Sleepless in Seattle

Well, I finally made it to Seattle. The Empire Builder was awesome and I won a bottle of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot mix in a trivia game we played aboard the train. Well, I won by default because the last bottle left was given to the youngest person in the room, and that was me, by about 30 years! Well, I guess there are some advantages to being 32! All is not lost!! Anyway, I blogged along the way and since I couldn't find a wireless hotspot in Minot, ND, I thought I'd post all my musings along the way. So here goes:

12/07/2008

1605 EST- we are supposed to leave now but the train’s been delayed due to mechanical problems. I’m reading Around the World in 80 Days and the more I read it, the more I feel like Phileas Fogg. Well, there’s no 20000 pounds waiting for me at the end of this journey!!!

1700 EST: We are finally underway. I tried to board the lower level car but some lady told me it was only for handicapped people. That’s not true. But, it wouldn’t be nice of me to argue. I’m on vacation, anyway. So I’ve settled into the upper level seat #28, which is still very spacious. Wonder what’s for dinner. We were delayed because there was a problem between the dining car and one of the sleeper coaches. Oh well, the train’s moving and NOTRE VOYAGE COMMENCE!!!!!!

1732 EST: approaching Rockville and watching Devil Wears Prada on my laptop. That’s all!

1924 EST: had a soggy ham sandwich and some horrible wine for dinner. Off to bed and up tomorrow morning in Chicago.

12/08/2008

0845 CST: We stopped overnight in Pittsburg for some freight traffic and are now 4 hours late getting into Chicago. Yuckies, but I can still make my connection to Seattle, I hope.

1225 CST: Made my connection and sitting in the relaxing sleeping accommodations lounge at Chicago Union Station. Got some authentic hot dogs and some Jamba Juice for lunch. Gorgeous Great Hall, bigger than the one at Union Station.

12/09/2008

0935 CST: I slept like a log last night. Just as we were approaching Minneapolis we heard over the PA system “Ladies and Gentlemen we need to stop because we have just been notified by the CP dispatch that there is a cracked rail up ahead and it will take an hour to be fixed.” OK. No problem. I was busy enjoying my gigantic lamb shank with rice and vegetables and a bottle, yes a bottle, of Chardonnay from Washington State.

I am now sitting in the observation lounge and watching the Great Plains go by. I had breakfast as the train stopped in Minot, ND to change engines. I met a lady from Pasco, OR who was returning home after Thanksgiving with her father in Wisconsin. We chatted about our families and about where we came from and stuff.

12/10/2008

0400 PST somewhere in Eastern Washington State: I am up because I am still on East Coast time. Dinner last night was with a guy going home to Olympia Washington who is a part time guitar player in a band and a water conservation specialist for the city of Olympia by day. Seated next to me was a lady going back home to Seattle. I had the baked chicken which was not as good as the baked chicken I had on the California Zephyr a few weeks ago. Still, it was good when washed down with more Washington State Chardonnay. I finished dinner and went back to my room and sipped the Cab-Merlot blend I won at the wine tasting and drifted off to sleep. Patrick woke me up and made my beds so I could sleep comfortably. Patrick was awesome throughout the journey. Just like Lonny on the Zephyr, he was attentive and jovial. Amtrak sometimes gets a bad rap but it is a surprisingly well-run service and the food is not half bad. The restrooms are always clean as are the showers.

0600 PST - We seem to be entering the Cascades and they are gorgeous. Streams and mountains just like you'd see in a National Geographic magazine. Snowy pine forests and log cabins here and there finish off this beautiful picture postcard of the Pacific Northwest.

0815 PST-Patrick announced that we're now in Everett, Washington home of the mighty Boeing. The Empire Builder guide says that you can sometimes see them test flying 747 and 777s but nothing today. The train is skimming along Puget Sound and will be in Seattle proper in an hour.

1000PST-A bit delayed, but we have finally pulled into Seattle King Street Station. 3200 miles more and another Amtrak line completed. If I do the Southwest Chief from Chicago to L.A., then I have done all the cross-country lines. This Amtrak thing is really growing on me!

1100 PST-The hotel room is not ready and I was asked to check in at 3 p.m. So I walked to the famous Pike Placae fish market, had some bang up seafood in a cute restarant overlooking Elliott Bay and walked around the city a bit. OMG I LOVE this city. The gray weather agrees with me!

1300 PST- Of course, little spa whore that I am, I made an appointment at the first spa I saw. Ummelina's looks really swanky. I'm going to check into the hotel in two hours, take a hot shower and hit the spa. Can't wait!! :-)