Had a really nice trip on this train NYP-NOL on April 18-19.
I took my wife to New Orleans for her birthday. We had bedroom B, the first time I ever travelled in a bedroom. Our SCA was Carl. He provided very good service, although his dreadlocks and gold grill gave a surprising appearance. He got a good tip in New Orleans.
We had dinner after Washington. We both had the flat iron steak, and shared a half bottle of merlot. They are selling the Francie Coppola stuff these days, and it's very nice. Our steaks were delicious as well, cooked just right.
After dinner we hung out and read, listened to music on our ipods etc. Went to bed around 10:30. I slept very well (thanks Ambien!) my wife not so much but she got a few hours in. She enjoyed a lot of sleeping the next day. One of the great pleasures of train travel -- you are under no obligation to do anything.
I hadn't used the shower/bathroom in a bedroom until then. It's very small for a guy like me but I managed.
For breakfast I had a spinach omlette with grits, and she had french toast. Quite tasty all around.
One of the two sleepers had a coffee percolator, the other had the liquid coffee system. It was close, but I think the percolator coffee was a little better.
Scenery was pretty good the next day. Lots of small towns to look at. A little better than the silvers. Probably the only look I'll ever get at Tuscaloosa!
In Birmingham we saw them take an occupied coffin off the baggage car. It was in a cardboard box but my wife recognized the transport papers that need to accompany the deceased. Someone going home.
Meridian MS. has a nice station, it sure would be nice to have the Sunset Limited go through there. I guess the Crescent is the only train they get these days.
Anniston Alabama has a almost a roadside museum of US tanks from the 50s to the present. Lot of interesting stuff there. And later on is the Textron Plant where the train hit a truck last year. It was kind of surprising to recognize it from the photos of the accident. Those sand-colored armored cars were everywhere.
They served us an express dinner before New Orleans -- Roast chicken, pasta, or a burger. I had the burger, it was fine. The bun was fresher than the last time I had it, enjoyable. We ate with a fellow who had done a lot of work on oil rigs, including the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon. I always learn a lot when I meet these kind of people on the train!
In New Orleans we stayed at the Le Richielieu Hotel near the edge of the French Quarter. It had a lot of character but the beds were kind of hard.
About what we did in New Orleans, the less said the better, but I can highly recommend the cocktails at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone!
I took my wife to New Orleans for her birthday. We had bedroom B, the first time I ever travelled in a bedroom. Our SCA was Carl. He provided very good service, although his dreadlocks and gold grill gave a surprising appearance. He got a good tip in New Orleans.
We had dinner after Washington. We both had the flat iron steak, and shared a half bottle of merlot. They are selling the Francie Coppola stuff these days, and it's very nice. Our steaks were delicious as well, cooked just right.
After dinner we hung out and read, listened to music on our ipods etc. Went to bed around 10:30. I slept very well (thanks Ambien!) my wife not so much but she got a few hours in. She enjoyed a lot of sleeping the next day. One of the great pleasures of train travel -- you are under no obligation to do anything.
I hadn't used the shower/bathroom in a bedroom until then. It's very small for a guy like me but I managed.
For breakfast I had a spinach omlette with grits, and she had french toast. Quite tasty all around.
One of the two sleepers had a coffee percolator, the other had the liquid coffee system. It was close, but I think the percolator coffee was a little better.
Scenery was pretty good the next day. Lots of small towns to look at. A little better than the silvers. Probably the only look I'll ever get at Tuscaloosa!
In Birmingham we saw them take an occupied coffin off the baggage car. It was in a cardboard box but my wife recognized the transport papers that need to accompany the deceased. Someone going home.
Meridian MS. has a nice station, it sure would be nice to have the Sunset Limited go through there. I guess the Crescent is the only train they get these days.
Anniston Alabama has a almost a roadside museum of US tanks from the 50s to the present. Lot of interesting stuff there. And later on is the Textron Plant where the train hit a truck last year. It was kind of surprising to recognize it from the photos of the accident. Those sand-colored armored cars were everywhere.
They served us an express dinner before New Orleans -- Roast chicken, pasta, or a burger. I had the burger, it was fine. The bun was fresher than the last time I had it, enjoyable. We ate with a fellow who had done a lot of work on oil rigs, including the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon. I always learn a lot when I meet these kind of people on the train!
In New Orleans we stayed at the Le Richielieu Hotel near the edge of the French Quarter. It had a lot of character but the beds were kind of hard.
About what we did in New Orleans, the less said the better, but I can highly recommend the cocktails at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone!
folks who haven't been to New Orleans don't know what they are missing! ^_^
