Adam & Eve

I squealed when I saw the statues. I wanted to hug them! Botero! I love Botero! These are Fernando Botero's Adam and Eve. They stand tall and proud at the rotunda between Crockfords Tower and Hotel Michael.

Honestly, when I walk through the hotels, it's very clear to me that every art piece, each nook and cranny in architecture, shape of tiles, colors and watnots encapsulate strong fengshui elements. I can't explain, but I feel it strongly that every placement is intentional. I don't feel comfortable in any of the lobbies or hotels in the area. The spacious ceilings should make me feel happy and free. Instead, I feel opressed and locked in by the colors and odd angles of the walls. The layout of the narrow corridor of boutiques turns me off. Only one boutique interests me- Michael Graves' gallery.

If you have US$200,000 to plonk down on cards and dice, you'll be very welcome to stay at the by-invitation-only suites/villas of Crockfords Tower. Otherwise, just stick to patronizing its soon-to-open Cantonese restaurant. Once upon a time, the friends and I stood intently by the baccarat tables in Melbourne's Crown and NZ's SkyCity. We won more than we lost. But we didn't dare go near poker. That's a game too advanced for us. Now, I've zero interest in the casinos and I'm not bothered to check out the ones here. I don't like the idea of spending money on chips.

Have you seen the entrance to the casino at Resorts World? It is fugly. It looks cheap and promises decadence, sleaze and a slippery slope down the escalators into the pits of doom.

I can't help thinking that the statues of Adam & Eve are so apt for the integrated resort. Fat fat to roll the money in, fat fat for prosperity and attract high rollers to sustain the operations. Even more so, the statues seem to ominously herald the bleakness and the beginning of all social ills that we fear. Original sin, they call it.