Text 21647, 100 rader
Skriven 2009-03-08 06:44:00 av Dave Drum (1:124/311)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: CITY OF NAWLINS
=======================
-=> Glen Jamieson wrote to Dave Drum <=-

 DD> Nope - the City of Nawlins doesn't come within 75 miles of
 DD> Spring-A-Leak. Trains between Chicago and St. Louis are named for
 DD> Lincolnesque things ... except the one that terminates in Springfield
 DD> and returns to Chicago - it's named the Statehouse Ltd.

 GJ> Is it necessary to book ahead on these US trains, or can one just check
 GJ> the timetable and roll up and buy a ticket just before the train
 GJ> leaves, like on buses?

If you are riding in peasant class you can (with a few exceptions) just get a
ticket and clamber aboard. Or, I have seen people arriving late to the station
board sans ducat and pay the conductor when he comes around to collect tickets.
Whether that worthy turns in the lolly to his bosses or no ... I have no idea.

If travelling with sleeping amenities (Pullman-style upper/lower berthing or
"roomette") one obviously needs to book ahead.

 GJ> If time is not a factor, the cost of meals should not be significant,
 GJ> as you have to eat, wherever you are.  Night trains can save on hotel
 GJ> accommodation costs.

If one is stuck on the train the cost of food is significantly higher than if
on the ground and able to "shop" for a venue. OTOH - most dining car grub has
been of higher quality than in most of the place I patronise with regularity.
Service is linen and heavy flatware with much bowing and scraping of the
waitrons.

Some trains have only a "snack car" which sells canned brewskis, soft drinks,
and really bad sammiches and salty snacks at inflated prices. No amenities.

If flying, meals (if served) are included in the ticket price - usually. Except
for a couple of very mercenary (and low quality) US carriers. Besides, most
domestic (US) flights are short enough that if the airline doesn't feed you it
is possible to tighten the belt until the areochine lands and then seek
reasonably priced comestibles.

And, of course, Ryan Air is considering charging to use the "comfort"
facilities to discharge the natural result of consuming their overpriced drinks
and food. In any aeroplane I have traveled there is no way to crawl onder or
clamber over the door to the "facility". So one would either have to cross
one's legs and squirm or suffer the embarassing, spreading wet stain - or pay
up for relief.

 GJ> Travel by ship is one of my favourites; not so much the cruise liners,
 GJ> but smaller coastal ships, ferries and the like, where there is room to
 GJ> walk around, and the excitement of watching or participating in port
 GJ> activities.  In some places, where complete trains are carried on
 GJ> ferries, such as in Denmark, you can combine the pleasures of both
 GJ> forms of public transport.

Other than the odd day-trip on a st. Louis based riverboat I've not travelled
by commercial ship/boat/ferry/etc. At one time I was an owner (part-owner) in
an old converted fishing schooner (100' - three masts - fore & aft rigged)
which we sailed out for a couple week long trips to Baja Californica. I had to
miss the biggies - Hawaii and Acapulco - as they would have taken more time
than I could afford to take off work. Eventually I sold my share to someone
with the required dosh and more time to enjoy his investment.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Stuffed Aubergines
 Categories: Beef, Latino, Vegetables, Pork
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
      6 md Firm aubergines; washed
           - cut lengthwise
    200 g  Minced beef steak
    100 g  Serrano ham; diced
      2 tb Bread crumbs
      4 cl Garlic; fine diced
      1    Egg; lightly beaten
      1 tb Fresh chopped parsley
     25 g  Sultanas
     12 tb Olive oil
           Salt & pepper
    150 g  Emmental or other tasty
           - cheese, grated
 
  1. Place the aubergine halves in a shallow oven-proof dish. Gently
  make a few deep slices in the flesh, add a pinch of salt and drizzle
  with oil. Bake in medium oven until tender. Remove and allow to cool
  slightly. Carefully remove the flesh with a spoon. In a bowl, finely
  chop this flesh and mix well with the minced beef and ham, beaten
  egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
  
  2. Fill the aubergine shells with this mixture and drizzle over some
  oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in a moderate oven (200 C)
  for 20-25 minutes and brown under the grill for a further 5 minutes
  
  Contributor:  Esther Pérez Solsona

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... "Again and again it ends this way... upon the killing ground." - DT I
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