David Suchet (aka, "Poirot") and the Orient Express

Did anyone see the PBS Masterpiece Theatre special "David Suchet on the Orient Express"? It was shown here as a prelude to the new Poirot mystery "Murder on the Orient Express" (which was excellent also).

It was spectacular! The special followed David Suchet around on the Orient Express as he narrated the program. I must say that David Suchet is my favorite "Poirot", and based on what I saw in the documentary he seems a genuinely delightful person in real life.

David Suchet on the Orient Express clip

Don't make the mistake that he's a Belgian. The character is more a 19th century Frenchman in english clothes!

I do remember an episode in which he visited an old friend in Brussels. The trainstation in which he arrived was actually our spectacular Baroque trainstation in Antwerp. We call it our second cathedral.

oh and another thing ; we shake hands, we don't kiss ! We'll I mean other men when meeting them.

a nice anecdote from the war. The Belgian civil and military goverment had a few buildings at a square (I don't know excactly which one) but the English saw that the Belgians shook hands everytime they met someone, they called it handshake square after a while.

I thoroughly enjoyed "David Suchet on the Orient Express."  There was so much I didn't know about it.  It was obvious that he sincerely enjoyed himself as well.  Kept saying "Extraordinary" in his own, deeper English-accented voice.  Delightful.

Patrick, one of my favorite lines from a "Poirot" episode (I forget which one) was when someone called him a "b****y little frog".  He replied most  defiantly, "I am not a b****y little frog, I'm a b****y little Belgian!"