June 20th, 2007 pkuan
Telltale Signs of a Casino on the Rise…
Our most popular blog posts have irrefutably been those on Melco’s Crown Macau (MPEL). The interest came from not only the general public, but also a few financial forums… Yahoo and MSN come to mind. Anyway, given your keen interest in this topic, I feel compelled to keep you abreast of happenings and give you, when I can, the bird’s-eye-view from a Macau vantage point. Here it is…
As you may have read elsewhere, Crown Macau is located on Taipa Island. Macau is tiny, but some say the short trip across the Pearl is a billion dollar gap. Well, perhaps it’s not that large, both figuratively and literally… Allow me to 开门见山 for you putonghua-ists…
The Crown Macau has a bus that shuttles punters from central Macau (right in front of the Hotel Sintra and Fortuna Japanese Restaurant, which is a hop, skip, and a jump from Grand Lisboa) to Crown Macau. Well, I’ve walked past this bus everyday for the last month+. And… the bus has been empty. The poor sweetheart waiting to greet customers seemed so lonesome. I wanted to jump in the bus, head across the strait, and throw a few tokens into the heart of the beast, just to give her some sense of purpose. Well dear friends, times have changed. The past week, the shuttle bus has not only had people, but also a queue! I’ll say it again for the flabbergasted… A Queue! And today, on my way to the office, the bus was chockablock jammed with punters, eager as beavers. I’ll make a trip out that way in the coming week and give y’all the 411 on whether there’s a noticeable difference on the floor.
April 18th, 2007 pkuan
Last night I paid a visit to Grand Lisboa’s newest show: Rockza. After listening to a week of water cooler banter – “coiffure” this, “feathered-fan” that - it was time I saw Rockza for myself. I dragged our Product Development manager along, as well as two resident bachelors, and paraded the few blocks from the office for the 19:30 showing (there are 6 shows a day). We were graciously hosted by the executive producer and given VIP seats in front of the stage, thereafter falling hopelessly in love every five minutes for the next hour. See for yourself…
(Ms. Hayama Saki, if you read this, it would be my great pleasure to invite you out for dinner.)
Frankly, I was uncertain as to what sort of show to expect. Having been reared on the rather unrefined and tawdry peakaboo performances of the Wild Duck Inn and Marble Arch, whose origins are firmly ensconced in the Wild West saloons of a colonial continent, I was unprepared for the highly artistic erotique display that ensued.
If you’re looking for porn, poles, and ping pong balls then you’ll have to head to Pattaya. If you’re not, rest assured your view won’t be blocked by some ogling punter bellowing, “Oi, get yer kit off, love!” Rockza is a playful show that delightfully celebrates the female form in all of its glory – uncensored and in plain view. The dancers are highly-skilled and stunningly beautiful. The stage and theater are intimate and specially-designed for this show. Finally, in addition to being wildly sensual, as a Westerner, the accompanying music and videos are a crazy cultural excursion into exotic Asian erotica. It’s not like home and so it shouldn’t be. Unless you’re an ultra-conservative or under the tender age of 18, Rockza is a must-see event if you’re coming to Macau. It’s a great beginning to the permanent shows that are in the works for hotels and casinos across Macau. Full stop.
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