Santa Barbara was just marvelous. It really has everything--beach, mountains, history, gorgeous architecture, museums, fine restaurants & shops, wonderful weather . . . only wish we'd had time to stay longer. On arrival, we were able to walk from the train to our hotel, where we dumped our luggage, then headed for a walk by the beach and Stearns Wharf. We picked up a map of the historic buildings at the tourist office on the foot of Garden Street. I had my best meal of the trip at the Paradise Grill off State St, with this incredible bread pudding with whisky sauce for a shared dessert. We then saw a lot of the historical buildings in that area, went to the top of the courthouse for the view, went into a small historic museum, and walked up past a lovely small park to the Mission. For dinner we went to Longboards, recommended here--sitting on the deck was very relaxing and fun. I was disconcerted to see the sun setting in what I would have thought was the north, but the waiter explained the beach was south, not west, facing . . .
The next day we took a wine tour, which did me in stomachwise, but was lovely drivingwise, through the Santa Ynez Mountains. We also stopped at Solvang, which for me was the one mild disappointment of the trip, too goofy by half; I had expected something more charming. But maybe I'd have liked it more if my stomach had allowed me to have a danish!
The next morning we left for San Juan Capistrano, again traveling business class on the Pacific Surfliner. Another nice ride, though we were somewhat late because of delays around Fullerton. San Juan C has the loveliest train station! And we walked around the old street near the train and by the Mission.
My motel was across the freeway, whch I did not like crossing on foot--too narrow or something, the traffic below made me dizzy! (This did not happen when I crossed freeways in San Diego and LA later; I think there was more walking room on those, or the bridges were higher or something.) I also had another stomach attack and decided I had best eat only the plainest of plain food for the rest of the trip, boohoo.
I was glad the SJC (SNC?) motel had a little shuttle to return me to the train station next morning. My friend left then, flying home from LAX, and I continued on Surfliner to San Diego, this time going coach. On arrival, this time pretty promptly, I took advantage of the free shuttle my motel offered from the train station, and after getting my room (in spite of the early hour), went out to explore San Diego.
What a very nice city it is! And incredibly clean. But I was surprised by the paucity of workers downtown--most people around were tourists. Anyway, I took the trolley up to Old Town, a pleasant restoration--and free! I explored several interesting buildings there, enjoying myself until I got to the row of Mexican cantinas just outside the restoration, all looking so inviting, and here was I, 15 miles from the Mexican border and unable to eat any Mexican food!!! So I had a plain bagel and some tea and returned downtown, seeing the convention center and fancy Marriott and walking around the nice Seaport area until I came to the Coronado ferry, which I took. Chatting with people who live there, I learned the best way to get to the Hotel Del Coronado (aka "Hotel Del") was a bus, which I took. But it didn't seem far; I decided to walk back.
The Hotel was way cool; I even crashed some bigshot party there (but don't worry, I couldn't partake of any of the refreshments, because of my stomach) and went down by the beach and a marina. I then began walking back through a residential area with simply gorgeous little homes--this island is just a beautiful place. My return ferry to San Diego stopped at the naval base, which was interesting. I then walked around Gas Town--this time a little glad my stomach was wonky, when I saw some of those restaurant prices--before returning to my hotel.
The next day I spent a good chunk of time at Balboa Park, to which my motel provided another free shuttle. I went to the Zoo, which I'd been to in the 1970s--very nice, though lots of walking! I loved the Prado area of the park and really enjoyed the Rose and Desert Gardens. I went into all the other free buildings, including a nice little art museum, and took a free tour offered by a park service employee--very interesting. It included the Alcazar Garden etc. After walking down the Avenue of Pines, I left the Park and walked to Little Italy, where I had some (plain) chicken. A nice area too. I then returned to the seaport area and saw a cruise boat leave. I wished I were on it, because my trip was nearly at an end.
The next morning my hotel shuttle got me to San Diego station so early that I was able to catch an earlier Surfliner than expected (as again I was traveling coach, with an unreserved ticket). I got into L.A. early and went to check my luggage--I was annoyed that they charged me $2 a bag even though I had a sleeper later that day. I thought Union Station was pretty nice, but it's the only station I've ever been in that charges first-class passengers for left luggage--Seattle, a much dumpier station which doesn't have a first-class lounge either, doesn't do it! But anyway, I guess I should be glad they HAVE a left luggage area. And I had lots of time to see downtown L.A. before the Sunset Ltd would depart at 2:30.
Although I'd been to LA twice before, I'd never been to this area. In planning the trip, I had been wondering whether I'd eat in Chinatown or on Olvera Street, and here was poor me, unable to eat in either. But it was only breakfastime anyway, and I was glad Phillipes (which you all told me about) was nearby; I had poached egg on toasted English muffin with some tea. I loved this place, it was such a throwback, I felt like I was in some 1940s film noir. There weren't any train people upstairs though, but I did check out some of the train memorabilia.
I then walked through Chinatown and out the gate, then across the highway into Downtown proper, or the new part of it. I saw this very bizarre modern cathedral, where they were filming something, and then walked down one street and lo and behold passed the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, now where had I heard of that? (just joking) and Mark Taper Forum. I saw a building that was clearly Gehry (one of the few modern architects I know a tiny bit about) and also saw City Hall. And several nice fountains. I probably should have gone to the "Historic Downtown" too but I was afraid about time and wanted to see El Pueblo area down on Olvera Street, so I headed there. In some tourist office I met a woman who gave me a free tour, too, it was very interesting and attractive. There were also lots more people on Olvera St than anywhere else I'd walked; as in San Diego I was surprised by the relative paucity of workers on the downtown streets (though there were more than San Diego).
On Olvera I also bought some bananas for the train, and since I couldn't have any churros or carnitas etc etc., I bought some Mexican jumping beans to console me with some local color for the trip. I returned to Union Station and had a plain baked potato at a place called Union Bagel, and bought a bagel for the trip too.
I don't know if you all remember, but I had decided to take the Sunset Ltd for the first time instead of the SW Chief. Both the SL and Texas Eagle were new trains for me; I wanted to explore!
Anyway, my Sunset Ltd left right on time although we began experiencing freight congestion as early as Pomona. The car attendant was nice and the room fine; I found a safe place for my jumping beans too (I did this the whole four days!). The air conditioner in the car was weird though--when you shut the door, the room got too hot. Of course, the fact that we were soon traveling through hundred-degree inland areas might have contributed to the problem! I wound up sleeping that night with the door open and only the curtain closed, as did everyone else in the car!
I thought the ride that first day and night was reasonably interesting, and even though we were near 2 hours late by the time we reached the Palm Springs stop, I did get to see the Salton Sea in daylight. In fact, I saw sunset on the Salton Sea, which was quite gorgeous. Other highlights were the wind power thingies at Palm Springs and the stop in Pomona--I mean, just being in Pomona was a kick for me, as is so often the case on these trips. On the Zephyr I get a kick out of the little towns hardly anyone ever heard of; but in California it's the opposite, how many places so many of us have heard of, from popular "culture." For example, Pomona is where you head out in "Little G.T.O."
Because of my illness, it was no more Amtrak cheesecake for me! For dinner all I had was the roast chicken and baked potato--both quite tasty--and tea and water. I slept pretty well but awoke in Tucson and went out to see what I could--it looked nice; I'd like to go back and spend some time there in the daytime (when it isn't 100 degrees)!
For breakfast the next day I had some cereal and milk and the bagel and half the banana I'd bought in LA--I didn't want to risk the croissant. It was interesting seeing the pools of water in NEw Mexico, where there had been flooding a few weeks earlier. And seeing the little shacks just across the border before El Paso was also interesting--I knew just when and where to look to see Mexico, per all your advice here. I was all excited to reach El Paso too, phoning up my husband to sing "Down in the West Texas town of El Paso" and asking him to guess where I was (I hope you all realize my attempts at humor). I had to change sleepers here because I used guest rewards from El Paso home and they gave me a different sleeper, in the Texas Eagle sleeping car. I got much better A/C when I made the change, but was further from the diner. But considering what I was eating, that didn't so much to me!
Oh, and I meant to mention: My Sunset Ltd did have an observation car--newly put back on, I was told. It was the newly refurbished kind, like on the Empire Builder--half tables, the other half the old outward facing observation seats.
For lunch I had chicken again, this time the chickenbreast on a roll, and more tea. The scenery in this part of Texas wasn't nearly as nice as some of the scenery on the other western trains, but it did get rather pretty around Alpine. It was too light to look for any Marfa lights, though! However, by this time, the train was WAY WAY late. For dinner I tried the catfish, which was pretty good too, and another baked potato and veggies.
In fact, we did not get to San Antonio until around 4AM! (when I awoke for my third day on Amtrak) But since I was Texas Eagling the rest of the way, it didn't matter to me. San Antonio seemed particularly nice--I must get back there soon! I was able to take a taxi to see the Alamo, although it was too dark for the picture I took to come out. I also nosed around the Hotel Menger before returning to the station in time to see the delinking.
We left on the Texas Eagle on time at 8AM and were never more than an hour or two late the whole trip. I enjoyed stopping in Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas (my train attendant pointed out the Texas repository, and I looked for that grassy knoll . . . . ) and woke up that third night in Little Rock, which looked nice (though I couldn't see much). I was glad to realize we were finally out of Texas--it went on FOREVER!!!
The trip the next day wasn't too scenic, but I did get that great view of the Gateway Arch in St Louis. Also of the Capitol in Springfield, which looked nice--and to which I am planning a trip next year. We arrived in Chicago only about a half hour late! . . .
Well, this is way too long already, I'll finish up another time.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Ms. Sojourner - as always, good trip report!! I'm glad you enjoyed your experience on the SL and the TE. However, I believe you are mistaken about passing through "Ventura." The Sunset Ltd does not go through Ventura -- you may be thinking of some other town with a similar name. (Ventura is on the ocean north of Los Angeles, and is passed through by the Coast Starlight and the Pacific Surfliners)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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I meant Pomona and will fix it in the above post, Mr Rich. And the GTO song says, "head out to POMONA" . . . But when I went thru Ventura on the Pacific Surfliner, I was excited about that too, because of "Ventura Highway"! (both songs on the CA CDs I brought with me to listen to while on the trains, BTW) So that is how I got mixed up typing quickly-- I did a little dyslexic business with the California place names.
As for San Jose . . . imagine how excited I'd have been if we went through there . . . or did we? Since I don't really know the way, I cannot recall . . .
But I'm glad we didn't go through "Lodi"! I'd have been worried that the train would have some more of that freight congestion. . . .
BTW, every time the conductor person rang the bell on the cable car in San Francisco, I'm afraid I sang "Rice a Roni" . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Your usual interesting report...thanks. I am sorry your stomach decided to compete with the trip but it sounds as if you weathered the storm. That happened to me on a trip to Denver when were were driving. Pasties in Michigan didn't agree with me and the next two weeks were most annoying. Did you notice the wonderful names of the towns along the Eagle Way? Some of them reminded me of L'il Abner. I keep a list of unusual names in my travel logues and that trip on the Eagle furnished a lot
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Thanks for your report and I hope you are feeling better. Your report makes me want to take a similar journey from LA to Chicago via the Sunset Limited / Texas Eagle
Posts: 39 | From: Chicago | Registered: Jul 2005
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I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed Santa Barbara! You certainly made good use of your time. You were within a quarter mile of my house when you were at the Old Mission. Did you do the self-guided tour? I think the cemetary is especially interesting. So much Santa Barbara history there.
Good to hear you found the Paradise on your own. It's a favorite that we don't think of going to often enough. Funny story about the name. The place was called "La Paloma" and to keep the neon sign the city required that they use the same number of letters... And Longboards is fun, too. Their onion rings are among the best I've ever had. If you walk out to the end of the wharf I believe there's a compass rose painted on the planks. Another name for this area is the "South Coast" since the beach does face south.
Great trip report. You approach Amtrak travel as one should, as an adventure!
Frank in, yep, sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sojourner - yes I am glad you weren't "stuck in ol' Lodi again........." as my favorite 1960's band Creedence Clearwater Revival sang about!! HOWEVER, did you know that some San Joaquin trains DO stop in Lodi? One trip each day each direction on the new Sacramento-Bakersfield SJ route.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well, I personally would want to go just because of the song. But then, I wanted to go to Stockton because of The Big Valley, and everyone told me DON'T GO TO STOCKTON.
Pomona also comes up in the original Die Hard film, I film I have watched enough times to remember it.
Really, California places are very familiar sounding to me, from movies, TV, music, books, even if I do mix them up some time (I esp get confused with the Santas!),.
And Train Lady, my favorite name on the Texas Eagle is Arkadelphia . . .
But my favorite train station name of all (or at least, all that come to mind right now) is Winnemucca, on the CA Zephyr. I knew if from the intro to "I've Been Everywhere," the old Hank Snow song (also Johnny Cash, in Comfort Inn commericals lately) . . . "if you're goin to Winnemucca, Mac. . . . "
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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And on that same CZ route, don't forget Battle Mountain, NV, named by the Washington Post as the Armpit of the Nation in 2001, I think. I was especially charmed by the giant "B M" outlined in white stones on a nearby treeless hill. (We were treated to this sight because the westbound CZ was about 4 1/2 hours late.)
(If anyone out there is a native of Battle Mountain, my sincere apologies. I'm sure your hometown was a great little place to grow up.)
Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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sojourner, talk about "great minds on the same track" Arkadelphia is my favorite as well. That's what made me think of L'il Abner. I also agree with Winnemucca. However I must share it with Oil Trough, Ark. and Peculiar, Ks. It occurs to me that that is another one of the pleasures of train travel ....finding the names of towns that are definitely different.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Oh, Frank, yes, I did the selfguided tour. And while I was there I thought of you, too. It was gorgeous every day I was in California, except for morning fog and a bit of the Mark Twain summer chill in SF proper. Santa Barbara was incredibly sunny, and what I thought was, Frank in Sunny SBA!
Re names: Yes, it's a pleasure of mine too. And I do think stopping in some of these more out-of-the-way places are a pleasure of train travel. I really would love to visit longer in some of them. Two of my favorites on the Empire Builder are Minot-rhymes-with-why-not and I-don't-want-her-you-can-Havre, as I think I mentioned in another strand here. And btw, I don't believe for a minute that story about I-don't-want-her-you-can-Haver. . . .
Judy, I LOVE your BM story, what a scream! It reminds us of a story some time back in which Dave Barry made fun of a town in one of his columns. So then the town decided to name its sewage plant after him (and Barry actually showed up for the ceremony).
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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