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Dare to dream: a return of the Orient Express?

March 10th 2010 10:14
orient express

The old Orient Express had many incarnations but is associated mostly with the journey from Paris to Istanbul. The time the journey took varied, but it was at all times the stuff of legend, luxury and romance. It was mentioned in the literary works of Bram Stoker, Agatha Christie, Graham Greene, George McDonald Fraser and Ian Fleming.


The old Orient Express made its first journey on October 12, 1882, from Paris to Vienna. The menu read: 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 and buffet of desserts. The first Paris-Istanbul all-train service was on June 1, 1889.

The service ran for the last time in 2007, when the name Orient Express disappeared from all European train timetables. It was a victim, they said, of high-speed trains and cut-rate airlines. It left the world a sadder place.

The new Orient Express has just been announced.

It will run from London to Beijing. It will pass through Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Kiev, St Petersburg, Moscow, Astana in Kazakhstan and Khabarovsk in Russia's far east. It will travel at about 320 kilometres per hour, and it will make the journey in just two days. The service could start operating as early as 2020.

It is a business vision from the only economic power on Earth with the energy, momentum and financial muscle to make this work, China.


I should make some caveats here. This is a proposal rather than a firm plan, 2020 is the "earliest possible" completion date, and there is actually no suggestion that it will be called the Orient Express. But they have to call it that, don't they? Please call it that. The world is a sadder place without an Orient Express in it.
www.telegraph.co.uk

orient express



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Posted By: Chris Champion - Category: Asia, China, Europe, History
   


Bluehenge

October 4th 2009 03:18
stonehenge
Stonehenge

They've found Stonehenge's little brother. It's only half the size — or was, none of the stones remain now — but it's just down the road from big bro, giving tourists two mysteries to visit instead of one.

The new find has been dubbed Bluehenge, reflecting the use of blue Welsh stone. It was found a few months ago and has been kept secret while being excavated. It is being described by archaeologists as one of the most important prehistoric finds in decades.

Bluehenge (a henge, by the way, is a prehistoric architectural structure) comprised 27 stones, compared to 56 at Stonehenge, and was built about the same time, which is about 5,000 years ago.

While the main stones are no longer there, archaeologists built a picture of the stone circle which once stood on the site by studying excavated stone chips. One theory is that the stones from Bluehenge were removed at one point and used to expand Stonehenge, which is known to have undergone several redevelopments.

"It's no longer Stonehenge standing alone," said monument expert Professor Tim Darvill, who believes the find is just as important as Stonehenge, and who predicts more stone circles will be found.

Bluehenge was found at the end of a path connecting Stonehenge to the River Avon.
sources: mail.co.uk, news.com.au; image: www.nationalgeographic.com

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Posted By: Chris Champion - Category: UK, History
   


Hong Kong environment

October 27th 1999 07:01
hong kong harbour
"Hong Kong, unlike Singapore, never had a mandate for eternity. As a borrowed place in borrowed time, it evoked about as much protective instinct as a hotel room"

I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.


The only place where you can wake up in the morning and hear the birds coughing in the trees. -- Joe Frisco (of Hollywood)

Gunk mail

Red Inque got a call last week from a head hunter who, in a long and fruitful conversation, offered an insight into Hong Kong’s pollution problems. The expatriate Brit and his partner had set up their personnel business in Hong Kong, but had moved to Singapore when the partner’s bronchial system had proved incapable of handling the SAR’s less than prophylactic milieu. This was just before the Indonesian bush fires rained ash and dust on Singapore, which was a bit unfortunate.

Back in Hong Kong, we have a gov­ernment which proclaims commitment to cleaning up the environment, but which draws howls of derision every time it announces another inadequate initiative.

Hong Kong is one of the most beaut­iful cities in the world. It is, along with the likes of Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Sydney and San Francisco, one of the great water cities. When visitors come to town, we take them proudly up to The Peak and, standing there high above the Fragrant Harbour, explain that the view would be breathtaking were it not for the smoggy haze.

Some would argue that the haze is not always caused by nasties in the air. Hong Kong, it is true, has a natural seasonal haze, caused in spring by cool water and warm air and in autumn by warm water and cooling air, which can so thoroughly obscure a view that Somerset Maugham was moved to record the phenomenon after a visit in the 1920s.

Others would argue that there never really was a problem until Hong Kong manufacturing started moving over the border into China. This started in the late 1970s when China began opening its doors, and turned into a tidal wave in the late 1980s. China, let it be known, has anti-pollution laws as tough as any. What it doesn’t have is effective policing there­of. So when it comes to Hong Kong’s poor air quality, much of it is being produced across the border by Hong Kong’s own.

Yet others will argue that no-one has given a damn about pollution in Hong Kong since the first British trading ships arrived here and started throwing slops overboard. There was never any profit in it. Hong Kong, unlike Singapore, never had a mandate for eternity. As a borrowed place in borrowed time, it evoked about as much protective instinct as a hotel room.

But now the hotel rooms are too empty too often for profitability and slow­ly, surely, those in the political and cor­porate corridors of power are beginning to listen to arguments which include concepts such as eco-tourism.

The SAR government’s Web site is big on environmentalist rhetoric, if a little short on action. It says all new taxis must run on LPG from the end of next year, but there is no timeframe mentioned for converting the vast existing collection of diesel belchers. Hong Kong’s double-deck­er bus fleet may be newish but is never­theless potently malodor­ous. The Web site mentions that some have now been fitted with catalytic converters but that, whatever it means, hasn’t made Red Inque’s walk to the pub any more agreeable.

What the Web page does tell you is that the government is aware of the sit­uat­ion. “Air pollution is a threat to the health of every citizen,” it admits. “Acute respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to air poll­ut­ion is already costing Hong Kong $3.8 billion a year in medical expenses and lost productivity.

“Air pollution is a threat to Hong Kong's econ­omy. Poor visibility and a rep­u­tat­ion for poor air quality are a dis­in­centive to tourism and to companies est­ab­lishing or maintaining their operations in Hong Kong.”

For those of our readers interested in a social perspective of the diesel eng­ine, the following is also illuminating: “The extremely high density of built-up areas and the unusually high reliance on diesel vehicles in Hong Kong are unique.

“Thirty per cent of Hong Kong's veh­icles have diesel engines, compared with 19% in Japan, 17% in Singapore and 10% in the UK. Our diesel vehicles account for 70% of all vehicle kilometres travelled each year.”

A broad warning came yesterday morn­ing from that stentorian Asian thunderer, The South China Morning Post, which opened its leader column with the following paragraph, “Regard­less of which aspect of the econ­omy is under discussion, the con­clusions are always the same: without a clean-up of the environment, Hong Kong’s prospects for recovery are weak.”

This blowing of a smog horn is rather stretching reality, but it is the sort of message which may make Hong Kong’s polluters think twice in future before emptying their slops into our harbour.
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A storm in a stockmarket

September 20th 1999 06:47
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

And here is the weather forecast. Tomorrow will be muggy. Followed by Toogy, Weggy, Thurgy and Frigy. -- Anonymous

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Timor outrage

September 10th 1999 08:33
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news. -- A.J. Liebling

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Government spending

August 11th 1999 11:02
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

If economists could manage to get themselves thought of as humble, competent people, on a level with dentists, that would be splendid! -- John Maynard Keynes

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Investing in gold

July 23rd 1999 10:11
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.


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Chinese embassy bombing

May 18th 1999 09:54
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.


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A public relations coup

May 7th 1999 09:08
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

The consumer isn’t a moron; she is your wife. -- David Ogilvy (Confessions of an Advertising Man)

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Consumer confidence

April 27th 1999 08:50
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

Tell me Dobkins: How long have you been with us – not counting today? -- David Frost (The Sack and How to Give It)

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Technology asset bubble 2

April 22nd 1999 08:20
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

The pig, if I am not mistaken, supplies us sausage, ham and bacon. Let others say his heart is big – I call it stupid of the pig. -- Ogden Nash

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Technology asset bubble 1

February 22nd 1999 04:10
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

It's only when the tide goes out that you learn who's been swimming naked. -- Warren Buffett

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Chill wind from Beijing

February 8th 1999 03:57
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political and social commentaries for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, and in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake. -- Alexander Pope

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Bad press

December 7th 1998 03:16
I lived in Hong Kong for 16 years until 2007. In 1998 and 1999 I wrote a series of political, investment and social commentary articles for a quirky institutional newsletter - quirky in that it was intended to be as much contentious, offbeat and humorous as it was informative. I was working as an editor at the time, and I wrote the articles under the pseudonym Red Inque. I post them here for anyone interested in a look at life in Asia at the time, especially in Hong Kong just after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

Accuracy to a newspaper is what virtue is to a lady; but a newspaper can always print a retraction.-- Adlai Stevenson

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