Noble House: Macau

In the third episode of Noble House, starring Pierce Brosnan, Ian Dunross and Miss Casey make a trip to Macau when Dunross needs to speak with Lando Mata, a Portuguese born in Macau who controls the gambling concession. Lando sends his Rolls Royce to pick up Dunross and Casey. They pass a few famous landmarks in the city of Macau on the way to Lando's home.

Briefly seen is the ruin of St. Paul's, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral located in one of the oldest parts of Macau. The ruin was once part of a 16th century complex including of what was originally St. Paul's college and the cathedral. Finished in 1602 St. Paul's was one of the biggest catholic churches in Asia. The cathedral was destroyed by a fire during a typhoon in 1835 and the facade was the only thing that survived.

The Rolls Royce is also driving past Casino Lisboa in the center of Macau. Casey thinks she's in Las Vegas and Dunross points out that the gentlemen in Las Vegas probably could learn a thing or two from Macau. The Casino Lisboa is one of the most famous hotel casinos in Macau and the round hotel tower seen in Noble House was built in the 1970's by Stanley Ho. In competition with Wynn Macau, a big extension was added to Casino Lisboa in 2006, the Grand Lisboa.

Lando Mata's house was not located in Macau, these scenes were filmed on the south side of Hong Kong Island. But an interesting Bond reference in Noble House is the fact that Dunross and Casey visit the floating Macau Palace casino. The same casino Bond visits in The Man with the Golden Gun. 

The Grand Lisboa and the original Casino Lisboa from Noble House to the right.

Macau was the last remaining European colony in Asia when Portugal handed it over to the Peoples Republic of China in 1999. Dunross tells Casey that the Portuguese had tried to give Macau back already in 1974 but that the Peoples Republic had refused to accept it then.