From Worldometer (new COVID-19 deaths yesterday):
DAY USA WORLD Brazil India South Africa
June 9 1093 4732 1185 246 82
July 22 1205 7128 1293 1120 572
Aug 12 1504 6556 1242 835 130
Sept 9 1208 6222 1136 1168 82
Oct 21 1225 6849 571 703 85
Nov 25 2304 12025 620 518 118
Dec 30 3880 14748 1224 299 465
Jan 14 4142 15512 1151 189 712
Feb 3 4005 14265 1209 107 398
25 2414 10578 1582 119 144
Mar 2 1989 9490 1726 110 194
31 1115 12301 3950 458 58
April 6 906 11787 4211 631 37
May 4 853 13667 3025 3786 59
26 668 12091 2198 4172 102
Summary: Slowly improving, except for India. South Africa?
This is part one of a two-day posting on fabulous trains. I've traveled around the USA on Amtrak, been on several Eurail Pass trips, took the Eastern and Orient Express from Bangkok to Singapore and been all over Japan on their Rail Pass. Here is one rating of the most luxurious trains in the world:- #10 Indian Pacific (Australia): Beginning in 1970, this train connected Sydney and Perth, a one way journey of 2700 miles. Takes 65 hours in four classes, cheapest being an advanced purchase of $1819, with Platinum as the premium at $3889, for a suite with shower.
#9 Palace on Wheels (India): Relaunched in 2009, there are 23 gorgeous coaches for 104 guests. Eight days from New Delhi through the country and back for a total cost of from $4000 to $7600 per person depending on type of cabin. Expensive for singles, as the price doubles.
- #8 Blue Train (South Africa): Connects Cape Town and Pretoria, a distance of 994 miles. 27 hours, 52-80 guests, for $1300, but includes meals, wine and cigar.
- #7 Pride of Africa: 2000 miles from Pretoria to Zimbagwe, Zambia and Tanzania in nine days. Takes 72 passengers, and between Capetown and Pretoria costs between $1776 and $3500.
#6 Rocky Mountaineer (Canada): Was named the The World's Leading Luxury Train in 2020. There are four rail routes connecting Alberta, British Columbia and the state of Washington. The 12-night Grand Rail Circle costs between $8,106 and $12,299/person.
- #5 Eastern and Oriental Express (Southeast Asia): Four days connecting Singapore to Bangkok for a total cost of $3325 to $7575/person (singles more expensive). The train is narrow rail, so walking around is a real hazard. The route also extends from Bangkok to Chiang Mai at a cost from $2231 to $4717/person for two nights.
#4 Venice Simplon Orient Express (Europe): Links London to Venice, but several times/year goes on to places like Istanbul via Budapest and other cities, like Rome, Berlin, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Remember the book and film by Agatha Christie? Cost of $3360 to $9640 on a London-Paris-Venice route, or $20,000 to $70,000 going between Paris-Bucharest-Istanbul. Here is what you get for five nights.
- #3 Royal Scotsman (Scotland): Only 36 passengers, the four night Scotch Malt Whiskey Trail from Edinburgh costs around $7500/person. Great if you can find a way to golf at St. Andrews, as I have several times.
- #2 Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express (Russia): 6800 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok, with a stop in Ulaan Bataar, takes 15 days at a cost from $20,000 to $46,000. I remember reading in 2008 a book by Paul Theroux called Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, a particularly grimy and cheap trip, about as opposite as you can get from the luxurious GTT-SE.
- Theroux, who lives in Hawaii, just released his latest book, Under the Wave at Waimea:
#1 Maharajas Express (India): Five rail journeys covering 12 destinations, voted The World's Leading Luxury Train five times in a row. 84 passengers starting at $2910 for the Treasures of India, going up to $23,700 for the Heritage of India in the presidential suite.
Another top ten, on You Tube. A similar list as above, with the Maharajas Express also at #1. At #3 is the Seven Stars Kyushu, which I will report on tomorrow.
- There are several Australian trains that take you almost everywhere you might want to go. Not all that outrageously expensive, so this would be a different way to see the country, although views might be a tad boring.
An interesting one is a 3-hour ride from Cusco to Machu Picchu on the Hiram Bingham. The $1000 roundrip cost includes a welcome Pisco cocktail, open bar, music, gourmet lunch and dinner, entrance to Machu Picchu with tour guide. Also, bus transfer and back to train station.- This video concludes with Japan's Shika-Shima, which I will expand on tomorrow.
- Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling. If you saw him on American Idol, can you believe he is 70 years old?
- Dancing in the Movies with Wham.
- Flashdancing at the Movies.
- But about dancing, many, me included, say that the tap dancing performance of Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire to Artie Shaw's Begin the Beguine was the best ever on the screen. Few remember that they danced three times in Broadway Melody of 1940 (Rotten Tomatoes: 80/81). The third star in that production was George Murphy, who went on to become a U.S. Senator. The story is that Powell/Astaire never were filmed dancing together again because they were intimidated of each other. Probably true, but they actually remained friends. Here is Eleanor in tribute to Astaire in 1981. She passed away the following year, but if alive today, would have been 109 years old. Fred? Went in 1987 at the age of 88 and would have just made 121 a few days ago if still around.
I slept right through the lunar eclipse last night, but here is a photo of the event sent to me by a friend using her iPhone (it was a cloudy night in Honolulu):
-
No comments:
Post a Comment