My Wonderful Year | Page 3

One tells the femme de chambre at what hour one would like
to bathe, then she tells the bath attendant who comes to tell you that the
hour is convenient, and about five minutes before the hour he notifies
you that your bath is ready. While on deck, a deck steward hovers
about you. It is his delight to keep you well wrapped in your beautiful,
wooly blanket. One is assigned a deck chair, for which one pays of
course, and a blanket for the trip, so one may wrap up as comfortably
as one wishes without feeling that he may be disturbed. But the nicest
attendant of all, I think, is the dining room steward, who caters to one's
every wish. Just the thought of the three daily visits to the dining room
prevented my becoming seasick.
Boat passengers are not exposed to any unnecessary hazards. A life belt
for each passenger is found in his cabin with directions for its use
tacked on the door. The life boat and the seat number for each person
are given in the list of directions. One of my first acts was to try on my
life belt and locate my life boat. After that I had a feeling that all was
well, and I was eager to participate in the pleasures of the voyage.
In order that one may at least know who his fellow travelers are, a list
of the passengers is posted in the foyer by the elevator. Each passenger
is also given a folder containing the list of passengers.
The first meal served on shipboard was lunch at 12 o'clock for which I

was more than ready. I had been too excited to eat breakfast; moreover
one of the numerous precautions I had been given against seasickness
was to forego breakfast on the morning of sailing. The appointments of
the dining room were beautiful and inviting, cut flowers on the tables,
crisp linen which is changed at every meal, faultless silver service,
dining room stewards in tuxedos, and appetizing French foods. One's
every wish is anticipated. One finds on his table at each meal a printed
menu folder with some picture of French life on both the cover and the
back. The menu is printed in French and English with a suggested
menu. One has a choice of every course, and for one's tea it may be
China, Ceylon, Orange Pekoe, Mint, Linden, Vervain, or Conomile.
Sometimes I chose the selected menu and again I trusted to luck for the
outcome of my selection. Fortunately I did not have the experience of
the person who selected a meal from a French menu to find when the
dishes were brought to him that he had all liquids. Here is a suggested
menu.
Menu
Du
Mercredi 25 Septembre 1935
Menu Suggestion
Pot age Dartols
Supreme de Turbot Montfermeil
Aubergines a la Proven$ale
Poularde du Mans Rotie au Cresson
Pommes Fondantes
Salade
Bombe Suedoise

Langues-de-Chat
Corbeille de Fruits
S. S. "Normandie"
Classe Tourists
Breakfast is the informal sort of meal on shipboard that it is in most
homes. It is served from 7 to 9. One sits wherever one chooses, but for
lunch and dinner one has a special seat which is assigned by the maftre
de hotel. These meals are served at noon and seven respectively. Tea is
served on deck at 4 o'clock on individual trays. This special seat
assures the dining room stewards that all of them will be remembered
at the end of the voyage. My steward was trying to learn English and I
was practising my college French, so my meals were interesting.
The one memorable night on shipboard is Gala night, which is held the
night before the last night out. The dining room takes on a festive look,
and paper hats, noise makers, serpentine, and jollity hold sway. The
passengers are dressed in their best, the menu is more elaborate than
ever, and everyone receives a souvenir from the captain of the ship. I
am glad that my souvenir is one that I can keep, a leather billfold wih
'Normandie' stamped on it in gold letters. After Gala night everyone
begins to pack, for he knows he is near his journey's end, but I had
done very little unpacking, for I wanted to be ready to debark at a
moment's notice. I enjoyed my first ocean trip immensely. I had neither
a dull nor a sick moment crossing the Atlantic.
CHAPTER II
ENGLAND
Although London was my destination, I first set foot upon foreign soil
at Havre. The stormy weather prevented the tender's coming out to the
Normandie at Southampton, so we were taken to Havre, France, the
Normandie' s berth, where I had my first experience boarding a moving
train. My cosmetic case did not