SEDUCED
BY THE
ORIENT-EXPRESS
By Robert Adams
There is something supremely seductive
about train travel. Ever since my childhood, I have been
fascinated by trains, the destinations they visit, the
people you meet along the way, and the occasional mystery
that may take place onboard. Apparently, I am not the
only one who feels this way. Writers and filmmakers have
created a litany of work that celebrates trains and the
role they play in our lives. The very first "train"
film I saw was Von Ryan’s Express, starring Frank
Sinatra and Trevor Howard. I was mesmerized from the start
as Sinatra and his fellow POWs escape from a concentration
camp, take over a train, and pretend to be Nazis so they
can make their way to freedom in Switzerland. Since then,
I’ve discovered other exciting films that I watch
every chance I get. These include The Train, starring
Burt Lancaster; Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes; Travels
With My Aunt, starring Maggie Smith in one of the best
roles of her career; From Russia With Love, with Sean
Connery as James Bond (which has some great scenes on
the Orient-Express); and, of course, Agatha Christie’s
Murder on the Orient Express, which takes place entirely
on the train.
With this in mind, you can imagine how
I felt when I received an invitation to journey from
Venice to Paris on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
(www.orient-express.com).
It was a dream come true! I would travel from my favorite
city in Europe, across the Swiss Alps, and into Paris
onboard the most luxurious train in the world. First,
however, preparations had to be made. My partner and
I needed white dinner jackets, tuxedos, cufflinks, pocket
squares…and…?
Luckily for us, prior to our trip on
the Orient-Express, we had reserved a suite at the Cipriani
(www.hotelcipriani.com)
in Venice. I had read about the Cipriani in many magazines,
but nothing prepared me for the experience we were about
to have. The moment we pulled up to the dock in the
water taxi, we entered a world of relaxed sophistication.
Everyone made us feel completely at home and the excitement
for us was palpable. Our suite, with a private terrace
overlooking the hotel’s Olympic-size, saltwater
swimming pool, was a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation.
Awaiting us was a chilled bottle of Prosecco, which
we immediately opened so we could make a toast to Venice
and the adventures that lay ahead.
Every morning, we made sure to do at
least a few laps in the pool before enjoying an al fresco
breakfast by the lagoon. During the afternoons we would
sunbathe and read, trying to fight the urge to fight
the crowds. From previous experience, we were aware
that the best time to explore the city is after sundown,
when most of the tourists have returned to their buses
and hotels. It is in the evenings that the city is most
magical. Hidden squares reveal themselves and come alive
with music, laughter, performers, and the intoxicating
smells of Italian food being prepared and served at
numerous restaurants frequented by locals and visitors
in the know. After dinner is the best time to wander
around the Piazza San Marco. From 10 P.M. to midnight,
you can dance to various bands playing everything from
jazz to pop to waltzes. Every night we would stop by
the Gran Caffe Chioggia for a drink and to listen to
the Peace and Love Philharmonic Orchetsra, whose repertoire
includes the music of Doris Day, Burt Bacharach, and
Stan Getz. When the clocks in the square struck midnight,
and the bells began to chime, we would walk back toward
the Grand Canal and the private boat that takes guests
to and from the Cipriani.
Even if you’re not staying at the
Cipriani, it’s a great place to go for dinner.
The Fortuny Restauant serves excellent cuisine in an
elegant setting, while the casual Cip Club overlooking
the Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal provides the
perfect backdrop for a romantic dinner.
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One of the great “departures”
in the world is from the train station in Venice. On the
morning of our trip to Paris on the Orient-Express, a
private water taxi picked us up at the Cipriani and maneuvered
through the “rush hour” traffic that plies Venice’s
numerous canals. Boats of all sizes, including the occasional
gondola, line up along both sides of the Grand Canal.
Sailing past the splendid Italian palazzi, including the
Peggy Guggenheim Museum (a must-see in Venice), we couldn’t
help but marvel at the relationship that exists here between
man and the sea. It is a bond that has existed for centuries,
and once you witness it, you will understand the simple
joys that Venice provides for residents and visitors alike.
Making our way slowly through a quiet,
narrow canal, we were suddenly jolted out of our dream
and into a wide canal chock full of boats. A giant vaporetto
(water bus), traveling at what seemed like 20 miles
per hour, came within inches of us as we tried to pull
up to the train station. Never stopping, one boat pulled
out of a "parking" space and we pulled in.
It’s a water ballet that defies the laws of physics,
but it works.
Bags deposited at the foot of the canal,
we made our way up the steep steps that lead to the
main hall of the train station. Once inside, we headed
for the check-in desk that was set up to greet the passengers
of the Orient-Express. A red velvet rope barred entrance
to the track, but the train, which must have been polished
by hand, shined like onyx and gold.
Bombed, shot at, and marooned in snow
drifts, the history of the Orient-Express is both legendary
and colorful. The carriages that today form the famous
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express each have a history of
their own, with long years of service criss-crossing
the frontiers of Europe, operating for a variety of
railway companies.
The first Orient-Express train service
was inaugurated on October 4, 1883. The initial route
ran from Paris to Giurgi (on the Danube in Romania),
via Strasbourg, Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest.
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