Return to Hong Kong

Posted on 26 April, 1997 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Grace’s officemate Ms. Arachel “Chel” C. Borja was leaving for Hong Kong with her kids to accompany her husband who was to attend a convention and Grace and I decided to join them. We all left Manila for Hong Kong on 6:30 AM flight, arriving at Kai Tak International Airport by 8:10 AM.

This was to be our last entry into Hong Kong via this international airport. Landings at this airport were dramatic to experience and technically demanding for pilots. A little over a year later, on July 6, 1998, Kai Tak was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 kms. to the west. There were plans for the site of Kai Tak to be used for housing development.

From the airport, we all took a bus to the city proper and checked out our accommodations at Payless Pension along Nathan Rd.. Grace and I found it quite rundown and decide not to take it.

BP International Hotel – Twin Room

We all had lunch at a MacDonald’s outlet then dropped off Chel and her family at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. We then decided to check in at one of the BP International Hotel’s 529 guest rooms.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: B P International Hotel“

B P International Hotel: No. 8 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2376 1111. Fax: (852) 2376 1333. E-mail: enquiry@bpih.com.hk. Website: www@bpih.com.hk.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.