Guia Lighthouse, Macau

next comes a beautiful card from Macau. Funny that I have received a number of Macau cards lately but even funnier is that most of them have been sent from China, which is really disappointing...even more that you cant really complain coz people get so thrilled to send you a Macau card, but are just not aware of my teeth-cringe when i see the card-stamp discrepancy...luckily, this one does not fall into that category :)

And this is my first ever Macau lighthouse...I must admit I had no idea Macau had lighthouses actually until I received this card.
As the back of the card says: Built in 1864 which is high above atop the Guia hill. It is the first modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast. The geographical coordinates of the Lighthouse also mark Macau's geographical location on the World's atlas.
It is a part of the Guia fortress, a historical military fort, chapel and lighthouse complex, which is also a UNESCO whs as a part of the Historic Centre of Macau.

both stamps were issued in 2010. The left stamp is from a set of 5 stamps showing antique telephones in Macau (just beautiful!!!), while the other one is also from a set of 5 stamps, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Macau food festival. This one in particular, shows us the Xiao Long Bao, which is a type of steamed bun or baozi from the Jiangnan region of China, especially Shanghai and Wuxi and is traditionally steamed in small bamboo baskets.

Macau

Yes, it is my first Macau card indeed...and i love it :)

Macau in a great deal reminds me of my childhood...i had this set of books called Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese etc traditional stories...so i somewhat read a lot about this part of the world, yet it was Macau which as a name left the deepest prints into my memory...im not sure why...but its name reminds me of a huge cup of hot-chocolate...
As for the card, you can see the Statue of Kun Iam which is the most impressive and magnificent of the three most famous temples of Macau (the other two are A-Ma Temple and Lin Fung Temple). With a history dating back as early as 1632 in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), it has many similarities with ancient Chinese temples. It is also known as the site of the first Sino-American treaty which was signed in 1844.

Kun Iam Temple has three main shrines suited one behind another. It consists of one Hall of Sakyamuni, one Buddha of Longevity Hall and one Kun Iam Hall with several small shrines around these three main halls. Facing the gate of the Buddhist monastery, the Hall of Sakyamuni is dedicated with three gilded statues. The statue of Sakyamuni sits in the middle. A bronze bell, over 300 years old, hangs beside the hall. Buddha of Longevity adorns the Longevity Hall. Serene and mild, this statue is a symbol of Buddha's purpose: to deliver all living creatures from torment. Kun Iam Hall is the most important hall of the temple. Kun Iam, arrayed in embroidered silk and in crown, is flanked by the Eighteen Buddhas. One of them is said to be carved in the image of Marco Polo who studied Buddhism in the temple.

At the back of the temple are terraced gardens. The first Sino-American treaty Wong Ha (Wangxia) Treaty was signed on one of the stone desks here. In addition, many calligraphic masterpieces and cultural relics are brought together in this temple.

the great stamp comes from a set of 8 definitives issued in 2008, with the World Heritage as their subject.