Aboard Amtrak, diners are seated community style. While sometimes
I'm just not in the mood to socialize, we have met some very
interesting people that way. On Tuesday evening, March 3
rd
we were seated across from a very ordinary looking older couple for a
very late dinner. He was a bigger man, dressed quite casually. She,
a tiny woman with a stocking cap pulled low over her eyes. We made
small talk for much of the meal and then, when I asked where they
were headed, it started a whole new conversation. I forgot all about my pesto tilapia as their plans unfolded. They had just packed up their
home in Sand Point, ID and after a few day's stop in Minneapolis,
they were traveling to Israel, where they will be living for the next
three years. He works in US intelligence. She comes along and takes
care of the household. He seemed quite enthused. She said she was
frightened.
By the time we headed back to our room, it was time to turn in for
the night. We got our pjs on and sat on my bunk with the lights off
and curtains open. The moon was bright and full. Out on the North
Dakota prairie oil fields,
gas
flares burned as beacons in the night. Our kind server in the
dining car had sent me back with a cup of decaf, which I enjoyed with
a few “chicks & rabbits”, thoughtfully given by Cassandra and
Jeremy as a parting gift.
When I woke early on Wednesday morning, I parted the curtains to
see a lovely pink-orange sunrise. I helped myself to a cup of coffee
and captured a few pictures out a neighboring window and from the
back of the train.
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| View from the back of the train |
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| It's a beautiful morning |
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| Near the Mighty Mississippi |
Over a vegetable omelette with grits and Railroad French toast, we met another
interesting couple. Charlie and Shirley seemed to make a career out
of rail travel. He had traveled by train through 65 different
countries and had logged just under a million miles. She had done
about half of that. They'd been on many tours, including the “silk
road” in Asia. So far, I'm enjoying catching glimpses of this
great country I live in but maybe someday in the future I will
venture further.
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| Breakfast with Charlie and Shirley |
Wow! 65 different countries! It is just amazing, who you may meet. I am familiar with Amtrack's style of dining, and yes, the fact is when you have rolling stock they don't always have room to seat everyone at their own private table. And every time I was seated at a table with others, they were nothing except kind and gracious. Nobody even asked me why I was traveling alone, which I appreciated.
ReplyDeleteYes, I understand why they do it and it is interesting to talk to people but sometimes there are several tables that stay empty.
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