By SUSAN TRIMBLE

The Lounge Car.s

SEPTEMBER 2001, our journey begins in the British suite of the elegant Peace Hotel, Shanghai.

The Peace Hotel is a treat. The patina of the place gets into your bones and evokes memories of movies and books dealing with life in the 20's, history in the making when life was tough, sometimes short, and when frills and frivolity made up for the difficulties of every day. Whether widely known or not, the hotel is a veritable gallery of Lalique crystal. A tour through the private suite of "Eve" Sassoon is something dreams are made of. The Old Jazz Band is alive and well and playing every night to a packed room. If that's not your kick, then an evening stroll on the Bund certainly is worthwhile sport before turning in for the night. Sleep well at the Peace Hotel ... everyone does somehow.

The Shanghai Museum is world class and a morning there gives us the best beginning to a tour in China. The jade is exquisite, the bronzes, superlative, the Buddhist carvings, a perfect hint of what is in store on the Silk Road journey.

As we fill our day visiting Shanghai sites that must not be missed, final preparations are going on at the train station in Urumqi, as the China Orient Express anticipates our arrival by air the following day.

Early morning comes and our group departs Shanghai to fly 4/5ths of the way across China. Over the mighty Yangtze River, crossing this holy mountain and that holy mountain, is that a glimpse of the Great Wall, the edge of Inner Mongolian grasslands, touches of Gobi desert, snowcapped mountains and vast unending desert sand dunes. Glad to have a window seat, I try to jot notes, manipulate my camera, not miss anything!

Camel riding at Mingsha.

Landing in Urumqi, we are all anxious for something other than airplane food. The Sheraton hotel in Urumqi is 5-star and very fine. The rooms are comfortable, rating right up there with the best. And what a spread for dinner. Everyone is relaxed and looking forward to our trip tomorrow to Tianchi ... Heavenly Lake where the Queen Mother of the West had a rendezvous with Emperor Wu, and made the lake a magical place. And later, the provincial museum exhibit of the famous mummies of Urumqi and other excellent discoveries found along the Silk Road.

But the train is foremost in the minds of everyone. How anxious we are to board and set ourselves up in our private compartment ... tomorrow can't come too soon.

Dressed for comfortable temperatures we board the bus to the train station ... a somewhat gloomy place ... but as we wind our way up stairs, across tracks, down more stairs, we hear music somewhere and party-like sounds. Arriving at the tracks where our beautiful train awaits us, we are welcomed with lively Uygur music, and dancing performed by hauntingly beautiful young Uygur women and men with eyes that melt your soul.

Boarding the train is a joy, our luggage is already on board ... each coach has gorgeous attendants wearing wide smiles, waiting to make us comfortable. Hardly am I seated when hot tea is served to me in my cabin. Speaking of the cabin, I'm thrilled once again to run my fingers over polished mahogany paneling and brass fixtures, to draw lace curtains and to peer out clean windows. And the little powder room with fresh white towels and mirrors all round is mine! ... well not quite ... I will share it with my neighbor ... but still ... such luxury is not part of regular train travel. I wander up the softly carpeted hallway of my coach, greeting my neighbors and sharing in their delight with this 5-star magic iron carpet. As we settle in the whistle blows, and the China Orient Express chugs out of the station to the tunes of the Uygur band.

Onwards to Kashgar ... centuries old crossroad of trade between the east and the west. Each of our senses is assaulted in the exotic Sunday market. Spices, vegetables, raisins, nuts, beautifully worked knives, silks, brocades, carpets, leathers, furs, camels, sheep, donkeys, horses and delicious smelling foods served constantly in the outdoor restaurants. Wishing I could get lost here, I hang back from the group ... but finally someone urges me on to the next exciting spot, Chini bagh, the old home of the British consul. Then on to the Russian consulate near the Semen Hotel. Neither building is grand, but the rooms and hallways seem to whisper secrets from the past. One of our guides was the great-grandson of the chef for Macartney, British Consul at the turn of the century.

A gentle rain is falling as we walk back to our bus ... good for keeping down the ever-present desert dust. A visit to the Kashgari tomb is wonderfully peaceful and looking towards the Taklamakan desert, I am transported into dreams of travel with Aurel Stein. Back to the present and the dashing Irishman that is today's fellow explorer....he's signed up for a trip into space -- now that's exploring!

Reluctantly we leave Kashgar, but happily we return to our luxurious train. The staff looks forward to our return ... our berths are fresh but all the little signs of "home" are still there.

As we travel the northern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, our lectures begin! Yes, we have a professor and some historians on board to enlighten and inspire us. The Silk Road comes alive as they speak of personalities and stories, facts and fiction to the "thirsty" travelers. We hear about Zhang Qian, sent during the Han Dynasty to Bactria to solicit soldiers to defeat the invading Huns; of Fa Hsien, a monk who recorded his journeys to India on bamboo slips as well as on silk; of the travels of Xuan Zang, the Chinese monk who was an emissary of Tang Emperor Taizong; and of other famous monks who spent their lives translating Buddhist texts into Chinese. We learn of the travels of Marco Polo, how he went throughout the lands ... and into Asia and how he wove his many tales ... and how his tales have lived on in the hearts of explorers ever since.

We learn the basics of Buddhism and of Islam, and how they blended and evolved into a local Buddhism that flourished on the Silk Road for centuries; and how to read the beautifully recorded stories in the caves of Kuqa and Dunhuang.

A modern explorer relates the history, the geography, the strategic importance, the structure and the legends of the Great Wall, luring us to accompany him on his repeated journeys to record it.

Karez -- the ancient irrigation system.

Did I tell you about the musical talent on board, did I say we had a piano in the lounge car, did I tell you we enjoy the music of a great pianist accompanied by a famous singer from Toronto? We also have a renowned opera singer among us, and a honky-tonk talent who "writes" songs and music with just a touch of his fingers to the ivories; and a quiet, moody style pianist who sends us off to bed humming the romantic tunes of our youth.

Our meals are wonderful. It is rumoured that the Master Chef performs his magic feats on the China Orient Express when he is not traveling with China's highest-ranking leaders. And he is cooking up a storm for us! Breakfasts are western, lunches and dinners are the best Chinese cuisine. During evenings with theme parties, appropriate special meals are prepared. Our dress up party called "Romans and Mandarins on the Silk Road" includes a fabulous Italian pasta accompanied by delicately prepared duck.

Well fed and well rested, we pull into the station above the oasis of Turpan, ready to explore the silent ancient cities of Jiaohe and Gaocheng. Both cities are believed to date from Western Han and were inhabited over a 1500-year period. Jiaohe is a Chinese Heritage site and a UNESCO protection and conservation project. The project is being carried out in a superior way. The signage throughout is tasteful and pertinent. There is a winding cobbled walking path with directional arrows. A protective dyke has been built to protect the city foundation from the effects of flooding. It seems as if the city now just stands still, with no further deterioration. The atmosphere encourages kind attention by those who visit. Jiaohe is truly an outdoor museum with superb upkeep. On the other hand, Gaocheng resembles a race ground for donkey-driven carts and drivers, the many visitors careless with their garbage. No one seems to care. The difference in the two sites is remarkable.

The tiny museum in Turpan is deserving of some funds as it houses valuable finds from ancient sites. Near Turpan are the Bezeklik caves, located in a formidable looking gorge, Mutou Gou, in the area of the Flaming Mountains. Bezeklik has some rare Manichean wall paintings and the cave structure is an unusual style of Buddhist architecture.

Our lectures on Islam help us to understand the beauty of the Sugong (Emin) Minaret. The area's underground Karez, an ancient irrigation system, brings water from the mountains to Turpan making it green and lush, and heady with the scent of grapes.

As we travel along in our heritage train, the stretching desert reminds me of a moonscape. Gazing out the window, I reflect on the events of the past days, and record my journey in the privacy of my tiny compartment. Later, I walk to the lounge car to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of freshly brewed coffee with my travel companions. We await the murals!

From the murals at Dunhuang.

Dunhuang is almost two hours by bus from the train station at Liuyuan, and we are booked for two days into the Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel, nestled at the edge of the Mingsha. The view from the windows of my room is spectacular. Plans to rise early, climb to the roof garden and see the sun rise over the sand dunes conflict with plans of a camel ride into the desert to greet the dawn with champagne and orange juice. What choices for us adventurers!

Dunhuang, Mingsha, the unsurpassed Mogao Grottos, and the desolate Yumenguan, or Jade Gate, where caravans passed through en route to the markets of old Turkestan. My heart beats quickly as I hear camel bells clanging, as I smell the dry desert air and as I imagine my own caravan waiting for the travel pass required to head westward.

The Mogao Grottos are testimony to the undying efforts of scholars, researchers and conservationists devoted to the study of Buddhist art and to the preservation of historical treasures. This site is without a doubt the most efficiently managed and carefully tended in China. A UNESCO World Heritage site, China maintains Mogao Grottos at world-class standards.

As we explore, the crew of the China Orient Express enjoys a much deserved rest before preparing the train once again to carry us effortlessly along to our next stop on the Silk Road.

Jiayuguan, the western end of the Ming Great Wall, was actually a castle, large enough to house a large contingent of troops. The story goes that after leaving the west gate of Jiayu, the traveler would pick up a stone from the desert floor, turn back and throw it towards the gate. If the stone hit the gate and bounced back, then the traveler was sure to return safely. My stone bounces back!

Back on board in the late afternoon, clicketyclack-clicketyclack, we prepare for the evening entertainment. Tonight there will be a "Murder on the China Orient Express"!

Painting of the China Orient Express.

The door at the end of the coach is open a crack and sounds of glasses clinking and gentle conversation are clear. Must be the lounge ... we've been summoned to appear before Inspector Clueso. A suspicious butler welcomes me in, someone catches my eye and winks. The murmuring stops as my fellow travelers and I realize that among us is the guilty one. I look hesitatingly around the room ... could it be that handsome white-haired prosperous looking gent, that beautiful quiet woman whose eyes twinkle with mystery, the dashing Irishman. Perhaps it is the gorgeous blonde with the lusty laugh, or the brooding muscle-bound fellow. Something tells me this is the beginning of a long sleuth and a great party!

Tomorrow on to Xian, capital of the Chinese Empire through many dynasties. Xian was the starting point of caravans bound for the western Silk Road, and the destination for those eastward, becoming a multicultural melting pot of nations. One of the few remaining walled cities in China, Xian and area are rich in historically significant archeological sites. On a par in importance with the Mogao Grottos, the Terra Cotta Warriors are awesome. Xuan Zang's burial place, the Small Goose Pagoda and a leisurely walk through the Muslim area with its beautiful Mosque are fascinating, and the superb provincial museum ties all we've seen together. Time is not long enough in Xian though ... so I'll be back ....

Kashgar Sunday Market.

Finally the China Orient Express delivers her travel weary explorers to splendid Beijing. The luxury of top hotels with fancy cuisines, unlimited shopping for superior silks, jades, pearls and so on, satisfy us. The opulence of the Forbidden City, splendor of the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Tombs and the Mutianyu Great Wall complete our long list of wondrous sights. We feel the evening pulse of Beijing as we wander the area of Houhai. Finally the magical journey ends; our lovely pipa player plucks ancient melodies of the Silk Road as the oarsmen steer our small boats through the quiet lakes of Old Beijing.

A most perfect ending to our journey through the Silk Road on board the fabulous heritage train.

Since Chinese officials never traveled by air during the 50's, there was a need to build a high quality, comfortable train to transport Chairman Mao and other high-ranking government officials throughout China and occasionally into Korea, Russia etc. The country reputed to have the best train-building techniques was Germany; and so China commissioned the construction of a special train. In later years the train went into storage and it was not until the late 80's that the Bureau thought about using the train for tourism. In 1988, a Canadian woman with a vision for unique VIP travel heard about the "50's train". After struggling through layers of authorities, and waiting patiently for permission, Maria Flannery finally dusted years of cobwebs and sand off the train to find a jewel underneath. With much enthusiasm Mrs. Flannery made a proposal to the China Railway Bureau ..."Let's restore this train to its former splendor and offer it as a luxury mode of transport for tourists to explore the Silk Road." More months of waiting as the officials pondered an interesting idea ... finally they agreed and the work started. In China, once a decision has been taken, a skyscraper can appear overnight, and so it was with the train. In September of 1990, the China Orient Express made her maiden voyage through the Silk Road. The travelers were a mixture of Canadians, Americans and a handful of foreign diplomats who were living in Beijing. All were interested in China and her history, all were explorers. A journalist, a filmmaker, a travel writer, ambassadors along with their wives, sons and daughters of missionaries, doctors, lawyers and retired businessmen together enjoyed the luxuries that once were afforded only to the elite of China. The journey into western China is not an easy one. In 1990, most accommodation was rated 2-star, but often was not. Frequently, hotels had problems either supplying water or having an excess of it... all over the floors in some instances. The food in restaurants was safe to eat but uninteresting and repetitive. However, the sights, sounds and sensations along the Silk Road made up for some of the shortfalls. The wonderful heritage train made up for the rest.