Hong Kong's first Hacienda-Estrellita

Mon, 09/22/2014 - 22:04

See Forum article "Hong Kong's First Hacienda" for a description of this house

Date picture taken
15 Jul 1972
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In the summer months of 1974 I was teaching swimming in Hong Kong at the Cricket Club's new premises in Wang Nei Chong Gap. I was contacted by a young lady who wanted private swimming lessons, at her home which was Estrillita on Repulse Bay Rd. I drove their once a week to give swimming lessons to a young lady whose parents lived there. She was at University in USA where she had an appartment with a pool, but she was not a confident swimmer and felt she needed some lessons to help her improve.

The House was fantastic - I used to marvel at the decor as I wondered through to get to the terrace where the pool was situated. It was luxurious indeed. The girl told me that the barking dogs I could hear were attack dogs, kept under the building until nightfall, when they were released onto the property!

A very enjoyable part of my summer in Hong Kong, working as a swimming instructor!!

How nostalgic to see the photo of Air House/Estrellita on Repulse Bay Road after all these years.  I went on many excursions with relatives and friends to Repulse Bay where we would rent a tent on the beach for the day.  Along the way I always looked forward to catching that first glimpse of the beautiful spanish style house with its tower and red tiled roof.  I'm glad the house is still there and appears to look the same as I remembered.