10 reasons why Hong Kong Is tops BRITISH COLONY IS GREAT FOR SCENERY, FOOD, THE PEOPLE AND MUCH, MUCH MORE HONG KONG — The most frequent question asked of any travel writer is what are your favorite places. One of them is Hong Kong, and heré’s 10 reasons why. 1. ‘The thrill of arriving at Kai Tak airport from the Kowloon side. The plane squeezes between apartment buildings festooned with washing sticks. In a normal landing one wingtip seems certain to pick up somebody’s washing; one pilot claims he once had to return two sets of washinz. This is Cathay Pacific’s nome base. Earlier this year I sat behind a Cathay Pacific captain as he steered his Bocing 747 to a night landing over Kowloon. This has to be seen to be believed — the con- trast between the void of the Pacific and the sudden constella- tion of lights, the skyscrapers, the ships and a couple of strobe lights guiding the giant plane to a ribbon of runway on the sea. 2. The hotels. Imagine the Delta Place in Vancouver and triple it in size and you’ve goi the typical Hong Kong hotel, except there are dozens like that and another cou- ple open every year. Look for front desk efficiency and marble everywhere. Also Sots of staff, particularly at luxury hotels like the Regent, the Man- darin and the Peninsula. If you want to take advantage of LAKES RESORT BC's West Uxique Higk Ceuntey Adsextoae For a lost weekend or a full vacation, the magnificent scenic solitude of Cathedral Lakes Resort is unbeatable. NO TV. - NO TELEPHONES, Just good food, fresh clean air and mountain solitude. You should trv it! Call Joan or Bill CATHEDRAL LAKES RESORT (604) 499.5848 orwntie: R.R.41, CAWSTON, B.C. VOX 100 OM Hong Kong's spectacular views the Regent should be your choice. If you wait to see the bluc-chip business people the place to go is the Regent’s water-front cafe. Ask for a table at the back and lurk behind the South China Morning Post. 3. The food. Hong Kong has the travel talk David Wishart best Chinese food on the conti- nent, and that includes China. Don’t miss the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter, where your table is on a sampan driven by a Chinese woman who may look 80 and probably is. She takes you and your group (up to eight) into the harbor, where other boats come by offer- ing rice and noodles and different Chinese dishes. Some have beer and others music. You pay as you go and it is great fun. Go to Wanchai to the American restaurant, as traditional and. col- orful as they come, and join the locals in a great feast, complete with bottles of VSOP brandy on the table. Tumblers are provided. 4. The people. In few other places do the office boys know the price of gold to a nickel, the typist plays the Hang Seng market, and everyone has a plan to make money and be successful. There is no time for unions or handouts. If you want to eat, you work, if you get sick your family looks after you, when you’re old your children are by your side. _ 5. The harbor. It is the most spectacular in the world. An epic vacation would start here with the two-day ferry to Shanghai, whose harbor is almost as fascinating, and end there. 6. The Star Ferry. The best trav- el bargain in the world, the stubby little vessels run continuously be- tween Hong Kong: island and the Kowloon mainland. Go‘‘second class’? on the windowless lower deck for ocean breezes and photo opportunities. 7. Rugby Sevens. The Cathay Pacific/Hongkong Bank (correct spelling) should be a pilgrimage for any rugby fan, rivalling the Lions in New Zealand and the Scribes in any bar. Next year it’s on April ! and 2. Arrange your business trip/medical conference/government trade mission to coincide. You may as well; everyone else does. 8. Shopping. Unbelievable! And the fakes are fun — copies of Rolex watches for $40, and Ralph Lauren, Fila, Dior and Lacoste shirts for $3. 9. The Foreign Correspondents Club. Here the old China hands and the young civil servants who are remaking Hong Kong swill Ts- ingtao beer in uneasy proximity. The urinal at the old place had a great harbor view but this location has a better bar; a drinking man’s bar if ever there was one. 10. Crossroads. From Kai Tak airport you can fly anywhere, even London non-stop. You'll be amaz- ed at the number of airlines, at the dense traffic, and how it all works and what will happen in nine years when China takes over. Go while you can. HASTINGS TRAVEL YOUR TRAVEL CENTRE WITH . “SWISS EFFICIENCY” TRAVEL ARRABGEMENTS - WORLDWIDE FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE 744 W. HASTINGS VANCOUVER, B.C. V6C 1A5 Prompt — Personalized — Muttitingual Service cat: 689-0461. VERENA FURRER — Owner — “TILLEYS IN STOCK?’ a Our “crisp. tadored” Endurables have security pockels. a five-year tree replacement guarantee (lifetime on the Classic Shorts, $65) and “Give em Hell washing instruchons They are ackrowtedged the best of their type in the world and can withstand nearly any hind of punshment Jonn Ethott oid us he was putin stocks at Oaver Castle because he didnt wear fs Tilley Hat on a hot day Drop in, Phone or Write We have it made in Canada Alex Tilley Barbara Tilley 1537 West Broadway Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1W6 Hours: Mon-Sat 10-5:30 Ph. 732-4287 or SEA-HATS 37 - Sunday, July 31, 1988 - North Shore News act SANS Photo submitted A TRIP to Hong Kong’s Peak to enjoy the view has always been a must but now there’s a slightly different way of seeing it. 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