Raffles hotel
Singapore part 2
by Jilliana
Ranicar-Breese
The woman’s
name was Gretchen Liu, a German woman married to
a Chinese businessman. She was the curator of the
Raffles museum. There were other labels of deluxe
hotels she wanted that Raffles had acquired on
the ‘Silk Route’, such as Cambodia’s
Phnom Penh hotel Le Royal. I
Proudly invited her to see the labels in my
office.
Satisfied she flew back home and a few days later
phoned from Singapore saying that they had the
money but Retrograph had the labels! She offered
an exchange. One week for two at Raffles
Singapore. I refused. Not even breakfast or a
Singapore Sling, let alone a complimentary
airline ticket! They paid my fee begrudgingly and
I continued looking for the other deluxe labels
en route.
Years later we were in Singapore for one night
compliments of the shipping company for an exotic
cruise but stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. I
arranged to see Gretchen for breakfast in the
bustling Raffles hotel cafe and was given a
guided tour of the museum which was adjoining the
original hotel founded in 1887.
I saw the long bar where Somerset Maugham had
drunk his Singapore Slings and wished I had
accepted or at least tried to bargain with
Gretchen over the financial situation. But at
least I had
experienced a piece of bygone history.
Written
19/12/24 in Nightingale.
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