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aboVe, two orient
express stewards
in white gloVes
and wearing
their elegant
tUrQUoise liVery
with gold riMs.
next to it is a detail
oF onboard serViCe
whiCh is FaMoUsly
MetiCUloUs with
sophistiCated FrenCh
CUisine serVed
in the Midst
oF the VelVets
oF the restaUrant Car
on Fine porCelain
and silVer CroCkery.
including getting off in giurgiu in romania and
crossing the danube in a boat to ruse in bulgaria,
getting on another train for Varna on the black sea
and continuing from there by ferry to istanbul. it
was a journey which let lose the fantasies of writers
from bram stoker who mentions it in his famous
dracula, graham greene who set stamboul train
on it and ian Fleming who imagines james bond
escaping on it in From russia with love. today
orient express trains, given a fresh flush of youth
in 1982 by hotel tycoon james b. sherwood, offer
exclusive rail cruises for travellers with refined and
nostalgic tastes. Chugging slowly along into the
most picturesque corners of the planet, as eastern
and orient express does with three convoys and a
range of new itineraries in south east asia which
wind their way through rainforests, rice fields and
tea plantations taking in enchanting places which
can often only be reached by rail. the highlights
of the journey include the spectacular angkor
archaeological site in Cambodia, the ancient city
of luang prabang in laos which is full of temples,
ancient palaces and colonial architecture and has
been put onto the UnesCo world heritage site list
and the khao yai national park, part of thailand’s
natural heritage. one curiosity: the singaporebangkok
line via kuala lumpur and penang passes
over the celebrated bridge over the river kwai
which was immortalised by david lean in his 1957
film with william holden and alec guinness who
won an oscar for best actor for this film.
www.orient-express.com
FaCing page,
the orient express Under
way while it traVels
throUgh the Corner
oF one oF the Most
piCtUresQUe landsCapes
oF its roUtes throUgh
the Most attraCtiVe plaCes
on the planet.
below, a photograM
oF the FaMoUs the bridge
oVer the river KWai (1957)
direCted by DaviD lean
starrinG alec Guinness
and WilliaM holDen based
on the noVel oF the saMe
naMe by pierre Boulle.
river KWai is one
oF the highlights
oF the eastern
and oriental express.
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