I recently received some more great photographs from Les Duffin, who took the rooftop shots from the Ambassador Hotel that I posted a few days ago. Here's what he had to say about these photographs:
Since we’ve been talking about hotels a lot lately, I thought I’d send these photos along just in case you want to use them. The one with all the greenery, shot from the hill in front of the Grand Hotel, shows the President Hotel but I just noticed you can also see the two hostels in the foreground. Then there’s one of the President from street level.
Then there are three shots of the Mandarin Hotel. Since Misty identified one of my shots from the Ambassador’s rooftop as the Mandarin, I figured I may as well send some of the front end.
The President Hotel was just close enough, and high enough to be clearly seen from the East (Signal) Compound. I remember standing many a night watch in 65-67 looking up at 3:00 am or so to see the bright lights atop the Hotel (Tung Yi Fan Dyan) which I believe means "Unification Hotel" going by the Chinese characters. Also remember billboards all along Chung Shan N. Road with "Return to the Mainland" themes. That may be why I developed an interest in learning the language at first as I asked my Chinese friends their meanings. Thanks to Les again.
ReplyDeleteLes,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pictures. The pictures of the Mandarin Hotel brought back a couple memories.
Danny, who was the manager/head cashier at the FASD mess hall in the Signal (East) Compound quit to become the food service manager at the Mandarin Hotel when it opened for business.
Also, the TDC Christmas party was at the Mandarin Hotel in 1968.
John