Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Feelin' Like I'm on the Outside... Inside!!!

There is nothing like the outdoors... pinching a tent in a sand, cooking your food on a fire that you made and just embracing the warmth (and coolness) of nature. But I must admit, sometimes, you keep looking for that extra somethin'. Somethin' that will make you go WOW, somethin' that will make you marvel at the ingenuity of man. The second floor of the Venetian Hotel in Macau offered just that.

Venetian Macau is a hotel and casino resort but I did not go there to gamble but just to see the Renaissance Venice themed architectural designs of the hotel interiors.

The casino is on the first floor, you need to go to the second floor to see this awesome place. The ceiling is designed and lighted in a way that resembles the sky. So you will really have the feeling that you are outdoors. The ceiling is complete with replica of clouds and lighting are strategically placed at the corners to really lit up the ceiling.

The whole floor is a complete theme park complete with a gondola and water canal (San Luca) where boatman will treat you for a ride while belting 'O Sole Mio'.

The lower part of buildings there serve as stalls for high-end designer brands (read: expensive) while the upper portion were made really to delight and amuse the crowd-shoppers-tourists with its grand architecture - a replica of the water-city of Venice, Italy. And here is a fun fact: If you spend just 5 minutes in each of the 350 Grand Canal Shoppes, it would take you over 29 hours to shop them all.

The whole place is termed " Streetmosphere" and as you stroll along the cobblestone walkways, you will be constantly surprised by street performers like giant stilt walkers, vocalists, musicians, visual artists and living statues, dressed in authentic and elaborate Venetian costumes.

Another amazing thing about the place is that it is a melting pot of all nationalities and colors. You can see groups of Chinese, Koreans and Japanese tourists as well as Americans, Europeans, Latinos and Africans. Of course, there are lots of Filipinos on the area as well and most of them working there. So after, wandering around the place, you can just sit there and relax go people watching.

Venetian Macao is modeled after its sister casino resort – the The Venetian in Las Vegas – and is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fourth-largest building in the world by area of 980K m2. The hotel itself has 40 storeys and is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.

So, if you are looking for an outdoor adventure in an indoor setting, (err, I think I am exaggerating a little bit here). Ok, let me rephrase that to, if you are looking to have a feel of the outside while you are in the inside... then this place will definitely satisfy you.

More of Macau on my next posts.

84 comments:

  1. This place look like the modern Venice

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  2. Hey bro! Do u ever stop traveling? Hehehe. Ganda naman jan.

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  3. hanep! macau naman ngayon! that's exactly how the venetian in las vegas looks like too.

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  4. Oh my, ngayon lang ako na convince magtravel. haha. more more more. this is a new theme and adventure. uy, nanotice ko ang sunset sa PG. ganda!

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  5. @ borneo falcon - never been to venice but from the old movies and stories about the place, i bet this really looks like a modern replica of that.

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  6. @ vinzent - of course i do... whenever i sleep hehehe. but then again, i think we travel when we sleep di ba? dreams?

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  7. @ r-yo - ikaw nga jan panyero eh, pa japan-japan na lang tapos galing pa america hehehe. i would love to see las vegas and most specially venice where it was patterned.

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  8. @ redlan - medyo kakaiba nga ito kasi i usually feature nature shots like beach, falls, mountains and others pero di naman ako nagbago eh. medyo nag-expand lang.

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  9. Go check out The Venetian in Las Vegas too, they have a show "in the skies." Di ko nakita yan sa Macau when I was there. Daming Pinoy performers and waiters noh? BTW, ride the Space Mountain sa LA naman, baka dun ma enjoy mo. Mas mahaba lang ang pila hehehe compared to HK. Ciao!

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  10. wow. i've watched the construction of this in discovery channel. the amount of creativity and ingenuity these people have used to create such a place is too overwhelming!

    i especially like the sky. galing talaga!!!!

    and i totally agree with you. sometimes you should travel indoors too. hehehe. it makes us more whole and in touch with the built environment. it may not be mother nature's creation but surely you have to appreciate works of men, right? hehe

    take care always!!

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  11. The last time I was in Macau, this wasn't up yet. But sure does look like the sister in Las Vegas. Lots of shopping too, I'm sure. I'll take the real Venice anytime though... :-)

    One thing I love about Macau is the food... especially the Portuguese cuisine. Hope you enjoyed the food there as well.

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  12. Asia Venice. Heard it is very big and grand.

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  13. i'm back agad. hehe. thanks for the mother's day greeting. happy mother['s day din, i mean belated sa mom mo. hehehe...

    re: biliran's sweet water. if you were to choose ano pipiliin mo? biliran's sweet water or camiguin's soda pool? hehe.

    ciao!

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  14. @ twin - i will definitely do that once i have my us visa (kaso di pa ko apply eh/tinatamad ako sa long process kasi). one in every three performer yata doon pinoy.

    about the space mountain in HK-Disneyland, para talagang hinalukay lamang loob ko doon. nahilo ko sa bilis but wahta rush really.

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  15. @ reena - right. when i first saw this, my jaw literally dropped. i mean, this is crazy, what is a sky doing on the indoor of a hotel. but after the initial amazement, i wandered and really enjoyed the place. truly an amazing piece of work.

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  16. @ jenn - i'll take the real venice too 'coz there is nothing like the real thing.

    the food? argh, my diet lost that time. we dined at this place called bamboo (or bambu) and feast on their sumptuous meal.

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  17. @ superman - it is the biggest in asia and the most popular one in macau. but give it time and i am sure there will be lots of competition soon in that area.

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  18. @ reena - hey, welcome back!!!

    hmmm. between biliran's sweet water and camiguin's soda pool? i probably just mixed them up and enjoy them both lol.

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  19. wow! kakaiba ang destination mo ngayon a ...

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  20. oh, so that's the ceiling??? i thought roofless yan (lol). galing naman. mukhang las vegas nga...may tong-its ba jan?:D

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  21. beautiful shots here...as usual.
    Sandi

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  22. so beautiful. it might have been a very challenging time to shoot. hirap pag gabi at walang tripod.

    ganda ng place na to. sa magazine ko lang usually nakikita.

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  23. wow
    lawstude journey goes overseas
    i like!
    kamusta macau?
    wala bang swine flu dyan?
    maganda yun mga nooks and crannies dyan
    enjoy!

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  24. LS: That reminds me so much of Las Vegas, I've never been to Venice so I have to make that comparision.

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  25. looks like an exact replica of the venetian las vegas... which [in my opinion] is prettier and cleaner than the real venice...

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  26. @ lantaw - hahaha. medyo may konting break lang from the usual pero back to nature uli ako in the future posts.

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  27. @ luna miranda - yup. that is the ceiling, ang ganda nga eh, para talagang langit.

    tong-its? wala nga eh. sayang kung meron lang sumali sana ko. puro poker table at slot machines lang usually doon eh lol.

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  28. @ sandi mc bride - thanks. it isn't my usual subjects and i had difficulties with the lights but i am glad you still liked it.

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  29. @ the dong - actually dong tanghaling tapat yan kaso medyo cozy at di ganun ka bright yung place kaya mukhang gabi. plus, di ako nagdala tripod kaya halatang meron mga camera-shake moments. pero over-all masaya yung experience doon sa place.

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  30. @ raft3r - ang linis ng macau tsaka melting pot halos ng lahat ng nationalities, puti, itim, kayumanggi at kung ano pang kulay.

    swine flu? sa hong kong yata meron eh lol.

    i agree, talagang developed na yung island but i will try to feature the old macau in my future posts.

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  31. @ fishing guy - the place was actually constructed based on the las vegas venetial hotel.

    it would be great to travel to venice and meet you guys there.

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  32. @ janelle - i heard so much stories that the real venice is fast decaying but then again, i still wanna go there given the chance to experience riding the gandola in its world famous canal.

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  33. Wow so lovely. The last time I went was 2007 and the hotel was still under construction. It looked like a real sky in there.

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  34. WOW! Lovely shots! If luck favors may be I can plan a trip there some day.

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  35. Wow, what a place! Love what you did to the shots to bring out the light!

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  36. Mabuti ka pa nakapasok ka sa Venetian Macau. Our stay in Macau was so short we did not get a chance to check it out. But from your pics, it looked like a carbon copy of the one in Vegas. I bet it will beat the original in Vegas in revenue dahil malakas magsugal AKA magpatalo yung mga orientals kaysa sa mga puti LOL.

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  37. I popped over here last night but was so speechless that I couldn't leave a comment. I have heard of LasVegas' amazing place like this but I have never been and most likely won't. Fascinating. Fascinating that it is in a building. Very, very different from my world for certain.

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  38. i know that feeling...it looks exactly like the venetian in vegas! :)

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  39. wow!! biglang out of the country tayo this time bro..:) nice post...

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  40. @ alicesg - it really looked like a real sky. very beautiful place really.

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  41. @ indrani - hope you can go there and go hotel-hopping. there are lots of development i the area and i am sure it will be more grand in the future.

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  42. @ esther garvi - thanks. i dimmed some shots to have that hazy mood and accent the lights.

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  43. @ bertN - hahaha i did not know na malakas magsugal ang orientals but from the looks of it mukha nga.

    hope to see the vegas version if given the chance.

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  44. @ allen yuarata - hahaha. just a little change of phase lang.

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  45. @ joshmarie - thanks. usually, yung pinakafavorite ko nilalagay ko sa first pero i usually get different reviews. glad u like it.

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  46. @ lanny - this is laso different from my world and my usual features but i am not only a fan of mother nature but also a fan of the ingenuity of man.

    i went to this place because of the recreation of venice and i am really not disappointed.

    hope you could see the place too.

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  47. @ fortuitous faery - that's great. nakaka-overwhelm di ba?

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  48. @ jessforget - opportunity knocked and i just can't pass the chance. :)

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  49. I thought they are real clouds. Beautifully done. How are they made?

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  50. Oh... I missed that when I visited Macau a few months ago. Sayang.
    I wasn't too impressed by Macau ... but I think you are going to make me change my mind...

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  51. Wow. I'm jealous and wish I was there. I was once, and your photos and observations are true -- it is almost like being inside the outdoors. Good way to say it.

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  52. I ate at a restaurant in there!

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  53. This reminds me of the Venice hotel in Las Vegas but I think the Venice you captured is larger than the one in Vegas.

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  54. now you are in Macao---this is great---hmmmm--- be back in the Phils soon okay---we need you here to showcase our beautiful country---sa ngayon---okay---enjoy ka muna dyan...lol

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  55. does the sky turn black to simulate a night star-filled sky?

    hahaha....edi super tamis na nung soda nun.

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  57. @ vanessa - para talagang totoo no? i think the ceiling are painted blue and designed by white clouds tapos strategically located talaga ang lights para ma imitate and sky.

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  58. @ sidney - well, macau is different specially the new macau because of the development that goes around. there is also what they call the old macau where life is more laid-back.

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  59. @ robert v. sobczak - great isn't it. we can tryuly marvel at the ingenuity of man. i often wonder, what's next?

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  60. @ luke wiley - i love their noodles...

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  61. @ phivos nicolaides - thank you. i was impressed at the structures myself.

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  62. @ 2sweetnsaxy - i think so to. this hotel is a replica of that one in vegas which is a replica of the real thing in venice. lol.

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  63. @ pusang-gala - just a chnge of phase pero di naman ako nagbago eh, medyo nag-expand lang ng horizon lol. be back to feature more of good old pinas soon.

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  64. @ reena - wahaha. napataywa naman ako doon. dapat siguro meron nga ano?

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  65. A fancy looking place! I looked at the first one and thought, are you in Venice? But it's too clean, bright and colorful to be Venice. Thanks for the tour of a great-looking hotel. And thanks so much for visiting my blog. A comment from you is always so welcome!

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  66. akala ko nasa vegas ka hehe. mayroon din palang ganyan sa macau.

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  67. i haven't been to Macau so this is another visual treat. is the Four Seasons Hotel nearby?

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  68. Ang ganda ng place..... Napaka romantic tingan....

    Ang sarap ng may ka hug... hehe :)

    Ikaw Kuya Norman? Sino kasama mo diyang special? Hehe!

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  69. The inside looks HUGE. I admit it does look real!

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  70. @ leora - i guess you hit the word right... fancy. when i first saw the place , i said wow, and was really amazed at man's ingenuity.

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  71. @ madbong - meron nga parekoy, yung mga casino sa vegas ginagaya na nila sa macau.

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  72. @ collapsingbarrycade - i am not really familiar with four seasond hotel but the casinos there are within close proximity of each other that you can visit them all in just half a day.

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  73. @ lionheart - yeah, romantic talaga kaya lang mahirap magdala ng date kasi sobrang mamahal ng mga bilihin kasi puro bended.

    kasama ko? wala ako lang hehehe.

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  74. @ your eg tour guide - it does look real. hmmm, maybe someday they could put a "sun" in there.

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  75. oh, an international travel, and an international post coming from you, woohooo... love every pic...

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  76. Nice shots of Macau. Been there a long time ago so I haven't seen this one.

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  77. @ sheng - something different but will definitely back to my norman posting of beautiful philippines in the mext few weeks.

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  78. @ regina - this hotel was built around 2001 so it is relatively new. lots of development on-going there so it is surely a nice time to go back there again.

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  79. nice shots bro. Wow, this place is just like the Venetian in Las Vegas ! Perhaps even bigger :)

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  80. Wonderful! I love that outdoors feeling while still indoors. Wish more places did it. :)

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