The Diary of Evelyn Forrest’s Trip to Palestine
Friday, February 14, 1930
We were up at 6:30 a.m. and everything is bustling to get breakfast over and be ready to leave the good old Aquitania. There is the coast of France and everybody is so excited.
Breakfast at 7:30 was served half an hour early. Passports were stamped and the baggage was ready to leave at 9:15 a.m. Two small boats, one for mail and the other for baggage and passengers, came steaming majestically up to the Aquitania. On board the tender or small boat, there was an awful scramble to claim baggage. Our two suitcases appeared to be missing, but were finally located on the upper deck with the 1st class baggage. It was a beautiful sail into the harbor between the old forts. The Aquitania was majestic as she sailed away. Landed in France. Cherbourg is a quaint old town. There was no time for sight seeing for we must get our baggage through customs and reach Paris before night if possible. Had our first meal in France on the dining car, just before the odd looking train pulled out of the station for Paris. The cars are so small and the steps so high it takes a real acrobat to successfully board one of these trains.
Tickets for the dining car are sold according to the sittings whether you desire 1st or second seating. We purchased 1st seating. The menu was written in French and all the waiters spoke French, but that did not matter for the food was served in six courses and you simply eat or decline the serving and in the latter case you waited until the rest were ready for the next course.
The tables were set for four persons, and each place with two large plates and two very large knife and forks, and smaller butter knife, spoon and fork. Three of the courses included:
1st course – Pickled beets, Irish potato salad, bread and butter. Plates removed and clean plates provided.
2nd Course—A hot Mushroom Omelet.
3rd course Hot roast veal and Irish potatoes browned.
The country between Cherbourg and Paris is very interesting. The grass is green and many cattle were in the fields. Many fields were plowed for spring. Farmhouses and barns have grass or hay roofs. There were beautiful horses harnessed one ahead of the other. (Many times four working together in this manner.) Arrived in Paris at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Bowman met us at the train. Hotel Edward VII. Ave DeL Opera. Room 84. This is wonderful to have room to move around in after our cramped quarters on the boat. Our room had a beautiful balcony with double French windows to see the city.
Editor’s note: The small photo is of the balconies on the hotel were the Forrests stayed in Paris.