My Visual Travel Experience: Macau

Having visited Las Vegas many years ago and having enjoyed my visit for all the glitz and glamour the city had to offer, I was keen on visiting Macau, the Asian version of Vegas. So when I was in Hong Kong a few years later, I went to Macau for a day - it's only an hour's ferry ride away. It sure did remind me of Vegas, with near identical hotels including The Venetian, The Wynn and The MGM, but I was also impressed with the absolutely charming Portugese old town. Macau was a Portugese colony till 1999 and it subsequently became an autonomous region within China. My sister in law and her family subsequently moved to Macau. We went to visit them in 2015, and that's when I really got to explore the town thoroughly because I had the luxury of time (I was there for over 10 days) and I had useful insights and tips from a local resident! Subsequently, I've spent close to 10 days there in 2016, then again in 2017, and then in 2018/2019, so I feel like I know the place rather well.

There is this impression people carry that Macau is just about casinos and gambling at its many fancy hotels. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it offers so much more, and has become a family holiday destination. There are of course the casinos and the huge business they churn out (Macau has one of the world's highest per capita incomes, standing at about USD 65,000). Over and above the hotels, there are churches, town squares, a fortress, and many family entertainment options. Having a population of around 600,000, it is a small enough town to explore easily enough, and the good public transport by way of an extensive bus network made things a breeze for me as a visitor.

Like most tourists, one of my first stops was at Senado Square, at the heart of the old Portugese town. It is a paved, pedestrian square, full of shops, restaurants and cafes. During festivals like Christmas and the Chinese New Year, the square is decorated beautifully. Main landmarks in Macau like the Ruins of St Paul’s, St Dominic's Church and the Cathedral lie within walking distance of Senado Square. The buzz around the square made this my favourite part of Macau, great for sight seeing, people watching, eating out or just hanging around with friends.

Senado Square

St Dominic's Church

High Altar, St Dominic's Church

Statue of the Virgin Mary, St Dominic's Church

Post Office, Senado Square

St Paul’s was a 16th century Portugese church. It was built by Jesuit priests. At one time, it was one of the largest churches in Asia. In 1835, there was a typhoon that led to a fire which engulfed the church and destroyed most of it. Today, the Ruins of St Paul’s are among the best known landmarks of Macau, and little else stands other than the church’s front façade. For me, it was an eerie reminder of what happened all those years ago!

Ruins of St Paul's

The Fortaleza de Macau is a fortress up on a hill rising above the Ruins of St Paul’s. The fortress was completed in the 17th century to protect the properties of the Jesuits, but it was later taken over and used for the defence of Macau. The Museum of Macau is part of the fortress and was built in the 1990s. The nicely landscaped top of the fortress offers splendid views of Macau.

Fortaleza de Macau

Guia Fortress is a 17th century fortress that also has a lighthouse and a chapel. The fortress was built by the Portugese after an unsuccessful attempt by the Netherlands to take over Macau. Guia Hill is the highest point in Macau, and on clear days, the lighthouse (completed in 1865) is visible from miles away. After my visit, I realized I had to work on my fitness levels - there is a fair bit of climbing to do in order to get to the top of the hill! I also had a bit of a fall during my descent, as it was a rainy, slippery day!

Guia Hill

A-Ma Temple was built in the 15th century AD and is dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu.

A-Ma Temple

The Theatre Dom Pedro V dates back to 1858 and was the first western style theatre in the east. Situated on a hill close to Senado Square, the theatre still hosts plays and performances.

Theatre Dom Pedro V

Interior, Theatre Dom Pedro V

St Augustine's Church lies opposite Theatre Dom Pedro V. It dates back to the 16th century AD and was built by the Spanish.

St Augustine's Church

Crucifixion, St Augustine's Church

My sister in law's husband is in the hotel line in Macau, and his advice was that I should explore the hotels, which competed with one another in terms of sheer opulence. I managed to cover most of them.

The Venetian Macau is modelled along the lines of The Venetian Las Vegas. The hotel was opened in 2007 and lies along Cotai Strip in Taipa. It is huge, and has close to 3,000 suites spread over 39 stories, a large casino, a huge shopping area with stores built around canals with typical Venetian gondolas, and a large arena for sports and entertainment. The hotel has several well known restaurants, including Golden Peacock, one of the few Indian Michelin Star restaurants. The hotel features replicas of some of Venice's best known places, including St Mark's, the Dogge's Palace and the Rialto Bridge. Having been to Venice, I can say from personal experience that they've done a great job of recreating the Venetian experience!

St Mark's Campanile, The Venetian Macau

Dome Interior, The Venetian Macau

Rialto Bridge, The Venetian Macau

Gondola inside The Venetian Macau

The Lisboa Hotel was built in 1970 by Stanley Ho, and it was one of the first luxury casino hotels in Macau. The more recent Grand Lisboa stands right next to the original hotel - it is 261 meters tall and towers above most things in Macau. The hotel's lobby is full of works of art and other interesting objects including the Star of Stanley Ho, one of the world’s largest diamonds.

Lisboa Hotel

Grand Lisboa

The Wynn Macau opened in 2006. I found this to be the most opulent of Macau's hotels. The huge hotel has a large casino, several fine dining restaurants, a dancing fountain and a shopping arcade with high end luxury stores like Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton, to mention a few. The hotel is built along the lines of the original Wynn in Las Vegas. There is an impressive fountain outside the hotel, and at regular intervals, one can enjoy the dancing fountain, moving beautifully to choreographed music. I found myself going more than once for this splendid outdoor show. Reminded me of the Bellagio fountain at Las Vegas.

The Wynn Macau

The MGM Macau opened in 2007. The hotel has a large casino, a big bronze lion outside, imitations of  sculptures by Salvador Dali, and a large central hall with a big aquarium. The original MGM Hotel is in Las Vegas. The lion theme crops up repeatedly inside the hotel, as there are many lion motifs and sculptures. The original in Vegas goes one step above - I was amazed to see live lions (that one can get photographed with) inside the hotel.

The MGM Macau

There's The Galaxy Macau, with its impressive fountain in the Diamond Lobby, and long line of shops and restaurants.

The Galaxy Macau

Diamond Lobby at The Galaxy Macau

City Of Dreams boasts of the stupendous Dancing Waters show, Soho (a restaurant and entertainment complex), and Michelin Star restaurants like The Tasting Room and The Jade Dragon. The Dancing Waters show has been running continuously for years, and it features some amazing acrobatics in water. If you're in the front few rows (luckily, I wasn't), be prepared to get wet! The show's a bit expensive, but it's worth it - kids will love it too.

Jade Dragon restaurant at City of Dreams

House of Dancing Water, City of Dreams

Morpheus opened in 2018 and is part of City of Dreams. The hotel is very new age in its appearance. It boasts of the Michelin Star restaurant Alain Ducasse, and the Michelin recommended Voyages.

Lobby, Morpheus

Studio City opened lies along Cotai Strip and opened in 2015. It features an art deco design. The hotel has the Golden Reel, which is a ferris wheel shaped like a figure of eight. Besides its numerous fine dining restaurants and high end shops, the hotel has numerous attractions for children.

Studio City

Wynn Palace opened in 2016. The hotel has a large lake in front of it. Visitors can enter the hotel by cable car, which goes around the lake. The North Lobby has a constantly changing floral display, that is really quite a treat to the senses. When I visited, there was a rotating windmill display.

Wynn Palace

North Lobby of Wynn Palace

The Parisian Macau opened in 2016. The hotel lies close to The Venetian along the Cotai Strip. Besides the casino, the shops and the restaurants, the hotel has recreations of several of Paris' best known landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower (the replica is over 500 feet tall and a lift takes visitors to the top), the Opera Garnier, the fountains of Place de la Concorde (in the hotel's lobby), Place Vendome and Moulin Rouge.

Eiffel Tower at The Parisian Macau

The lobby of The Parisian Macau

Print of David's The Crowning of Napoleon, The Parisian Macau

Place Vendome, The Parisian Macau

Macau Tower stands at a height of 338 meters. It has an observation deck, restaurants, shops and an entertainment centre. It is also famous for it adventurous activities like bungee jumping. Macau Tower was completed in 2001 by the casino billionaire Stanley Ho and was inspired by Auckland’s Sky Tower. My visit to the tower wasn't a very satisfactory one because it was rainy and cloudy day, but on clear days, I believe the view is fabulous.

Macau Tower

The Grand Prix Museum features several actual cars and motorcycles that were victorious in the Macau Grand Prix across many years. Some of these vehicles were driven by legends of the sport like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schuhmacher. The Macau Grand Prix was first held in 1954 and is an annual event held every November. It unique in the sense that both car and motorcycle races are a part of it. Right beside this museum is the Wine Museum, where I learned a fair bit about wine making. I also got to taste several different types of wines, from different regions of Portugal. Exotic wines are also on sale there.

Michel Schuhmacher's car at the Grand Prix Museum

Another worthwhile visit in Macau is the Taipa Houses Museum, which lies in the quaint Taipa Village. At this museum, one can see a series of old Macanese houses, displaying artefacts, Portugese costumes and interiors of typical homes. This gave me a proper peep into Macanese culture. Taipa Village is a great place for souvenir shopping and eating.

Costumes on display at Taipa Houses Museum

Macanese House, Taipa Houses Museum

Fernando's is a very popular Portugese restaurant, close to the beach in Coloane, in the southernmost part of Macau. The restaurant serves ethnic Portugese food. Along the restaurant's walls, there are currency notes from all over the world, showing the nationalities of the customers who have visited.

Charcoal Grilled Chicken at Fenando's

Fisherman's Wharf is a waterfront area near the Macau Ferry Terminal, which has restaurants, retail outlets and a convention centre. It also has a Roman Amphitheatre that can accommodate 2,000 people for concerts and other performances.

Roman Amphitheatre at Fisherman's Wharf

So all in all, I had a great time exploring this interesting town, which is a beautiful blend of Portugese and Chinese culture, with a strong flavor of Las Vegas thrown in. I recommend it for gamblers, history buffs, shoppers, foodies and even families with kids!

Me with my wife and baby at the Ruins of St Paul's in 2015

The Corporate Sector vs Running My Own Business

Having done my MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, I spent 15 years in the corporate sector. My first 10 years were in Britannia, from 1996 to 2006. I spent a year in Delhi as a Sales Management Trainee, then I was in Chennai for 2 years as an Area Sales Manager (first handling Chennai, then handling Karnataka). Next up was a 3 year Marketing stint in Bangalore as a Product Manager. My last 4 years in Britannia were spent back in Delhi, as a Regional Sales Manager. I quite enjoyed my Britannia stint (of course, there were ups and downs) and the reason I left was that I was moving back to Bangalore as a Marketing Manager, and I saw no chance of returning to Delhi as long as I was in Britannia, and my parents and extended family were in Delhi. I wanted to be in the same city as my family and this triggered off my move to Nokia. I spent 5 years in the corporate office in Gurgaon, handing various roles in Marketing, as a Product Marketing Manager, as the Head of Marketing Planning, as a Program Manager and as a Category Manager.

Years before I took the plunge and decided to set up my own venture, I had an idea for a venture, which married my greatest passion with my career. For years, I had been an avid traveler, and every year, I would take 2 or 3 weeks off and travel around the world, often to the great consternation of my bosses! One of the things I enjoyed doing, in addition to exploring places in detail and taking photographs, was collecting souvenirs from different places. I often wondered why good quality souvenirs weren't available in India, and that was the idea for my venture. So there was this idea that was pulling me, but it wasn't easy to chuck up a corporate salary and take the plunge. Then there was a push factor following some differences at work, and between the pull and push forces, I decided it was time to take the big step.

Now it is close to 5 years since I said goodbye to the corporate sector. I sometimes do think about returning to the corporate sector, but I haven't done anything about going back to it. Let's look at my thoughts about the corporate sector versus running my venture.

The Corporate Sector - the good things that I miss
- The salary. It's not easy earning like one did in the corporate sector.
- A feeling of belonging to a larger family. At both organizations where I worked, there was this feeling of belonging to a larger family. I made good friendships among my colleagues. There was this sense of pride being attached to a big established brand, and there was that respect that one drew from that.
- The friendships I developed. Though I certainly have more time on my hands now, I end up spending less time with friends. I guess it's largely due to close friendships I had developed in the workplace, and the ease with which one could take "coffee breaks" at work and catch up with friends.
- The learnings. Working in large organizations came with a lot of learnings, whether it was from structures training programs, or from very able seniors and peers. That's something one doesn't get on one's own.
- The lifestyle. Yes, I do miss the jet setting lifestyle, the perks, the complimentary invitations to big events, the regular stay at five star hotels.

The Corporate Sector - the not so good things that I don't miss
- Difficult bosses. I have had my share of those. Some ill tempered, some workaholics, some unreasonable. Some very competent, but just not at the same wavelength as me.
- The lack of work-life balance. I've had extended periods of working late nights, and weekends, and barely getting time to myself, or with my family or friends or interests.
- The feeling of not being adequately empowered. I found myself being inadequately empowered to take decisions and implement them. There were always approvals to be sought, buy-ins to be obtained.

My Own Business - the good things
- Good work-life balance. How much time I devote to work and to my personal life are largely up to me. My interests, which had taken a bit of  back-seat, are integral to my life again now (my travels, my photography, watching movies, eating out, my interests in following tennis / chess / other sports / the music charts). I have also managed to spend more time with family than I was able to earlier. That's important specially now because I have a young son and I can get to be an integral part of his growing up years. I have also been able to spend more time with my parents and sisters now, even though I was living with them when I was in the corporate sector, and now I have been living separately ever since I got married (my marriage roughly coincided with my leaving the corporate sector).
- Freedom to take decisions that impact business. There is a sense of empowerment that wasn't there earlier. Decisions may be guided by financial constraints, but not by a series of approvals to be obtained.
- Not being answerable to anyone else but myself. Sometimes it is good to be answerable to a boss, but I am the kind of person who likes to be answerable to myself. I don't like every move of mine to be observed and analysed to see how improvements can be brought about. I like to do things my way, at my pace, even if it's not the most effective way!
- The sky is the limit, at least in theory. I am very far from being anywhere near that stage. However, at least in theory, the sky is the limit in terms of rewards one can generate by striking big deals, exploring unchartered avenues. Rewards aren't limited to salaries and possible bonuses.
- Working in a space that is an area of interest. My work is in a space that is linked to my biggest passion - travel. Work involves a bit of travel, plus a lot of photography and catering to international travelers. When work is in one's area of interest, it really doesn't feel like work!

My Own Business - the not so good things
- Financial struggles. There are good months and then there are the not so good months. The nature of my work is very seasonal, as it is linked to the inflow of foreign tourists into India. In lean summer months, business struggles and then one really misses the fixed monthly corporate salary!
- No large brand as a "big brother". When I go for a meeting, I am not going as a representative of a large brand, so doors don't open so easily, whether it is clients or vendors or other business partners.
- Being everything from the CEO to the delivery boy. While this is a plus in many ways, as it gives one a lot of cross functional work exposure, it also means one has to do things that one doesn't necessarily enjoy doing or things at which one isn't very adept. Luckily, my wife is involved in the business with me, and though we have our share of work squabbles because of very different approaches, we also have complimentary skill sets.

So there is no black and white answer, as each of the two phases in my life has had its share of rewards and challenges. But in all likelihood, I see myself continuing with my venture. It's hard to get back to a corporate life after several years on one's own. Yes, I really miss the steady source of income and I now have a family to support (which wasn't the case when I was in the corporate sector), but the sense of freedom, the feeling of empowerment, the work-life balance, the time spent with family, and the joy of not being answerable to a boss (unreasonable or otherwise) are big pluses for me.

My Visual Travel Experience: Ljubljana

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, has a population of approximately 280,000. Slovenia was a part of the erstwhile Yugoslavia but declared independence in 1991. Since 1991, the country has done well economically and has become a popular tourist destination. Ljubljana is a pretty little town that offers quite a bit to a visitor, and it also has several attractions nearby that one can easily manage in a day's trip. Modern Ljubljana owes a lot of its planning to the famous Slovenian architect, Plecnik.

Ljubljana Castle was built in the 11th century AD. Under Austrian rule, it became the property of the Habsburgs. During the years that followed, it has been a military headquarter, a refuge for the poor and a prison. Perched up on a hill rising from the town centre, the castle offers a splendid view of Ljubljana. The castle has a clock tower and the beautiful Chapel of St George, with its many coats of arms painted on the walls. The castle's courtyard has a nice outdoor restaurant serving ethnic Slovenian food.

Ljubljana Castle

St George Chapel, Ljubljana Castle

Chapel, Ljubljana Castle

Academy Philharmonica with Ljubljana Castle
in the Background

The St Nicholas Cathedral dates back to 1707. It is a wonderful example of Baroque architecture, and has a beautiful, rich interior. The cathedral’s bronze doors were built for the 1996 visit by Pope John Paul II - one panel shows Pope John Paul II looking in from a window. 

St Nicholas Cathedral

Bronze door of St Nicholas Cathedral

Pieta, St Nicholas Cathedral

The Franciscan Church, with its pink coloured façade, lies next to the statue of Preseren, the well known  Slovenian poet. Preseren is a national hero, and the sculpture dedicated to him has the poet with a book, and behind him is a muse.

Preseren Statue

Franciscan Church

Ceiling, Franciscan Church

High Altar, Franciscan Church

View of Franciscan Church from Ljubljana Castle

The Holy Trinity Church is one of Ljubljana’s better known churches. It is a baroque church, completed in 1726. The bell tower was destroyed in an earthquake in 1895, but was re-constructed shortly afterwards. The church has a medieval Gothic Pieta statue.

Holy Trinity Church

High Altar, Holy Trinity Church

The Town Hall dates back to 1719, and has a distinctive clocktower. It lies in the heart of the town.

Town Hall

Next to the Town Hall lies the Fountain of Three Rivers of Carniola, completed in 1751. It was made by Francesco Robba and  is dedicated to the three main rivers of Slovenia. The original piece now lies in the National Gallery, but there is a replica outside the Town Hall.

Fountain of Three Rivers of Carniola

A little outside the town, Postojna Caves have over 20 km of underground chambers and tunnels,  full of stalagmites and stalactites, formed over a period of 3 million years by seeping water from the Pivka River. A train takes visitors into the centre of the caves, where visitors can then go on guided walking tours. The caves were opened to visitors in 1819, with Francis I of the Habsburg Empire as the guest of honour.

Postojna Caves

Situated close to Postojna Caves, Predjama Castle is on a hillside near the mouth of a cave.  The origins of the castle can be traced back to the 13th century AD.  The castle has rooms with interesting furnishings and weaponry. There’s also a little chapel inside with a Gothic Pieta from 1420. During my visit there, I was told by the ticket attendant that I was probably the first tourist from India to have visited. Well, I can strongly recommend to my fellow country-men that the castle is certainly worth a visit!

Predjama Castle

Court Room, Predjama Castle

Knights Hall, Predjama Castle

So with its various castles, churches and museums, as well as its charming town centre, Ljubljana is a lovely place and is highly recommended.

My Visual Travel Experience: Salzburg

Salzburg, a stunningly beautiful town in Austria near the border with Germany, is a town having a population of ~ 150,000. It certainly ranks amongst my favourite towns anywhere in the world. Salzburg is less than 3 hours by train or road from the Austrian capital, Vienna, and I recommend a visit of atleast 2 days to walk around and explore the town's sights, take in a classical music performance, and go on the Sound of Music tour. 

View of the Dom from Hohensalzburg

The city’s main attractions include the Dom (the large baroque cathedral), the Hohen Salzburg (the medieval castle rising above the town atop a hillock, and the spot from where the town's powerful archbishops used to rule), the Mirabell Palace (with its beautiful gardens adorned with marble sculptures and floral decorations), and the Mozarts Geburtshaus (the birth-place of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous composer who lived from 1756 to 1791 and is the town’s most famous son). 

Mirabell Palace

Neptune Fountain

St George's Church at Hohensalzburg

Salzburg is a major cultural centre, and plays host to the annual Salzburger Festspiele, an opera and theatre festival, which began in 1920 and became an annual event.

 

The town was popularized by the 1964 film, the Sound Of Music, which brought out the beauty of the town and its surroundings. Even today, there is a Sound Of Music tour, which takes the visitor to many of the venues where the movie was shot, including places in Austria’s lake district, like Mondsee, just outside the town. Highlights of the tour include Michelskirche, where Maria and Captain Von Trapp got married, and the Leopoldskron Castle, where the famous boating scene took place.

Sound of Music Bus Tour

Michelskirche at Mondsee

High Altar at Michelskirche, Mondsee

Interior of Michelskirche, Mondsee

Marktplatz at Mondsee

Rathaus, the Town Hall, at Mondsee

Leopoldskron Castle

The Dom (Salzburg Cathedral) stands out because of its large dome and two bell towers. It dates back to 1628. The front façade has sculptures of the cathedral’s patron saints Rupert and Virgil, as well as the Saints Peter and Paul.  The nave of the cathedral can accommodate 10,000 people at a time, which was more than the population of Salzburg when the cathedral was built!

Dom

Interior of the Dom

The thousand year old Hohensalzburg castle is perched up on a hill rising above the town and connected to it through a funicular system. This is from where the Archbishops ruled over the town for centuries. The castle was expanded over the centuries, and is one of Europe’s best preserved medieval castles. The complex has a medieval armoury, a Puppet Museum and the small but pretty St George Church.

View from Mirabell Palace of the Dom and Hohensalzburg

Salzburg’s main pedestrian street is Getreidegasse, full of shops and cafes, as well as confectionery shops selling the famous Mozartkugeln chocolates. All shop signages are beautifully decorated. Mozartsgeburtshaus, the house where Wolfganag Amadeus Mozart was born, lies on the street and has paintings of Mozart and his family members, musical instruments used by Mozart, and even a tuft of his hair! The small Blasiuskirche is at one end of the street.

Getreidegasse

Shop signage, Getreidegasse

The Stift St Peter is a Benedictine abbey dating back to the 7th century AD and it was founded by St Rupert, though the present church dates back to the 13th century. There was, however, a lot of work that went into remodeling the abbey in the 17th and 18th centuries. The cemetery behind the abbey is the oldest cemetery in Salzburg. This is where some well known residents of the town were buried, including Nanerl (Mozart’s sister) and Johann Michael Haydn (the brother of composer Joseph Haydn).

Stift St Peter

Graveyard, Stift St Peter

Interior, Stift St Peter

The Mirabell Palace boasts of a beautiful garden, full of flowers, fountains and sculptures. There is also a museum of baroque art. From the gardens, one gets a spectacular view of the town’s main sights, including the Hohensalzburg and the Dom. The garden has a fountain with a Pegasus Statue.

Pegasus Statue at Mirabell Palace

So for me personally, Salzburg offers a lot. It's not just the sights mentioned above, but also great music (it's almost as if Mozart comes alive there, with the town centre famous for its street performances), great food (Salzburg has a branch of Vienna's famous Sacher Hotel, famous for its Sacher Torte, the famous Austrian chocolate cake), and a spectacular surrounding area with its hills and lakes.