After living in central Taipa for the past two decades, long-time residents of Macau, Guy and Vicky Lesquoy recently moved to Jardin Tjoi Long Wai Toi. This north shore Taipa apartment with its blend of European chic and Asian elegance, stunning Macau skyline and sea views offers a welcomed change of scene.
When a young businessman and entrepreneur from Macau visited Paris in the late 70’s, he greatly admired the exotic dancing performances of the famous Crazy Horse Show. His name was Stanley Ho. Little did he know, as he negotiated with the show’s French manager to bring it to Macau that it would be a turning point in the city’s history for entertainment. The Crazy Paris Show, with its 20 beautiful and risque aesthetic nude dancers arrived in 1979. First housed in the re-outfitted Dom Pedro V theater which was located across the street from St Joseph’s church and the seminary, considerable diplomatic skills and charm were needed to appease the authorities.
That French manager was none other than Guy Lesquoy, a beloved, respected, personality-about-town who today celebrates 45 years in Macau. The grandson of a governor of the Ivory Coast in Africa, a linguist speaking 7 languages and groomed by the family to be a diplomat himself, who better to set about building the relationships needed to sell the show to an audience steeped in ‘450 years of religious influence’. And with a concentration on quality and the exemplary behaviour of the dancers, it soon became Macau’s only true entertainment show at the time, bringing in crowds to fill the 250-seat theatre, at times almost half of them being women!
As part of his networking within the community – and to learn Cantonese – Guy joined Clube Miltar and the Tenis Civil often playing tennis with Stanley Ho. “I was a dancer too – he loved ballroom dancing – and we played bridge so we got on well.”
“I was born in Marseilles and grew up in Corsica; when I arrived in Macau I felt the place had a very Mediterranean influence. People loved football, they loved good food and good wine and most of the Portuguese at that time could speak French so I was immediately taken under the wings of the old timers in Macau” recalls Guy. He joined Rotary, he played handball and football; a keen sportsman he played on Macau’s first division soccer team for 17 years.
After 13 years Guy left the show and returned to France but his love for Macau soon pulled him back. With characteristic energy and enthusiasm he threw himself into life here again; “I am the most Portuguese French guy who is proud to be seen as a Macau boy!” Guy was influential in getting the Macau chapter of Alliance Francais started, he is involved in the French-Macau Chamber of Commerce, the Macau-European Chamber of Commerce, promotion of travel and tourism through SKAL, Founding member of Anima – Society for Protection of Animals, the Wine Society, Association of Aeronautics and active member and past president of Rotary International de Macao. He’s worked as PR for the Macau Government Tourist Office and also on the organizing team for the East Asian Games in 2005. In 2006 he joined the senior management team for entertainment at Sands China developing their Streetmosphere entertainment and later opening The Parisian as their Executive Director of Entertainment.
Together with Vicky, Guy’s Hungarian wife of 22 years, they cut a dashing couple, attending events and giving back to the community in various charitable ways from visiting elderly homes to planting trees to being leading lights in the rehoming of over 500 greyhounds once the Canidrome closed. This month they have just returned from representing Macau at the SKAL International Conference 2024 in Turkey.
And what about the homes Guy and Vicky have lived in over the years? “We lived in Penha, then Wa Boa in Taipa, and for the past 20 or so years in Nova Taipa Garden. “There’s a lot to be said for living on the ‘Golden Rectangle’, otherwise known as Central Park. We loved our apartment, we were very happy there, and though a little dark, it looked out on to the Park, the location was convenient and it had plenty of room for our guests.”
However it was time for a change and in the summer this year Guy and Vicky moved to 3-bedroom, 2 bathroom Jardin Tjoi Long Wai Toi with this time a spacious balcony. “As soon as we first stepped foot in this apartment, even though the place was in poor condition we immediately felt its potential, with the light streaming in through all the many windows and the wonderful sea views. We have windows that pretty much wrap around on 3 sides. We love all the natural light, it’s like a holiday resort. We feel like we’re on vacation here!”
“Quite a lot of renovation and upgrade work needed to be done in the kitchen and bathrooms, painting throughout and repairs to the wood flooring but we negotiated a 6-year lease and fair rent which enabled us to afford to arrange for the work ourselves.”
From the entrance hallway with a stunning Chinese cabinet to the left the visitor is ushered straight in to the open dining and living area. Past the large round dining table and 6 white upholstered armchairs with window looking out to a green view, pool and the lower ramparts of the Macao University of Tourism. On through to the living room; dominated by 2-piece, sink-in yellow sofas and armchair, Indonesian style bow-legged coffee table, pale cream rug and a wood panel feature wall, one is struck immediately by the tasteful elegance and comfort of this room. From the big windows treated with simple, white floaty curtains come the brightness and impressive views of Macau’s famed skyline. Central to the windows, 2 graceful Chinese-style wood chairs with side table and a blue base lamp tip their hats to Asian influence. The balcony with its lounge chair is to the right.
Adjacent to the balcony and off the living room is an alcove area which promises to be a studio for Vicky to pursue her considerable talents in pottery-making. A film and journalism graduate Vicky’s first love has always been in art and ceramics. After working 10 years for the Venetian Macau in their Conventions and Exhibitions department, now retired she’s intending go back to her artistic roots “with the help of my lovely ceramic artist teacher Gweneth.” (‘Hunt for Ceramics’ Instagram account: hunt_for_ceramics)
A series of four paintings hang on the walls; these have very special meaning to Guy. They are images of famous dances; Swan Lake, Black Swan, Don Quixote and La Sylphide. ”I feel so proud to have these, they are beautifully painted by a recovering drug addict at the ARTM detoxification and rehabilitation centre at Ka Ho.”
Now Guy and Vicky have more time on their hands the game plan is to travel to their various properties in Mauritius, Corsica and Hungary (Budapest on the Danube and Balaton Lake, the biggest unsalted lake in the world) to visit family and friends. Never for too long however; Macau is their main home and they don’t like to be away from their adored dog Lucy for more than a few weeks. “When we travel Lucy is well taken care of by Eyline our housekeeper, but we still miss her too much when we are away!”
As Guy exclaims, “this new home of ours is fantastic, just downstairs there’s lots of nature, there’s the beach (one day I hope to arrange a beach clearance programme perhaps as an activity with my Rotary friends), greenery, its safe for dog walking. Then of course Macau has marvelous walking trails; in the cooler months Vicky, Lucy and I take to the Coloane hills every weekend, we love it.”
Text and photographs by Suzanne Watkinson
