difference. Do note that, for cash transactions, they feel free to return you the change in MOP. Otherwise, Alipay and WeChat pay are accepted by some merchants, but be prepared for cash-only venues.
I highly recommend tourists to take full advantage of the buses in Macau. For finding your way, Google Map or Gaode Map are both good apps to use in Macau. They will tell you which buses will take you, point to point. The usual fare for Macau buses are 6 MOP per trip. Concession fares are only available for residents of Macau.
For this trip, I planned on only seeing the historic sites of the Macau peninsula within a two-day, one-night trip. If you are to visit Taipa and Coloane, perhaps another extra day is necessary.
There is a well-trod heritage route easily available online. From my starting point of Our Lady of Penha Chapel at the Colina de Penha, I began a general descent through the quaint, clean and cute urban neighborhoods of Macau. My first day of touring ended at the very touristy and crowded Largo de Senado.
From the difficult-to-pronounce Portuguese street names to the typical scenes of local life, I soaked in all the goodness that old Macau offers. I have seen innumerable churches, and felt incredibly blessed by the spiritual dimension of the experience.
The rich heritage that populate the Historic Centre of Macau is recognized by the UNESCO.
I do not like to stay at the bling bling casino hotels. They tend to be expensive and there is no point for me to stay at those places because I never gamble. I wanted something with a cultural bent, and settled on Riviera Hotel, which stands close to a few key historic sites. In fact, it is actually just a stone’s throw away from the Macau Governor’s House （Palacete de Santa Sancha）. This is a quiet and upscale neighborhood, and the pleasant surprise was that I could watch the National Day fireworks at the deck of the hotel. The room was clean and spacious as well, although it really does show some fatigue from its age.
As compared to the western shore of Nanao, the eastern segment comes with significantly less choices when it concerns food. We had meals both in the eastern and the western shores, and here’s a list of food recommendations. The order does not reflect a ranking. …