The entire effect is one of cool serenity, of being removed from one world and transported into another. A post-meal stroll on the water's edge along the winding Avenida de Republica results in a brief intrusion of stark modernism. It's best to shake off the shudder induced by this dark structure, and head for the warm wooden invitation that is the Bela Vista Hotel. The Gate of Understanding looks less ominous in the distance, more like a tuning fork and altogether more in keeping with the theme of harmony. Gates, after all, are meant to control passage, not facilitate it.
Land reclamation taking place in the bay in front of the hotel, also gives pause for thought.
A sense of confidence and optimism motivates projects such as the physical expansion of territory being undertaken just offshore. One hopes, though, that the splendid view from this classic building doesn't change too drastically. After an iced Viennese coffee or a frothy cappuccino for a boost of energy, it's time to leave the elegant Bela Vista and push those legs up Penha Hill to take in a little more of Macau's surroundings. Atop the hill is an imposing grey edifice, the Bishop's Residence which includes the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Penha. The first chapel was founded in 1622 by the crew and passengers of a ship, in gratitude for having escaped capture by the Dutch.