All aboard the Orient Express!

Here's a photo record of our wonderful day aboard the Orient Express with Christmas lunch, my 60th birthday present from family both in St Ives and Scotland.

The Northern Belle Orient Express arrives at Peterborough on time!

Beth sees us off from the platform.

All nicely laid out for Christmas lunch. Wonder what's on the menu?

Here it is... looks like we're in for a treat.

The surroundings are rather sumptious, the seat sooooooooo comfortable.

First we head across The Fens at a leisurely pace.

With champagne served (red wine for me).

We glide past Ely within sight of the cathedral.

Whenever we go through a station we get lots of envious looks. Even this sparrowhawk had a good stare... maybe he knew what was for main course.

First course... juniper marinated salmon accompanied by a cucumber jelly.

Some musical entertainment before the next course...

... which is spice parsnip soup served with a toasted cumin creme fraiche.

Then the main course... breast of Lincolnshire partidge on a roulade of goose, cranberries and chestnuts accompanied by a chateau potato, sprout puree and a pomegranate jus.

After views of many pretty villages we glide past the Olympic Park in the East End of London.

Past Arsenal's football stadium.

There were a few unscheduled stops.

A view of the Alexandra Palace, cruising away from North London.

More entertainment from a magician. He put his pen through a £20 note of mine and removed it again without a trace of damage, right in front of my eyes... still haven't a clue how he did it!

Oops! Enjoying myself so much, forgot to snap the cheese and biscuits. Here's the sweet that followed... chocolate marquise on a kendal mint chocolate biscuit and an orange comfit and kumquat. A mouthful in more ways than one.

As evening fell we headed back across the fens to Peterborough.

To be met at Huntingdon station by smiling faces... Beth and Connor come to chauffeur us home at the end of a wonderful day.