Trip Report: October 8 - 28, 2000
by Ted & Sylvia Blishak
ONBOARD AMTRAK
WITH TED AND SYLVIA BLISHAK
Our General Impressions of Service, Scheduling, Equipment, and Roadbeds
LOS ANGELES TO SAN LUIS OBISPO ON THE COAST STARLIGHT
October 26, 2000: Los Angeles Union Station
After dining at the New Otani Hotel with our nephew Greg, his wife Tonia, and new baby grand-niece Natalie, we attended Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes at the elegant Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles Music Center yesterday. Before the performance we checked out the Founder's Room (membership only), and the Impresario Ristorante & Bar, high above the Center on the fifth floor of the Pavilion. We've enjoyed our short visit to LA without venturing more than a mile from our hotel.
Travel Tip: Although it is impossible to find an acceptable low-priced hotel in most big cities, LA is different. The Metro Plaza is only $69 for a standard room, it is clean, provides spacious rooms, and has a security guard in the lobby at all times. While it is short on charm and elegance, and doesn't provide amenities such as room service, it is acceptable. For upscale hotels within a short distance of the station, we recommend the classy Westin Bonaventure or the luxurious New Otani.
We awake in our room at the Metro Plaza Hotel, which is in sight of the station only two blocks away. It's the closest hotel to the station, and a half block away from Olvera Street. And just a short block in the other direction is sawdust-on-the-floor Phillipe's, famous for French dip sandwiches and a historical display of model trains provided by Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
We join our website designer, Ken Barrett, for breakfast at Phillipe's. Soon it's time to board Coast Starlight #14. Just stepping aboard Amtrak's premier train is a thrilling experience. The train has a special aura and personality about it that sets it apart. We go to the Pacific Parlour Car, the lounge for first-class passengers which is unique to this train, for a cup of tea. Soon we recognize Tom Savio, a photojournalist known as "The Railway Baron", who we've last seen on the Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada a few years ago. Tom is on his way to North Vancouver, BC, for a preview run of BC Rail's new single-level domeliner, the Whistler Northwind. The train is scheduled to begin regular passenger service next May.
As we roll along the Pacific coast, with glimpses of palm trees, sandy beaches, and surfboarders, we compare our impressions of various train journeys we've all taken. The Royal Canadian Pacific gets our unanimous vote for the world's best train. (See our Royal CPR WebPages for more details.)
The Starlight has a new menu. When we began our trip on October 8th, it was a mimeographed format. Now it is printed and features many new items. I enjoy the Salmon Salad Nicoise, with Carmel Apple Granny for dessert. Ted's dessert, Chocolate Thunder, is a dark cake paved with frosting and chocolate chips. Tom samples the Key Lime Pie. All get top marks.
Before we know it, we're arriving in San Luis Obispo, 25 minutes early. We use our cell phone to call friends Merlyn and Eileen and tell them we're in ahead of schedule.
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