The first tour bus stop was Lotus Square. The Golden Lotus Sculpture was presented to Macau by China, marking the transfer of sovereignty. The gold building in the background is a casino.
The second stop was the A-Ma temple. [Be prepared for a deluge of pictures.] Official history has it that the temple was originally built in 1488 during the Ming Dynasty to commemorate Mazu [a sea goddess who protects sailors], but I suspect it was a place of worship pre-dating the 1488 structure. Why? Recorded history of the peninsula goes back to to 200BC and without a doubt fishing was a major activity even then--and so was the impact of typhoons. And...
[Looking out at the square in front of the temple. It's a popular destination.] One of the most interesting things about the temple is that it's actually a series of small structures devoted to different deities and faiths winding up a hillside. This reminds me of an idea in Neil Gaiman's American Gods: A Novel
Interior courtyard, first level.
Many interesting shapes and textures.
Check out the broom.
Entrance, another angle.


No comments:
Post a Comment