10/02/2025
At Eskaton, every resident has a story, and Lyla Hanson’s spans the globe. Step into her apartment at Eskaton Land Park and you’ll find yourself surrounded by the colors, textures, and history of dozens of countries. Each shelf and wall is lined with treasures collected over decades of travel, with pieces that hold both cultural meaning and personal memories.
Lyla’s love for travel began in 1980 when she took her very first trip abroad on a tour through Israel. That journey sparked a lifelong passion. Since then, she has embarked on 73 international trips, and has brought home something special from almost every adventure. Her collection now includes items from China, Norway, the Netherlands, Japan, Portugal, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and France. China, in particular, holds a special place in her heart. She visited eight times between 1981 and the early 2000s. Her apartment reflects those experiences with cloisonné dishes, porcelain antiques, hand-painted scrolls, and jade sculptures, some marked with official wax seals from the Chinese government signifying their authenticity as antiques.
Most of Lyla’s travels were shared with her husband, and later with her adult children after his passing. For her, travel has always been about more than the destination. Truly, it’s about perspective. “Traveling does give you the understanding that we’re all in this together,” Lyla says. “People are the same. We might have different languages and different cultures. But we’re the same.” Coming from a working-class background, Lyla is grateful that she’s had so many opportunities to travel abroad throughout her lifetime, and she especially takes pride in the fact that her children have also had the chance to experience the world. “Every one of them has been able to go abroad at least once,” she shares. “And that’s a great thing.”
Lyla’s apartment is more than a collection of artifacts. It’s a living museum of memories, connections, and a deep appreciation for the diversity and unity of people around the world. Her story reminds us that adventure is not only about seeing the world but also about carrying its lessons with us wherever we go.
