Principal places of interest: Fantan Houses or Gambling Dens

Na década de 1930 Macau ainda não era a "Las Vegas da Ásia" mas já era, e há muito tempo, o "Monte Carlo" do Oriente.

"Gambling House" em Macau. Foto de Arquivo

Para além das publicações da época é o próprio Governo de Macau que o assume numa publicação oficial intitulada "Directório de Macau". Veja-se o caso da publicação de 1934...

"Macao has excellent modern roads and avenues, many converging towards the hinterland (...) Of the principal places of interest, mention should be made of Government House, the Fantan Houses or Gambling Dens, the Cathedral, the Porta do Cerco, the Club, San domingo's church, the Leal Senado, flora, Camões Gardens and Grotto (...)

Worth seeing, as also is the noble facade of the ancient Jesuit church of San Panlo, burnt in 1835, and the Avenida Vasco da Gama (...) information will be gladly given and the best possible arrangements made for what cannot fail to prove an enjoyable and healthful trip. (...)"

No nº 57 da revista "Travel", de 1931, pode ler-se: "The Gambling Houses of Macao: No guide is needed to find the gambling houses of Macao. They begin near the steamer landing and line many of the city's streets."

Na "Geographic School Bulletins" de 1936 (publicação semanal da National Geographic), escreve-se: "The city of fish, firecrackers, and fan-tan may become even more famous as the port of happy landings (...) Bright colored, stucco houses climb the terraced hillsides, and a wide marine boulevard, shaded by banyan trees (...) Gambling Is a Thriving Industry. At present, fish, firecrackers, incense, wine, opium, and gambling provide the city (...) There are ordinarily at least three lottery drawings a day in Macau. (...)