The Orient Express
This was a journey to savour!
Getting to The Train
Check-in was at Victoria Park Plaza Hotel. We had a little wait but the orange juice and champagne were a fine diversion plus it gave us a chance to meet fellow passengers. It was nice to be rid of the luggage so soon. There was a very short walk to the station. We were escorted all the way and treated very well from the off.
We had stayed overnight at the hotel, it was fine. We had room service, it is easier to dine in with a baby rather than eating in the restaurant. I had an excellent soup and Elizabeth enjoyed a steak sandwich. The en-suite was nice and large. Breakfast was the usual hotel affair and staying over night gave us a relaxed first morning.
The British Pullman
On the train the food was exquisite and the service was stunning. We had champagne on boarding and soup arrived very quickly. The pace of the food then slowed down nicely and the wine was freely topped up. The scenery wasn't anything special but who was looking out the window? From train to coach for a smooth trip under the channel.
The Orient Express
Once aboard the train we settled into our carriage and had a good look around. The facilities were great, including bottled water to clean our teeth. Then we decided on a quick walk down the train to find the dining car for reference later. We booked an early evening meal with the train manager and let our son wander around.
The food was brilliant and again the service was excellent. They were very good with our very young son. The chef did a special version for him even though we were happy to feed him from our plates. He enjoyed his food before we tucked into our food.
The views as you have breakfast traveling through the Alps were brilliant. Fresh croissants, fruit juice, and fruit salad, with tea and coffee. Every one of the staff was very friendly and helpful. The cabin was more spacious than we imagined. The steward re-arranged it to sleeping bunks and then back to seats for us with no inconvenience to us. There was free coffee in the piano bar through out the trip.
The other passengers were great, most it seemed, like us doing a once in a life-time trip and enjoying every minute. We had a great time simply looking at the stunning scenery and also talking to the others on aboard with us. Doing this while enjoying fresh croissants and English tea for breakfast just added to the experience.
Later we walked along to the piano bar to enjoy the coffee and mingle with our fellow passengers. Lunch was our last meal on board, though we did get afternoon tea in our cabin before we left the express.
Leaving Austria we chugged through the Brenner Pass and down into Italy. It being autumn the light had left us early the previous evening depriving us of much sight of France's delights, not so on the second day.
On arrival in Venice we were escorted to a taxi boat and to the hotel reception. Later we were again escorted all the way to check-in at the airport. This was a great help and large stress reliever.
And to Venice and the Hotel
We stayed in the Il Palazzo part of the Bauer Hotel. The food is again magnificent, and the service is stunning. Our room was a suite of five rooms including a marbled bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. They had a cot ready in the room for David and the room service was prompt.
We used room service on the first evening. The second and last evening we ate in the restaurant. Again the service was brilliant but then the meal was expensive. No pasta on the menu we had tuna steak, octopus soup and variations on banana. The waiters made a lot of fuss over David and even took him away so we could eat in peace for a while, until some loud diners started to annoy David and the waiter brought him back to us.
Venice was flooded when we went out in the morning but cleared by lunch time. We walked around the St. Marco district, around the Basilica and went up the tower in the square.
Our first delight though was a tea and coffee in the Florin. Again great service and a helpful gentleman took our picture for us. You have to do it, you do!
In conclusion, the food was stunning, the service great and the trip fantastic. A once in a life-time trip we will not forget.
