Tag Archives: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

A Very Unusual Guest on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

18 Mar

Reporting from the Venice-Paris-Calais route of  Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Continued from Part One

The Hardys on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. IRT Photo

Following lunch in diner “L’Oriental,” our train glides northwards towards the Italian/Swiss border. Eleanor and I laze in our double compartment, sleeping, reading, gazing out our open window…

…and daydreaming how we meet the most interesting people on train trips.

My thoughts drift back to Venice, where we spent two glorious nights at the five-star Hotel Cipriani, and where we met a charming young Brit named Alan.

Cipriani garden. E. Hardy, IRT

We were relaxing on a bench in one of the hotel’s incredible gardens, when a young man waved to us.  We waved back.

Despite the metal stud in his lip, two more in his eyebrow, and his  unkempt hair and beard, he was dressed in a beautiful suit and tie. Friendly as he was, I took him to be a member of the Cipriani staff.

But he was a guest. And he was simply overwhelmed, he told us, to be at the Cipriani, where he’d arrived the day before from London on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. He and his new bride were spending five nights at the Cipriani before returning to London, again on the Orient-Express. They thought of the most wonderful thing they  might do for their honeymoon, and round trip on the Orient Express and five nights at this fabulous hotel was just the ticket.

The Hotel Cipriani, Venice. E. Hardy, IRT

He said he was in the process of selling his company, which provided security against credit card fraud.

Interesting business, we said, and we’re sure you’re busy. Oh very, he responded.

How did he happen into that line of work? we asked.

“I used to be engaged in credit-card fraud myself,” he explained cheerily. “Never did much at school. Dropped out when I was 16. I’ve been working ever since.”

Indeed, we said.

But then Alan got caught by the police and, apparently, served at least part of his sentence by teaching the authorities how to protect against people like himself. His services were sufficiently valuable that he founded his own company, which he was in the process of selling – at age 27. His clients included such multi-national corporations as SONY and American Express. From the sound of it, it seemed this would be the last work he would need to do.

Fortuny Restaurant, Hotel Cipriani. Eleanor Hardy, IRT

He was a charming young man, thrilled by the Orient-Express, thrilled by the Cipriani, and delighted to meet us.  He wanted to know if we had a dining recommendation. We spied him at dinner that night on the outdoor patio of the Fortuny restaurant, two tables away, with his young bride. He waved again.

Our dining reservation card on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Our dining reservation card on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

They looked like two children playing dress-up. They probably could buy us out many times over. I gave him our card (but not our credit card) and said I hoped he’d travel with The Society of International Railway Travelers some day.

Maybe we’ll meet again on the Paris-Istanbul Orient-Express for his fifth — and our 35th — wedding anniversary.

Or maybe we’ll wind up at Paris’ delightful Esprit Saint Germain hotel following the great train’s other annual extravaganza: Istanbul-Paris .

Wherever we meet, we wish him well and echo his appreciation of the world’s great luxury trains.

More pictures of the Cipriani.

Next time: Part 3 – Dinner in the Côte D’Azur

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Indolence—with Style—on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

11 Mar

 

 

Eleanor Hardy luxuriates at the VSOE's open window. Photo by Owen Hardy, IRT

Reporting from the Venice-Paris-Calais route of  Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Overcast day. Left Venice’ Santa Lucia Station at 11. Now we’re back from lunch, lounging in our “Cabin Suite,” as the VSOE calls two double compartments joined by a private, interior door. We gaze at high rocky crags, set against a cloud-filled sky punctuated by patches of blue.

Landscape is emerald green; hillsides covered with grape arbors and bright, orange-red poppies, which we’ve seen everywhere since we’ve been in Italy. We think we’re entering the Dolomites, but neither of us has made a move to consult our VSOE map. We’re resting, we tell ourselves.

It’s rained on and off, but the temperature is cooling. We’re feeling no pain.

Went through Verona during lunch. Our waiter mentioned it was the home of Romeo and Juliet. Knew that, but nice of him to remind us. Ah, romance. I drift off to sleep.

It’s overcast, as I said, but we like it that way. It makes our compartment quite comfortable. Mountains seem to be getting more massive as we continue north towards Switzerland. “Style of architecture looking more Swiss, less Italian,” I note, brilliantly, in my journal.

Our morning departure went off without a hitch. We left the Cipriani Hotel by private boat to the train station. People coming in on the Trenitalia trains, even the folks from the snazzy, high-speed ETR 600s, were green with envy. The platform swarmed with the curious, anxious to catch a glimpse and a photo or two of this train straight out of “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous.”

People crowded the windows to peer into the sleeping cars, and the VSOE staff graciously allowed themselves to be photographed with their many admirers. Even a group of Italian nuns got into the act.

A group of nuns, just arrived via local train, catch Orient-Express fever. Photo by Owen Hardy for IRT

Jake, a New Zealander and our compartment steward, welcomed us each with a glass of champagne in a distinctive VSOE flute on a doily and a nice “Happy Anniversary” card from the train manager. We’re taking this special trip to celebrate our 30th. And what better way for us to celebrate?

Now Eleanor is sound asleep, exhausted by all the amenities she’s been enjoying. The mountainsides are getting steeper as we move further into the Alps.

'L'Oriental" detail. O. Hardy

Lunch was in the diner “L’Oriental” — which we think looks like a Chinese black lacquered box. We ordered a half bottle of Campogiovanni Brunello Di Montalcino, 2004, an Italian red wine which went wonderfully with our set menu: monkfish, red pepper stuffed with basmati rice, a grilled fennel, dessert of mixed red berries—raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, drizzled with triple sec. With our coffee they gave us a little plate of macaroons, melt-in-your-mouth soft, and three little squares of chocolate.

VSOE delight. O. Hardy

Amazing how much we love those little touches—the chocolates had the swirling VSOE logo on them. We practically squealed with delight.

As my 94-year-old mother would say: “We could get used to this.”

Enjoy these pictures we have posted. You don’t have to be a Facebook member to enjoy them.

Next time: Part 2: A Very Unusual Guest on the Orient-Express

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Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta ride the Orient Express

19 Feb

Detail from "L'Oriental" restaurant car on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The Orient-Express just arrived: at New York Fashion Week. “Oscar de la Renta must be lusting for travel,” says Hannah Elliott, of Forbes.com. “Watching his fall 2011 runway show was like watching landscape change through the window of the Orient Express.”

The metaphor was picked up by  Vogue’s Hamish Bowles, in her description of Ralph Lauren’s styles: “Seemed to guarantee an invitation to the captain’s table on the SS Normandie, or a first class berth on the Orient Express.” The Examiner.com came to the same conclusion: “Ralph Lauren fall 2011 collection rides the Orient Express.”

Ralph Lauren creations

Ralph Lauren designs from New York Fashion Week

Oscar de la Renta design-straight out of "The Lady Vanishes?"

Even to my untrained eye, the fashions do seem to evoke the 1930s atmosphere so carefully reconstructed on the present-day Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Here’s Ralph Lauren on his new fall collection: “I have always loved the glamor and sophistication of the 1930s and its Art Deco and Chinoiserie influences.”

We may not be fashionistas, but we have this much in common with Mr. Lauren: our favorite diner on the VSOE is “L’Oriental,” which to us looks just like a beautiful, black lacquered Chinese box–or maybe a richly hued Ralph Lauren designer dress.

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Railway Journeys 2011: “Wish Book” for World’s Top 25 Trains

2 Feb

Society President Eleanor Hardy on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The 60-page, all-color IRT Society’s Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2011™ is out the door, and I must say, we’re proud parents. (Download a PDF copy here.)

New for 2011:

We hope you’ll love the detail and photographs — 85% of them are from our staff and members.  We also hope you love the reporting, the detail, the facts. Enjoy!

Once you take a look, please let us know what you think. Is it useful, beautiful, inspiring?

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Want to visit the best of Central Europe?

19 Jan
I loved seeing these young dancers at their portrait session

The little dancers pose at the Krakow Royal Palace

I arrived in Dresden in snowfall, having a remarkable conversation with a fellow traveler on the ICE. I came to scout Dresden for our Society of IRT tours. She, in silk scarf and dramatic cape, came to bury her husband, an opera star at Dresden’s Semperoper. You’ll never forget Dresden, she confided.  The train rounded the bend, the city shined before us.

And that is why I am delighted the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has decided to do a tour which includes overnights in Dresden, as well as Krakow. The train has organized in these two cities five-star hotels, transfers and some fantastic, guided outings and events for the lucky few guests. But the train has wisely left plenty of free time for guests to explore on their own. I think the mix is just about perfect.

In Dresden, the Frauenkirche, is a powerful symbol of reconciliation. When I saw it, the rubble, caused by Allied bombing in 1945, lay in huge, numbered piles.  The rebuilding began in 1994; it was reconsecrated in 2005, with the help of donations from around the world. Now it is busy with services, tours and concerts.

Dresden’s river front is  gorgeous…Just walking around, visiting the art galleries, the palace, cafes, the opera, is a ball.  The Dresden Semperoper has tours during many days to visit the amazing building itself.

You also won’t forget Krakow.

Krakow, whose entire historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another great wandering place.  The memorable Cathedral,  Wawel Royal Castle on the hill, the wall around the city. A Polish military band, 50 at least, decked out in fabulous red and blue costumes, first grimaced for their portrait, then filled the square with their music.  A battalion of young dancers decked out in their costumes posing for photographs in the courtyard of the castle charmed all who were lucky enough to see them.

All of these experiences just happened on their own. Dresden, Germany and Krakow, Poland, are just two of the cities in the region that are so worthy to visit. You can get to both of them from major city centers by regular train. But in the one itinerary with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express this summer, they are linked by luxury train and plenty of time on your own in between.

Do  you have favorite memories visiting either of these two wonderful places?

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Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Varna, Bulgaria

1 Sep

The annual Paris-Istanbul tour of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express reached Varna, Bulgaria Tuesday. From the sound of the press reports, the 12 IRT Society members aboard are basking in the glamor of this once-a-year extravaganza. Arriving today in Istanbul, the Orient-Express departs Friday, Sept. 3 on its final “land voyage” of the season. It is scheduled to arrive in Venice Sept. 9, where it will undergo routine maintenance until the beginning of next year’s season.

The annual Paris-Istanbul tour typically sells out a year in advance. Limited space is available on next year’s trip, which runs Sept. 2-7, as well as on next year’s Istanbul-Venice tour, which runs Sept. 9-14. For more information or to book, call (800) 478-4881 or email me at ohardy@irtsociety.com.

VSOE in Varna, Bulgaria

On the platform: staff from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Varna, Bulgaria

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