FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-157 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (October 4, 2023) –Today’s edition of Fun with Maps takes us on the tracks in Europe.

Orient Express

Romantic, first class and adventurous.  These and many other terms can describe the train journey through a large portion of Europe on the Orient Express.

Formed by a Belgian firm, the Orient Express used its own luxurious train cars on existing railroads. 

The initial journey from Paris to Istanbul, then Constantinople, commenced on October 4, 1883 – 140 years ago.  Well, the last portion of the journey was by ferry, but who cares.

Throughout the years many routes existed, extending to London and some routes terminated in Athens in place of Istanbul.

The original, and traditional journey, called on Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest between Paris and Istanbul.

Agatha Christie wrote a novel in 1934, the Murder on the Orient Express, in which the crack Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, solves a murder case on the train.   Hopefully you saw this in a play adaptation in April at Loveland High School.

The Orient Express blew its whistle the last time in 2007.

The European continent is detailed in this map from 1792 by Elwe.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.