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Written by Barry Symmons on November 16, 2007 at 22:11
Just a bit of background as to what it’s like here in Macau. For those not familiar it’s down to Hong Kong and right a bit. Previously owned by the Portuguese then handed back to the Chinese. It’s a mixture of Colonial Portuguese, Las Vegas, China and Monaco set in an oven. It’s where the Chinese all come to gamble, be it in casinos which would grace any Las Vegas tour guide, on horses there is a track right out side the window of our hotel, or on who will cross the street first = anything that moves they will gamble on. There is a Sands casino here which takes more in 1 week that its opposite number in Las Vegas does in 1 month!
Our day has started each morning at 5.00 am when we arise and go to the track. Fnal preparations are made and the tyre warmers are on at 6.30 am with practice at 7.30. am when the temperature is already 25 degrees and the humidity about 85%. After practice for us it's checking and of course and getting ready for the second practice of the day held at 4.30.pm. By now the temperature is 28 – 30.degres and the humidity up to around 90%. After 2nd practice on day 1 we had to change the engine in a concrete bunker with 3 other teams and most of Ireland passing through to the 2 water fridges. Knocking things over and generally getting in the way. (Grumpy old man syndrome)
There is no food in the pits, not that you would recognise or possibly risk eating. So it’s a long walk past a Disneyworld like area including a Roman coliseum, a smoking volcano which includes a section remarkably like the Giants Causeway ( without visitor centre), a Chinese fort and a Buddhist temple = all attractions built in the last 2 years.
As there was only 1 practice yesterday we finished at about 12.30 went to a café for lunch, first of the week and then, to a man, all went to bed. There is a 35 story casino just down the road from our hotel (which also has a casino), it’s called the Venetian, I took Cesare Fani and Matchi our two factory men from Varese there last night for a meal. Out side is a complete full size replica of St Marks Square with Bell tower, St Mark’s column, Gondolas, canals, bridge of Sighs the lot. Inside a never ending line of Slot machines, Roulette, Black jack and various other games of chance I as a simple lad have never seen before, as well as every Italian shop from Armani to one well photographed called Wanka fashions! The two Italians were obviously very homesick, the only adverse comment on the scene "There is no Dogshit on the (marble) streets like home"
There was a replica of one of the side canals in Venice about kilometre long where you could hire a gondola complete with singing gondolier for 180 HK$ It was an amazing sight every detail was there -even more amazing when you consider it was on the 3rd Floor!!
This was one of the only chances we will get to see any part of Macau as today is race day. 5.15 start today as morning warm up is not till 7.45. There are also several trolley Races (Cars) including the final round of the World Touring Car Championship, which is a bit like holding a car race on the Temple Circuit, as the track in some places is not wide enough for 2 cars side by side. Plus a lot of the teams flight cases did not arrive in time and they had to reschedule the practices.
That then is an insight as to what it’s like here at Macau. More later.
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