When I've traveled with my mom, she's liked to stay at nice places. So when I googled the Sun Ya Hotel, where she stayed on her first trip to Hong Kong in 1962, I was shocked to learn it was in the now-densely populated Mongkok area, miles north of the popular Tsim Sha Tsui … [Read more...]
Why be an armchair traveler?
This Pam Am ad from 1962 dates itself by touting "Europe...the Middle East...the Orient!" For $1253, you could depart New York and visit up to 25 countries. Sounds like a great deal to me! You could jump from place to place, touring for a day or two, or staying for a few weeks. … [Read more...]
One of my favorite things
I'm coming clean. One of my favorite books was written for children aged 4 to 8. And it takes all of two minutes to read--if you don't absorb the colorful illustrations and brilliant details of the 60+ pages.Miroslav Sasek, a Czech writer and illustrator, was born in 1916, … [Read more...]
Happy International Women’s Day
I didn't learn about International Women's Day until I moved to Hong Kong. While it wasn't a popular holiday there, my classmates from China always wished me a Happy International Women's Day on March 8th.Interestingly, according to danwei.org:March 8, or 'san ba' in … [Read more...]
Slow boat
In 1970, my maternal grandparents were delighted when this ‘new fast route' opened to Hong Kong. (From the mid-60s to the early 80s, they visited Hong Kong 8 times.) They were always jetting off to some place far from their home in Elgin, Illinois: Hong Kong, Bora Bora, … [Read more...]