Ride the Orient Express

“Having checked in, we watched the train arrive, and then we boarded. Instantly, I had to forgot everything I knew about train travel. Large, comfortable armchairs greeted us at our two person table, beautifully set with a white tablecloth, fine silver-ware, glasses, flowers and a lamp. Our waiter showed us to our table, and we were able to peruse our brunch menu. It was all so exciting I almost forgot to look out the window.”

“Sometime after you down your second Agatha Christie, as you gaze about at your tuxedoed and diamond-dripping compatriots, you lose track of time, and not just the hour but the decade and the century, so that when a minivan appears alongside the train on a country road, it’s a bit of a shock. The bar cart is where the real magic of the Orient Express happens. Everyone is dressed up and, having paid a good deal for the privilege, determined to have a good time. There’s limited seating in the bar, so you inevitably have to share a drinks table. Without phones or the possibility of a smoke break, we’re forced to do something that’s become even rarer than train travel these days: Talk to one another.”