Adventures on a Train

Trains have always held a fascination for me.  They are such a timeless link to our past, and yet they speak of the industrial foundation of our country.  And the pace of our life.  The south in general is not particularly well linked to the rail system, maybe its the slower pace of life down here, and Florida is no exception.  However, between our long history as a destination for northern visitors and our long coast (and the shipping that comes with it) we do have trains.  The tracks wind through our little town and I can stand in my front yard and watch them go by.  Or lay in my bed and hear them go by...  You really do learn to sleep through it.

So, Friday morning I tossed my overnight bag over my shoulder and took the short walk to the Amtrak station.  I haven't been on a train in the South since I was a child, and it felt very different from the northeast, where traveling by train was common.  I've tried to figure out what was different, but there's nothing I can point to.  It just felt different.  And for me it was a great adventure.  Instead of driving the dreaded Interstate, trapped by myself in the car, I knit and watched the other passengers.  I watched little towns go by, and laughed with the conductors, who clearly enjoyed their job.  And 2 1/2 highly entertaining hours later, I was in Tampa.

I wandered around Ybor city, pausing now and then to lie in a park and read my book, for several hours while Alex was finishing his conference.  And then I spent two highly entertaining days with my silly husband.

*I am quite aware that my inability to think of a single song about trains to use in this post, or at least the title immediately brands me a woman without small children.