Tag Archives: trains
A Day of Reflection in Nagasaki, Japan
Our day of reflection takes us through cherry blossom-strewn, peaceful Nagasaki.Join us as we stroll through The Peace Garden with its towering Prayer Monument, wonder at the surviving statues of a church at ground zero of the atomic bomb, visit the epicenter and the Atomic Bomb Museum.
We’ll take you back to the day when the clocks forever stopped at 11:02… CONTINUE READING >>
12 Things You Don’t Know About Amtrak
Breakfast in bed? Wine and cheese tastings? A cafe car with a huge selection of snack and drinks? Meals served on REAL dishes? And that’s just the food.
Did you know there are really nice passenger lounges in large cities, comfy coach seating, showers and National Park guides aboard many routes?
AND your GypsyNesters show you around the… CONTINUE READING >>
David Shows off Amtrak Coach Seating
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6’2″ David shows off the situation in coach on Amtrak. We bought a… CONTINUE READING >>
A Tale of Two Cities… Uh, Counties… No, States
Check this out: we’re on the border of Tennessee and Georgia. We find a community that is split down the middle with a blue line painted through the town.It gets weirder (YAY!) — the blue line goes straight through buildings. Shops, a church, even a bar.
But wait, it gets weirder yet. The bar is also in two counties. And one of them is dry… CONTINUE READING >>
Sled Dogs & Snow Ghosts – Whitefish, Montana in the Winter
Whitefish, Montana! A quirky, friendly little town with a great sense of humor, a fabulous microbrewery, and some of the most incredible scenery in the world!Join us as we head into Glacier National Park in the snow and dog sled (!!!) through the breathtaking Stillwater State Forest with goofy grins pasted on our faces… CONTINUE READING >>
A Winter Wonderland Aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder
Join your GypsyNesters aboard Amtrak’s iconic Empire Builder as we head through a winter wonderland in luxury!See Glacier National Park out the huge windows of the Sightseer Lounge, celebrate Veronica’s visit to her 48th state over crab cakes (for breakfast!) in the dining car, share a fun-filled wine and cheese tasting, and enjoy tours of our sleeper car and all the fabulous amenities that you never knew Amtrak provided! … CONTINUE READING >>
Amtrak Sleeper Car Tour
Your GypsyNesters show you around their sleeper car on Amtrak’s Empire Builder – with their new friend, Isaac… CONTINUE READING >>
The Weight of Six Million Paper Clips
In a small town in Tennessee there is a monument so moving, so touching and so unlikely that the story behind it is almost unbelievable.Here is a tale of a group of school children who found out that even the smallest idea can spark a world wide movement. And how compassion can change the world… CONTINUE READING >>
Discovering The Lost City of The Inca, Machu Picchu
When we stepped off The Expedition Train at Aguas Calientes we wasted no time, proceeding directly to the busses for the ride up to Machu Picchu.We did not stop to eat, did not check into our hotel, did not pass go, and did not collect two hundred dollars. We just climbed aboard our carriage for the harrowing trip up the side of a crazy-sheer… CONTINUE READING >>
Expedition Train to Machu Picchu
It’s an adventure unto itself! The breathtaking scenery through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu on The Expedition Train, the second highest railroad in the world, after… CONTINUE READING >>
Secrets of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Anyone making their way to Machu Picchu must first traverse The Sacred Valley of the Incas (Valle Sagrado de los Incas), and we were no exception. But this was no tedious trek, it was a fascinating adventure in its own right.Join us as we visit the people, the food, the culture and the spectacular natural and ancient beauty of… CONTINUE READING >>
Dispatch 3, Machu Picchu & Peru, South America Live-Blog
Our live-blog continues through Peru with Machu Picchu, The Sacred Valley, the Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman Ruins, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Guayaquil and Lima.Stunning mountain-hugging train rides, a visit to a weaving cooperative, and the mysteries of the Incas… CONTINUE READING >>
The Sound of Salzburg
Salzburg, Austria. Home of Mozart and The Sound of Music.Join your GypsyNesters as we sample the sight and sounds of this beautiful city, discover the Reckturm Torture Tower, Heart & Lung Stew and the street performers that keep Salzburg’s musical heart beating… CONTINUE READING >>
Video – Storming the Hohensalzburg Castle
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Nowadays there is an electric cable railway, or funicular, to take people up the rocky face of the mountain. It’s glass encased and goes STRAIGHT… CONTINUE READING >>
Shenanigans in the Prague Subway!
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The GypsyNesters attempt the Prague Subway! From buying tickets (David INSISTS he meant to say “bills” and not “dollars”!) to getting… CONTINUE READING >>
How to Get Noticed in Palm Beach
Rockin’ razor-sharp hedges, fast cars and over-the-top opulence is just one way to stand out in an area known for its conspicuous “check me out” attitude.But we’ll stick to the more frivolous for our… CONTINUE READING >>
Okee Dokee Okefenokee
Yes, the Okefenokee Swamp is a real place – and we were up to our elbows in alligators!Two things struck us, first, someone should try using an alligator next time they want to set the long jump world’s record and, second, The Okefenokee’s most famous resident, Pogo, had it wrong. We have met the enemy and he sure ain’t us. He’s all teeth and…. CONTINUE READING >>
Ten Things You Don’t Know About New York City
Your GypsyNesters found the wild, weird and wonderful not-so-known sights, sounds and flavors of The Big Apple!Even if you are a New Yorker - we bet you don’t know most of these! … read more
Glacier National Park from the Dome Car of Amtrak’s Empire Builder!
Our snowy early morning trip had us glued to the windows of The Sightseer Lounge of The Empire Builder as we snaked our way through… CONTINUE READING >>
Can you REALLY Wash Your Hair with Oatmeal? Veronica tries it out – on a train!
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Whether you’re camping, on the road or just in a hurry, Veronica shows how an oatmeal “shampoo”… CONTINUE READING >>
Amtrak Shower Tour
Your GypsyNesters show you around the shower facilities on their sleeper car on Amtrak’s… CONTINUE READING >>
Amtrak 15-Day Rail Pass Live-Blog – Week Two
Week Two of our crazy 15-day Amtrak Rail Pass. See the Rockies by train – the only way you can see these views unless you are whitewater rafting! Veronica washes her hair with oatmeal, we see a haunted train station, view of the Pacific and the mountains from the dome car! Tour of the bathroom anemities and meet the coolest Amtrak employee ever- Ellis the Cafe Guy! Tons of video and pics!… CONTINUE READING >>Ellis, the Cafe Guy, Shows Us Around the Cafe Car on the California Zephyr
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Ellis, “The Cafe Guy,” Amtrak’s coolest employee, shows us around his domain. The Zephyr, like all of Amtrak’s long haul runs, has both… CONTINUE READING >>
I Can See the Pacific Ocean from Our Train Car!
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Views of the Pacific Ocean off the California Coast on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight! So beautiful! To read our entire crazy 14-day rail pass adventure: http://www.gypsynester.com/amtrak.htm
Wine Tasting Aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder!
As an added entertainment bonus for sleeper passengers, the dining car is transformed into a tasting room. Amtrak hosts a wine and … CONTINUE READING >>
Amtrak Train Bathroom Facilities
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Veronica gives a tour of the Amtrak bathroom amenities. For more on our Amtrak live-blog: http://www.gypsynester.com/amtrak2.htm
