Great American Railroad Journeys - Season 3 - Eps 16: Santa Clara to Santa Cruz
Michael Portillo's thousand-mile rail journey through California continues south toward Santa Clara in the heart of Silicon Valley and ends in the surf of Santa Cruz. In a high-tech bar, where robots wait on the customers, Michael traces the origins of modern-day search engines and social media to an institution founded by a railroad baron. At tech giant Intel, Michael glimpses the future on a test drive in an autonomous car. At San Jose, the biggest city in the valley, Michael visits Japantown to meet members of a far eastern community who settled here peacefully during the 19th century but faced hostility during the mid-20th. He is then beaten over the head and body by youngsters a third of his age as he attempts to learn the martial art of kendo. A ride aboard the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad takes Michael through groves of mammoth trees - the magnificent California Redwoods. Emerging from the forest on a second vintage railroad, Michael hits the beach and like a true beach boy, he takes to the waves - on a surfboard.
About Great American Railroad Journeys
Title: Great American Railroad Journeys
First Air Date: 2016-02-01
Last Air Date: 2020-03-28
Status: Ended
Rating: 9/10 (from 1 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 5
Total Episodes: 75
Network: BBC Two
Genres: Documentary
Production Companies: FremantleMedia
Synopsis
Michael Portillo crosses the Atlantic to ride the railroads of America, armed with Appleton's General Guide to the United States, published in 1879.
Cast
Michael Portillo
Self - Presenter
