Tuesday, March 3, 2009

All Aboard! Orient Express Blogadventure!



All Aboard!
The Orient Express is boarding in Paris on Monday, March 9th, and you are invited!

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The original route, which first ran on October 4, 1883, was from Paris, Gare de l'Est, to Giurgiu in Romania via Munich and Vienna. At Giurgiu, passengers were ferried across the Danube to Rousse in Bulgaria to pick up another train to Varna, from where they completed their journey to Istanbul.

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Your table is reserved
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The first menu on board (October 10, 1882): oysters, soup with Italian pasta, turbot with green sauce, chicken ‘à la chasseur’, fillet of beef with 'château' potatoes, 'chaud-froid' of Game animals, lettuce, chocolate pudding, buffet of desserts.

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The cars included sleepers, a bar, a superb resturant car, a pullman for cards, reading and conversation and intrigue and of course baggage cars filled with mysterious crates and bundles.

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Characters in literature who have traveled on the orient express include Dracula, Hercule Poirot, and James Bond. They will be boarding again on March 9th and you are invited to join us on this adventure. You are invited to post your part of the journey on the 9th! What would you take, what would you wear, what adventures would you have on board? Who would you travel with, where would you stop for sightseeing and activities? Will there be drama...suspense.......a (horrors!) a murder to solve???? Will we be derailed by an avalanche? Will mysterious people board at our many stops? Will jewels dissapear? What will you order from the exoctic menu? You decide! Plan an Orient Express post for our bloggyadventure.

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All travelers will board here and links to all of the adventurous passengers private sleeping quarters will be listed so you may move from car to car to see what everyone is doing on the Orient Express.

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Did.....did something just fall from the train????????


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Post a comment to let us know you will be joining in on this latest adventure then take a copy of the Orient Express Poster for your sidebar with a link to this post. Invite your friends!

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Your hotel room in Istanbul awaits you!


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40 comments:

Pat said...

Hey! This might be fun. I will brainstorm a bit and see what I can come up with. We had the Orient Express in Belgrade.

Wikipedia says: "By 1962, the Orient Express and Arlberg Orient Express had stopped running, leaving only the Simplon Orient Express. This was replaced in 1962 by a slower service called the Direct Orient Express, which ran daily cars from Paris to Belgrade, and twice weekly services from Paris to Istanbul and Athens."

Marie Reed said...

Coooool! I'll put on my thinking cap! I have tons of cards from Gare de l'Est.. sigh... there she goes again ranting about vintage postcards!:)

steviewren said...

Muse, how did you ever guess that my doctor just ordered a trip for me. He prescribed travel as the only antidote to my "it's time for Spring, but winter persists" doldrums. I shall purchase my ticket and begin packing my bags immediately!

Lavinia said...

An adventure after my own heart! WHOOPEE!!!!
No one, absolutely no one will be able to say to me, too late Lavinia, that train has sailed. I'm there so beware! Lock up your jewels, your credit card and your liquid stash....and let the good times roll!!!

Debby said...

Will jewels disappear? Traveling with this crew, I'd have to say 'yes'. Looking forward to the trip, Muse.

Sparky said...

This is splendid! Hercule and I will pack our bags mon ami and will see you there! Hope there won't be a [gulp] murder or any jewel thievery though! Traveling with Monsoir Poirot can be an adventure in itself! ♥ ∞

Linda said...

Awesome!!! I can't wait. Umm..Debby, I am sure we will have some adventures ERR..thievery.. LOLOL.

larkswing said...

How fun! I don't know that I will be able to contribute (I don't believe I am creative enough) but I will definitely come along for the adventure. I know, I can be the fly on the wall!! I love how creative you are!

Kat Mortensen said...

Oh! A murder, if you please! Un(e)(Blicky, help me out with the lingo) crime passionel, s'il vous plait!
I have ALWAYS wanted to travel on board the Orient Express. What do you want to bet Lavinia already has?
I love the movie, "Murder On... and wanted to be in the cast. This is so exciting! Just what we need to chase those remaining winter blues away.

I'm off to splurge on my wardrobe and buy a train case.
Un question: is lettuce considered a side dish? I know not of these matters.

Katchatrainian

MuseSwings said...

Bibi! We will be stopping in Belgrade! I am so excited. We'll have hours to visit your beautiful city!
Marie! We will all be in Paris to begin our journey and we will want postcards to send to our friends abroad! Perfect.
Stevie - yes do start packing! All the latest fashions!
Lavinia - there is a very special sleeping car for our pets - silk cushions and a French chef for supurb meals - bring the Bebbers and the jewels and plenty of uhm borrowed credit cards!
Debbie I have crates of uhm borrowed jewels to wear at dinner. And of course daytime broaches and shoe buckles.
Sparky - yes Poirot will need all the help he can get! There will be mystery and intrigue enough to keep you to in overdrive.
Linda - adventure is our middle name.
Imerie - yes travel with us! Aren't you the illusive and mysterious woman in tweed???
Kat - your French accent is superb! Lettuce may be a side dish as long as there are no beets involved. Henri's is having a delicious sale on travel clothes for the well appointed lady. Tell him I sent you. Also tell him the check is in the mail.

MuseSwings said...

Katchatrainian - Bwahahahaha!

Danyele Easterhaus said...

my hubs travels to paris a number of times a year...and i want to go...if i could get there on a train, i would!!!

Debra Kay said...

I'm in! Looking forward to an exciting adventure.

Heather at My Coupon Coop said...

Ooh, I want to go! What a dream that would be.

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? said...

Yum, the triple icing on the birthday cake, Muse! Have always wanted to venture on the Orient Express! With mysterious compatriots from around blogosphere?! Count me in! :))

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? said...

An interesting read btw, Muse!

soulbrush said...

oui oui, ja ja, aufwiedersein and ciao, ve vill be zere two...

Anonymous said...

Perfect opportunity..I'm escaping from the Palace. Will board in Paris, in disguise, don't tell anyone...

MuseSwings said...

I have tickets for everyone! Another mystery passenger too! Soul eet eez magnifique that you weel bee zere too!

Jeanne Estridge said...

How fun! I'll be watching with bated breath to see who survives.

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Those chateau potatoes sound good don't they Muse Swings? I'd sooo go on this little adventure. Maybe I did.........I've often felt like I belong in a different time. Do you feel that way sometimes?
How about everyone else? Am I alone here? Somehow, I doubt it..........

Steady On
Reggie Girl

ChaChaneen said...

Ah, yes I want to experience all the elegance and pizzazz that the Orient has to offer. I'm requesting a private room near the lounge Dahling as the I want to be near the champagne. Sparky should really take a vacation this trip and visit in my car. We can lead Poirot on a scavenger hunt on the train... that will keep him busy. Lavinia can join us to play cards. Where's that cat - Blicky? Sluething around?

MuseSwings said...

Janeen - whatever you require will be arranged! Lavinia IS a card - not sure if she plays cards, but if she suggests a game of Black Jack I would suggest you use your own deck. Blick is keeping a low profile so far. We'll have to keep an eye on his activities. Send Poirot around to see what he's up to.

I think Mr. Peck is managing the sleeper car stewards....hmmmmm

MuseSwings said...

I definately belong in a different time Reggie Girl and I would guess, based on the comments above that uhm no...most of these folks at least belong in a different time zone. I'll see to it that the Chef has plenty of those 'taters on hand. They do sound good, don't they?

Dave King said...

Mmmmm, now there's a thought! We went on it once, for my wife's 50th birthday. Couldn't afford Istanbul, or anything exotic like that, just a local jolly, round the South East of England! Even so, it was a great day out.

Nihal said...

Oh great, greatest surprise was waiting for my visit that I did not know:)
I too wrote a post about this Orient Express in my very first days on blogland Cindi, if you wish pls click on the following link to my post. I even placed the poster like you:

http://nihalcrossroads.blogspot.com/2007/09/carpe-diem.html

Definitely, your hotel room in Istanbul awaits you at Pera Palace Hotel! I often go there to sip of my coffee, excellent interiors!

And I also wait you ALL in Istanbul:)

I'm going to make an Orient Link to your wonderful post. With sympathy & Love.

MuseSwings said...

Dave - What a nice Birthday gift for your wife! Come aboard again - this trip is very affordable.

Nihal! Wonderful! We look forward to meeting up with you in Istanbul! We'll visit your beautiful city and then you can hop on board and make the return trip with us.

MuseSwings said...

Nihal - I visited your post about the Orient Express - as always it is wonderfully informative.

Anonymous said...

Thank you.I won my header at jan and toms.There's a button on my blog.She wasn't having very many entries the last I knew.I have no idea why,EVERYBODY loves mine...ANN

Renee said...

I love your adventure stories because then I get to come along for the ride.

By the way Madam, when your daughter Jennier said that it was also a day to celebrate you I saw just in that sentence what a wonderful and fantastic family you must have.

xoxoxo

Mim said...

I need a trip so bad that I look forward to getting the mail !!! I'm in! Hopefully I won't forget to get on the train...or lose my ticket...or get on the wrong train ---

I love that clickety clack noise and the swaying motion of a train - especially at night in a little trainy room...

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

You're right on the nail with the Indian heritage thing. Chicksaw Tribe to be precise. And again right, I was raised by my Grandmother after my parents died. Not sure what the cherry tobacco scent is.......my precious dad used to smoke a pipe and sometimes his tobacco smelled like cherries. Is that it? Please say yes, that's it. I think you are awesome Muse Swings....just awesome :)
Feel better

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Tea Time With Melody said...

Well this sounds like such fun! Never been or planned a trip such as this, I will have to get very creative. I do want a room with a view.....

twinkle teaches said...

Sounds like fun!!!

MuseSwings said...

Welcome aboard everyone! A room with a view for Melody and all of our adventurous travelers!

KARNA said...

I'll be traveling with the group,so please secure my passage at this time. I have business in Istanbul. I cannot fathom traveling by any other method but my favorite train-- the Orient Express. Due to matters known only to myself at this time, I'll be traveling incognito under the Sassy Lass name. For those of you who are securing passage for us, my real name is Marie Cadleaux St. Laurent. I shall explain more tomorrow...

ChaChaneen said...

Ooooooh, Muse! I think I see a caper forming here with Sassy Lass!

KARNA said...

Hello again. I need to beg your assistance. I'll need a small bed in my sleeper, if you please, once we arrive in Bulgaria. My companion, Mssr. Honore is a small man of 4'5". Please stock the sleeper with a packed box of the new Cuban Cigar... El Rey Del Mundo launced 1882 otherwise known as "The King of the World"
Mssr. Honore will be taking all of his meals inside the cabin and will not be seen in public areas. He will depart with me in Instanbul.

MuseSwings said...

I have just the suite for you and your little King of the World, Karna. We will see to all of your needs and confidentiality is our middle name. Actually the room is bugged, but I'm sure Lavinia will share her findings with just her very closest friends.

Note to self: install eensy teensy cameras for the Pretender To The Throne Suite and bring extra large canister of fingerprint powder.

Pamposh Dhar said...

Wow. What a wonderful idea. The Orient Express - it's just so exotic... I'll add my pictures from Vienna and a sema (Whirling Dervishes) at the train station in Istanbul! On my blog: http://pamposhdhar.blogspot.com later this week.
This is fab. :))