2008 comes to an end ...

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Christmas day may end, but Christmas kicks on as long as there are Christmas trees and a sideboard full of Christmas cards reminding you of family and friends. And of course there's all the food and wine that must not go to waste.

And so with wider girths, Simone, Georgia, Joggy and I boarded a ferry for Macau, to spend four days relaxing at the Westin resort before the serious business of New Year's Eve. Macau has entertainment beyond gaming, and the theatre begins the moment you dock. People literally run off the boat to the immigration counters. Having seen this repeatedly in Macau, and not anywhere else, we concluded that some gamblers are just anxious to get to the tables and start winning money. Their fevered look of anticipation is generally a stark contrast to the glum and anxious looks that surround the gaming tables.

We spent a few hours at the Venetian - a good example of expensive and expansive bad taste dedicated to the project of encouraging people to hand across whatever they have earned through hard work or embezzlement. I shouldn't be too critical. The exterior of the building has a facade reminiscent of Venice, and the water course, although not evocative of Venice, at least makes a pleasant sight. Inside there's a generous use of luxurious materials like marble and fine timbers, and even Murano glass. But it would be a mistake to think that the scene rises above theme park level. The pastiche of building facades, the Grand Canal that is more reminiscent of clean and large indoor pool, and the painted on sky, are there to be enjoyed for what they are, rather than what they pretend to be. As a spectacle, it is fun to see, and entertaining to stroll around. One of the highlights was a beautiful Christmas tree about 30 feet high and covered in colourful decorations. Simone and Georgia, and then Joggy and Georgia, looked fantastically Christmassy standing in front of it.

The Westin is a world away from Macau's casinos. It has large rooms with terracotta tiled terraces overlooking the sea; quiet beaches and pleasant pools; gardens and sporting facilities. It was a nice home for four days. Georgia and Joggy had the adjoining room, and breakfasts were happy feasts where plans were made for the day's adventures. One of those plans took us to Coloane, a delightful town of historic buildings and squares, good places to eat and quiet churches. There were many tourists, including us, but it didn't seem touristy. It retained the relaxed and slightly sleepy feel of a port town that had once, but no longer, thrived on sea-borne commerce.

Four days in Macau seemed about enough, and so we returned to Hong Kong. By now, Hong Kong has the pleasant feeling of home. The city skyline is lovely and familiar, and there's comfort in understanding a place as only those who live there can.

As 2008 drew to a close, Simone and I celebrated at a black tie reception at the noon day gun. There's a delightful history to the gun, which is actually a cannon that Jardines (a firm that is part of Hong Kong's history) has fired each day at noon since the 1860s, with the only other time it is fired being at midnight on New Year's Eve. It was quite a party, and after the firing of the gun, we went by junk to Central, and a party at the penthouse of Jardine House, one of the buildings on the harbour's edge. From the roof terrace the view of Hong Kong was spectacular (but inadequately captured on my phone's camera). With a few friends and a cast of unfamiliar but seemingly interesting people, we toasted in the New Year, and drank to the health of family and friends.

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Photos

I want to believe ...
Georgia and Christmas

The beach in winter
A happy contrast to Canberra!

The breakfast conference
The big three plan the day's assault on Macau.