The lost art of travel. . .

In a bygone era, travel was an experience in luxury & opulence. No detail overlooked, no indulgence spared. Women dressed in furs, wore gloves & were impeccably 'finished'. Gentlemen wore a jacket & pocket square, donned a hat & displayed chivalry. 

Whether by boat, train or later, air-- travel was an event one looked forward to in this hopelessly romantic era.

Have always believed it is important to be properly dressed, looking your best whilst in public & would love to have lived in a time where this was a priority for all.

And so, has always been a dream of mine to travel on the Orient Express, or take a journey on an opulent cruise ship, such as the Queen Mary II. To wear evening gowns to dinner, or gloves to cocktail hour. To not be out of place with hair done up & a pout of velvety red lipstick.

Dream of gilding & luxurious draping; of custom, matching luggage & waiters in impeccably tailored uniforms; of ornate moldings & chandeliers hanging in grand ballrooms.

In 2012, plan to dress up for the every day; appreciate the journey; always present myself with poise & grace & brush up on etiquette & decorum-- in the hopes to live a little more glamorously, as those from a bygone era. . .

{ Image one  // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight // nine // ten //eleven }

Faire Un Voyage: Taj Lake Palace

 Have been completely smitten since first discovering the majestic Taj Lake Palace here some time ago-- the beauty & other worldliness of this 250 year old palace is breathtaking & feel I could sit & dream, simply, all day about this palace that seemingly floats on the waters of Lake Pichola.  .  .  

Built in 1746, the Taj Lake Palace [formerly the Jag Niwas Palace] was built for the young Maharana Jagat Singh II. . . Legend has it that the young prince would entertain the ladies of the Zenana with moonlight picnics by the lake in the palace of Jag Mandir-- that was, until his father found out. . . The solution it seemed, for this young romantic, was to build his own palace on a different island of Lake Pichola. . .  & so the Taj Lake Palace came to be. . .

This palace, which began as a rebellious gesture has now become one of the most romantic hotels in the world & has recently been transformed to its former glory-- tapestry's & silks & marble adorn the decadent palace which can only be reached by boat & as can be seen in the pictures,  "the palace is every bit as luxurious inside as it is dramatically stunning on the outside". . .

* Photo's from here, for more information or to book, here

Faire un Voyage

 

Sunday mornings are croissants & coffee & planning dream holidays. . .

Paris, Venice, London, New York-- have planned & re-planned at least a million trips in my mind. . .

Have loved Luxe Travel & City Guides for the longest time & will spend hours browsing through different cities & planning hopelessly romantic holidays for A. & I to go on. . .

Every piece of information you could possibly need is in the guide including (& especially) maps & guided shopping tours-- hotel reviews & links to their websites-- Loves & Loathes & all the important information you need to make your trip an absolute dream. . . 

Have a beautiful, dreamy Sunday:     

Joey xx

Images 1, 2 & 3 from Shop Til You Drop Australia January 2011, Images 4 & 5 from Instagram,  

Luxe Travel & Luxe City Guides can be purchased or downloaded from here