Yesterday we went on our long awaited Amtrak field trip with our homeschool group. We rode the train to Seattle and back. We had about 2 hours to spend in downtown Seattle. Our family went to Pike Place Market. My husband and I are pretty inept at riding public transportation, so it was a bit frustrating trying to figure out how to get around Seattle. But all in all, the day was a nice change from our usual routine.
My favorite part: the train stations. Our Union Station here in Portland was refurbished awhile back and it is beautiful. Stepping into these old train stations is just like stepping back in time. I was not as impressed by Seattle's station, but it still had that very old feel to it. I love nostalgia, so I just eat these things up.
What struck me as very interesting is the fact that there is no security measures being taken for people to ride the train. You just show up, and get on the train. There is no baggage check, metal detectors, etc. It was sort of refreshing compared to flying. I suppose it is perhaps because the train system is national instead of international. I would venture to guess that some folks might be using the train for domestic travel vs. flying in order to avoid the invasive security measures at airports. I would.
The kids liked the dining car (or Bistro car as Amtrak calls it) where we had a light breakfast on the way up, and snacks on the way back. We all learned the meaning of "train legs" and actually my husband still is feeling today like he is still walking around on the train.
A few pics from our day:
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