Yet again, up early and out for a walk around the town.
Up to the church...
..past the shops. There are some great shops here. I was actually tempted into a few. One fabulous one sold all sorts of antiquities and stuff - old musical instruments, including a old gramophone complete with winder. I could have spent a lot of money in that shop.
There are shows all over the place with Halloween stuff - has been since I got here, at the start of September! This is one of the best..
..down and along the wharf...
And here's the Fire Department...
Such a pretty town. I would recommend it to anyone coming this way. And stay at the Steamboat Inn.
Back to the inn for breakfast. Tried Cheerios - always heard a out them and wanted to see what they were like. I was expecting the to be Rice Bubblish but they were actually quite nice. Muffin with scrambled egg on top. Nice breakfast. They have a common room...
..where you can get tea and coffee, water and soda and cookies all day and sherry after five. I did take some cheese and a muffin for morning tea - in the GLAD bag I had got from Anne's White Column Inn for this exact purpose.
Then tried to Google up information on this shutdown, which is not looking good for Washington! Lincoln Memorial closed! The National Mall is closed! There's talk of Alcatraz and Yoesmite being closed - I am booked to go to both these places so hopefully it will not last til the end of the month!! No one knows when it will be resolved. The news is full of it, debates and opinions. All I care about is that I can't see the things I want to. Never mind, I will find stuff to do.
I had noticed some pumpkin candles I wanted to get. (Shaped, not scented) so I went up to do that. Then checked out and it was getting late - 10:15 and the train left at 11:17! Yikes! Then forgot I had to get petrol. Double yikes!! So I do that, run in and throw the money at the guy and hurtle off to the airport, where the car had to be dropped off.
Run inside, it's pretty much empty - except for two guys at the Budget counter - the one I needed to go to. Couldn't they have picked any other rental company??? So they're debating whether they should even take a car or get a cab. Car, okay, so whose license will we use? Will you pay or will I? Get on with it! I have got a train to catch. It's now 10:46.
I wouldn't have been as worried if there was a taxi rank out the front, as I was expecting. But it was a little country airport and there was no such thing. I politely butted in to the two guys to ask Guy Behind Counter if they have a shuttle or courtesy bus. He says no but he can book a cab. Yes, please. Okay. He calls. It will be 12 minutes. Okay. And then it's 10 minutes to the train station.
He goes back to the two guys and they eventually go. Thank goodness I had booked the taxi! It takes a while to drop off the car, Guy Behind Counter does not care that I am in a hurry. He takes his sweet time, typing with one finger so I want to jump the counter, throttle him and do it myself. Out the front to wait for the cab - which feels like it takes three hours to arrive.
Cab arrives at 11:03. I told him that I had a train to catch at 11:17 and he looks dubious. And we're off and racing. Car turns in front of us, doing under the speed limit. Go away! Onto the freeway and he's zooming along. Slows for the police radar check - why are they out today? Have not seen them once in a month. I'm starting to work out what to do coz that train will be gone. Surely I can get the next one but what time does it arrive. As it is, I'm arriving in Washington after 5:00. Will I have to pay again?
Just heading for the off ramp on the freeway when granny moves in front of us at half the speed limit. Get out of the way! Taxi driver does a quick overtake of granny, who looks unamused... Scream to the train station. Throw money at the driver with a generous and well-deserved tip and onto the platform. Literally wait three minutes and here is the train.
I had it all planned and timed in my mind but two things mucked me up - I had forgotten I had to fill the car up and I stopped to buy pumpkin candles. I will remember this day when I look at them. I am glad I got them, though. They're the perfect souvenir - pumpkin, for the time of year - fall colours, also for the time of year - and pumpkins - very indicative of New England.
Into the train, here's my seat for the next six or so hours...
I love Amtrak - a single seat complete with tray table, power socket for iPad AND Wi-Fi. I do love to sit and watch the world go by, no driving. I have downloaded a Stephen King book to read, am writing this, it's all good. And it's farewell to New England and onto the next stage of the trip.
While we rattle along, there's a few things I forgot to mention along the way, so here we go.
Bar Harbor is on an island called Mount Desert Island but they pronounce it 'dessert' for some reason. I reckon they should go with Desert Island - that would be cool.
Boston has the most people running and jogging - no wonder they have a marathon there.
New York - funniest comment overheard was a guy with a heavy New York accent in a restaurant, "I gotta check that with my allergist." Maybe you had to be there...
What's with the four-way intersections? Who has right of way? I asked the girl at reception in Charlottetown, where I first encountered this, and she said she didn't know. So that was helpful.
The other thing I can't get used to is turning right on the red light. Just doesn't seem right to go through a red light, even if no one is coming.
Another thing here is the loos - or 'restrooms'. They have incomplete doors, so the bottom third is pretty much open. This does help - because there are no vacant/engaged signs on the door so the only way to check if a stall is emoty is to look for the feet under the door. There are big gaps on either side of the doors too. So if you wanted, you could pretty much look in. Then there is how to flush - handle on the left, push button thing, some magically know when you stand and flush by themselves.
Next is the basin - how to turn on the tap - is it just waving your hands underneath? Push buttons, pull something? And then getting the paper towel - is it a dial to turn, wave your hands under or simply pull and rip. it's all very complicated!
Lady sitting in front of me with a broad Texan accent just asked me if you could smoke between carriages. I said probably not. She said we did things differently in the north - didn't even realise that I didn't really sound 'northern' and so didn't really know. She has just come back from having a puff - I can really smell it now on other people. And I actually prefer it to the smell of her perfume.
The train has stopped for a couple of times for quite a while, they're having some problems with an engine. We have a new one now. I'm not worried if we get there a bit late - at least I'm on the thing!
Lady in front asks me the occasional question - where is the restroom? What's the next stop? Do I change for the train to Philadelphia? I still don't know, lady. She just got told off by the conductor (they actually have them on the trains!) for getting off at the stops to smoke. She told him she's going to see her military husband who she hasn't seen for six months and she's nervous. He doesn't care. "Can't get off to smoke, ma'am."
We have now been joined by loony number two. She was in the other carriage when I got on but for some reason decided to move into this carriage. Nicely dressed and ladylike lady got on and sat opposite me. Loony came in, with her dog, to sit next to nice lady - even though there are other free seats available. She then disappeared for a good 15 minutes, leaving her dog under Nice Lady's feet.
She and Loony in front of me had a conversation in which neither one listened and answered the other, just kept having their own conversation. 1. "My dog at home is a Pomeranian." 2. "She's so good. I can take her anywhere." 1. "It's cold in here." 2. "If you train kids and dogs, you can take them anywhere." And so on.
Nice Lady has taken up talking on her phone constantly. If she doesn't, Dog Loony will engage her in meaningless conversation. I am busy on iPad, doing anything to avoid eye contact.
This is what I have looked at all day. Dog Looney's foot is bottom right. She has moved to the seat in front, thus relieving Nice Lady. You can see the lady at the cafe ahead.
Smoking Loony has got off the train at Philadelphia. Dog Loony is now engaged in conversation with the conductor about her dog, who she claims is a helper dog and she does have the papers for it. Conductor is saying no, these aren't the papers, you can't bring this dog on again. Loony is not happy.
A little bit later now and Dog Loony is either reading her magazine aloud to her dog or talking to herself...
So we arrive in Washington. Most of the passengers get off here. Union Station is pretty impressive.
Into a taxi and off to Morrison-Clarke Historic Inn. I was after a historic inn in Washington. This one came up as an option and I got a really good deal by booking way in advance. The room is lovely...
Got some takeaway fajitas and tried to work out a plan of action to see as much as is possible. Stupid Republicans!
And here are the reasons I nearly missed the train...
No comments:
Post a Comment