January 06 - Arriving in Paris

[robertod]

The Trip
Tickets for the train are booked at the offices of Thomas Cook & Son or via the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. The trip from London to Paris takes about eight hours. The train travels leisurely but without stopping, through the English countryside, through Kent, across the Romney marsh grasses, and fi nally into Dover, a journey requiring a little under two hours to make. Travelers find themselves nonplussed by the comparative dash: few trains in this part of England run without intermediate stops. At Dover, passengers board the ferry for the coast of France and the city of Calais. The crossing ordinarily requires a few hours. Althought tales of hellish winds and of waves pitching ships about like matchboxes are the stock of every seasoned British traveler, the crossing this tome goes smooth. Once at Calais on the French side of the Channel, passengers board a train which is not the Express itself, but one which includes cars which will be linked with the main body of the Simplon-Orient Express.

Paris
Paris is the densest city in Europe. Within the fortifications of Paris, an area of only 30 square miles, are nearly three million people, and a million more in the suburbs without. Paris is the quintessence of urban sophistication. After its reconstruction by Baron Haussmann in the 1850s, Paris was truly a modern city. Its long boulevards are lined with elegant terraces. The meandering little streets of the medieval city have been pushed out of sight, though the wandering visitor easily finds charming back streets. Investigators are also struck by the amount of statuary: at Notre Dame, the museums, the galleries, in public places, everywhere.

The aesthetic appeal of such a mixture of grandeur and intimacy is obvious, and it attracts every person of taste. The city offers a huge variety of shops, boutiques, and restaurants to those with money. English-speaking expatriates in Paris in the 1920s include Joyce, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald. A guidebook of the time comments, “Forms of politeness are more ceremonious in France than in Great Britain or America.” Men doff their hats in restaurants and cafes, and frequently also in shops, picturegalleries, and the like, though in the theatre they keep them on until the curtain rises. They greet each other by raising their hats. Gentlemen are expected to salute a lady before she bows to them, and, in speaking to her, to remain uncovered until requested to resume their hats. The hat is raised also to any lady passed on the stair of a flat and when a funeral is passed in the streets. Evening dress is usual at the Opera and at dinner in the first-class hotels and restaurants. The afternoon is the proper time for formal calls and for the presentation of letters of introduction, which should never be sent by post.

Restaurants and cafes arguably offer the finest food in the world. Taxis are abundant and there is a network of buses and trams. The Metropolitain, the Parisian subway system, criss-crosses the city. Though the actual situation is made somewhat more complicated by the existence of what amounts to commercial and regional coinages, the French franc is in denominations of from 5- to 500-franc paper notes. One hundred centimes make up a franc. The currency trades at about 20 francs to the British pound, but the franc may be discounted by private parties at up to half again that rate.

In January of 1923 in Paris, all eyes are on the Ruhr. French and Belgian troops occupy the area on January 11th to force Germany to pay its reparations as a result of the Great War. There are real fears that this will lead to fresh conflict, and the streets are rife with protest.
As the investigators arrive at their hotel, after they took their time to settle down, the staff hands them some maps and brochures of Paris. The information also includes directions to the famous Bibliotheque Nationale.

The investigators arrive at the Gare du Nord on the morning of January sixth. The Gare du Nord accommodates the trains that run between the capital and northern France, as well as to international destinations in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The station offers connections with several urban transport lines, including the Paris Métro.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ah, Paris!" exclaims Felicity, looking around with delight. "I haven't been here since shortly after the war ended, but even then it was beautiful. What shall we do first?"

[aine]

“Personally, I would suggest lunch. We might as well avail ourselves of the Parisian cuisine and we can discuss our plans; I didn’t find the train particularly conducive.
The Petit Bouillon Pharamond is quiet and the food there is excellent.”

Clarence is glad to be back in Paris, one of his favourite cities and an excellent hunting ground for artistic and archeological oddities.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, lunch would hit the spot," says Felicity.

[SaintMeerkat]

Archie was concerned as he boarded the ferry because he was prone to seasickness even on the most gentle of trips, but to his great relief, he was able to stay above decks and didn't once have to heave embarrassingly over the rail to feed the fishes.

Once on the train to Paris, Archie made his way among the other passengers, and grabbed the latest newspapers. When they finally got to the City of Lights, he was surprised at the way his heart raced pleasantly, almost as though he were a child again, in awe and wonder of the sights.

"Yes, lunch sounds delightful. I got plenty of francs from my bank, just in case anyone needs to borrow a few."

"This Pharamond place sounds wonderful. Lead the way...let's see...how do you say...mon ami!

[Mephistophilis]

'Luncheon? Quite the idea. Although I do find this French food a bit rich for my taste.'

Andrew is very familiar with Paris, and he would grudgingly admit that it is quite the city of culture, but he always feels a little, well uncomfortable. The French aren't quite the heathens of the Orient, but you can never really trust a European, even if you speak the language there's always something, well, a little unpredictable about them.

'Then may I suggest a little trip to the Bibliothèque nationale de France, a little research into that dreadful and blood revolution the Frenchies had. Not really my period, a bit too recent, but a good opportunity to find out about this Comte Fenalik and the...' he whispers, 'Sedefkar Simulacrum.'

OOC:   With his Archaeologist ability and Archaeology and Credit Ratings, Andrew should have enough academic credentials to access the library if there are any restrictions.

[Mr. Handy]

"I certainly know my way around a library," says Felicity.

[aine]

“I wonder how we might find out if the Turks have been up to their tricks here too.” Clarence says as he ponders for a minute and then leads his friends through a maze of tiny streets towards the restaurant.
“This is a short cut.” He reassures them. “Mind the washing!” He ducks under the laundry hanging across the street and continues.

[Mr. Handy]

"I just hope we don't find out the hard way," says Felicity. "I suppose we can keep an eye on the newspapers. If they're up to the same sorts of things they did in London, it'll make the news."