Amazing Train Journeys

Philippe Gougler begins his journey through the Philippines in its capital, Manila. An electric and bustling city, in which the Spanish, American, and Chinese influences that have marked its history are clearly visible. He makes his first encounter in the subway, through which he learns a lot about Filipino romantic relationships. Then, at nightfall, in a working-class neighborhood, he tastes the famous balut, a very special duck egg. In the small town of Legazpi, an astonishing day awaits him. He accompanies teachers who are moving their school from village to village on the rails. Then he leaves for the island of Negros, in the sugar region, near the city of Silay, where he boards the only steam train in the Philippines.

Heading north to the United States for a journey across the plains and snow-capped mountains, largely following the spectacular route of the Empire Builder, a legendary train that crosses the Rockies in a magical setting. First stop in Chicago, where the extreme cold requires unusual solutions. Here, the rails are literally heated by setting them on fire. Then head to the frozen expanses of Lake of the Woods, on the Canadian border. Here, the train gives way to another way of life: cozy ice fishing. But Philippe Gougler won't be at the end of his surprises because, still on the frozen lake, he discovers an igloo-shaped bar and a surprising tradition that speaks volumes about the local festive spirit.

Belgium, our neighbors, the friends we love to tease but to whom we always return with a smile on our faces. Philippe Gougler will travel along one of the densest railway networks in the world, passing through Namur, Brussels, Antwerp, and not forgetting the Belgian coast on the North Sea coast, and its longest tramway in the world... A wonderful journey for Philippe in this country we think we know well, but which has many surprises in store for us!

Philippe travels to Mozambique, a little-known gem in southeast Africa, where he will discover dreamlike scenery... Between sublime plains, unforgettable safaris, and the Indian Ocean, trains will take Philippe Gougler in the footsteps of the famous navigator Vasco da Gama. In 1498, he stopped on the island of Mozambique, off the coast of the country, which became a Portuguese colony, a major turning point for world trade on the route to India...

Bolivia is a country that flirts with the sky, a country perched high, sometimes at over 6,000 meters above sea level, a country above all where the scenery is breathtaking. Philippe Gougler decided to approach this truly unique country from the bottom, at an altitude of 400 meters, where the vegetation is abundant, in the city of Santa Cruz, the departure station for the country's main cities: La Paz, Sucre, or Cochabamba. In Bolivia, trains are rare and take their time, and the charm of the journey lies in the unique scenery they cross and in the encounters.

In the Andes, sublime, almost mystical trains run, crossing the mountains and descending to the Pacific. There are few places in the world like this, places whose immensity, isolation, and mystery make you want to see further, to travel again and again. Philippe Gougler begins his journey through the Andes by Lake Titicaca and a train like no other: a rail bus. The journey continues to the heart of the largest salt desert in the world: the Salar de Uyuni. Then, head to Chile and the Pacific coast aboard one of the freight trains that cross the Andes and travel through unique settings.