Strom Travel Diaries

Day 4 – Monday, December 20, 2021

Since the train to Seattle wouldn’t leave until about 4 p.m., we decided to leave our bags with the bell desk again, get some breakfast, and wander for a few hours before heading to the train station. We ended up at the Corner Bakery, using that coupon, before heading to Millennium Park. We wandered around there, made the requisite stop at The Bean (“Cloud Gate” for any purists, though I think Anish Kapoor deserves all the annoyance he gets from people calling it The Bean), and walked over the BP Bridge. The park and bridge were still frosty in some spots that remained in shadow. From there we walked down Washington to see Picasso’s untitled sculpture. It was in the middle of a Christmas market, but the market didn’t open until 11, so we kind of poked around the outside of the barrier to try and see the sculpture from different sides. We finished our self-guided tour with a walk over to Calder’s Flamingo, which was not in the middle of a Christmas market.

After getting our bags and heading back to Union Station, we got all checked in and made ourselves comfortable in the swanky Metropolitan Lounge. Were we a bit early? Yes. Were we happy to be out of the wind and cold? YES.

We got called to board the train, along with what seemed like most of the rest of the people in the lounge, and followed the lounge attendant in a long, snaking line like little ducklings down to the platform door where it was a lot of hurry up and wait. Mom and I were standing next to the door for platform 15 (not 9 ¾ unfortunately). How did we know it was platform 15, apart from the sign? Because it told us so every 5 seconds. I presume that this was for the benefit of any visually impaired passengers, but I was convinced I’d be hearing “Platform Fifteen” (you have to imagine it said in that kind of super-correct, formal tone that we all know so well) in my sleep. We realized why we were waiting when, after about 10 minutes, we saw the train pull into the platform. And it just. Kept. Coming. Another few minutes and we were finally directed down the platform to our car. Mom was once again grateful that she’d changed her shoes since the walk down to our car was a bit of a trek.

We got all checked in and this time we were in a Superliner roomette on the second story of the train. It was very similar to the roomette we had on the very first leg of the trip except with no toilet, no sink, and no window for the top bunk. This also meant a bit less room for any carry-ons. The guy in the roomette across the hall from us, Gary, was very friendly and outgoing, so I was glad Mom was there as I’m pants at keeping up a conversation. We talked to him for a bit before closing our door—the rule on the train is that you have to have your mask on at all times unless you are actively eating or drinking or if you’re in a sleeper room with the door closed.

Cody, our sleeping-car attendant, had come around to ask us when we wanted our bunks turned down and the dining car attendant had come around to put us down for a dinner reservation. We relaxed in the room, watching the scenery and towns go by, until the sun set. Even then we would keep our eyes open for any Christmas lights on at the houses we’d pass by. Mom had had some snacks in the lounge in Chicago, but I’d only had some tea, so we split an orange and I had a muffin and a pack of Milano cookies I’d grabbed as we’d left to get in line for the walk to the platform. On the two previous trains, the food had been quite good and very filling, though it was obviously pre-prepared and reheated for serving. Like, really, no complaints about it. Well, on this train the food is somewhat pre-prepared but only to a certain extent and you can modify it a little when you order. And the dinners are three courses. What. Mom got a lobster cake, grilled salmon with rice and veggies, and Philadelphia cheesecake. I got a salad with warm brie, pan-roasted chicken with risotto and veggies, and flourless chocolate torte.

We went back to our room after dinner, but when Cody came to turn down the bunks, we went in search of the lounge car. We found it several cars behind the dining car and were very pleased we had. It’s mostly windows with various configurations of tables and chairs facing one side or the other so anyone in it can enjoy the scenery going past. We didn’t stay too long—there’s not much to see at 9 p.m. other than occasional freight trains and far-off lights from distant towns.

We sat around in the room again once the bunks were all set and ended up not really getting ready for bed until after 11. We finally got to bed at about 12!