Sunday, November 22, 2009

going Amtrak


Trains are the way to travel with two-year-olds! We had a great ride aboard the Amtrak Crescent today, a short trip between Birmingham and Anniston. Tonight we're staying in Anniston at a hotel with great amenities! We all (us and Gran & Pop) swam for an hour in the indoor pool tonight while Uncle Denny watched and we put one exhausted little boy to bed on the sofa sleeper in our room.

The reason the train is so wonderful? He can get up and walk around and climb around and enjoy large space to play. He can visit the Cafe Car or the Dining Car. He can walk from car to car and play 'conductor' as he intones "TICKETS, PLEASE" to the people he passes. The seats are large and recline to the max (a leg support even comes up, much like an actual recliner). Dennis pointed out the tunnel and the bridges we passed through and under and very much enjoyed himself. He did not get to nap today and just when he told me "I want to get off the train and ride in Gran's and Pop's car", we arrived in Anniston. He was much distracted by all the tanks and army gear at the depot and was happy until we got off the train. He enjoyed our taxi ride to the hotel but then demanded food (which we all needed!). We enjoyed a rather superb barbecue and rib dinner at a Sonny's right next door before our swim. Tomorrow we return via train to Birmingham and then on home. I hope he enjoys it as much as he did today--it's about an hour and a half between the stations, and that was his limit today. I'm hoping that was due to the need of a nap that he didn't get because David and I liked it so much that we want to take longer train trips in upcoming years!

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