With some time to kill, I took a walk along La Rambla, a path that follows the coast from Pocitos back into the old city. After a while, I looped around towards Covadonga Bakery. The tiny eatery may have been the only place open for breakfast at that time. Starting at 6:00 a.m, you can grab an assortment of pastries for just a few dollars. It’s quick, easy, tasty breakfast. The sun was just hitting the apartments along Pocitos by the time I got back.

The Morning Chores

The not-so-fun part of traveling finally caught up to us in Montevideo. We packed enough clothing for over half the trip, but it was high time to do laundry. We had another day in Montevideo, then two in Miami, and one more driving home in California. So while our time in South America was nearly over, we couldn’t hold out on laundry any more.

Searching on my phone back at the Hyatt, I found a place called Mr. Jeff. The laundry took a day to get done, and cost us $260 pesos (~$8), which isn’t bad at all. I would have happily paid twice that to get it done same day, a service the Hyatt offers.

While walking up and down the Rambla Republica del Peru, I noticed all the buildings, interesting international names. Marrakech. Maracaibo. Saint Tropez. Fontana do Trevi. Saint Laurent. These were just a handful.

Into the Heart of the City

Rather than opt for a cab or Uber, I decided that the public bus would do just fine for getting us to the old section of Montevideo. There are a couple lines that pass along La Rambla that head to Plaza Independencia. The stop is just down the street. A couple more use the next street to the north, which is nearly as convenient. Google fails to provide any info on Montevideo buses, but this site can help you get around.

We used the D1 line, which is pretty direct to Plaza Independencia. The fare is 56 pesos per person, more than the front desk stated. But still not bad, as this is ~$1.70 USD.

Montevideo traffic seems a whole lot more tame than either Buenos Aires or San Jose, Costa Rica. I was surprised how quickly you can move across town. It’s a whole lot more beautiful, too (although I do love the architecture variety of BA). The tree-lined streets of Montevideo are generally clean, and the city as a whole is pleasant. You’ll see a good amount of graffiti, but there are few other negatives to this laid-back South American capital.

Our first stop was Plaza Independencia, Montevideo’s main city square. The Palacio Salvo stands tall on one corner. No buildings in Montevideo are especially tall. The World Trade Center towers, visible from our hotel, is actually the tallest in the city at 517 feet. The Radisson hotel and Palacio Salvo are the two tallest in this section of the city. The latter is a beautiful building over 90 years old.

At the other side of the plaza is La Puerta de la Ciudadela, the door of the citadel. This is one of the only remaining sections of wall that surrounded old Montevideo. It stands here as a gate into the pedestrian zone through the Ciudad Vieja. If you need to stay connected to the world, there is WiFi available along the pedestrian zone near the gate.

Visiting Museo Andes 1972

The plan was to walk the pedestrianized shopping zone all the way through to the market near the port, but first we took a detour. In my research on Montevideo, I found a museum dedicated to the disastrous plane crash that stunned the country. Museo Andes 1972 is a tribute to an amazing story of tragedy and miraculous survival that is still burned into the minds and hearts of Uruguayans.

Museo Andes 1972 costs $250 pesos or $8 USD per person. They also take Euros and Reales. I paid in a combination of U.S. dollars and local currency. If you’re not familiar with the incident, the introductory video that plays on the basement floor will give you a good understanding of what happened and why this is such an incredible story for Uruguayans.

The museum isn’t large, but it has a wealth of information on all aspects of the event. There are panel giving details of each of the 72 long and miserable days the dwindling group remained unrescued. It is cross-referenced with Uruguayan and world events that occurred the same day. Long story short: a number of those who survived the crash survived. The biggest press conference in Uruguayan history was held for the survivors to relay their stories, once they were back in Montevideo.

The painting of the shoe is moving. The group found a pair of kids shoes amid the cargo. Each time a party would venture out, they would take one shoe while leaving the other at the plane, with the goal of reuniting the two.

I’d say the museum is worth a solid hour and a half. The event and its impact on the country are an important part of Uruguayan history

Lunch Along Sarandí

By the time we finished at Museo Andes 1972, it was high time for lunch. The spot I’d identified the night before was unfortunately closed, so we just walked along until I spotted a cafe that looked nice. We ended up eating at a place called Sin Pretensiones. Without pretensions. They just let their food do the talking.

I went with the Uruguayan Chivito sandwich again. This one was more delicious than the one I’d tried the previous day when we were exploring Colonia del Sacramento. If you’re feeling spendy, steak is excellent. Just make sure to order it medium rare. It is a nice restaurant, but probably the most expensive meal we had the entire trip. I think we still walked out for only $30. One cool thing is that Sin Pretensiones uses overwhelmingly Uruguayan-sourced ingredients.

Old Town and Mercado del Puerto

From there we continued down the Sarandí pedestrian zone all the way to the Mercado del Puerto. I was happy with the lunch spot we’d picked, but if you want some choices, there are a number in the market. We did pick up an alfajore to split at one of the shops.

I loved the old streets in the Ciudad Vieja. These are the original neighborhoods of Montevideo before the city turned into the capital of the country and the financial and residential neighborhoods sprang up all around. Now about 1.3 million of Uruguay’s 3.4 million residents live in the capital city.

Heading Back to Pocitos

We stopped at the Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral on the way back. This is a much better name than its official mouthful: Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción y San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo. It’s a beautiful church and worth a few minutes to take a peek.

From there is was a walk back to the bus station where we caught one of the lines back to Pocitos. The sun was getting low, but my daughter still wanted to enjoy the beach.

We also needed a picture with the iconic Montevideo sign, of course. It took nearly 10 minutes to get this shot of just my daughter. There was group after group taking photos, and them some kids just hanging out on the sign.

Goodnight, Montevideo

It wasn’t a full day out, but it was still felt like a full day. Our time in the old city, the Andes Museum, and the market were all well spent. No matter what we did the next day, we would be leaving some sights on the table. There is simply no way to see any city this size in just a couple days.

What I appreciated most about our first day in Montevideo is how easygoing the capital is. Sure, it is a city, but the traffic is mellow and the streets are beautiful. No one is in a particular hurry.  If you’re looking for underrated, easygoing destinations, consider Uruguay.

The post A Day in the Laid Back Capital City Montevideo, Uruguay appeared first on InsideFlyer.

I want to use our experience and research on the best ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento as a guide for others who looking to make the trip across.

Colonia Express Ferry Essential Information

The Colonia Express Ferry runs between Buenos Aires and Colonia del Sacramento. Like Buquebus, one of the leading competitors, it serves the route to Montevideo as well. There is a third option, Seacat Colonia. Some of the other ferry routes include onward travel to Punta del Este, Uruguay, and Carmelo, Uruguay.

I booked our tickets online using the Colonia Express website. Multiple sources I read had stated that it is absolutely terrible, but it seemed to work just fine. It’s possible they’ve updated it. There are also English and Portuguese language options. Expect to enter all necessary info, including address and contact info, as well as your passport number, since it is an international crossing. I suggest booking online, as you’ll get the best “economia” prices.

We paid ARS $3,309 for our tickets (~$75 USD). This is for a one-way crossing, booked fairly last minute. We would have paid $20-30 more for Buquebus, depending on the sailing. The early sailings are nice since they get you to Colonia early enough to enjoy a full day, plus return to either Buenos Aires or Montevideo by evening. If your plans are locked in, I would suggest booking at least a few weeks in advance to get better prices (one-way fares can be as low as ARS 1,000). If you need to bring a vehicle, that is an option. But I don’t expect this to be a necessary piece of info for foreign travelers.

Location

The Colonia Express Ferry terminal is located at the south end of Puerto Madero, near the entrance to the harbor. We conveniently rode right by it during our Biker Street Buenos Aires tour, so I knew right where we’d need to go. It’s an easy taxi ride from the Hilton.

Our Colonia Express Ferry ticket stated that you must arrive 90 minutes prior to departure. Given our 8:15 a.m. sailing time, this meant we should arrive at 6:45 a.m. I pushed things by 15 minutes, allowing us to enjoy the hotel breakfast before we left. We had no issues arriving then, but I wouldn’t rusk much later than that.

Boarding and Departure Experience

Navigating the ferry terminal and boarding is pretty easy. I stood in line to ask for help, just to ensure we weren’t missing anything. We were kindly directed to the happens all on departure. This is one of the reasons you are asked to arrive 90 minutes prior to your scheduled departure. After entering via the first queue with a valid ticket, we proceeded through both Argentinian and Uruguayan immigration.

According to our ticket, boarding closes 30 minutes prior to departure, but my guess would be that this means you cannot begin the customs and immigration process less than 30 minutes prior to departure. The boarding gate did not even open until 7:45, the time boarding should have *closed* for our 8:15 departure, according to what was printed on our tickets.

Given it took us a total of 20-25 minutes from entering the ferry terminal until we made it to the waiting area, there is definitely reason to arrive early. Our sailing was not especially full. A full ferry might really extend the process.

Seats and Facilities On-board

Our ferry vessel was the Atlantic Express. This Colonia Express ferry can hold around 500 people. Our sailing wasn’t anywhere close to that full. All the seating is interior, with the exception of an outer deck area with a few benches if you want to catch some fresh air.

I was surprised with how narrow the seat pitch is on the ferry. The seats are well padded, but they don’t give you a ton of legroom. I’ve been on many buses and trains with much better pitch. The Colonia Express ferry seats were also pretty dirty, and a handful were broken. Definitely not a sparkling new vessel.

We found some seats by the starboard windows. My daughter was exhausted, so she laid down across three of the seats to nap until during our transit from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento. I explored for several minutes as the rest of the passengers got settled in. The bulk of the passengers chose seats along the edges of the ferry near the windows.

At the back of the middle section there is a rack for luggage. At the front of the section is a lounge area with some nicer seating and TVs. There are no reserved seats. You can sit wherever.

Ferry Amenities

The Colonia Express ferry has a drugstore selling a variety of necessities. Behind that is the remainder of the shop which offers a selection of cosmetics, foodstuffs, and liquor that are sold tax free, as we are conveniently between borders. The store accepts U.S. dollars, as well as Brazilian reals, in addition to the pesos of Argentina and Uruguay.

There is also a currency exchange kiosk. I went to check the rates, but they are not clearly posted. I didn’t really want to ask the clerk just to satisfy my own curiosity. The Argentinian peso generally doesn’t exchange all that well in Uruguay, which has a more stable currency.

The last place I wandered was onto the rear deck. I’d be back a few more times during the sailing to enjoy the views of Buenos Aires as we departed Argentina.

Colonia Express Ferry Review: Our Sailing Experience

After we got settled into our seats and the ferry began to depart, I headed out to the rear deck once more. My daughter fell asleep quickly, and I’d head back every 5-8 minutes to check on her. As the ferry leaves the dock it makes a full U-turn, letting you enjoy views of Puerto Madero from the rear deck as you leave Buenos Aires.

As the ferry gets further away from the Colonia Express terminal, you get a nice view of the bridges at La Boca. But soon it is the open waters of the Rio de la Plata.

The best part is honestly watching the full skyline of Buenos Aires fade away into the horizon. The wind was chilly, and the spray would hit now and then, but it was a lovely place to enjoy the view. The Rio de la Plata is so insanely brown! This river has to dump a ridiculous amount of sediment out into the Atlantic.

There is definitely some swaying as you get out into the middle of the river. If you’re prone to motion sickness, make sure you take something for it. You’ll also need your sea legs walking up and down the ferry. The swaying got bad enough that an announcement was made over the PA system for passengers to stay in their seats.

You can still see the distant skyscrapers of Buenos Aires as the coastline of Uruguay appears on the opposite horizon. Given the slight haze, I didn’t think we would be able to. I’m sure on clear days you can faintly see Buenos Aires from Colonia del Sacramento.

Arrival into Colonia del Sacramento

Slowed down as we entered the waters close to Colonia at about 9:35. Our arrival was very delayed, however. Best I understood, there was another vessel just departing. Although we arrived into Colonia around 9:45, we didn’t dock until nearly 10:40. Very frustrating, as we lost an hour to explore Colonia del Sacramento.

The plus side: my daughter slept a solid 90 minutes, which was helpful. With the early wake-up after four busy days in Buenos Aires, she was pretty exhausted.

We finally disembarked the ferry and entered Uruguay! Although we had technically been “in Uruguay” the whole time, having passed through immigration back in Buenos Aires.

The only thing that remained on the Uruguay side was customs. All luggage and large bags must be sent through the x-ray units. After that, you’ll enter the arrivals hall. Here you can get info on rental cars and day tours of Colonia del Sacramento, and withdraw money at the ATM. We had issues with the first ATM, but eventually found one that let me withdraw enough Uruguayan pesos. Due to the unfavorable exchange rate, I made sure I used up all but a few bills (to keep as souvenirs) in Argentina.

We left the ferry terminal on foot, headed for the bus terminal where we would store our bags. It’s a very short walk. Colonia itself can then be easily explored on foot. The old part of the town is an easy walk, and a day is more than enough to explore.

Conclusion

Our Colonia Express ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento was a fine experience. The crossing was enjoyable. My only frustration was the long delay once we got to Colonia del Sacramento waiting to dock. Even though we didn’t get to the old section of Colonia until around 11:30, we still had enough time to explore.

The post A Peek Into a Trip on the Colonia Express Ferry appeared first on InsideFlyer.

We made this our first stop in Copenhagen. The cost of admission is 130 DKK (~$20 USD) for a weekday. We purchased our tickets on arrival. Thankfully, it was quick and easy. There was no line.

A Tour Through Pictures

The Tivoli Gardens is a huge place, but it’s hard to miss this grand structure (Nimb Hotel). Or that wandering peacock.

Since it’s a real park, you will find people sitting and chilling around.

Or, like this peacock. Just chilling.

The Trivoli is also an amusement park.  If you are a thrill-seeker, there are roller coaster rides.

If you are looking for something a bit more tame, there’s always the classic Merry-Go-Around…

Food Hall

Of course, I had to check out the Food Hall. Since the food hall is accessible from the public street, you are technically exiting the garden. Just make sure you get your hand stamped by one of the attendants; it gives you re-entry access if you are not done with your visit.

There are a number of food shops. There are seating areas inside the food hall, as well as seating areas outside. We sat outside while we waited for our buzzers to go off.  (Mine malfunctioned; it never buzzed!)

The food was a-OK.  There are a couple of restaurants within the garden as well.

There are performances at the Pantomime Theatre during scheduled times as well. I saw a brief stretch of a performance. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, though.

Carnival Games

I ended up throwing some time and money at a carnival game, the roll-a-ball-horse-racing game.  Since I tend to do reasonably well with this game, I refrained from playing when only kids were playing.  It’s a game of luck, but somehow, I’d still feel like I have an unfair advantage. I don’t want to dash their hopes!

When other adults were in on the game, all bets were off.  I got to be a total kid for a while. When I won, I was pumping my fists up in the air! (Yep, totally).

It was nice to get my mind off some things at the time. I redeemed for small souvenirs, including a set of plush toys that I adored (they reminded me of someone). They were cheap and silly, but equally cute and meaningful in a lot of ways. I knew what I wanted to do with them.

In Summary

While you can find carnival games at any amusement parks, it was actually the highlight of my visit at Tivoli Gardens. That is, aside from the peacock sighting.  Tivoli isn’t what I would considered a repeat destination, but it was nice way to spend a morning or early afternoon.

Have you visited the Tivoli Gardens?  Is it worth a visit when visiting Copenhagen?  

The post The Tivoli Gardens: A Nice Way to Spend a Morning appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Café Tortoni is a quintessential “porteño café”. Established in 1858, it is the oldest café is Buenos Aires. Little is known about its origins, other than the fact it was opened by a French immigrant who borrowed the name from a café in Paris where the elites of arts and culture in the French capital would meet. The choice of name foreshadowed the role Café would play within Argentina as well.

The café fronts Avenida de Mayo, the main avenue of Buenos Aires, and is only a few blocks from the Plaza de Mayo. It’s easy to pop by during the middle of a day of sightseeing, which is exactly what we did.

What a Stunning Interior

The Gran Café Tortoni remains locked in another century. I was immediately struck by the stately interior and beautiful glass ceiling. Everything is covered in dark paneling. There are photos, paintings and drawings from through the decades adorning the walls.

Near the back of the café is a display of busts. Even farther back there is a small library and billiard tables, in keeping with its roots as a gathering place. La Peña, a group dedicated to furthering and protecting arts and culture, met in the basement of the cafe during the early part of the 1900s.

A number of distinguished politicians and artists have visited the café over the years, adding to its status as a piece of Buenos Aires history. Last year the cafe hit their 160-year mark. For a country that isn’t especially old, this is impressive. Besides the food and beverages served at the cafe, the Cafe Tortoni menu also contains some information on the history of the cafe.

Black tie service

The waiters at the Café Tortoni are dressed sharply in black suits with bow ties. Even though the place really isn’t upscale, at least based on the prices and clientele, the waiters give it more of an upscale ambiance. They probably also silently judge you if you walk in wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

I’d originally only intended to grab a cup of coffee here with my daughter to check the place out, but we’d gotten a later start and it was getting on lunch time. We decided to order food as well. She went with pizza, while I chose a burger.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at Café Tortoni for the food. It was fine, but nothing noteworthy. You can find plenty of other excellent options in Buenos Aires. A visit to this cafe is more for the history and ambiance.

Final thoughts

There are certainly better places to enjoy a fresh empanada, or even a submarino or café con leche, and places where you’ll pay a bit less. Prices aren’t bad, but given the popularity of the establishment, it is a premium over similar fare you can find at other establishments.

But a visit to Café Tortoni is entirely worth it. If you have the chance while in Buenos Aires, pay the oldest café in the city a visit!

The post Café Tortoni: The Oldest Café in Buenos Aires appeared first on InsideFlyer.

When I was planning my trip to the Netherlands, visiting the Dutch windmills was very high on my list.

I couldn’t put my fingers on why. Maybe it’s because I know very little about how windmills work. Maybe it’s more superficial, that I like the look of windmills as a backdrop in a rustic landscape. Or perhaps the reasons run deeper; that they remind me of the ingenuity of humankind to harness the power of nature to solve problems. Regardless, I knew the idyllic setting would make for a good place to ponder on the dichotomy of life.

Whatever the reason, I knew I had to visit the windmills. What was important to me was that we went out there to explore. We visited a less crowded wind (water) mill before visiting the more popular Zaanse Schans.  The windmills are quaint and unique, just as I thought they would be.

Exploring the Windmills

If you find yourself in the Netherlands and you are looking for something relaxing to do, a stroll through Zaanse Schans is certainly a good way to spend an afternoon.

Have you visited the windmills, in the Netherlands or elsewhere?  What have you found most interesting about them?

The post A Stroll Through the Netherland’s Zaanse Schans appeared first on InsideFlyer.

What Heineken says to expect on the tour:

“The Heineken Experience is a self guided interactive journey through the world of Heineken(R). You can discover the history of the company, the 4 natural ingredients of our beer, the brewing process, a tasting room and the Heineken(R) brand. At the end of the tour you can enjoy 2 Heinekens(R) or learn how to draught the perfect Heineken(R).”

Admissions

The admission fee is €18 per adult. You can save a few dollars by purchasing your tickets online.

We decided to visit at the last minute so we didn’t purchase advance tickets. The wait was about 10-15 minutes. The lines were orderly, and the staff did a light inspection of bags. At the beginning of the self-guided tour, you are given green wristband. It features two peel-able buttons that could be redeemed for two beers at the end of the tour.

Where It Began

The bottling process

During the tour we saw a close up look at the bottling process. The bottles hustled through the bottling machine right before our eyes. If you’re so inclined, you can buy a personalized Heineken beer bottle as a souvenir.

The “Brew You” Experience

We waited in line for this highly anticipated experience. Frankly, I’d much rather not re-live it. In particular, there was one part where we had to sit through the Heineken “experience” (places where people would drink the Heineken beer).  The club music / bouncy beats was loud and the flashy visual display was cheesy and dizzying.

Maybe it fits some people’s definition of fun, but I couldn’t wait to bounce myself out of there.  It’s kind of funny now, but at the time, it was almost enough to trigger a massive headache.

Fortunately, as a reward for putting you through that traumatic experience, you are offered a glass of Heineken at the end. And that’s in addition to the two glasses you get by redeeming the buttons on your wristband!

In Summary

In terms of actual experience, I prefer the Scotch Whiskey Experience over the Heineken Experience, even though I like the taste of beers over scotch.  Personally, this attraction isn’t really for me.  If I am short on time, I wouldn’t pick this attraction over others, especially given that there are so many cultural things to do in Amsterdam.

If you enjoy beers and have an afternoon to kill, this might be be a good experience to have with friends.  Alternatively, you could just go to a bar, grab some real food and pair it with a Heineken.

Have you visited the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam?  What’s been your experience?

The post A Peek into the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Back in February I detailed how excited I was to ride the California Zephyr from Denver to Northern California. A few years ago I had transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points over to Amtrak (before that died) and then I finally used some of them to book the journey leaving Denver this past Tuesday.

Amtrak leaves Denver at the beautiful Union Station in Downtown. In order to be close I spent the night before at the Grand Hyatt Denver (beautiful hotel and full review coming soon) which is only about a 20 minute walk or 5-10 minute ride via the free 16th street bus.

A Winter Storm in May?!?

Despite it being late May, Denver and the surrounding mountains had quite a snow storm the night before my journey. Naturally, I was a little worried about delays. Upon arriving at Union Station I learned my train was delayed about an hour which wasn’t too bad. Unfortunately that was just the beginning….

The train actually arrived around 90 minutes late. I was excited to get going into the snowy mountains so I wasn’t worried. I quickly boarded the train and waited for the attendant to turn over my roomette from the departing passengers. It took about 10 minutes, but it seemed worth it to have a private little room for my journey through the Rockies.

All Aboard!

Unfortunately things would go downhill from there. After boarding, we just sat at Union Station. This is a refueling stop for the train so I wasn’t too surprised. But then the conductor came on the intercom with the bad news. A freight train had decoupled on the tracks in the mountains west of Denver and was blocking our path. Worse yet, the crew had “timed out”. That meant that we had to bring a new crew up there and wait for them to fix the train. The delay could take “hours”.

And so we began to make our way about an hour into the mountains just outside of Denver. As I expected, the scenery was of beautiful freshly fallen snow. A treat in May, but admittedly not the landscape I had expected to see. The highlight perhaps was seeing a family of about 10 deer who probably were wondering why there was snow at this time of year.

Eventually, we made it to the broken freight train where we dropped off the new crew and took the old crew back so they could rest. Then we waited. It did indeed take many hours. Once we got going, we were about 6 hours delayed. For example, we pulled into Granby, CO at 5:08pm which was 6 hours and 31 minutes after our scheduled arrival.

By this time, it seemed like the delays were behind us. We chugged through the mountains in the rapidly fading sunlight. The 6 hour delay meant we would miss much of the Rockies due to darkness. Perhaps unavoidable but disappointing nonetheless. What I didn’t know was that further delays were still to come.

Another Crew Time Out!

We were gliding along next to the Colorado River around 7pm when the train came to a slow and gradual stop. At that time, the conductor came over the intercom and informed passengers that he and his crew had “timed out” and he could no longer operate the train. He also informed us that due to traffic caused by the weather, the other crew was at least two hours away. So I sat there, staring at the river as the sun faded over the horizon.

It did indeed take a couple more hours for the new crew to arrive and when we reached our next station at Glenwood Springs, CO. We were 10 hours and 10 minutes behind schedule. A day that was supposed to involve the lovely landscape of the Rockies had turned into one of waiting and waiting and even more waiting.

The Timing Was Off

Considering the California Zephyr normally pulls into its final stop of Emeryville at 4:10pm, I knew this delay would mean a very late night arrival even if they were able to make up time. I went to bed considering whether it would make sense to get off in Salt Lake City. Normally the Zephyr arrives in Salt Lake City around 11pm, but we would be getting there about 9am the next day.

My original plans to get home were to fly on a JetSuiteX from OAK-LAS. But I held off on booking due to my worries about delays (Good thing!). The thought of arriving in California at 1am plus the need for an expensive hotel room really turned me off. With that in mind, I decided to get off in Utah. I calculated that we would pull into Salt Lake at 9:07am, a full 10 hours and 2 minutes behind schedule.

Further Delays

While I got off the train and made my way home via a fairly expensive and painful Delta award ticket SLC-LAS, the train continued on and apparently hit EVEN MORE delays. According to Amtrak, the California Zephyr pulled into Emeryville at 4:56am this morning. That is 12 hours and 46 minutes behind schedule. I guess I wouldn’t have needed a hotel room after all.

Compensation

I do believe this journey was handled really poorly by Amtrak, especially when it came to their crew timeout. It was clear they hadn’t sent the replacement crew in time which caused us to sit for hours when we could have been moving. The other major factor in delays is the tracks themselves. Amtrak doesn’t own them so the train is constantly stopping to give right-of-way to freight trains. A frustrating practice without a solution.

Yes, I do believe I am owed compensation as are the other passengers on this train. I will detail my request for compensation and the results in a separate post. Perhaps delays weren’t completely avoidable here, but a 13 hour delay and a lack of information conveyed to passengers is quite frankly unacceptable when compared to long haul train travel just about anywhere else in the world.

Conclusion on my whirlwind Amtrak Trip

In the end, my journey was the worst case scenario when it comes to Amtrak. I honestly didn’t get to see much of what I had hoped for on the journey. I might consider doing it again, although this trip did turn out to be somewhat of a waste of time. We’ll see what Amtrak offers, but I suspect I’ll return one day to see what I was denied on this journey. Once the frustrations of this trip fade away of course!

Have you ever ridden the California Zephyr or another Amtrak long haul train and faced severe delays? Share your experiences in the comments!

The post I Walked off my Amtrak California Zephyr appeared first on InsideFlyer.

…as well as superheroes, aliens, monsters, pirates, fairies, ancient Egyptians, and women dressed so scantily clad that they appeared to be on the lookout for tricks as treats in the sultry air of a hot and humid night.

It was just another normal Halloween night in Ybor City — which for that evening may as well have been called Igor City, located in the Tampa metropolitan area — during the weekend prior to the clocks being turned back an hour on Seventh Avenue; and I was on my way to the most unlikeliest of places for me: a cigar bar.

A group of us had just finished dining at the oldest and largest Spanish restaurant in the United States — a review is forthcoming — and I was invited to join them at the cigar bar, at which I understood there was an outdoor patio. Because I do not see these people very often and enjoy their company, I decided to go — as much as I cannot stand smoking.

Although it was actually an idea for a very brief moment, we thought better about driving along those several blocks along Seventh Avenue. I was not sure as to why anyone would drive anyway, as vehicles simply sat stationary in the street with engines idling. Even walking was delayed, as the sidewalks were clogged with people — a phenomenon I had not experienced since I was in Las Vegas last year, although Ybor City still paled in comparison.

In addition to the thousands of people wearing costumes hoping to be noticed, there were peaceful protests and people attempting to deliver messages to impromptu captive audiences — all in attempts to save the world. Help legalize medical marijuana. Repent and look to Jesus Christ as the savior. Other causes of the like.

One motorcyclist revved the motor of his “hog” — a massive Harley Davidson motorcycle whose chrome gleamed brightly in the night — to the point where the noise reached decibels which obscured all other sounds, including the music blaring from the various dance clubs and restaurants competing for patrons. Two bonafide police officers put a stop to that immediately, handily and peacefully.

Our group continued on our interesting journey towards the cigar bar, taking in all of the sights and sounds…

…which indeed did have an outside patio — but with no vacant space, as it too was crowded with people…

…so we were relegated to the rear of the cigar bar near the washrooms, the air heavy with the smokiness of patrons happily enjoying their stogies paired along with their choice of alcoholic refreshment; and the television revealing yet another disappointing loss of a World Series game by the New York Mets to the Kansas City Royals. A bunny rabbit was our waitress, who served up the tubs disguised as ash trays, the libations and the thick rolls of tobacco ready to be smoked, with some of my friends looking forward to a relaxing remainder of the evening.

I stayed as long as I possibly could until a friend of mine and I excused ourselves and said good night; and the walk back to the car across the street from the restaurant at which we dined was no less interesting or crowded — even at that late hour. Cigar smoke was hopelessly embedded in our clothing. One of the people who was part of our group later revealed that she showered three times and still could not completely eliminate the evidence of being in that cigar bar out of her hair.

Why in the world would I subject myself — an avid anti-smoker who does not drink alcoholic beverages and is not into the party scene — to an environment completely out of my comfort zone?

That is an easy question to answer. I simply wanted to spend time with people who have become my friends over the years — all of whom I met through Internet bulletin boards for frequent travelers — and to me at that moment, spending more time with good friends was worth it.

All photographs ©2015 by Brian Cohen.

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Although I am not exactly an aficionado of subway systems in general — I do have somewhat of an interest in them — I decided that I wanted to explore this historic subway line and experience it for myself. For a number of consecutive years, I used the subway system in New York to commute from where I lived in Brooklyn to Manhattan in order to get to a special high school which I attended; then to college; and to a place of employment after that — commuting at least an hour each way to each of those places.

The need for cost-effective and efficient transportation led to me experiencing rides on subway and rapid transit systems around the world — including but not limited to those which serve Kuala Lumpur, Chicago, London, Seoul, Boston, Paris, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Madrid, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Washington in the District of Columbia.

The Historic Line 1 Subway in Budapest in Photographs

The seats were small and narrow; but they were not particularly comfortable despite having a slight cushion to them. The legroom was sparse at best — especially when someone is sitting across from the seat in which you are sitting, as most of the seats face each other — but you are assured that no one else will sit next to you…

…unless you score a middle seat at either end of the car, and you are then rewarded with unlimited leg room — as long as the car is not packed — but you must sit in between fellow passengers when the car becomes crowded. This is a rare occurrence in which the middle seat can actually be the most desirable seat.

Due to the unusual loading gauge as determined by the shallow tunnel through which it operates, the cars are narrow and are not equipped with many seats. The other three subway lines of the Budapest Metro system are of a different loading gauge than Line 1, which is also known as the Yellow Line, Földalatti, or the Millennium Underground.

This subway line reminded me of Line A in the subway system in Buenos Aires, on which I traveled on the old wooden cars. I understand that those historic cars were replaced by modern subway cars in 2013 — 100 years after the first day of public service for that subway line. I have photographs of my ride in one of those wooden cars; and when I find them, I intend to post them in a future article at The Gate.

If you have ever heard the term straphanger used for subway riders and wondered why, it is because passengers who are standing grab onto them and use them for support when there are no seats available.

Typically, the “straps” currently used in subway cars are no longer actually straps which were used decades ago; but rather constructed of a hard material such as metal. The cars operating on Line 1 in Budapest are an exception.

I decide to exit the train at Bajza Utca station to notice and admire the ornate architecture — including the tiled signage indicating the identification of the station. Similar to the subway stations in New York, glazed white tile decorates much of the walls of the station.

The train on which I was a passenger departed from the station.

At one end of the Bajza Utca subway station was a set of five wooden doors which seem to be for storage of some type; and it was complete with a mirror. It looked like a set of built-in wooden cabinets which one might find in someone’s home.

I wonder how old is this wooden ticket booth?

I felt like I was transported back in time at the Bajza Utca station — one of several historic stations along Line 1 — which was clean.

There are wooden benches on which to sit while awaiting the next train.

Here is a close view of the decoration atop one of the stanchions which help to support the ceiling of the Bajza Utca station.

A digital timer keeps track of how long you are expected to wait before the next train arrives at the station — in this case, one minute and thirty seconds. It seems a little strange to see modern technology integrated in a subway station which is historic.

The white sign in between the tracks lists all eleven stations on Line 1, with five red chevrons indicating the subway station at which you are currently located — in this case, the Bajza Utca station — as well as the direction in which the trains go.

While not immediately, before the gentleman using his mobile telephone on the platform on the other side of the station realized it, the next train arrived — along with passengers who were using their portable electronic devices.

A train on Line 1 approached the Bajza Utca station and and slowed down to stop at it. There were only three cars per train. It was time for me to board the train and depart while the doors were still open.

Summary

The cost for a single ticket is 350 Hungarian forints, which is approximately $1.25. The subway system in Budapest is inexpensive and rather efficient — definitely a recommended way to get around town. I also rode on Line 3 to and from the international airport which serves Budapest.

Additional information — including but not limited to schedules, fares and maps — are found at the official Internet web site of the Budapesti Közlekedési Központ, which is also known as the Centre for Budapest Transport.

All photographs ©2014 by Brian Cohen.

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Two of them which I had visited are Newgrange and Knowth — both on the same cloudy, chilly and dreary day, which is perfect for visiting passage tombs.

Newgrange

Predating Stonehenge in England by hundreds of years, Newgrange is the best known passage tomb in Ireland, as it dates back to approximately the year 3,200 B.C.

Although I had been to Stonehenge, I had not heard of Newgrange until it was recommended to me by someone I know who resides in Ireland. However, one of the people with whom I went to Newgrange had been meaning to visit for years.

Access to Newgrange is only available by a bus which departs from the visitor centre to the site itself. The bus ride takes several minutes — although waiting for it to depart can take longer than the short trip itself.

The visit itself takes approximately 90 minutes or so. You cannot enter the passage tomb without an official guide; and due to the popularity of the site, time is limited once inside. No photography is allowed inside the passage tomb — even without a flash.

The large mound is approximately 80 meters in diameter and is surrounded by 97 stones at its base — the most impressive of which is the entrance stone shown in the photograph below.

Notice the small opening known as a roof box situated above the entrance to the passage tomb. At dawn on December 21, which is the winter solstice — the shortest day of the year — and for a number of days before and after, a shaft of sunlight enters the chamber through an opening in the roof box.

The winter solstice marked the start of the new year to the people of the Neolithic culture of the Boyne Valley. Although it may have served other purposes — part of the myriad of mysteries which surround Newgrange — it was considered a sign of the rebirth of nature and a promise of renewed life to crops, animals and humans.

Because the winter solstice occurs only one time per year, it is impossible to witness the shaft of sunlight which enters the chamber inside the passage tomb. The official guide can emulate the effect with the flip of a switch, where a yellow electric light bulb simulates the sunlight.

A lottery is held every year where if chosen, visitors can be inside the passage tomb during the winter solstice — but many people participate in the lottery, so chances are slim that you will be able to attend. There is no reason not to try if you are truly interested, though.

Entry into the passage tomb itself is narrow; and you have to bend forward so that you do not bonk your head. Once inside the small chamber, you get to see the ancient artwork carved in the stone walls and marvel at how the roof remains impervious to leaks from outside precipitation thousands of years after it was first constructed. Unfortunately, there is also graffiti carved into the stone walls as well.

At one point, all illumination was turned off, which enveloped us in almost complete darkness.

Outside, the white quartz stones and round dark granite rocks on the exterior wall along the front of the passage tomb were added later and were not part of the original construction.

Similarly to Stonehenge, there are free-standing stones which surround the passage tomb. Their purpose is unknown; although they are thought to have had a function related to astronomy. The stones are not nearly as tall as those found at Stonehenge.

It was time to take the blue bus on to Knowth.

Knowth

Built greater than 5,000 years ago, the Great Mound at Knowth is similar in size to Newgrange; and is surrounded by 18 smaller satellite mounds.

Also known as the Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne — which is designated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site — the Great Mound has two passages with entrances on opposite sides: the Western tomb has a passage which is 34 meters in length; while the passage of the Eastern tomb is slightly longer, ending with a chamber in the shape of a cross.

Overcast skies emphasized the brilliance of the saturated green color of the grass, lending credence to the name Emerald Isle for Ireland.

The grass would probably need to be cut again by the time one person finished mowing and manicuring all of it. I am not certain as to the size of the landscaping staff; but I am sure that there is greater than one person doing it all.

Examples of megalithic art are found on the kerbstones surrounding the mounds — such as the ones shown in the photographs above and below. Knowth boasts the greatest concentration of megalithic art in Europe with its greater than 300 decorated stones.

As with Newgrange, you cannot enter the passage tomb of Knowth without an official guide; and due to the popularity of the site, time is limited once inside. The guide for the tour on which I was a participant happened to be an older woman with a pronounced Irish brogue; and she was as funny as she was knowledgeable. No script was needed for her, as she must have been guiding tours at Knowth for years.

After going across a green metal bridge of sorts, we went down some stairs into the passage tomb itself.

The photograph above shows detail of one of the walls inside the passage tomb. Another wall is almost entirely devoted to information, as there are no fewer than three large color placards affixed to it.

We were told that we were able to see Dowth — not to be confused with Knowth or Howth — which is also a passage tomb site; and one of the “newer” ones at that. I did not go to Dowth. Which is furthest south: Knowth, Dowth or Howth? The answer is easily Howth by a long shot; and Howth is a seaside village — not a passage tomb.

All right — I have already run my mouth about Howth, Dowth and Knowth being south too much; so please forgive my digression and allow me to return to the trip report already in progress.

Starting at the original ground level, the mounds were constructed in layers consisting of re-deposited turf, cairn stones, clay, a mixture of earth and stone, and more cairn stones before being covered with a layer of live turf.

Each kerbstone has a unique carving on it; and some of them even have carvings on both the obverse and reverse sides.

The decorations of megalithic art on kerbstones are most elaborate near the entrances of the passage tombs.

The guide remarked about the phallic symbolism of the elongated erect stone shown in one of the photographs below. It was supposedly regarded as a place of fertility for women.

Information

The entrance fee for Newgrange costs six euros per person; and the entrance fee for Knowth costs five euros per person — both of which include admission to the exhibition in the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre; although reduced admission prices are available to senior citizens, groups, children and students. Tickets are sold in person on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Once the tickets are purchased, guests must cross the footbridge over the River Boyne to access the awaiting shuttle buses — some of which go to Newgrange; while others go to Knowth. If you decide to splurge 11 euros to see both, you must take the shuttle bus from one passage tomb back to catch the shuttle bus to the other passage tomb. Leave yourself some time, as you could wait as long as ten minutes before a shuttle bus departs. Factor in the actual trips; and it is easy to need at least 30 minutes between both passage tombs.

Factor in approximately three hours to visit everything, depending on your interest. No photography or videography is permitted inside the chamber at Newgrange; but they are allowed inside one chamber at Knowth.

To get to Newgrange and Knowth — which are both located in County Meath approximately 38 kilometers north of Dublin — drive on the M1 highway north from Dublin to junction 9; and at the roundabout, turn left and head west on Donore Road. Newgrange and Knowth are located fewer than five kilometers from the exit of M1 — and the signage is quite clear, as you will not get lost. Be aware, however, that there is a toll of €1.90 each way on M1 at a toll plaza located between junctions 7 and 8 near Dardistown; so have your cash ready — unless you decide to exit at junction 7 to take route R132 north to Drogheda and turn left onto Donore Road in order to avoid paying the toll.

Everything is open seven days per week — with the exception of a few days per year; and those exceptions change each year. Business hours change also, depending on the time of year; and there are other special admission rates. Click here for more details and updated information.

Summary

There are many questions which have yet to be answered pertaining to Newgrange and Knowth; and we were repeatedly told by the official guides that our theories are just as valid as those of the experts. Perhaps you should consider visiting Newgrange and Knowth — which I highly recommend — and arrive at your own conclusions.

All photographs ©2014 by Brian Cohen.

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