My friend Charlene sent me these vintage ads from Thai Airways International.The ad on the left reads:The happiest combination in Far East travel is now offered to you on the fabulous Royal Orchid Jet Service. To the traditional Thai hospitality, superb cuisine, and … [Read more...]
Sun Ya Hotel, 1961 and 1966
Okay, I'm officially obsessed with the Sun Ya Hotel. I found these two photos, one from 1961, a year before my mom stayed there, and the other from 1966. Even back then, Nathan Road was hopping with street and sidewalk traffic.A document published in 1961 by the Hong Kong … [Read more...]
Book of the week–Shanghai Shadows by Lois Ruby
Last week I revisited young adult fiction, a genre I hadn't read in decades.I learned of Shanghai Shadows (Holiday House, 2006) by Lois Ruby last year when a friend was preparing for a trip to China with her 9 year old daughter. She asked friends on Facebook for names of … [Read more...]
Air geisha
If this 1969 ad from Japan Air Lines seems outdated, think again.My favorite part of the ad reads:... you'll always remember the way you got to Hong Kong--if you let us take you there. For the service on Japan Air Lines is legendary--starting with the classic bow of the … [Read more...]
Les grandes dames
I love old colonial hotels. While I've only stayed at two--the Eastern & Oriental (E&O) in Penang and the Peace Hotel in Shanghai--I've been fortunate to dine in several: the Raffles in Singapore, the Peninsula in Hong Kong, le Grand Hotel d'Angkor in Siem Reap, and the … [Read more...]