Esperia and Bridge

On March 29 and 30, 1922, Geneva and friends sailed to Esperia, Italy after spending nearly 3 weeks in Egypt. Note her entries from these days give no description at all of Esperia! But she does write of her success at cards. While traveling, Geneva frequently made time for playing bridge (often during evening cocktails). Card games, and bridge in particular, were extremely popular in the 1920s. Geneva often ends her daily diary entries with notes on that day's bridge game, especially if she won.

Geneva and the "Red Count"

Geneva's 1927 travel diary

In 1927, the Porters set sail again, this time on the Conte Rosso ocean liner with fellow passengers and local luminaries the Schoellkopfs and senior Clawsons (H. Phelps' parents). Ocean travel aboard a luxury liner may sound glamorous. However, on March 3, Geneva wrote in her diary of a fierce three day storm:

I awoke in the middle of the night with the bowl of pink roses on my chest. In a few minutes everything in the rooms had fallen- chairs, trunks, everything and the bathroom was a merry go round of trunks and luggage- The boat was rolling from side to side so we could not stand up and hardly stay in bed without hanging on to both sides. We are in the worst storm anyone can remember….Pete’s bed is moving around the room….We are in the trough and waves high as mountains. The stewardess tells us to stay in bed because of broken limbs and flying furniture….Our room is a sight with broken glass….We have changed course three times. It certainly is exciting when the waves hit the boat. I find I am an old salt- never sick or afraid.

On this holiday, the Porters visited 19 cities in 6 countries in 2 months, including those in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Austria, and France.  The Conte Rosso was a new ship with service beginning 1922.  Known for its luxurious appointments, including steam laundry and outdoor dining, the ostentatious decor was reportedly $400,000, a significant cost for the early 20s.

The main dining salon and lounge are in the style of the fifteenth century.  They are both finished in solid oak, with embossed leather panels, and have the furniture of that period with elaborate sculpture, carvings, and other ornaments.  The music and dancing salon is in the classic Roman-Pompeian style.  The centre holds a slightly raised platform supported by Ionic columns, and the entire effect is that of an old Venetian palace.  The smoking room is Oriental, and in the library and writing room Florentine Renaissance is carried out to the last detail.  (Source:  "Italy's Newest Liner a Model of Luxury."  New York Times, February 19, 1922.)

The Travel Film Archive website has vintage travel film from this era.  The Longest Gangplank was filmed in 1926 on board a similar, though less ostentatious, trans Atlantic cruise and disembarking in France.  View the film here.