We stopped over in the USA for a week on the way to the UK. We took the opportunity to say goodbye to our friends in California and did a bit of sightseeing as well, including a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

You got a free glass of local Napa Valley produced wine, which was very nice. The also served a delicious lunch as you will see later.

Here is Karen at the end balcony of the train, savouring the view.

The scenery was very like the rest of California, very dry hills but lots of cultivated areas. Grapes went for miles along the route...

This is a view of inside the train and one of the Bar staff. They were very nice waiting staff and the carriages were nicely done up too!

A view of the dinig carriage. It was very flash with silver service and gourmet dining.

Space for cultivating grapes is at a premium in the Napa Valley and as you can see, every available space is taken even on the hills!

A photo of a quintessential modern-day american Barn (and a few more grapevines of course!).

One of the more famous Napa Valley wineries along the route.

There were some very large houses in the Napa Valley, here's one we prepared earlier...

More space-saving grape cultivation...

Strangely enough there is at least one Gold course in the Napa Valley, it's where all the vintners catch some R&R while the wine is 'maturing'...!

In case you didn't get the idea that there were a lot of grapevines in Napa, here are a few more.

Here is Karen in the pre-dining carriage enjoying her glass of wine. And the scintillating conversations (not!) of those around her while I take this photo!

We spent about an hour in this carriage, could have gone to the wine tasting carriage but thought it would be unwise to tast on an empty tummy then have to drive home after...

Another view of more grapevines along the route but from the other side of the train, just to make it interesting.

All gone!